Crunch 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2014 Hello readers! I appreciate your interest. I've been interested in sim racing for quite a while, but I've never gotten into the finer aspects that separate a casual, dedicated racer like myself from hardcore enthusiasts that I presume I would meet on these forums. For 2 years now I've been on PS3 using a DFGT attached on a home assembled plywood rectangular box that houses my legs, and been using that to race extensively on Codemasters' F1 games (F1 2011, F1 2012, F1 2013). My own dedication and interest in Formula1 has meant that the game is becoming too easy, and quality racing opposition even in the league community is very hard to find - the quality races I do have though are very intense and fuels my love of it. GT5 and GT6 has no doubt been part of my current experience as well, including league races. But I am now set on the idea of taking my interest to the next level and really invest (monetarily & physically) into sim racing. I'm willing to embrace my inner consumer in search of 'the next step'. So, I would appreciate both commentary and answers from a passionate community such as this on where I should go / do to take the next step 'up'. Firstly, everything I've seen from iRacing both on the show and from other people makes my mouth water. Is iRacing a good place for me to begin PC sim racing? I need to buy a new desktop PC if I am to ever play it. My current computer is a laptop bought in 2007, which will NEVER cut it if I wanted to go racing on PC. It know it cannot play V8 Supercars 2 (aka. ToCA: Race Driver 2) because I have tried (a CD I bought many years ago and have never played). Next, I have said to many people on F1 that I will be looking into getting a better wheel when the next-generation consoles come around. That time has arrived, and I've now got my eyes on a T500. I place my own personal bets on it being compatible with PS4 (where I will predominantly play future F1 titles), so is the T500 a good wheel for me to step up to? I have looked into G27s for a while as well, but recently believe that a T500 would be a better step up from my DFGT, and should last a long time (in terms of compatibility and comparison to high value wheels - I have read that T500s COULD be prone to breakage more than a Logitech). So in summation, I am very interested in what anyone in this community thinks in regards to my ideas / pathway. Are there any other areas I could look into indulging in as well? What is a logical step from my current situation? I should say that I'm more interested in the competitive side of sim racing for now instead of just 'optimising the experience'. Having been gaming for so long, driving against AI no longer interests me in the slightest - though I'm still an enthusiast of an intimate Time Trial scenario (you and the car). Hence, more authentic additions such as a manual gear shifter, clutch, load cell brakes or special LED lights & switches on the wheel are nowhere near my priority at this stage. Thank you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J.A.R.V.I.S. 282 Report post Posted January 18, 2014 iRacing and Assetto Corsa are the most hardcore titles in the market right now in my opinion. Both are good titles to start with. I personally went for iRacing first and then Assetto Corsa. >Cheers!< J.A.R.V.I.S. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ricky Davies 326 Report post Posted January 18, 2014 Iracing > Gamestock car 2013 > Assetto Corsa - Loving both AC and GSC13 right now as both are coming out with new content quite regular. CHHERS! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaTaPulT 658 Report post Posted January 18, 2014 Hi Crunch and welcome to the forums. The thing you have to keep in mind is sim racing on PC is totally different than console racing, you have to learn enough about the computer and Operating System to get up and running. Then the fun starts, it's a matter of getting the hang of sim racing, it depends on your wishes and skill levels, so many console racers expected to be great PC racers, they ended up getting a reality check once they realize it's tougher on a real sim. For online racing, yes, iRacing is the best out there right now, but it has a steep learning curve and also a graduated licensing system, you can't just join and buy the V8 Supercar and expect to race it on the first day. iRacing can also get expensive once you want to expand past the base content, at $11.95 per car and $14.95 for the majority of the tracks, it can get pricey, there are deals of 20% off if you buy 6 or more items at one time and so on. iRacing also have a membership fee, there are occasional 1/2 price sale for regular members which is great if you happen across this. The best bet is to try it, there are codes you can enter at sign up (This site "ISRT" has a code) which will give you 3 months for the price of 1 thus being $12 for 3 months. This would be enough time to make a educated decision as wether you like it enough to get more membership and possibly more content (cars and tracks). As Jarvis mentioned, Assetto Corsa shows great promise as being the next "go to" sim, but it is in early development and again, not as easy as some might think. If you want to get a more gentle intro into PC sim racing, I would highly recommend a title on STEAM called Race07, it's a older title and it's dirt cheap but yet pretty good considering it's age, it's a small price to pay just to get your feet wet so to speak. There a version of Race07 that has more tracks and cars called "Race Injection" and it's also cheap but a little more bang for the buck. Another title that's up and coming is rFactor-2, it also shows great promise. As for wheels, I have a T500rs, I love mine, I've had a few wheels over the years and still have my G25, also a great wheel. My advice to you would be to stay with you DFGT for right now, get the PC, set it all up and use you DFGT to try a couple of sim racing titles with it, once you delve into all the features in a real sim for setting up wheels, pedals and so on and you start seeing if you like it, then decide on what wheel you would rather have. The G27 is a great wheel and half the price (sometimes less than half) of the T500, so making a educated decision might save you a mess of cash. Best of luck to you in whatever way you decide to go and remember........ Have fun! Take care Regards: >>>> Jack <<<< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ricky Davies 326 Report post Posted January 18, 2014 Keeping with the idea of trying Race07. Steam has it on sale for £2.00 or the hold bundle for £10.00 heres the link http://store.steampowered.com/app/8600/ CHEERS! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SP73 1 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 I'd recommend you try X-Motor Racing. It has very interesting physics model and multiplayer. A demo version is available for free (as opposed to AC and iRacing). LFS is good enough, but out of date. