Getting Started Guide, Faq?

[jseverin 0]

I was searching for a Getting Started Guide or FAQ but did not find one. The one in the menu is still "under construction". I am new here and new to sim racing but thought I would start a thread and maybe if others contribute we can get a nice collection of information.

 

I found this great post the other day summarizing his experience of the different softwares available, which inspired me to start this thread.

http://isrtv.com/forums/topic/10133-new-again-to-sim-racing/?p=98840

 

After a bunch of research I decided to start with Simbin's GTR2 and Race07 injection bundle. Yes they are a bit older, maybe not state of the art, but I think this is a great place for someone new to pc sim racing to start. They both are available on Steam for download and are very cheap. For someone not sure about whether they will like the precision training required for sim racing, this is a great way to get our feet wet. Also being stand alone racers (not online), there is plenty of room to make mistakes during our training steps without taking out other real racers in an online environment.

 

I actually love these two simbin sims a lot. I really like the training sessions in GTR2 especially. Yes it is a little less like a game, but it is still a lot of fun to try to nail a training exercise consistently better than the "teacher" and at a high skill level. And the WTCC cars in Race07 seem nice and easy to drive. And racing against AIs is still really challenging for beginners.  I learned rather quickly that as much as I would love to drive an 800hp car, I really need to learn on some 200-300hp cars first. I think the first big difference with sim racing is the need to train, learn the tracks, and learn the cars, just like in real life.  It is not about trying all the cars on all the different tracks.

 

I am also just using an xbox pc-controller for now. I read so many threads and posts about people recommending everyone to get a "high quality" wheel and "nice" pedals when starting. But really the potentiometer triggers on the xbox pc controller offer a decent starting point to learn controlled accelerating and braking of the cars and to figure out if I might really want to get into sim racing. And since I don't have force feedback right now, I am learning to pay close attention to my gauges, the sounds, and track markers to get my feedback on when I need to brake, turn and accelerate. Actually not having force feedback might be helping me train and I am still having fun. And even with the xbox controller I am finding I can do so many cool controlled things with these sim cars (power slides, drifting...).

 

I know different people approach this differently, but really I think there is no reason to be scared away from precision sim racing thinking that the price of starting is an online monthly subscription and $100s or $1000s worth of gear and lots of space to hold a dedicated sim rig. But even saying that, a wheel and pedals (even in my tiny Tokyo apartment) is still very tempting...

[CaTaPulT 658]

To bring your experience one step further, I would say get a less expensive wheel and pedal set to start with and go from there. My recommendation for a starter wheel will always be the Logitech DFGT (Driving Force GT), excellent wheel for the price. The pedals aren't the greatest but do the job, the pedals do not have a clutch, the wheel has paddle shifters (buttons) and a stick shift style sequential shifter that work rather well. The wheel feels pretty good, the force feedback is also pretty good for a entry level wheel. I used to play sims with a Microsoft Sidewinder joystick. The DFGT was my first wheel and I'm not sorry I started that way, I now have a T500rs and have had a few other wheels along the way but still have my DFGT packed away, never getting rid of it!

Agreed, GTR2 and Race07 are great sims, especially for starters, as you start turning off aids (traction control, ABS and so on) you'll start seeing it's a fairly good sim, it can be easy, but can also be more difficult as your skill improves. I really like Race07.

Best of luck to you and your sim racing adventures.

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[superspeeder2013 11]

I have all thoes titles, I really like them. I like the create a season feature, and their are a lot of fun cars to drive. My only knock on them is I wish they had oval cars and tracks. I personaly don't like using controllers. I remember that was the first thing I did was go out and buy a wheel. I think the G27 is a great starter wheel. It has all the basics and it's decent price. I think the sim you do is a fine one. I just takes getting used to.

[jseverin 0]

Thanks. I agree that a wheel is the next logical step, and I am 99% certain I am going to really like sim racing and stick with it enough to justify getting a wheel.

