I was reading a GameSpot article last night where the writer tested whether he played better with a wheel or a gamepad in FM3. He did admit that he usually played with a gamepad... and in the end his gamepad times were better then the wheel...

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6238167.html?tag=siteblogs;title;5

So that got me wondering, I normally play with the wheel... in cockpit view, with no aids, manual transmission. So how would I do between my M$ 360 wireless wheel and the GamePad.

Not very scientific, but I got a FM3 Carrier to get back too... I loaded up hot lap mode and did 3 races, one on three different tracks, 10 laps each... not counting the first one to allow the tires to warm... 3 different styles of car, Muscle, low class, and a German mid range BMW.

I then took the best lap and the average lap of the 9 (after the warm up).

Without going into a bunch of numbers... I ended up being between 2 seconds and 10 seconds faster with the wheel... so for me, it seems the wheel gives me a small advantage over the controller.

What about some of you others out there... what do you perform better with, and which is your main tool of driving?

Since I moved the 360 to the living room I have nowhere to set up my wheel and I can't stand using it on my lap so I drive exclusively with the pad. They did a really good job with the gamepad controls, though I wish I could adjust the sensitivity of the brake trigger so I could turn off ABS.

Well, I haven't gone through any extensive testing but I just "know" I'm better with the wheel (Logitech FF). I can feel it. I mean, I can still beat the AI (at Medium difficulty) with the gamepad but the races are closer than when I use the wheel. I just have better control over turning and breaking with the wheel/pedals combo.

I can't use the wheel since I have nowhere to hook it up to, but I know I'd be faster with it.

Partly the larger wheel makes it easier to do smaller adjustments, without oversteering. Secondly because the paddles lets you downshift without having to brake first to lower the rpms enough to autoshift.

Granted I could probably do that with the stick as well, but meh

Øystein

Just select manual transmission and use the x and b buttons to shift, you'll have much more control over the car and you'll accelerate faster as well.

For me I would say the controller is definetely better. Why? well.......I don't have a wheel

However, when I did have a wheel for the PS2 and GT4, I'm not sure there was a huge difference beween the two for me. In fact, I think I prefered the controller just because I've been using one for so long. But to say which one actually made me faster I could not tell because I never tested it.

I'd love to try FM3 with a wheel but spending money on one right now is out of the question so I will have to keep on truckin' with my game pad!!

I only use the wheel, ever. So my controller times would suck. I like to feel like I'm driving a car, not holding the remote control for one.

I switched off the ABS last night, now I have to adjust all my braking zones since I can brake so much later with it off.

Oh and you can't adjust the sensitivity but if you make the inner deadzone smaller and outer one larger it gives you a lot more feel in both the gas and brake triggers, probably helps with those on the wheel as well.

I am a little faster with the controller just because I have been playing racing games on consoles with a controller for a long, long, time. I don't have a solid place to mount the MS Wheel, not that it matters much since its a p.o.s. If I could use my G25 I would find some way to do it, be sure!