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The original was posted on /r/simracing by /u/Dumuzzi on 2023-08-07 12:26:57+00:00.
Hi all,
As a Quest 2 owner I bought a PS5 + PSVR2 combo mostly to play GT7 in VR, it simply seemed the easier and cheaper route to get into VR sim racing, since I don’t own a PC.
Originally I got a Thrustmaster T80 to go with it, but that wheel has no force feedback, so I returned it. Based on reddit recommendations I ended up getting a Thrustmaster T300 RS GT instead, which is a beast by comparison, though not quite on the level of the much more expensive Direct Drive wheels. Still, it’s a great starter wheel, I feel.
Here are a few of my observations.
- Vr Sim racing is absolutely epic. I feel like I can’t go back to flat screen racing after this.
- VR sickness is a serious issue with GT7 in VR. I managed to mitigate it by reducing brightness levels to 50 percent or below to reduce LED latency. But, what really helped is getting a proper steering wheel. I still get slightly nauseous when playing with the controller, but not when I use the wheel. My current working theory is that this is due to the difference in driving styles. When on the controller, I make jerky, rapid movements, which are almost instantaneous, for instance when countersteering, or I nudge the thumbstick repeatedly rather than turning smoothly as on a wheel. It is this jerky motion that causes carsickness, as it would in a real car.
- Nobody told me that racing with a FF steering wheel is this hard. I am a newbie, but I’m effectively unable to correct a slide, countersteer to avoid a spin, avoid crashing or spinning when coming in too hot. Forget about going rallying at full throttle when you miss a corner and coming back to the track at full speed like you would on a thumbstick. Some cars, like old Ferraris and muscle cars are undrivable with the steering wheel. I spin out or crash several times on a single lap. With the thumbsticks I feel like Hamilton (Lewis, not Alexander). I do ok with high-downforce modern cars as they are so planted, but with some cars I really struggle. You have to drive a lot more precisely with the steering wheel (as you should) and you will be a lot more careful to avoid spinning or crashing as it can be seriously unpleasant in VR, with the steering wheel FF also punishing you, and the headset smacking you on the head like a strict catholic school principal. Every time I lose it in a corner or under braking, I just let go of the wheel and let it spin out of control as that’s usually the least bad option. With each off or spin I lose a lot more time than with a controller.
- Regarding the Thrustmaster T300, it is a fine wheel, though I dislike the rubbery texture of the wheel rim itself and it is prone to overheating. It may have twice the power of the Logitech G29 (4,4 vs 2,2 NM) and the steering inputs and feedback are very realistic, but if you play for more than 20 minutes, the wheel will overheat and reduce power. You probably wouldn’t want to use it for serious sim racing due to this overheating issue. I don’t really mind, as the standard power is a bit too strong for my taste, you need to put in some muscle to fight with g-forces in the corners.
- GT7 in VR mode needs improvements. There are several basic things missing that you do get on the flatscreen version. Some cars (Mclaren VGT) have no rearview mirror, so it’s impossible to know what’s going on behind you. Others have no speedometer, just a rev counter, so you don’t know how fast you’re going in VR mode. Yet others only have it in MPH, which cannot be changed and with some of the older cars you might have an analogue speedo, but it’s too hard to read. There really should be an HUD option for all cars where you can see this. You also don’t know what’s happening on track, how far ahead or behind you are compared to others, whether they’ve pitted, whether the car ahead is a lap behind you (except for blue flags waved on the track, but that is a bit vague), etc… There’s also no fuel warning and you have to do head math to calculate remaining fuel levels (is one-eighth of a tank going to be enough for one more lap? Usually it isn’t). There should really be AI spotters to tell you these things and your pit crew should let you know when you need to pit, if you need to conserve fuel or tyres, etc… I really don’t want to be thinking about these things whilst negotiating Eau Rouge at full throttle…
Those are some minor niggles really, but the experience has been great. Regarding the VR headset itself, it’s ok, but far from perfect. I got very close to scratching my lenses on several occasions (they did leave a smudge mark on my glasses, which I managed to wipe off), there should be a glasses spacer option like on the Quest. I might have to get a lens insert to mitigate this. The headset is quite comfy, but it doesn’t have a top strap, which is a shame, probably should get aftermarket ones. There should also be some removable and washable headband option, as it can get sweaty. The visuals are really good, but due to the whole reprojection and LED latency issue, nausea can be a problem, especially in the beginning. I use the headset on 50 percent brightness, which is fine. The earplugs get really uncomfortable after a while and default volumes are way too high. It’s a real shame they don’t have funnelled spatial from an external speaker like on the Quest or the upcoming Vision pro.
I have purchased other VR games (RE: V and Horizon Worlds), but GT7 in VR is just too good to give other games a chance right now. I really have to get better at this sim racing thing (with the steering wheel), as apparently I’m a shitty race car driver, something I did not know based on how misleading the gameplay is with the controller, giving you false confidence in your driving abilities.
BTW, if anyone has any tips on how I can become better at sim racing with a wheel, I would appreciate any resources. I’m particularly bad at holding a slide and countersteering when the car gets out of shape.