Not to mention pushing down on the pedals to speed up or go in reverse. The experience of turning an actual wheel and seeing your in-game wheel turn at the same angle and such makes for truly the best way to play driving based simulator and racing games. Keyboard and mouse are just fine, but there's something about being to actually turn the steering wheel of your combine as you harvest your cornfield. It didn't take long for me to see the added depth and realism added by the hardware set when playing games such as Farming Simulator. The controller mapping process and fine tuning other settings will ultimately depend on the game and hopefully in the future we'll see more games have built-in profiles for the hardware set. In Euro Truck Simulator 2 this was a simple process, while in Dirt Rally it took a bit longer to find that sweet spot. Most of the time will probably be spent with setting the sweet spot of turning the steering wheel in-person and in-game so they match each other's rotations. Gamers should know that while the controller mapping is automatically detected with Farming Simulator 15, in other games it requires having to spend time mapping each of its buttons and features. This really is a no hassles hardware setup which is a huge plus for those not wanting to bother with installing drivers or worrying about game support. All the games I tested were able to detect the steering wheel, pedals, and side panel instantly in addition to all of their additional joysticks and knobs. Potential buyers should note that each of the hardware items function via plug and play with Windows and in my instance with Windows 10 required no additional drivers or setup. While the whole package together is undoubtedly the best designed hardware for Farming Simulator, gamers intending to use the set in other games would probably be better off only purchasing the side panel and then a better quality steering wheel and pedal set.ĭuring my time with the hardware set I tested it with the following games: Farming Simulator 15, Euro Truck Simulator 2, and Dirt Rally. Yet, its included volume-looking dial feels imprecise from its loose nature. Fortunately the included joystick on the side panel is the most impressive feature as it also features directional rotation as well as the ability to switch between different modes with two buttons on top. They are mere simple buttons that are imitated to look as if they toggle, which is both an odd design decision that leads to false gameplay impressions. The side panel also led to immediate disappointment only to discover that the toggle switches don't actually well toggle. The same goes for the included pedals that don't feature any sort of metal but again a flexing plastic material. For example, the steering wheel isn't close to the quality you would find in other dedicated racing ones that feature rubber grips. It's not only until you actually get your hands on the hardware that you see nearly everything is just plastic. In particular, the side panel is the standout item of the set with all of its varied colored buttons and knobs and even its own miniature joystick. Details like the knob on the steering wheel and the two included joysticks on the steering wheel all check the right marks for an impressive package. At an initial visual glance everything looks great as it was taken directly from inside a tractor. This is a much welcome choice from Saitek as it allows gamers not interested in farming per say to only pick up the side panel for use in games such as Elite Dangerous or other titles able to take advantage of all its buttons and knobs.įor the $300 price tag I expected a lot from the hardware having used other steering wheel and pedal sets from manufacturers such as Logitech. All packaged together the hardware set costs an eye raising $300, while separately they retail $150 for each of the mentioned sets. Additionally, the hardware can be bought separately in a steering wheel and pedals package and then gamers just looking for the side panel can purchase that by itself. Then it's simply the step of hooking both of their USB connectors into your PC and connecting the pedals to the steering wheel base.Īs mentioned, the complete set will get you the three hardware items. Fortunately, the actual setup process of gripping the steering wheel and panel to a desk or other surface are easy with the vice grip type knobs. After opening the box there is a lot to try out with the included steering wheel, pedals, and side panel control deck, not to mention a lot to set up each time you want to use the hardware set. While I was interested to see how it would add to the experience of playing Farming Simulator, I was also curious how it would interact with other simulation games such as Euro Truck Simulator 2. As someone who particularly enjoys playing a variety of simulator based games, I was excited when the Heavy Equipment Precision Control System was announced by Saitek.
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