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crunch 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 Thank you everyone for your answers, and especially to CaTaPulT for a most thorough answer! I agree with your sentiments and highly appreciate the balanced thought you have (because it could be so easy to just say 'buy this and that', 'get this and that', etc. spend over $2500). You've definitely convinced me to get a PC going before I upgrade my wheel. It just makes sense. I found Darin's post (http://isrtv.com/forums/topic/11209-how-to-build-a-gaming-pc-video/) which seems like the most user-friendly build tutorial I've seen around the place, and it has most certainly made me feel better about building one. Previously, I've looked into it and decided that it's too much hassle. I feel I've avoided PC gaming for too long now (almost 7 years perhaps) and I think I need to discover what I've been missing. When I do get a gaming PC built, I'll most definitely pick up some sort of cheap deal to try out iRacing. It's been on my radar far too long to not immediately delve into (especially if it has a long learning curve - I personally enjoy these types of games), but I have another question that I would like to ask someone for their opinion on: your comments about a 'Assetto Corsa and iRacing' disparity make it sound like AC will eventually replace it. To what extent will iRacing have a gaming 'lifecycle' of sorts? Because from what I've seen, it's seems like a pretty much independent premium sim racing service: that if it ever gets outdated and rivalled by other sims, could easily be updated and/or rebuilt as part of the iRacing 'service'. I ask because my ONLY concern for delving into iRacing will be that it might be nearing the peak of its lifecycle, and purchasing many tracks and cars (investing) might be a mistake at this late time (for me). I'll be holding onto my DFGT for now when I try some PC sims. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaTaPulT 658 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 Hi Crunch. Glad I could help. As for Assetto Corsa vs iRacing, this is a tough one, Assetto Corsa has a lot going for it considering it's still in it's infancy (basically it's a beta), no one knows for sure how the Multiplayer will pan out with it, for it to even compete for online racing supremacy, it would have to be very well done and also very organized. iRacing's strong points are it racing stats, community, graduated licensing system, strong effort to make it clean racing online. It's weak links are the graphics while good are not amazing like in some other titles, the sound is adequate and the physics is dependent on who you talk to, personally, I think Assetto Corsa and rFactor-2 have better physics. At this time, I can't see anyone unseating iRacing as the premier online racing experience, there are those trying (Simbin's RaceRoom) but I've not paid much attention to it, maybe someone using it can chime in. As for hanging onto you DFGT, this is a wise move, the DFGT's weakest link is it's pedals, the wheel itself is not bad at all and believe it or not, there are a LOT of people out there still using it. Figure out what you like first and then this will help you decide on what gear you wish to purchase later, keep in mind sim racing has huge drawbacks regarding hardware purchases, you don't get to try this stuff out in a store before buying, so read reviews, watch videos and educate yourself regarding future purchases, it's a lot of money and most purchases, you are taking a chance with (whether your going to like a particular device or not). I would like to make one suggestion however...... When you build your PC, maybe build it a little more robust than you need right now, like a heftier power supply and a better video card than you think you might need, this will give you room to expand and upgrade your PC, don't be surprised if you really like PC sim racing, one of the first thing you may want to get is triple monitors (very common in sim racing). If you already have a Power Supply that can handle the extra load and a video card that can do triples easily, then half the battle is already won. Don't skimp on quality components when building your PC, might cost a little more but will give you a lot less grief in the long run. Good Luck at step one, getting the PC . Take care Regards: >>>> Jack <<<< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul GT73 1,398 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 agreed, you wont go wrong heeding jacks advice, jack i gotta say your input in these forums is invaluable, i remember when i was starting my switch to pc and you helped me out, wise words again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaTaPulT 658 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 agreed, you wont go wrong heeding jacks advice, jack i gotta say your input in these forums is invaluable, i remember when i was starting my switch to pc and you helped me out, wise words again Awwwww shucks *Blush* Thanks Paul. lol Take care Regards: >>>> Jack <<<< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J.A.R.V.I.S. 282 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 Awwwww shucks *Blush* Thanks Paul. lol Take care Regards: >>>> Jack <<<< I bet there's some kind of a joke hidden in there We all know how Paul is. >Cheers!< J.A.R.V.I.S. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ricky Davies 326 Report post Posted January 19, 2014 I bet there's some kind of a joke hidden in there We all know how Paul is. >Cheers!< J.A.R.V.I.S. Don't start him off CHEERS! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul GT73 1,398 Report post Posted January 20, 2014 From the heart that...you cynical bunch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coops 18 Report post Posted January 20, 2014 IMHO..AC needs a lot of work b4 it will over take any sim. the HYPE is not worth it yet. IMHO...... go with iracing or rf2 for now. if not and you want the largest amount of content go with rf1 more mods and tracks than any other sim. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bloodycut 11 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 There's lot of driving games and few sims. If you want rally it's RBR. Racing titles are complex. You have read dozen of them and I'm adding my interest DTM Experience within two months it'll gets multiplayer on Season 2014 update. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pben1 8 Report post Posted January 27, 2014 I'd recommend you try X-Motor Racing. It has very interesting physics model and multiplayer. A demo version is available for free (as opposed to AC and iRacing). LFS is good enough, but out of date. X-motor racing is very good the psychics model was made by the mod developer, the cars & tracks are believed to be ripped content so it won't get any support form the sim community. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birddogg66 11 Report post Posted January 27, 2014 Well what I am seeing is that you have engaged yourself into open wheel style racing for a bit of time now this tells me your best bet for a modern day title would be rFactor2 since it has a large offering of open wheel cars and enough other car styles to cut your teeth on. Also it's a great platform to learn how to customize the title with add-on mods or even other tweaks here and there. You may also want to look at Race Injection offered on Steam for an easy to jump into title that offers plenty of material for an affordable price. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
