Very successful accessories

Amazing that there are not more reviews on this quite successful accessory. Anyone who has played outside of the PS3 world before Real Racing on a tablet or iPad, there maybe was very impressed by the intuitive steering by tilting or turning. Exactly there with this part for the PS3, assuming you already have a Move controller, because that is not self-contained (camera but you do not need).

Functional is the Racing Wheel clearly beyond a mere support or extension for the Move controller addition: the Racing Wheel is connected to the USB port on the Move controller and provides additional control features that are not available at the Move controller itself. Here are mainly the left and right shoulder buttons to call, the navigation buttons on the left and right again, the usual four buttons (triangle, square, circle, cross). A special highlight is the motorcycle-like hand throttle control (with return spring), which can be dosed clean simply by turning the handle. The latter is a boon; with the DualShock controller I had always problems namely the accelerator somewhat sensitive to dose or to keep at a certain level, for example when slow cornering with little gas. With the twist grip that goes very well. Unfortunately, there is only on the right side of a rotary handle, the official description text is something misleading. But the two lower shoulder buttons are clear with their precise metering "racing" -oriented than their counterparts on the DualShock. It does not slip off the bottom Schulte pegs are a bßchen shaped like a gun trigger. What have I would have still required at the throttle, would some sort of rubber or ribbing, because the plastic is smooth and slippery. Since one can only get creative and attach a form of slip protection even, if necessary even just a little masking tape. The function of the upper shoulder buttons (L1 / R1) can be reached alternatively / additionally via two large buttons that would not be seen at first glance as such (the bleiden wing at the outer edge of the annular middle part). As you can well lie down the circuit, for example.

You can draw in two ways: Either you keep the thing upright and rotate it like a steering wheel, or one it is placed horizontally like a seesaw on the knee or thigh and flips just to the right and left. The latter method is perhaps a bit unusual at first but less strenuous and I think a lot more precise. The angle of the two handles can be tilted almost 90 ° twist, so you have either a control wheel steering as in a light aircraft or a link like the bike. With both you can drive well, in the handlebar position is of course better to use the twist grip, but in the control wheel position he remains active. The steering itself is very accurate because you can not complain. Showing the Move controller, incidentally only the position and gyro sensors used, the "flare" is disabled and you also need, therefore, no camera.

What absolutely weak fails, the Force-Feedback function. From vibrate in Move controller comes in the steering wheel to almost nothing, therefore you can turn off the function safely. Stupid, I also think that the USB port is not "looped" and is therefore the Racing Wheel itself is not charging port. In practice, this means two things. First, you can not use the Racing Wheel wired when just the battery is empty and you still want to continue and secondly, you must always take out the Move controller to charge.

I've tried the Racing Wheel with Dirt 3 and Gran Turismo 5. In Gran Turismo, which already brings a pretty good pad control of home, the steering is not necessarily accurate, if you have enough practice with the pad. The feel safe any anderns, but for my taste the steering with the Racing Wheel is clearly analogous, soft and controlled, eventually should the sensitivity of the steering control in the settings slightly increase, the Racing Wheel reacts namely noticeably softer (but not slower!) to control movements as the pad. It comes after some familiarization least as good as the pad and you also have the advantage of better dosage of the accelerator and brake, if you use the lower shoulder buttons for (or the rotating handle, the R2 is =). The Racing Wheel is handled by the way, play as a normal pad controller, not as a special steering wheel. If you want in Gran Turismo to the key assignments change something, you must therefore in the settings for a normal controller pad movies, not with those for steering wheels. I L2 to brake and R2, downshifting to accelerator pedal L1, R1 up switch. This feels to me very consistent. That the Racing Wheel is seen as of games as a normal controller, of course, has the advantage that it theoretically work with any racing game. I except GT5 only Dirt 3, so I'm careful with the wording. Especially with Dirt 3 I find the added value is particularly high, I would voluntarily not want to play with the DualShock controller. In part, this simply is because in Dirt 3, the pad control is preset very sensitive and to my knowledge not be adapted. The Racing Wheel you have this problem no longer (if it had since).

Materials and processing technology corresponds to part of what you expect from Sony. Solid and odorless plastic parts. Overall, a very useful accessory for those who want to build, no extra steering wheel with accelerator pedals.

PS: In the meantime, I tried sometimes with "Midnight Club Los Angeles". Driving itself is great, but MCLA requires ideally but a few more buttons than this controller provides. So missing the Racing Wheel the L3 / R3 buttons (Stick press) and the right stick. NFS Most Wanted (2012) and Burnout Paradise, I also tested. While the latter harmonizes not good and is playing better with the pad is in the NFS Most Wanted Racing Wheel actually recognized as such and explicitly supported. It can then actually distinguish between R2 and throttle. The ride with the Racing Wheel is absolute in Most Wanted tip.