These computers are purpose built, and as someone who really only cares for purpose-built cars, I appreciate the hell out of a black box full of TRON-esque lights and circuitry. Just like the wheelbase, they have a vibration motor that sends signals when you’re on the brakes, engaging ABS, running over kerbs, and banging off the rev limiter.įor more than 20 years, iBUYPOWER has been building some of the most hardcore gaming systems. Plus, the pedals look so badass-certainly nicer than anything found in a new car under $100K. The brake pedal is fully adjustable with a damper to control firmness and springback, and braking is probably more consistent than your own car. Inverted pedals are exactly like a real car, but with the pivot point above the brake and clutch pedals rather than below. I opted for the inverted ClubSport V3 Pedals.
I wanted a three-pedal set, because driving manual is arguably way more fun and also keeps me practicing the driving I do in real life. How is this still a game? My sim rig is way more advanced than my racecar. The wheel even has LED shift lights and its own OLED display that’ll report back with telemetry and timing. I went with the Porsche 911 GT3 R Clubsport wheel, wrapped in suede, of course, and added the endurance button module, because why not? This wheel is a replica of what comes in the real GT3 R, with each button programmable for traction control settings, brake bias, high beams, you name it.
You can slap a multitude of steering wheels on the DD2 wheelbase, too. And don’t worry, the DD2 comes with an emergency stop switch for when things get a little too nuts. I have to preserve these wrists for diaper changing, after all. I run this wheel set to about 30 percent power, because I’m not strong enough to give it the beans. Twenty-five newton meters of torque! You can close your Google window, I won’t make you do the conversion yourself. The unbelievable amount of torque and information that comes through the wheel provides an experience closer to the real thing than I’d ever thought possible. The DD2 is the most advanced wheelbase of its kind, using a direct drive outrunner-type motor engineered specifically for sim racing. This is where all the feel comes from the feedback, road imperfections, resistance, and connection.
The wheelbase is the center of the simulated racing experience. For this build, since I was committed to going all-out, I went with Fanatec’s Podium DD2 system. With offerings from entry-level to rip-your-thumbs-off insane, Fanatec makes the most radical wheelbases, pedal sets, and shifters. There’s really only one brand that came to mind here, and that’s Fanatec. Now, with the chassis squared away, it was time to decide how I’d steer, shift, accelerate, and initiate tire-destroying drifts. Our Ikea end tables needed replacing anyway. With so little to do, I caved big time, finding the absolute limits of both my loving wife’s patience and our L.A. (Some of those gamers are being poached to make the jump from the digital world to the real thing.) With my track car collecting dust in the garage and my fingers growing calluses from gripping my Xbox controller too tightly while playing Forza, I watched the entire racing community buying, building, and using real-deal racing simulators in their homes, and I caught a major case of FOMO.
So intense that you’ll find yourself setting up fans, keeping cold water nearby, and dressing for a heatwave just to keep your shit together.Īctual pro drivers from a number of the major racing series-F1, Ind圜ar, and NASCAR to name a few-have been found online racing against each other and even gamers, people who might not even own a car, to feed their need for speed in the virtual world at a massively high level. Sounds crazy, I know, but you’d be surprised how intense a 20-minute, wheel-to-wheel virtual race can be with a big field of drivers and open communication between the whole lot.
When the pandemic hit and lockdown ensued, racing enthusiasts and professional drivers alike turned to virtual racing to keep the spirit of competition alive and preserve muscle memory. The Ford Bronco Is Back After 25 Years to Kick Ass