What Are the Advantages of an Xbox 360 Steering Wheel with Clutch and Shifter?

What Are the Advantages of an Xbox 360 Steering Wheel with Clutch and Shifter

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Do you just love car racing games and have an Xbox 360? If so, then maybe you've decided that it's time to consider getting an Xbox 360 steering wheel with clutch and shifter. If you hesitate because they're a little expensive, then you may think your joystick or game pad is enough. Is the expense and time required to learn a new gadget even worth it?

Most gamers use only a joystick with their Xbox 360. And for most of them, it's fine. They don't have to spend more money. They don't have to learn more controls. Joysticks are simple to set up and simple to use. They also are of course, very compact. They don't take up a lot of space. They're light. If it breaks or gets lost or stolen, you don't have to spend a fortune to fix it or buy a new one. While all of that is true, it's also true that significant (and growing) numbers of gamers either have upgraded or are in the process of upgrading to a Xbox 360 steering wheel with clutch and shifter. The feedback and reviews are overwhelmingly positive. But still, it's also true that these same steering wheel devotees also experience significant errors and lag time compared to the joystick users. This notwithstanding, the steering wheel users insist that it's more fun. Why is that?

I was curious, so I interviewed a gamer friend of mine. He said before he bought an Xbox 360 steering wheel with clutch and shifter he never even considered using anything other than a game pad or a joystick. My friend reported that in the beginning, he came close to returning the steering wheel. It just seemed to cause him to crash more and lose control on even the simplest of turns. He found that the most difficult part was using the foot pedals to brake and shift gears. Even though he learned to drive on an old Volkswagen Beetle (stick shift) he just could not get the hang of the Xbox steering wheel. He was surprised, he said, that years of real-world manual transmission driving was of absolutely no use when he was behind that virtual wheel.

But he stuck with it and eventually he got the hang of it. He became increasingly adept at using the steering wheel. I was curious as to what he thought was most important in his transitioning from joystick to steering wheel. My friend said that as he gained experience, he realized there were a few critical areas that were improved by using the Xbox 360 steering wheel with clutch and shifter:

1) Comfort and fatigue. He said he used to be exhausted after just a few hours of gaming with a joystick or gamepad. He said it's like if you drove a cab for a living, and you had to drive around the city using a joystick to steer. It would be absurd. The human body is ergonomically designed to steer by a wheel not by a vertical stick. Seating is also much more natural, he said. Compared to the stress on his hand, wrist, joints and back from a joystick, gaming with an Xbox 360 steering wheel with clutch and shifter is much more comfortable. It also allows him to game for much longer without becoming exhausted.

2. Automobile control. A joystick makes the myriad tasks of driving a veritable ergonomic nightmare. Driving whether real or virtual, requires several tasks be performed, often simultaneously:

Steering

Accelerating

Braking

Down shifting

Up shifting

HUD display switches

As any gamer can tell you, these tasks, when performed with a joystick, can become extremely tedious and make your neck, back and arm muscles ache. Leg cramping is another problem and can for some people even become a medical concern. This is in stark contrast to the use of a quality steering wheel to perform these same tasks. You have at your disposal the use of a stick shift and gas, brake and clutch pedals. That being said, there are nonetheless certain game titles for which using a joystick is actually better than using a steering wheel. However, these titles are relatively uncommon, and when playing a racing game, it almost invariably is easier, more efficient, and more effective if played with a Xbox 360 steering wheel with clutch and shifter.

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