https://ift.tt/qDyxG16 A big collab just hit the shelves that might interest racing fans. Nacon, and its driving sim ecosystem Revosim, have...
A big collab just hit the shelves that might interest racing fans. Nacon, and its driving sim ecosystem Revosim, have revealed a partnership with the legendary Aston Martin to replicate the wheel for the Aston Martin Aramco team’s vehicle, for use at home. Nacon were kind enough to send me two massive boxes full of their gear to try out and give my views on. Once I’d overcome the initial challenge of getting 30-odd kilos of kit up the stairs, I had the privilege of trying out a ton of their Revosim stuff, and I’ve made this review as a general overview of my experiences with everything, and how my time with them has shaped my opinion on the Revosim ecosystem.
The esteemed Rob tried one a little while ago, but I hope I can bring my own thoughts to the table.
The RS PURE Bundle
If you’re someone whose sole experience of wheels it the old, plasticy, feedback-free wheels of your childhood, you’re definitely in for a much different experience. For a start, the Revosim base unit is HEFTY. I felt like I was carting actual car parts around as I hauled the heavy metal base around, and sorted out its mount. You WILL need to attach this to whatever you plan to put it on, (in my case, my computer desk via some included clamps). I also would not suggest mounting it on anything lightweight as I’d imagine it would be liable to tip over pretty easily.
Assembling takes a little bit of time, but it’s not especially complicated. I initially got the desk clamps on the wrong way round, but that has more to do with me being an idiot than necessary failings in the instructions. It probably took me around half an hour to get everything set up. Once the base is assembled, the wheel snaps into it easily enough. (And snaps off easily too, once you figure out how to do it.) Everything plugs into the base unit, with designated ports for each different addition. (Pedal set, clutch pedal, gear stick, etc.) The wheel has a quick-release mechanism that just snaps onto the base unit.
The bit that actually stumped me initially, was getting the Revosim control software. The mobile app was pretty readily available, but to get an up to date version of the control panel for my PC involved me hunting around and eventually unearthing it inside a support article on the website. Perhaps I was tripping over it elsewhere, but I was surprised how obscure it felt given it’s pretty vital to how it works.
Once the software was installed, and I’d restarted (with increasing panic) a couple of times, everything ran pretty smoothly. The control panel comes with a ton of different adjustments and options, to you can really fine-tune everything to your liking. Sometimes I would have to wait around, or restart the wheel to get the software to acknowledge it, but it wasn’t too fiddly.
The wheel is an impressive thing, black with white detailing, and very neat stitching. It’s not quite as heavy at the base… just as well, but the construction feels extremely solid. I never felt worried that playing with it might break something. Some of the casing and buttons are plastic, but the bones of the thing is thick metal construction that felt reassuringly premium.
In addition to the wheel itself, and the base, the PURE bundle came with a pedal set. (Break and accelerator). Like the wheel, they feel high quality, and the design has clearly been thought through. The pedals themselves are a brushed metal, and feel like they can handle panicked break-slamming not problem. The resistance is provided in part by some special elastomer pedal cushions, which come in three varieties that you can swap in and out until you get the feel you want.
My initial game of choice was my go-to chill out game, Euro Truck Simulator 2. While it’s getting on in years as a title, it’s one of the fully supported games on the list so seemed like a natural choice. You launch the supported titles through the Revosim app to get the full compatibility. This took a couple of false starts to get working, but seemed smooth enough from there. You will probably need to spend some time in the options customizing buttons and the like to suit your liking, but I found that all pretty forgiving.
The Revosim wheel doesn’t really tell you where to put things and encourages you to customize to your own satisfaction. There are replacement buttons, and you get a sheet of stick-on control labels so you can designate whatever button suits you, which is great to have. Just be aware that you will need to spend time sorting all your keybinds out before you start.
Playing the game itself was a joy with the bundle. It maybe took a bit of getting used to, and I might have experienced the tow truck of shame one or twice as I misjudged speed on a turn. I’m kind of used to keyboard movement so it was a bit of a learning curve, but as I settled in I definitely found it a more intuitive way to drive… enough that it kind of ruined me for mouse and keyboard control.
The force feedback provided by the base unit makes driving a much more immersive. The moment I crept too far over to one side, hit a rumble strip, and felt it through my hands was a novel experience. It definitely led me to drive better in the long run, as I was more aware of my surroundings. The only thing I really missed was trying to look around and catch the sights while driving, as moving my hand off the wheel to wiggle the mouse around felt wrong somehow. (Though maybe I could work something out with a VR headset given some time an ingenuity.)
