Logitech G has unveiled the Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedals, a high performance racing wheel that revolutionises the sim racing experience.

Engineered for maximum realism, G923 features TRUEFORCE a new high-definition force feedback system that dials into a game’s physics and audio engine to deliver an ultra-realistic experience.

“A great force-feedback racing wheel can be the difference between crossing the finish line first and spinning off the track and not finishing at all,” said McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris.  “The new Logitech G923 wheel with TRUEFORCE gives drivers an authentic experience behind the wheel and simulates the details we feel as racing drivers. I can feel if the rear of the car loses grip or if I’m about to spin, which gives me the best chance to quickly correct it, and stay ahead of the competition.”

TRUEFORCE is a proprietary high definition force feedback technology that revolutionises what’s possible in supported racing games. Using actual game physics and audio in real time, it allows players to feel things like the roar of an engine, tire traction, the terrain of the track, and feedback of the steering wheel more than ever before. TRUEFORCE connects directly to in-game engines, processing at up to 4000 times per second to produce next-gen realism and detail in supported games.

“For the last few years, we’ve been working with sim drivers, and professional race car drivers to develop a full-featured, realistic driving experience like no other,” said Ujesh Desai, general manager at Logitech G. “With TRUEFORCE you really get to feel the road, along with all the subtle features of the race car. It truly elevates the experience, and everyone we’ve had try it always walks away with a smile!”

Designed for today’s sim racers, the G923 wheel and pedals have been modernised with a brushed metal steering wheel, polished pedals and a leather wheel cover for maximum comfort. In addition, the G923 was designed with a number of new features, including programmable Dual Clutch Launch Controls which allows racers to get off the line cleaner and faster with a programmable dual-clutch that facilitates maximum traction and minimum smoke.

The built-In Rev Indicator features colored LED lights that indicate your RPM range, alerting the racer when they’re hitting redline. On-wheel game controls for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles is integrated into the steering wheel for total control at your fingertips, whereas the progressive brake pedals features a new progressive spring for a more responsive feel, this new brake pedal responsiveness adds more realism and control.

Finally the 24-Point selection dial is also built in and allows the racer to adjust traction, torque, automatic stability management, brake force and more.

The Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedals will work with PlayStation 4 and PC when it launches in New Zealand and Australia in August 2020. The G923 will also work with PlayStation 5 when the console launches this holiday season.

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The post LOGITECH G DELIVERS REALISISM w. TRUEFORCE RACING WHEEL appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Those most dedicated and enthusiastic fans of authentic racing game experiences on Xbox One and PC will be thrilled to learn that THRUSTMASTER is about to launch a high-end racing wheel designed just for them and to increase their standing on the competitive e-racing scene. The TS-XW Racer combines the best elements of THRUSTMASTER’s advanced racing wheel technologies, while creating a feel that’s closer to real-world racing than ever before, thanks to the involvement of SPARCO, the world-famous auto parts and accessories company!

At 12.2 inches / 31 cm in diameter, the wheel of the TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod is a 1:1 scale replica of the real SPARCO P310 sports steering wheel. Its ergonomic shape has been specially designed for total efficiency, no matter what racing style (GT, F1, NASCAR, Indy, road racing, etc.), circuit or car it’s being used for. Offering a design honed for competition ensures that the wheel meets all the needs of competitive racing right out of the box.

The central faceplate is crafted of metal, and the wheel itself is wrapped in genuine suede leather: it also features 2 large (5 inches / 13 cm tall) all-metal, adjustable wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Ecosystem-ready, the wheel can easily be detached from the THRUSTMASTER TS-XW servo base thanks to the handy THRUSTMASTER Quick Release system. The wheel includes all the controls racing drivers could ever need, featuring 14 action buttons as well as 1 directional pad with a push button function. What’s more, the angle of rotation can be adjusted from 270° all the way to 1080°!

The TS-XW Racer benefits from THRUSTMASTER’s advanced technologies developed specifically to create the most lifelike sensations possible. The wheel features a brand-new, built-in, 40-watt brushless servomotor, providing incredible velocity (dynamic torque) that when combined with controlled power, is able to support intensive use during long hours of e-racing competition without any decrease in performance.

The new Motor Cooling Embedded system (patent pending) ensures that the motor always remains highly dynamic and responsive – thanks to a drastic reduction in terms of heating effects – while staying very quiet, so as not to disturb the driver’s immersion in races.

The TS-XW Racer also includes all official Xbox One buttons, to allow easy switching between the game, system menus, social features etc.

