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Racing Wheel with Force Feedback Edition of Project Gotham Racing 3 (Xbox 360) | 
 enlarge | From: Microsoft
Category: Video Games
This item is no longer available
Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 11104
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: car-and-truck-racing-games
Media: Video Game
Age: 3 - 18 years
Operating System: Xbox 360
Shipping Weight (lbs): 16
Dimensions (in): 18.7 x 14.9 x 13.5
UPC: 882224273428
EAN: 0882224273428
ASIN: B000I2O48Y
Release Date: December 1, 2006
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
Fantastic... a must for all racing fans. August 30, 2007
Big Mike (UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
OK so its not truly wireless, but what can you expect it isnt magic!.
To get the most out of this you must plug it in for proper force feedback. if you really dont want to plugit in then you can use it with just rumble, but it defeats the point of the wheel. If thats what you plan to do i suggest you get a cheaper alternitive.
Also, the wheel is only at its best when clamped to a desk. On your lap its functonal but again, so much potential is lost.
BUT when set up correctly this is superb, and is on a par with the logitech offering on the ps2/pc.
PGR3, Forza2 and DiRT just come into their own when using this wheel, i have completed all 3 using the wheel, and from now on am sure all new racers will make proper use of it.
The only downsides of the wheel, which is why only 4* imo.
handbrake button needs to be better placed, it can take some getting used to (i acutally did the cone challenges on pgr3 still with the pad due to the handbrake)
it could do with a bigger lock.
these 2 niggles aside, once you go proper force feedback there is no going back. Dirt esp was a lifeless dull game on the pad. Not so with the wheel.
I just hope M$ pull their finger out and get the cross fire dongle working properly so i can use this wheel on my pc with force feedback.
 Best Way of Feeling the Racing Driver in You August 13, 2007
Mr. M. M. Beasley (Reading, Berkshire)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The problem with a lot of steering wheel reviews is that they're written by people who don't know the first thing about driving. I despair when I read reviews that complain about wheels which don't "shake" enough when crashing, or "pull" enough when trying to pile around a corner with your foot down. Unfortunately most of these reviewers have no idea of how a car should feel when piling into bend too fast, and would probably find themselves smashing into a gravel trap with a fist full of under-steer at the first corner in the real world. But as a result of this lack of understanding, a great many force feedback steering wheels lack any sense of realism in favour of artificially tugging, shaking and jarring the driver just to prove their force feedback credentials. I was therefore very pleased to find that Microsoft had not tried to please the driving ignoramus and instead had produced a steering wheel for the true driving enthusiast.
To be honest though, it's probably not the realism and feel of this wheel that will attract buyers, it's the fact that it's wireless. Now, anyone who's already got an Xbox 360 Premium Pack will be aware of the joys of wireless control. The X360 wireless controller is a real triumph and means that you can leave the controller on your coffee table and just pick it up and play without worrying about a cable dangerously draped across your living room. This steering wheel employs the same concept and uses the same wireless technology to communicate with the console, but it's not what I'd call a true wireless controller.
The reason that I'd find it hard to label this wheel as truly wireless is that it still employs cables. The lesser of the two cables links the wheel to the pedal box, and to be fair, this isn't much of a problem at all. But the second cable plugs the wheel into a mains supply, to enable the force feedback to operate. You therefore need to have a power socket somewhere near your sofa. If you're lucky you'll have a socket behind your sofa so you can keep the power supply plugged in and hide the cabling under the couch when the wheel is not in use
As well as offering wireless connectivity to the console, this wheel is also very well built and easy to setup. Anyone who's had to clamp a steering wheel to a desk will lament having to tighten up screws to the point of breaking, just to make sure that the wheel doesn't move about mid race. But Microsoft's table clamp is a masterpiece of design and function. For a start, the clamp is separate to the wheel itself, allowing you to easily clip the wheel in and out, while leaving the clamp attached to the table. Also, despite the fact that there is still a degree of screw twisting involved, there's also a pressure clamp located at the front - you tighten the screw as far as possible without breaking your fingers, then just engage the pressure clamp. The result is a very solid connection to your table or desk, without a hint of movement, no matter how ham fisted you are around the Nordschleife!
