Like duh !

[Duggs63]

Yet again we have a software developer/publisher who hasn't done their homework.

Yet again, it would appear, that a game is to be
released without Steering Wheel or general joypad support. NOT everyone has got a 360 controller and a vast number of us have steering wheels.

Its in the title.."Wheelman" ???
A game where common sence would suggest that the buying public can use a "Steering Wheel".

Its a driving game people...How many cars are driven with a joypad ?

Do the game justice. If you want to sell the game...Give us Steering Wheel and general joypad support or the game will be a huge loss.

Don't believe me...They did the same with Juiced 2...sank without a trace...as will Wheelman.

Sorry if i come across as being angry BUT I simply can't believe that Vin Diesel would support a game with such a stupid flaw. Crazy !

[Dodge34]

Vin is probably hiding is head down when he sees the results of such a crappy console game ported directly to PC.

[Raide]

The problem with Steering Wheel support is what you do when you need to do things on foot. Having to swap between a Wheel and Pad to do the same job that the Pad does is a bit pointless.

Wheelman is not a Driving Sim, so the need for dedicated Wheel support is slim.

[Duggs63]

Raide ! With respect you are not fully correct.

A lot of wheels have joypads attached to them, such as Logitechs G25.

The GTA series is geared up (pardon the pun) for steering wheels and can easily be played with a combination of pads, keys AND steering wheels.

For any software to do well, developers need to compare their product with the opposition. Its NO GOOD simply making a clone of an existing game. NEW games need to be a step up the ladder, NOT a massive step down for them to sell/succeed. Wheelman leans heavily towards "Driving" and to release a "driving based game" without steering wheel support is at best odd, at worse absolutely bloody suicidal and inexcusable.

I have told SO many developers to make changes to their software based on Demo's.

On EVERY occasion, not suprisingly, they have ignored me, and on every occasion their products have failed, consigned to the bargain basement within weeks. (With the possible exception of Synetic regarding their Alpha 11 games which are rarely sold in the UK).

Could I do better ??? NO. ! BUT there again, I'm not getting paid to do it, nor have I got the training. All I know is what should be expected by the public in a 2009 game and sadly Wheelman has got miles to go.

Great pity....it originally had promise.

[Raide]

How do you Aim and Shoot the guns only using the D-Pad on the Steering wheel?

You mentioned that GTA is geared for it but not many people want to use Pads, Keys and Steering-wheels, when one simple pad will do the job.

Many serious driving games are made for steering wheels but games with Third-person shooting mechanics cannot fully word using only a steering-wheel.

Not to say that Wheelman will never support wheels but its a game really made for gamepads.

[Duggs63]

Shooting of course is the easiest thing.. its what makes games stand out on the PC...Use the MOUSE.

Its not as if you have to switch controllers every 5 seconds. You either are in a car, using wheel and mouse or on foot using pad, mouse and perhaps keys. It's easy. Of course if you're huddled in front of a TV with the controllers on yer lap playing on a 360/PS3 then of course wheels are not practical...joypads only I'm afraid. BUT there are millions out there with desks and computer stations with tons of space to plonk everything.

And I have to say, no matter who you are, you can't get the true feel of driving a car, no matter what sort of driving game you're playing, without a wheel. Joysticks are for planes and helicopters...Wheels are for cars..I know this as I drive cars on a daily basis.

The argument is often "it's only a game"...but steering wheel support make the difference between a good game and a crap game and sadly, Wheelman as a result, is the latter.

Mark my word, Wheelman will sink without a trace within a few weeks of release. If it wasn't for old Vin putting his name to it, the game wouldn't even get out of the starting blocks.

It simply is not good enough for the modern age of gaming.

[TheIceman1980]

This game is awesome with a 360 controller - why the hell would anyone want to play it with a steering wheel?!? I can understand that for a dedicated racer but damn, I really wouldnt enjoy having to move away from the wheel that's bolted to my desk and then swing over to my keyboard and mouse to start doing the on-foot parts!