 

I think I wanted to write this post like I did because I have been able to start (try-out) sim racing for next to nothing in money ($8 for GTR2 and $13 for Race07 injection on steam, and use my existing xbox pc controller). I was surprised but GTR2/Race07 even runs great on my cheap $500 asus U24 laptop (i5 with intel hd graphics). One nice thing about an older title.

 

From the point of view of a starters guide I could see commitment levels going something like

1: first step : GTR2 and/or Race07 + xbox controller

2: advance learner : add a basic wheel and pedals ($100-300), improve skills and lap times

3: first serious racing : online racing, rFactor, iRacing, join a league

4: enthusiast : quality wheel, pedal upgrade

5: total immersion : rig, triple monitor, custom mods, dedicated room, start to wonder if buying that skyline R32 GT-R and doing some track time might have been cheaper  

 

I know iRacing is popular around here, but it looks like http://www.race2play.com is also a big online community and something I will be working up toward.

 

I will probably never get a rig (small tokyo apartment) but I think a G27, fanatec GT3 or maybe a T500, is something I could see myself getting. But wheels are really expensive here in Japan (DFGT is $180, G27 is $300-350, T500 is $500-600, fanatec.jp only sells the high-end kit here, shipping from AU/US is crazy). I may wait until I am visiting the US at Christmas time to grab something and continue racing with my controller for another two months. I actually have my eye on the Fanatec GT3 elite bundle at $260+shipping.

[CaTaPulT 658]

Hi Jseverin.

Good luck at acquiring a wheel and pedal set at a reasonable price, agreed, if you can swing the extra money, the G27 would be a better setup than the DFGT but the DFGT is still a good entry level wheel.

As for Race07, I love this sim. It's not ridiculously difficult to drive and a excellent entry point to real sim racing. I'm using triple screens and love the graphics, physics and some of the features other sims don't have.

Race07 allows saved replays to be played back in triple screen mode, the replays also contain telemetry that some devices can display in race information, most sims do not support telemetry in playback mode.

I also like the selection of cars and track and mod'ed cars and tracks you can download for free. I still prefer Race07 to rFactor 1 for sheer fun. I use rFactor-1 due to it's massive amounts of free mods, if not for all the free content, I think I'd drop rFactor-1. rFactor-2 on the other hand is still in Beta stages but shows great promise to be a great sim when completed.

As for your lack of space, maybe look into a collapsible wheel stand you can place in front of your TV when you feel like racing and put away in a corner when not being used, some wheel stands now are quite impressive and almost like being a portable rig.

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[jseverin 0]

Hi Jack,

I am also really enjoying Race07. The cars are very easy and fun to drive. I used to own a Seat Leon when I was living in England so it is kind of fun to drive the wtcc version in Race07. I will definitely check out the other features in Race07 you mentioned. I do like the training and menu system of GTR2 and kind of prefer the idea of GT cars. I found this cool GT500 series/mods on Race2Play.  It is funny but my fastest lap time at Monza is still in a Seat Leon in Race07. Still lots more practice needed

 

I really like the idea of the fanatec GT3 + elite pedal combo, but the hassle/cost of getting one to Japan makes it a real project.

I may just get the G27. 18,000yen for the DFGT vs 28,000yen for a G27 just seems a bit too close and makes the G27 look much better.

  

For wheel stands, are the cheap center pole stands worth it compared to a table mount? They look wobbly. 

I guess the GT-Omega/Apiga style is the best option.

I found this Japanese made stand by RossoModello (the muffler makers) that looks great but a bit expensive. 

   http://item.rakuten.co.jp/car-product-re/gt7000/    

   http://www.rossomodello.com/1-autostyle2013.html.

Looking on amazon.jp I see that the APIGA AP2 and  Ionrax RS1-a in addition to basic center pole styles.

The Apiga, Ionrax, and GT Omega stand look almost identical. The RossoModello looks different but based on the same design ideas.

