Logitech G25 vs Manual Car

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Actually, back in the 80s, Atari came out with a driving simulator for arcades that was actually adopted in a number of California schools with a couple of modifications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Drivin%27

A whole bunch of kids learned to drive stick on that thing.

That wikipedia page only mentions that it was supposed to be a high speed police simulator but after the government didn't want it, they sold it as an arcade game.
Second of all, i wouldn't want to be a passenger with a person who learnt to drive manual on an arcade game, no matter how realistic.

[MXM]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

You actually think you are going to learn to drive manual by playing a video game ?

I really think you can learn a lot from the "game". If it's a correct type of game And if force feedback is adjusted well.

In particular RWD/FWD differences, weight shifting, applying power at the right time when exiting corner, modulating brakes if you don't have ABS, etc. Shifting gears isn't on the list tho.

[Alex K]

are you in the market for a car? or do you just want to learn to drive manual? If you just want to learn, and are willing to spend some cash, skip barber or other advanced schools are the answer (or a patient friend with a manual).
If you are looking to get a car, however, and you want it in stick, you're just concerned you won't be able to drive it or that you might break it, etc., just go for it.

In all honesty, it seems harrowing now at 19, but you'll pick it up fine. the first week might feel like everyone is looking at you stalling and jerking, but it's not difficult to endure. Barring you don't try to thrash it on your first attempts, the car's transmission will handle what you throw on it, they aren't as fragile as your concerns might lead you to believe.

So get the car you want in stick, take it slow, be careful, and you'll do fine.
Oh, and remember the parking brake.

[matt2000]

No no no no no. You can't learn to drive a manual on a steering wheel. There is a huge difference in the feel of the gearbox and the pedals. Maybe a cheap manual is the option, but I don't see the point.

If you really want to get the feel of a manual on a steering wheel then you'll need to pay a small fortune for force feedback kit (pedals, X,Y and Z force on the gear stick), but there are loads of bad habits you can pick up, like maybe putting the car into 1st from reverse while still moving. Nothing will happen on a sim, but do it in a car and you'll break something.

[lv2xlr8]

Thanks for the feedback. For all the people who thought all I wanted to use is the G25 *solely* to learn manual, you're quite stupid. If you would read the original post I asked how realistic it is as a temporary fix. I was curious to see if you would even be able to get the slightest feel for it. But apparently reading can be quite a hard concept.

Anyways, thank you to everyone else who replied and took the poll.

[matt2000]

I missed the last line where you said that but whatever, the G25 still has a cheap plastic shifter so It's not really much fun or use for learning, unless you just want to know where the gears are. You can do that with a pen and some paper.

[LeVeL]

Go buy a civic or a crx. Learn to drive stick on that. Then learn to drive the wheels off of the damn thing and autocross the shit out of it. Then use whatever money youve saved up to mod it. Then hunt Z06s.

[Suedschleife]

I agree with the posters before me, I don't think the G25 will give you more than the most basic understanding of operating a manual gearbox. With the right simulation and someone to calibrate the input of the pedal via DXTweak 2 and the like, it might give a semi-realistic feel, but feedback is severely lacking.

I recommend driving as many different actual cars as possible, practice makes perfect. Not all manuals are the same. I stalled the engine or involuntarily spun the tires on many cars I drove for the first time, when and at what speed the clutch engages, clutch pedal force and smoothness, engine torque can be quite varied. So the more experience you have, the better.

[E34lover]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Actually, back in the 80s, Atari came out with a driving simulator for arcades that was actually adopted in a number of California schools with a couple of modifications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Drivin%27

A whole bunch of kids learned to drive stick on that thing.

lol that would be really fun to use.

[klankymen]

Originally Posted by matt2000

like maybe putting the car into 1st from reverse while still moving. Nothing will happen on a sim, but do it in a car and you'll break something.

Really? I do that all the time. Is my car broken now?

[AiR]

You and me both klankymen.

[JakeRadden]

I am now looking for a cheapy manual car.
Of course, however, my local craigslist is mainly filled with absolute slushbox soccermom trash...

[DTMracer]

Any cheap car with a manual gearbox would be better than a gaming wheel.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Actually, back in the 80s, Atari came out with a driving simulator for arcades that was actually adopted in a number of California schools with a couple of modifications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Drivin%27

A whole bunch of kids learned to drive stick on that thing.

I think I played that at the sadly now-defunct () Boston Computer Museum. It ended up being the only thing I remember about the place.

Now most of the museum is in California. Stupid stinkin' West Coasters...

[MadCat360]

Originally Posted by MXM

I really think you can learn a lot from the "game". If it's a correct type of game And if force feedback is adjusted well.

In particular RWD/FWD differences, weight shifting, applying power at the right time when exiting corner, modulating brakes if you don't have ABS, etc. Shifting gears isn't on the list tho.

You can't learn any of that in a racing game either.

I played sims for a long time before I went to racing school. Then I figured out I was doing it all wrong.

You can't learn anything from sims. All you can do with them is slow the rate of decay. Lewis Hamilton agrees with me. He says his McLaren simulator is useless.

[NooDle]

Originally Posted by klankymen

Really? I do that all the time. Is my car broken now?

no, you just have a modern car and Matt2000 doesn't
my car handles putting it in reverse while still moving just fine...as long is it's 10 kph or something, I didn't try it at a faster speed (because that would be just stupid)

besides, isn't there a safety feature that prevents you from doing this? Because when i was a kid I used to tell people the gearbox went 1-2-3-4-5-R (for race), but I imagine if you did that in real life the cogs on your gearbox would be travelling through the roof of the car

[MadCat360]

Originally Posted by NooDle

besides, isn't there a safety feature that prevents you from doing this? Because when i was a kid I used to tell people the gearbox went 1-2-3-4-5-R (for race), but I imagine if you did that in real life the cogs on your gearbox would be travelling through the roof of the car

Yes. Beyond a certain speed (like 5 MPH) a little block pops up to keep the gearstick getting anywhere near reverse.

But not all cars have this.

I'd still prefer just to have a gated gearbox with no cover, like a Lambo, so I can see the gear paths. Looks cool, too.

[matt2000]

Originally Posted by NooDle

no, you just have a modern car and Matt2000 doesn't
my car handles putting it in reverse while still moving just fine...as long is it's 10 kph or something, I didn't try it at a faster speed (because that would be just stupid)

Pfft, just jealous.

that's what I meant, that part must have slipped my mind.

[NooDle]

offtopic

Did anyone else think the gears went like 1-2-3-4-5-R as a kid too? I always thought the R was for race or "really fast". or am I just daft?

/offtopic

[matt2000]

Originally Posted by NooDle

or am I just daft?

Yes.