THRUSTMASTER’s innovative new Field Oriented Control algorithm dynamically optimizes the wheel’s response to intense torque demands, while the proprietary H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) system provides razor-sharp 16-bit resolution (for a whopping 65,536 values)!

Turbo Power – the external power supply specially developed by THRUSTMASTER – delivers constant power and massive peak power, instantly responding to ultra-fast requests from games. Its toroidal shape allows for optimized power efficiency of 86% (with just 14% heat generation), with a mind-blowing 400 watts of peak power!

THRUSTMASTER’s use of a dual belt-pulley system with a metal ball-bearing axle gives the TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod excellent smoothness and fluidity, all while remaining incredibly quiet.

The TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod even features internal memory to save the user’s settings, as well as upgradeable firmware so that the wheel can always take advantage of the very latest updates.

The wheel’s clamping system has been designed to be both sturdy and versatile, for quick and easy attachment to any type of desk, table etc.

Thanks to the extensive use of metal parts (employed for the pedal heads, as well as the entire internal structure), the wheel’s pedal set ensures a rock-solid level of performance. The 3 pedals can also be fully adjusted, in terms of their height, spacing and inclination.

In addition, the pedal set includes THRUSTMASTER’s unique and removable Conical Rubber Brake Mod: when installed, this mod provides ultra-progressive resistance at the end of the brake pedal’s travel.

As mentioned earlier, the TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod is compatible with the entire THRUSTMASTER racing product ecosystem (pedal sets, detachable wheels, gear shifter), giving drivers the much-appreciated flexibility to equip themselves with all of the gear they need to win races.

The TS-XW Racer is an official product for both Xbox One and Windows 10 and will release in September 2017. It is also compatible with Windows 8/7/Vista on PC: the wheel’s software drivers are available for download HERE.

The post THRUSTMASTER CREATE THE FIRST RACING WHEEL IN COLLABORATION WITH SPARCO appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

From the Thrustmaster Weapons Control System from 1991 Thrustmaster have been the kings of solid quality and built gaming peripherals for consoles and PC.

Almost all gamers I know have at least one piece of Thrustmaster equipment in their gameplaying arsenal. And every year their gear just keeps getting bigger, better and badder.

Thrustmaster have supplied StG with a review unit for the recently released TS-PC Racer Wheel kits, and the unit is both behemoth and mighty.

From the box there’s a bit of a set up as the removable wheel and weighted power supply base need to be attached.

But once placed together and powered on it’s plug and play with any Windows PC and most racer games will automatically pick up the TS-PC as being connected.

We tried out the TS-PC with Project Cars – it was flawless and heightened the racing experience and simulation ten fold.

The suede leather covered wheel is both comfortable and responsive and hearkens to the realism of a real world supercar steering wheel. The TS-PC is most definitely a desk mounter, given it’s size and weight, so bear in mind that you will need to have ample desk space.

The TS-PC is servo based and does alot more than just steer your vehicle around tracks in gameplay.

The TS-PC is designed to assist with long stall curves (STALL mode) through to super-responsive zigzags in Dynamic mode.

As we burnt rubber around the recently added Ruapuna Circuit (New Zealand) and almost lost it on bends the TS-PC’s dynamic abilities saved us from total carnage and to regain control.

There is even engine based intuitiveness with the Motor Cooling Embedded system. This maintains the fluid dynamics with the motor, by ensuring that there is no overheating and all the while remains super silent.

Optimised with Field Oriented Control via Thrustmasters H.E.A.R.T (Hall Effect AccuRate technology) which provides a 16-bit resolution, while the newly added F.O.C. algorithm will dynamically optimise the response when in need of intense torque demands.

When on the track and in first place there’s no other disheartening moment when your peripherals lose power or begin to lag. The TS-PC has a external Turbo power supply which delivers constant and massive peak power to instantly respond to ultra-fast requests from the game as it renders in real time. The units peak power resides at a whopping 400 Watts.

If you’re a PC Racer who prefers manual drives, gear changes are a cinch via on-wheel unit controls, however if you are a really serious about your racing simulation the add-on THBA Shifter would be a requirement.

We tried both auto and manual gear in-game and had no issues with the response times and ease of transmission changes in manual mode.

The TS-PC is designed to be hot swappable with other Thrustmaster wheels and racing accessories.

Priced at $999.00 NZD the TS-PC is an investment, but a worthy investment given the technology builtin.

A superb piece of gaming gear and totally solid – and with Project Cars 2 recently announced, you’re not racing unless you’re immersed in to the simulation of a TS-PC.