Don't despair if you don't have a desk or table to clamp the wheel to though, since it has also been designed to be used on your lap. The base of the steering wheel unit is wide and rounded at the sides so that it fits over your lap comfortably. Obviously having the wheel on your lap detracts from the realism - it's too low down for a start and if you get a little overexcited it's all too easy to move the whole unit around. That said, it's still completely usable on your lap, which is more than can be said for a lot of other wheels.
The wheel itself looks and feels great. Two thirds of the wheel is covered in a tactile rubberised finish, while the bottom third is finished in brushed aluminium. The bottom of the wheel is also flat, just like it would be in a real racing car. Obviously this is a bit of a gimmick, since you're not having to squeeze into a tight cockpit as you would in a real racing car, but that hasn't stopped VW and Audi putting flat bottomed wheels in the Golf GTi, TT and RS4!
The final part of the puzzle is the pedal box, which has the same high quality look and feel as the rest of the ensemble. The throttle pedal is very large, while the brake pedal is mounted quite high, making the setup ideal for heel and toe aficionados. Of course with a lack of clutch, you could just left foot brake, but if you're used to heel and toeing on your change downs, you'll probably just use the one foot like me. The advantage of the single foot technique is that you can also keep the pedal box steady with your left foot - not that it tends to slide around too much anyway, but keeping it planted with your left foot means that it won't slide away no matter how overexcited you get.
This wheel provides the perfect amount of feedback. It doesn't go overboard with the shaking and shuddering, but does go light or fight against you exactly when it should. But most impressive is the feedback that you get from the road surface - obviously this is going to be dependant on the game you're playing, but with both Project Gotham Racing 3 and Need for Speed: Carbon, the wheel accurately conveyed changes in road surface and camber. The feedback is subtle, but if you're used to driving a car with good steering feel you'll instantly feel at home with this wheel.
The major downside of this wheel is that it doesn't come cheap. At just under 80 online, you're going to have to be a real driving game fan to put your hand in your pocket for this wheel, no matter how good it is. You do get PGR3 bundled in the box, but it's unlikely that any driving game enthusiast wouldn't already have it in their collection. So, the question is whether it's worth the money, and I'm inclined to think that it is, especially with Forza Motorsport 2 just around the corner!
Verdict
Although it's not as wireless as its name would suggest, this wheel still offers a distinct lack of cables draping from your console to your sofa. Add to this superb design and build quality, coupled with the best force feedback action I've felt and you've got a great virtual driver's tool. If you're serious about driving games and are already counting down the days to the release of Forza 2, you should seriously consider one of these.
Must Have steering wheel! July 27, 2007
spudskates (Devon UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having paid out 40 on a madcatz steering wheel - (which was returned after 1 day - cheap lightweight rubbish!) - I forked out the extra dosh for the force feedback model from micorsoft. It does take a while to get used to - but once mastered it is a truly rewarding experience and much more involving than the standard controller. The force feedback is very realistic and adds another dimension to driving games. - The paddle gearshift works brilliantly although the handbrake (A button) can be awkward to reach when sliding into a corner on full lock. I agree with other reviews that the 'on the lap' option is a waste of time - get yourself a coffee table and clamp it on to feel the full force!
The price tag is steep but is well worth the extra money.
Overall I'm very pleased with the wheel and would recommend it to any serious driving game fan. - 10 out of 10!
Incredible with some games, pathetic with others. July 3, 2007
Mr. D. Bell (Northampton, England)
28 out of 30 found this review helpful
As an add-on for the 360 this is a very impressive piece of equipment. The actual steering wheel is sturdy enough and doesn't feel like it will fall apart when negotiating a tricky hairpin! The pedals are equally impressive and are huge. The accelerator and brake are very well spaced and there is no problem of your feet banging together that you get with some smaller versions. One criticism is the use of the word "wireless". Strictly speaking the way the wheel communicates with the 360 is "wireless" but in order to set it up there are a number of wires involved. Firstly there is one which runs from the wheel to the pedals and secondly it needs plugging into the mains in order to activate force feedback. So "wireless", I don't think so.