 

cheers jessica

[CaTaPulT 658]

Hi Jessica.

For wheel stands, what you want is a design that will offer as little as possible wheel deck wobble. The first one you listed (with the slotted base for the wheel deck) looks kind of wimpy and might have a lot of wheel wobble, the Apiga looks to be one of the better ones, the posts that come up for the wheel deck look beefier than the first one listed. Best bet is to do searches for customer reviews and see what the pros and cons are of any wheel stand you are interested in. Also look up the video reviews here on ISRT, they have reviewed a few wheel stands over the years (including earlier Apiga).

 

As for Race07, I have all the add on packs (except one I think, can't remember which one I'm missing), I get a lot of fun out of the Retro pack, there's a 70's based Camaro in there that is a lot of fun, big block V8, so it's easy to drift the thing around a corner, and besides, it sounds really sweet! lol There's also a old Volvo station wagon, it's slow but a handful to drive and is also fun.

When I first got into Race07, I too raced the WTCC cars, I liked the Chevy Lacetti.

I did like GTR2 when I ran a single monitor, unfortunately, GTR2's menu system has poor support for triple monitor and difficult to use on triples even though the racing looks decent on triples.

I know some people will disagree with me here but from my personal experience, I prefer the Logitech G25/27 over the Fanatec GT2 / GT3rs wheel. The problem I found with the Fanatec wheel is that it can be adjusted in both the Fanatec software and on the wheel, making it difficult to find the sweet spot for your personal preferences. I never did find that sweet spot on the GT2 and gave up, I also found the GT2 wheel to feel sluggish and dampered down as compared to my G25, I ended up buying my T500 (no regrets buying that wheel). I've since sold the GT2.

The G27 is a good wheel and pedal set for it's price point, my G25 is about 6 years old now, rarely used since it's on my GF's rig and she doesn't use that rig very often but the G25 is still going strong.

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[jseverin 0]

Jack, thanks for your experience with the different wheels. I really appreciate the balanced reviews ISR offers (one reason I am drawn to this site and these forums, thanks Darin & Shaun), but it is also really nice to hear individual experience stories because something there might be something that "resonates" with me as a "yeah that would drive me crazy too, even though maybe others might like it". I think I am convinced now that the G27 would be a good wheel for me. Not sure when I will get one, but it is starting to feel like I might do it sooner rather than later. 

 

I am still doing great with the xbox controller though and improving my lap times as I get a better feel for the cars and tracks and feeling how much I need to apply the brakes/accelerator.  Those Z-triggers work great for this. I have also tweaked my setting of the steering joystick and got it feeling much better. Race07 works really well with the xbox controller.

 

 

I decided to go ahead and buy rFactor and a few more Race07 expansions (GTR Evo and RaceOn). I think the only one I am missing right now is STCC1. The Race07 Injection is a great bundle but even the basic Race07 for $3.99 on steam is a steal. rFactor is a bit "raw" though so I am glad to have the more "friendly" interfaces of GTR2 and Race07 to get me started. But rFactor does look great for mods, tuning and racing online. I love the open-mod-philosophy behind rFactor.  I also really like how rFactor / GTR2 / Race07 are all based on the rFactor engine and basically feel like small variations of the same sim with just different content (mod packs).

 

I have been exploring the different Race07 cars some more and wow they handle so differently. I can not keep the koenigsegg on a twisty track at all without going really slow. It just feels long and slow in the corners to me. The Radical SR3/SR4 cars are really cool!! They seem like a great way to learn in a step-up manner to more powerful engines and faster cars. I guess I am more of a WTCC, Radical, Lotus elise, porsche 917k , short wheel base kind of driver.

 

 

Once I can start to win some races against the AI, I really do want to try to figure out how to do a Race2Play online race. I have been reading their guides and been slowly figuring it out.

Does anyone here use Race2Play?

or is everyone here an iRacing driver?

