Test Drive for X360

Stumbled across this relatively new game for the XBox 360: Test drive.

The idea is a bit like Forza, GT4 or Project Gotham Racing, but the scenery is delightfully different: The backroads of Oahu. How cool of a setting is that!

The cars range from Lotus Elite to Pagani. Enzo is in there too. There is a tad too much storyboard (like who gives a ****), but the action on the street is kewl. Not a sim, but definitely fun and something to tie you over until Forza 2 is released.

 

Actually I do. But being in between two homes right now, it is a pile of bits and pieces. Good news is, that when I rebuild it at the new place, it will be better than ever with PS3 in one sidepod and a kickass PC in the other.

 

I figured what the heck, it might be even interesting to see the setup dismantled as it gives you a better insight of how it is built: First shot is the "tube" made out of wood. Second shot is the interior metal structure that holds the seat, wheel and pedals. It needs the wooden tube however to support it. Of course missing from these pics are the body panels covering it all up. The last shot is of the wheels and some sidepods which (when attached) house the computers and the sound system.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Yes I did. Oddly enough that by itself would not make a good setup as the angle for the pedals can be wrong (depending on your controller) and definitely not because the steering wheel column is freely moving. So what happens is that in the turns you loose precision, which is bad of course. I fixed that problem with a stabilizing bar that hold the steering wheel in place rock solid. That stabilizer is mounted to the wood tube.

 

It is funny how the industry hasn't discovered that themselves, like they never played a game with their setup. If you build a wooden box around it, you can have a cross stabilizer and attach it to the plate of the steering wheel mount. That will take care of that issue.

Finding the perfect fit for the pedals is tougher. Everytime I get a new wheel (which happens about once a year), I have to fiddle with support blocks to get that perfect fit so it feels natural for your feet (I brake left) and you don't tire getting a cramp.

Another issue with the metal frame is the size: I'm 5'3", so I'm fine, but for anybody taller this thing would be too short. I already have mine in the fartest position. It is like they're made for children, not adults.

Speaking of sims: The worst example IMHO is the one for NASCAR racing you find advertized in mags like RACER: It is a proprietary system (there is a similar one for open wheel racing, same issue) and therefore you're cornered with the technology. What you don't want is dependance on a manufacturer. You want to be able to pick and choose your own hardware system.

Speaking of (and then I get off my soap box): I'm a strong believer that hardware follows software. So I don't buy a PC/XBox/PS and then look what games there are but the other way round. Which is also why I only play a few games, but those like a die hard.

 

I bought Xbox360 only for PGR. Now I use it for Test drive until Forza 2 comes out.

My PS2 only plays GT4 and F1. But that's all I really car about anyway.

 

Yes and it is not as good as the PS2 wheel. But that's not so much the wheel, but rather the lack of force feedback (MS doesn't own the rights, Sony does). Apart from that it ain't bad. Pedals are too small and close to each other, but you get used to it.

I had to get some serious metal clamps though to fasten it to the surface. It's rubber feet are a joke.

 

Actually I just played Test Drive yesterday for hours. You need to get a metal clamp to securely mount the wheel to the table (1 will do). However I have to say, the wheel is really toyish: After about an hour one of the pedal shifters just broke off. No big force applied, just using the wheel shifting gears. Pathetic.

Sadly your comments on no force feedback are true. Which leaves one with a very odd feeling of the car. Steering a boat comes to mind as a comparison. What's worse is, that I'm somewhat lost in the game: I got now this black Alfa and have driven a few races, but now what? The interface to the game is IMHO very clumsy and I'm already struggling in real life programming my GPS, let alone trying to do this on here. So for now my XBox360 sleeps again.