The wheel can be used on your lap but I suggest it is best if you use the clamp provided and attach the wheel onto a table. Driving with it mounted on your lap is very difficult and just doesn't feel right. I got a little coffee table form Ikea for 8 quid which is perfect!
As far as a review goes, I think the easiest way to rate this steering wheel is on how it performs when used as intended. I have so far used it on three games and hopefully this will give you some insight as whether this wheel is worth the (rather steep) asking price.
Project Gotham Racing 3: This comes packaged with the wheel and is exactly the same as the normal retail version. The only difference is that it comes in a paper wallet rather than a normal case. The instructions say to put this in first to install the "drivers". This is not necessary. The game will simply load as normal and the wheel works fine.
On a normal "street race" or a "hot lap" the wheel is fantastic. The force feedback is stronger than I expected and at times you find yourself wrestling with the wheel to apply opposite lock to stop a skid. One downside is that the handbrake is operated by the "A" button which makes games such as "time vs. kudos" virtually impossible as it is difficult to have any control whilst turning the wheel and hitting "A" at the same time. Unfortunately, for these types of races it is much easier to use the normal controller. Another downside is the gear shift paddles do not change gear. Instead they act as shoulder buttons and will alter the view rather than change gear.
Overall though, this wheel is great fun with Gotham Racing. Rating the wheel with this game would get 4 out of 5 stars.
Colin McRae Dirt: Oh dear. The wheel just doesn't work with this game at all. I thought it was just me at first but friends of mine have all had a go now and we all found it impossible to have any real control. The steering is far too sensitive and the same problem emerges as Gotham Racing with regard to the handbrake. In a rally game in which the hand brake is used frequently, it is difficult to use and the game becomes extremely difficult and no fun whatsoever. Stick with the normal controller on this game. A big shame because I was really hoping it would work well on this game.
Overall, a huge disappointment when using the wheel with Dirt. Sadly 1 out of 5 stars.
Forza 2: This is the main reason I bought the wheel and thankfully it is well worth it. The feeling you get from each car is sublime. If anything, it makes the game even more difficult as the controls are so precise that every slight movement changes the behaviour of the cars. However, once you get used to this, the game is far more rewarding than simply using the normal controller. The difference in front/rear/four wheel drive cars is more noticeable and learning how to control each type is fantastic fun. The force feedback is astonishing and at times the wheel snaps violently back into place after you have corrected a skid or when the car goes completely out of shape. It is clearly apparent that Forza 2 was developed in conjunction with this wheel as the attention to detail is phenomenal. For example, leave your foot down at the start of a race in a powerful front wheel drive car and take your hands of the wheel. When the lights go green the car lurches forward and torque steer is replicated sending the car veering to the left or right.
Overall this wheel makes an already excellent game even better. Easily 5 out of 5 stars.
To sum up, this wheel is perfect when used with Forza 2. The amount it adds to the overall driving experience is amazing. It delivers equal amounts of frustration and pleasure as you try and master the controls of a 500BHP super car. With PGR 3 its good and with Dirt it is rubbish.
Whether it is worth the asking price when only handful of compatible games are available is debatable. It really does depend on how much you love your driving games. If like me they are your favourite genre then it is an essential purchase. If not, then I think there are maybe other things you would rather spend your money on.
 Not wireless, beware set up June 30, 2007
C. Rainbow (UK)
2 out of 8 found this review helpful
So, its w wireless wheel that needs wires to connect pedals to the wheel and also if you want vibration as it needs to be plugged in. Good quality wheel, but the set up instructions are out of date. I spent ages trying to install "drivers" that the instructions tell you that you must do before using the wheel. This didn't work, but the wheel was fine without them anyway! Apparently microsoft have updated the xbox to accept the wheel but not updated instructions. Do youself a favour and buy a wired wheel for 30-40 rather than 80-90 on this.
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