There is something about iRacing that just does not feel right to me. I just don't like their "walled garden" approach to everything, including their forums. I don't like how there is no way to check out their community (read their forums, see the kinds of people/attitudes) without paying money. I am looking forward to see rFactor2 grow up and I hope it does.

[CaTaPulT 658]

Hi Jessica.

Since you are playing so much with a xBox controller, you'll have to give yourself some time to get the feel for a wheel when you get one, everything will be so different but more than likely in a pleasant way, now you'll have to use both hands and feet to drive, more physical input for a wheel and so on.

As for rFactor-1, yes, the user interface is somewhat of a pain until you get the hang of it, there are so many mods for that sim it's unreal. There are also a lot of mods for both GTR2 and Race07.

rFactor-2 has a better user interface, but it's driving physics are going to be rFactor-2's strong point. While rFactor-2 is still in a beta stage, the last few updates have taken big strides into what it will become when completed.

I have no experience with Race2Play so I can't comment on that.

As for iRacing, I do have a base content membership, I do not frequent their forums since there are too many fanboys there that like jumping down your throat if you say something they don't like (not all iRacing members are like that, just a few die hards). And yes, it is a pay to play service thus can get expensive depending on how many cars and tracks you want once you've earned the licenses to race all cars. iRacing is a great service, but it's not for everyone, you either like it or you don't.

Welcome to sim racing and all it have to offer, but hurry up and get that wheel before the xbox controller corrupts you too much! LOL

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[Paul GT73 1,398]

the g27 is my recomendation, ive had a dfgt and g27 and if its not to big a difference for you then go for it, i bet its very cool to live in Tokyo, you get all the good stuff first right?

[jseverin 0]

yeah I think I am hooked on sim racing now . I always get back into gaming when winter approaches. Originally from Wisconsin so even though Tokyo is really quite warm, winter still puts me into a "maybe stay home a bit more" mood.

 

decided to go ahead and place an order for a G27 with amazon.jp. should arrive by the weekend.  

These sorts of hobbies are always dangerous for me. I am a software engineer so I always get pulled into gear and design/layout.

dangerous......but so much fun

 

paul, yeah tokyo is very cool but we don't quite have the cool-new stuff here like we used to. everyone is into their iPhones and androids now so there is less gadgets then there used to be. But we do have free digital-TV broadcast to our android phones here 1seg which is kind of cool.  But Akihabara is still a gadget/parts wonderland where you can actually buy crazy stuff in stores (not just off the internet).

[Scott W Gibson 1]

I'm as new as it gets. Don't even have my PC yet. Though it is on order. I'm posting because i'm thinking about starting out my PC sim racing experience with Assetto Corsa as opposed to iracing. I'm aware AC is in the developmental stages still. But i'm thinking maybe the lack of AI and multiplayer in AC could be a bonus. I can strictly concentrate on driving line, throttle control, and proper braking techniques. That way i'll have some sim driving experience besides console based games. Before i dive headlong into iracing.

 

Let me know your thought's.

[CaTaPulT 658]

Hi Scott and welcome to sim racing.

Smart move on your part, Assetto Corsa shows great promise for being a great sim as it evolves, another great sim is rFactor-2, it's been in it's beta stages for almost 2 years (I believe) and it also shows great promise, it has online and AI, but you can turn off AI to be alone when learning cars and tracks. Assetto Corsa should be have an update soon which will introduce it's AI into the sim, from the videos I've seen, looks like the AI for this title is going to be quite good.

There's a huge difference between driving a track by yourself and driving in traffic, all of a sudden, you have to modify you driving style as things on the track happen, going off line to overtake a car, drafting, keeping an eye out for traffic getting ready to overtake you and so on. Then it becomes a matter of driving while having some kind of strategy regarding other traffic.

