Been playing with an early Christmas gift for the last couple of evenings — well, it was something bought with money from the parents on both sides, so I guess it's something I bought for myself. It's a Logitech G29 steering wheel and pedals set, plus a stand to use them with.
I've kind of hungered for a steering wheel for quite some time, but never quite taken the plunge. At least part of this is down to the fact that there's no single solution that works for absolutely every platform out there, but at least the G29 works with PS3, PS4 and PC, so that's a fair few bases covered. (There's a Wikipedia page that suggests it might even work with some PS2 games, but I have my doubts on that front — might have to give it a test.)
Mostly so far I've played Euro Truck Simulator 2 with it, and it's a delight. Aside from the fact that sitting in a driving position for the longer journeys in that game can be a bit hard on the back, it's a completely different experience controlling the truck in a more realistic manner — and the fact that the on-screen steering wheel precisely matches the movements of the G29 is something I feel far more impressed by than I probably should be.
The improvements the G29 brings are mostly noticeable when doing more low-speed manoeuvres. The fact it has a 900-degree range of motion — comparable to a real wheel — means that making 90-degree turns at junctions or reversing into a parking space is uncannily realistic — and, in the latter case, a hell of a lot easier than using a joypad.
I'm also impressed with the force-feedback functionality. I've only previously experienced this with arcade machines, so it's great to get a feel for how it works with home games. In Euro Truck Simulator 2 you can tweak the performance somewhat so it responds to the things you want it to respond to — I've got it set so the engine giving it some power causes some slight shaking, and you can somewhat feel the road surface through the wheel too — including the resistance of the tyres against the road when turning the wheel. Very impressive.
I anticipate I'm probably going to use this mostly for more sim-like experiences — I might even pick up something like Project Cars 2 in the Steam sale — but I'm also intrigued to try it with some more arcade-style games, too. I believe it works with Ridge Racer 7, so that will be an interesting one to try — particularly given how beautifully that game handles with a standard pad.
Anyway, after driving from the south of France to somewhere in the depths of Russia, I need to stand up for a bit now, so I'll leave that there. Short version: if you've been considering a steering wheel to have some fun with, the G29 seems to be a very good choice!
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