The post Thrustmaster TS-PC Racer Kit Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

From the time that video gaming left the Arcades and became a prominent feature in most family homes the peripheral market began to boom.

From multi controller adapters through to memory cards, after market controllers bore one of the the must haves for any racing game enthusiast was the steering wheel.

From the 90’s until now as consoles developed, so did the racing hardware genre, from a singular wheel, to wheel and pedal combo, even full setups that include a racing chair, wheel and pedals housed in a rig. Even Xbox got in on the action three years ago with their very bold Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel. U-shaped it was a racing peripheral unlike anything else, so much so many gamers were either amazed or slightly confused with it’s appearance and usage.

Throughout it all however, European hardware manufacturer Thrustmaster have been at the professional end, creating Wheel and Pedal setups for the more discerning home based motor-heads.

And, the T-150 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 is the most Pro of them all.

From out of the box you know you have a solid set up. It’s hefty and weighty but very very awesome.

The initial setup requires you to plug the pedals into the steering wheel base, then add mains power. That’s it. You’re done. Almost.

Plugging the USB 2.0 into your PlayStation 4 (PS4) as an extra controller may take a bit of hit and miss. At first the PS4 did not recognise the ‘controller’. The fix for this was easy enough. Restart the PS4, or make sure that you plug it in before you turn the console on. You also need to make sure that your primary Dualshock 4 controller is not on.

You can then use the standard PS Buttons on the T-150 to navigate the PS4 Menu as you would with your Dualshock.

We gave the T-150 a good run on Project Cars. Now, if you follow the steps above you will not have any issue and the game will pick up the T-150 instantly, but oddly as a secondary controller, so make it the Primary in the games controller settings.

Once into gameplay, that’s where the magic happens.

The T-150 has a rotation angle which is adjustable from 270 to 1080 and a really strong 1080 Force Feedback. When you first power on the Rig the wheel will auto calibrate itself. Same is done when you set it up within the game that you are about to play.

And, to put it mildly the Force Feedback is epic. It reflects the realism of an actual vehicle flying about a track at top speeds. You can feel the resistance as corners turn one way but your vehicle begins to slide another and you will fight with the wheel to keep on track.

Having a collision into a wall, barrier or other vehicle will cause the wheel to vibrate heavily and it will spin wildly reflecting the power of the impact.

There is of course tuning options for the T-150 within supported games. And if you are not schooled in the use of a wheel and pedal set up you will most certainly want to turn down the Force Feedback.

You can also adjust the sensitivity ratio of the wheel itself and make yourself feel, well, at home as you race uninhibited like the professional that you are.

If you are not a fan of Automatic driving and want the full real experience of manipulating the vehicles gears, the T-150 Steering Wheel consists of Dual Paddles for quick gear changes.

The pedals also have an element of customization to them aswell. They can be adjusted for sensitivity and angle, based on your playing preference, style and where the pedals are mounted physically as you play.

That said that brake pedal has been developed with progressive resistance. This reminded me of how ABS Braking works in a real car.

Using the T-150 on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) was much the same, except interestingly, the console detected it immediately, added as a secondary ‘controller’ and we were playing Gran Turismo 6 with little to no setup (other than tweaking the wheel sensitivity and Force Feedback). No probs with GRID either, infact it made GRID a hell of a lot more enjoyable than I remember it being.

So expect to need a bit of patience with the PS4. Also make sure that you have the built in slider switch on the steering base set to the correct console (PS4 or PS3).

Thrustmaster have excelled with the T150. It breathes new life into supported racing titles – taking what is a solid game and turning it into a solid simulator.

Depending on your personal preference and budget, I would recommend having the T-150 wheel and pedals mounted into a chair based rig. Having the wheel base on your lap while playing and pedal kits just idly at your feet isn’t going to work out so well. The Force Feedback of the wheel will literally throw the steering base around your lap. It needs to be used on a hard and even surface, such as a desk or table top.

The pedal kit can be prone to sliding about, but this of course depends on your environment. We tried both carpet and lino. We recommend carpet.

The T150 is a Wheel and Pedal setup designed for Professionals and Novices. The level of customisation and tuning settings means that you can use the setup to your liking and if you are new to a peripheral of this type you can easily and quickly tone down the features, such as the mentioned Force Feedback until you get a feel for simulation racing.

Built with future proofing in mind, the T-150 has built in memory, it has it’s own firmware which can be upgraded to keep it relevant with any future console or game updates.

T-150, race like a Pro at your own pace.

The post Thrustmaster T-150 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.