As for iRacing, when it comes to online racing against other people, the service cannot be beat, the statistics and so on the service has is fantastic, personally, I think their physics engine is good but not great, I like the physics in Assetto Corsa and rFactor-2 better. Graphics wise, iRacing is lacking also, it's pretty, but not WOW. My biggest complaint with iRacing is it's cost, you have to pay a membership fee (you get base content with this (enough to get you out of your Rookie license in both Road Racing and Oval)) (also you have to renew this membership, monthly, yearly and so on, best to look for 2 for 1 deals for memberships, since a year is $100.00, so on a promotional deal, you get the year for $50) but after that, if you want to progress, it's $14.95 per track, $11.95 per car (USA funds). This is the most expensive sim out there once you start buying content.

I would have to say try iRacing when you feel you are ready for it, they have a introductory deal of getting 3 months for the price of 1 (for new members only $12.00 I think), the 3 months will be enough for you to decide if you like it enough to stay with it or move on to something else.

Good luck with your sim racing, enjoy and have fun.

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[Scott W Gibson 1]

"Hi Scott and welcome to sim racing. 

Smart move on your part, Assetto Corsa shows great promise for being a great sim as it evolves, another great sim is rFactor-2, it's been in it's beta stages for almost 2 years (I believe) and it also shows great promise, it has online and AI, but you can turn off AI to be alone when learning cars and tracks. Assetto Corsa should be have an update soon which will introduce it's AI into the sim, from the videos I've seen, looks like the AI for this title is going to be quite good.

There's a huge difference between driving a track by yourself and driving in traffic"

 

Thanks for the reply, JACK i especially liked the part "Smart move on your part" LOL...

 

I've been a long time "console sim" (is there such a thing) racer. The Gran Turismo series (I literally wore out my copy of GT5) was my favorite. I totally agree its a whole different animal when you involve traffic, be it AI or online. And quite honestly the online competition is what really "drives" me to play in the 1st place. Glad to hear the AI is being added to Assetto Corsa. I can only hope there eventual online mode will be as promising as the rest of Assetto Corsa appers to be.

 

I've always heard, just as you said that iracing has the best online experience. I'm looking forward to finding out for myself. Im not to worried about the cost of iracing. As it appears i can buy content as i need/want it. And hopefully i'll find the old saying is true. "You get what you pay for". If not the i won't continue to purchase there content.

 

I literally cant wait to start my PC sim racing experience. My PC being built by Main Performance PC should be here late this week or early next week. With triple screen capability being added early Feb. And already owning my Human Racing GT chassis, with Thrust Master t500-rs wheel. I think i'm in good shape to get off to a great start in sim racing.

 

Regards,

Scott

[Scott W Gibson 1]

the g27 is my recomendation, ive had a dfgt and g27 and if its not to big a difference for you then go for it, i bet its very cool to live in Tokyo, you get all the good stuff first right?

I owned a g27 for a few years and would also recommend it. 

 

Paul i've got a question for you. What kind of monitor stand are you using in the picture of your rig. I have a post in

 http://isrtv.com/forums/topic/11666-pc-check-and-monitor-help/ looking for a monitor help. 

 

Thanks,

Scott

[Paul GT73 1,398]

I owned a g27 for a few years and would also recommend it. 

 

Paul i've got a question for you. What kind of monitor stand are you using in the picture of your rig. I have a post in

 http://isrtv.com/forums/topic/11666-pc-check-and-monitor-help/ looking for a monitor help. 

 

Thanks,

Scott

 

replied in your thread

 

[CaTaPulT 658]

Hi Scott.

From the sounds of it, looks like your off to a great PC sim setup, all nice hardware you mentioned.

Best of luck for your quest of sim racing nirvana! LOL

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[Scott W Gibson 1]

Hi Scott.

From the sounds of it, looks like your off to a great PC sim setup, all nice hardware you mentioned.

Best of luck for your quest of sim racing nirvana! LOL

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

 

Hi Scott.

From the sounds of it, looks like your off to a great PC sim setup, all nice hardware you mentioned.

Best of luck for your quest of sim racing nirvana! LOL

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

thanks Jack,  PC is shipping tomorrow  im excited.