Community Question | FFB or No FFB?

[Lokopixo]

But it did get 9 pages of activity for RD

erratum : not useless, useless and dishonest

 

[Serge.M]

There’s probably a bet going with the guys who run the forums on who can get the most comments on a post before Christmas and someone came up with this thread. That guy wins a carton of beer or something...

 

[Stenne]

Simracing without FFB? Unthinkable for me!

 

[Voodoodna]

weaker ffb? no ffb? huh? how do you know whats happening actually? unless they talk about no ffb (controller) the wheel will just free float!

unless said PRO drives the same setup. the same car, same tracks constantly and trains enough, he might do better without ffb.
Still no ffb at all against minimal ffb, in theory, it is a disadvantage.

 

[Nicholas Xu]

Anyone remember those LFS days you may steer with your mouse and pedal with your keyboard? (G25 wasn't even available those days)

Plenty strong world record laptimes were made with a mouse and a keyboard. No ffb, just stupid fast (but still precise) steering.

Still, it still feels unimaginable to turn off ffb on my wheel.

 

[Tr0nic]

Some go to the gym... others just drive with strong FFB...

1085 votes so far, impressive to me!

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Some go to the gym... others just drive with strong FFB...

And some go the gym right before a sim-race, and the regrets it on lap 38...

 

[Botmeister]

And some world record lap times are set with an xbox controller.
One could almost say it's cheating, but then again also not because it's not against any rules.

 

[kass55]

I like full FFB (not just steering FFB)

So I have a FFB steering + motion seat (front back side to side) + engine vibrations + sound sound.
Best graphics I can afford.

I want the adenalin rush of real life (but without expensive crashes).
Its not only the winning, its the speed rush.

 

[actuallyasriel]

I don't think you'll get many here who don't see FFB as a bare-minimum requirement for sim racing. Whatever works for folks works for 'em, though, it's their life. One could argue many arcade-oriented titles are made overcomplicated by FFB, ones designed for controller use.

But for sims, it's a crucial piece of feedback that would feel a lot like being blindfolded to go without. It's more than just gimmicky immersion -- it's a sensory connection to the simulator as vital, in my opinion, as seeing or hearing it. You could theoretically go without... but if you had the option, why would you??

Learning to read and respond to FFB was how I managed to build up the confidence to turn off most of the assists on the sims I play.
Except for auto-clutch... but we'll get there one day, I'm sure.

 

[hobsey]

I tried it once without ffb and it felt awful.

It feels like when you shake someone's hand who has a limp wrist and light grip, floppy and horrible.