Vehicle melee on the 360 controller is brilliant, slamming it left and right into the other cars feels awesome - i bet that would feel AMAZING doing it with a steering wheel, but I just wouldnt want the hassle tbh.

[NeverHadurCar]

Actually Iceman, it isn't that hard to do if you have your wheel and mouse controls setup in a way that is comfortable.

The amount of time to get negative or positive lock are slower with a wheel, but those can easily be changed to suite the game/player's needs. Honestly I could could play this game with either (i would prefer my MomoForce) but I cannot get anything to work so I have to use the keyboard and mouse controls.

Actually the keyboard and mouse settings are not really all that bad, but i just cannot get to left-alt to the handbrake so the whole setup is a wash.

[Duggs63]

Guys ! I still don't get it.

CARS have steering wheels...they don't have "sticks" to drive with. Steering Wheels.

Its not rocket science surely. You "steer" a car by turning the wheel, you don't steer a car by pressing a button or flinging a mushroom shaped stick back and forth.

We can clearly see its not a driving sim, its not good enough to even come remotely close to being a driving sim, BUT for heavens sake...to insist players use a 360 control with no support for any other controllers, let alone steering wheels, is pure madness and VERY lazy.

Its already £19.99 in the stores..but wait a week, less than a fiver before very long.

[sonofhelvetica]

Steering wheels are great for sims.

Wheelman isn't a sim.

Nor is it GTA4.

You've made your point, we get it already.

[sonofhelvetica]

And 4th in the All Formats Charts isn't "sinking without a trace".

[Duggs63]

True...BUT its right up there in 1st place on the returns chart !

and PLEEEEASE.

Sim or NOT...its blinkin' common sence to ensure a driving game, of ANY sort, is compatible with steering wheels.

The NFS series sure as hell ain't a sim, yet wheels were supported right back as far as the original DOS based game...must be around 1995 or so now.

Nothing, absolutely nothing can be said in defence of ANY driving based game without wheel support in the year 2009.

Bare in mind also, that the Logitech G25, the best wheel on the market, is USB pluggable for both the PC and the PS3 so they are killing a huge market by peeing people off for not making that little bit of, very important effort.

Whilst I thank you for you imput, i would politely suggest you refrain from your efforts to defend this game on the wheel issue because from the posts on here its just gonna make you look silly.

[NeverHadurCar2]

I love using my Momo Force in racing games. It is sheer joy to shift and use pedals around corners and handbrake as needed. It's the way gaming is going now unfortunetly for us 'wheelmen' if you will. I do not know why more console players don't want to use a wheel for their driving, but it is the optimum control method obviously.

I think the point has been made though, and perhaps (hopefully) future Ubi titles will include support for wheels.

[Duggs63]

OR perhaps...they might do the proper thing for once..and raise a patch !

[NeverHadurCar2]

What about Ubi? Any chance ? Probably not just for two users wanting this support probably. It would be a good idea in the future I think though.

[sonofhelvetica]

NFS is turning to a sim from where I'm sitting...

I'm sure a patch will turn up. Diablo 2's still getting patched, and that thing's ancient.

[NeverHadurCar2]

Hmm, you ever played GT Legends Sonofhelvetica? Now that is a sim. Although, I will agree that the NFS series is getting a bit better with the 'feel' of the cars, especially Prostreet. The force feedback has a great place with that, but i'd say Richard Burns is the purest form of a racing sim that i've ever come across.

[sonofhelvetica]

Last NFS I played was Underground 2 on the Xbox. Yep, need to play catch up... although I really, really dig Forza 2 on the 360.

[NeverHadurCar2]

NFS was a strong offering. The first two are the best for sure. I've played all of them except Shift. But I'll get to it.

Do you play mostly consoles? Once you've played a good sim with a FF wheel is all over lol. That's why PC only gamers feel so strongly about it, but it seems that the tides are turning in favor of consoles unfortunately for gamers like me. We will just have to adapt.

[NeverHadurCar2]

K ordered my Xbox controller off ebay today ($27), kind of like throwing in the towel lol, getting carpel-tunnel trying to race with the keyboard. Hopefully it will work without any problems.