Aston Martin Aramco Wheel Rim
Now, while the world of the games journalist is doubtlessly filled with action and adventure, (I stayed up until 5am playing Dungeons And Dragons last night.) I don’t get an opportunity to drive a Formula One car very often. Now, unless you’re a playboy millionaire or an F1 driver, you probably don’t either. There are a few ways to get your hands around the wheel of an F1 car, but most are prohibitive in terms of money time and distance. With all that in mind, if you want to recreate that feeling whenever you want, then the Aramco Aston Martin Wheel Rim add-on for the Revosim set is a very appealing option.
The Revosim ecosystem is compatible with F1 23, 24, and 25 out of the box, but if you’re an enthusiast really looking for that immersion, it might feel like a let down if you’re tearing up the track but feel like you’re gripping the wheel of your Ford Focus. This official partnership with Aston Martin appears to be designed for precisely this reason.
Important to note, that while I might refer to it as a ‘wheel’, it is in fact a wheel rim. That means you need the base wheel to get any use out of it. The front plate of the regular wheel unfastens, and the Aston Martin wheel will screw in. This is, honestly, pretty handy and a feature I like. It allows you to keep all your buttons the same… and stops the price from getting too prohibitive if you want more kinds of wheel. That said, if you want to customize further, the rim comes bundled with new buttons, and decorative strips for your base unit in the Aston Martin Aramco team colours. There’s also a magnetic Aston Martin plate for the centre of the wheel.
So, how does it feel? The short answer is, very different to the standard wheel. While the regular wheel has a leather-like coating, the Aston Martin wheel has a smooth rubber grip, with two ‘handles’ either side. It sets it apart a lot from its circular counterpart, and definitely changes the overall feel of using it. It’s similarly solid in the same way at the normal wheel, with a fairly thick metal base that doesn’t feel at all cheap or flimsy. I feel like I could use it to hammer in a few tent pegs before completing a couple of laps straight after. (I didn’t try this, I’m supposed to send it back.)
The wheel rim also comes with the optional extra of a pair of racing gloves, to add to your immersion. These aren’t necessary of course, but they were a nice addition to the overall experience. The gloves, like everything else, feel very premium. They have a suede-type gripping surface, but a breathable back, so aren’t likely to feel too sweaty if you’re white-knuckling your steering wheel for an extended period of time. They also come with the nice touch of a touchscreen-compatible index finger and thumb, so you can mess with the mobile app without fumbling around to take your gloves off. These also come in the team colours, naturally.
Add On Bundle
Along with the Pure Bundle, and the Aramco Aston Martin Wheel I also got access to a few optional extras you can add to your Revosim setup to increase the authenticity. You don’t necessarily need any of these to play, but if you want to get the full manual drive experience, they are worth considering.
First we have the clutch pedal. As someone who prefers automatic transmission after some shameful driving lessons in my teenage years, I am not a huge fan of clutches. (I don’t want to find the biting point. :() That said, if you are a manual fan, this is probably a must-have, and it just as well put-together at the pedals. It fits it perfectly with the rest of the set.
Second, the gear shift. The wheel comes with the, as Top Gear pejoratively called it ‘flappy paddle gear shift’ included, so you can play manual transmission without a stick, but it might not feel quite right… or you might also have disdain for the clutchless manual, so this is potentially a good addition. It’s a big, heavy, very manual-feeling piece of kit
The add-ons also include a handbreak. This is something you can assign to a button on the wheel, but I can understand how that might kill some immersion. This one actually connects via USB, and doesn’t require connection to the Revosim PURE bundle… though I’d imagine you wouldn’t be playing with a mouse, keyboard, and a handbrake… but I’m not here to judge.
Summary
If you want a really good, solid set for driving simulation, then Nacon’s Revosim is a decent bet. It’s not without its idiosyncrasies, but you can tell it was designed with build quality in mind, and never at any point felt like a cheap cash grab product. The Revosim ecosystem is a fairly significant investment, so ultimately your choice to spend will come down to how eager you are for the full immersion in your driving/racing games. That said, I would not begrudge the expense of this kit at all. It’s clearly thoughtfully designed, and will give you an elevated experience. The Aramco Wheel Rim is similarly something for the enthusiast, and comes with good build quality and thoughtful touches. It would be a great gift for the F1 nut in your life… even if that F1 nut is you.
Right now the prices sit at:
Base:
- RS PURE Bundle: £699.90
- RS Pure Bundle + Gearbox + Handbrake + Clutch: £899.90
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Aston Martin Kit with gloves: £129.90
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Aston Martin Kit without gloves: £109.90
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Aston Martin gloves only: £39.90
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Gearbox with Handbrake: £389.90
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Gearbox with Handbrake and Clutch: £439.90
If you’d like to check out the kit, then you should have a look on the Nacon site.
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