GT Force
Encyclopedia
GT FORCE or Driving Force (see the trademark symbols difference) is the name of a line of Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo (series)
is a popular and critically acclaimed series of racing simulation video games developed by Polyphony Digital.Developed exclusively for PlayStation systems, Gran Turismo games are intended to simulate the appearance and performance of a large selection of vehicles, nearly all of which are licensed...

 official steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....

s designed by Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...

 (a.k.a. Logicool in Japan) in collaboration with Polyphony Digital
Polyphony Digital
Polyphony Digital, Inc. is an internal video game developing company of Sony Computer Entertainment and is part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios...

. These racing game
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...

s controllers are designed to be used with the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

 systems but later models can be used on PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...

 as well due to their USB connection.

The GT Force is the central part of a driving simulation cockpit installation. Official kits are co-designed and released in Japan by Logicool and Sparco
Sparco
Sparco S.p.A is an Italian auto part and accessory company headquartered in Settimo Torinese, Turin, Italy that specializes in producing items such as seats, steering wheels, harnesses, racewear and helmets. Sparco branded alloy wheels are produced under licence by OZ Group...

 (distributed by import tuner Endless in North America), while compatible kits are designed and released worldwide by European manufacturers such as PlaySeats and MoveTech.

GT Force

The original Logicool GT Force first came out in Japan and South East Asia in 2001. It was later released in North America and Europe. The brand soon evolved to "Driving Force" in these Logitech distributed territories. Code product is "LPRC" for Logicool PlayStation Racing Controller.

As of 2007, the GT Force line-up is made of three wheels, the entry-level GT Force RX replacing the discontinued Driving Force type (79.99 USD/EUR
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

), the medium-level GT Force Pro (129.98 USD/EUR) and the G25 Racing Wheel which replaces the first as the new top level (299.99 USD/EUR).

Both are compatible with PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 systems and are supported by the Gran Turismo series' latest version, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is a PlayStation 3 exclusive title which was announced at the E3 2007. This short version title was a precursor and sampling of Gran Turismo 5 and replaced Gran Turismo HD Concept...

, set for release on December 11, 2007 in South East Asia.

GT Cockpit

GT Force wheels are parts of a FIA homologated driving simulation cockpit line which SKU is LPSK standing for Logicool PlayStation Sparco Kit. Official kits are the Logicool and auto part
Auto part
This is a list of auto parts, which are manufactured components of automobiles:-Body and exterior:Body components, including windows and trim:-Engine cooling system:* Air blower* Coolant hose* Cooling fan* Fan blade* Fan clutch* Radiator...

 maker Sparco
Sparco
Sparco S.p.A is an Italian auto part and accessory company headquartered in Settimo Torinese, Turin, Italy that specializes in producing items such as seats, steering wheels, harnesses, racewear and helmets. Sparco branded alloy wheels are produced under licence by OZ Group...

 joint designed Sparco Racing Cockpit/Seat.

Although GT Force wheels are supported by the professional oriented PlaySeats compatible kits line. The PlaySeats are based upon a different design, e.g. the G25 Racing Wheel PlaySeats kit includes parts named Gearshift Holder and Seat Slider.

GT Force

GT Force (LPRC-10000)

The GT Force was released on April 28, 2001 as the Gran Turismo 3: A-spec
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec is considered a critical and commercial success for Sony in Japan, Europe, and North America. The game is highly praised by game reviewers and players as one of the best racing games ever made. GT3 also received a Platinum Award from Electronic Gaming Monthly...

 official wheel

GT Force for Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec (LPRC-10001)

A "GT Force for Gran Turismo 2000" (LPRC-10001) was scheduled for 2001, however due to a game title change it was replaced by the "GT Force Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec" custom version released on April 28, 2001.

GT Force Initial D version (LPRC-10002)

On June 26, 2003, Logicool released an Initial D Special Stage custom version of the GT Force (LPRC-10000).

Driving Force

The Driving Force is the first evolution of the GT Force announced at the London Games Convention in early September 2001. This model is discontinued since it was replaced by the Driving Force Pro in 2003.

GT Force Pro (LPRC-11000)

The GT Force Pro (a.k.a. Driving Force Pro) is the Gran Turismo 4 Prologue official wheel released in December 2003.

GT Force Pro for Sega Rally (LPRC-11000S)

A Sega Rally 2006
Sega Rally 2006
Sega Rally 2006 is an arcade oriented racing game developed and published by Sega for PlayStation 2. It is the third installment in the decade running Sega Rally series, and it was released in Japan on January 12, 2006 and in Korea on March 30, 2006...

 custom version named was released on January 12, 2006.

GT Force Pro (LPRC-11500)

Feature GT Force
discontinued
Driving Force
discontinued
Driving Force Pro (GT4)
discontinued
Driving Force EX
entry-level / discontinued
Driving Force GT (GT5)
medium-level
G25 Racing Wheel
top-level / discontinued
G27 Racing Wheel
top-level
Force feedback
Clutch pedal
Automobile pedal
An automobile may have two to four foot pedals. The arrangement is the same for both right- and left-hand traffic. From left to right:* normally operated by the left foot:**clutch pedal, not in the case of automatic transmission...

Brake / gas pedals
Automobile pedal
An automobile may have two to four foot pedals. The arrangement is the same for both right- and left-hand traffic. From left to right:* normally operated by the left foot:**clutch pedal, not in the case of automatic transmission...

Gear stick
Gear stick
A gear stick is the lever used to change gear in a vehicle, such as an automobile, with manual transmission or several common forms of automatic transmission.The device is used to change gear; in a manual transmission vehicle this will normally be done whilst depressing...

Paddle shifters
Six-speed shifter
Sequential shifter
Sequential manual transmission
A sequential manual transmission is a type of manual transmission used on motorcycles and high-performance cars for auto racing, where gears are selected in order, and direct access to specific gears is not possible....

Wheel size
900-degree steering
200-degree steering
Steering wheel cover
D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...

 / action buttons
(12) (16)
Real-Time Adjustments Dial
Clamp base
Lap attachment
USB connector


It is a specialized game controller
Game controller
A game controller is a device used with games or entertainment systems used to control a playable character or object, or otherwise provide input in a computer game. A controller is typically connected to a game console or computer by means of a wire, cord or nowadays, by means of wireless connection...

 manufactured by Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...

 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 computer entertainment system. It also works with the PC using drivers available from the Logitech website. See Here. It is designed to function like the controls in an automobile and includes a steering wheel with force feedback, analog accelerator and brake pedals, and sequential stick and paddle gear shifters in addition to the standard PlayStation 2 buttons. The controller was jointly designed by Logitech and Polyphony Digital
Polyphony Digital
Polyphony Digital, Inc. is an internal video game developing company of Sony Computer Entertainment and is part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios...

 to be used with Gran Turismo 4
Gran Turismo 4
is a racing simulator for the Sony PlayStation 2 which was developed by Polyphony Digital. It was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong , February 22, 2005 in North America , and March 9, 2005 in Europe , and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line...

, however it will work with other games and automatically switches to a 200 degree compatibility mode for games not compatible with the 900 degree mode. It works with most driving games on the PlayStation 2 and has a list price of £99.99 (around 200 American dollars) at most stores, but can be as low as half that.

It is viewed by many that when used with Gran Turismo 4 it provides an experience very comparable to actual racing. This is mostly due to the force feedback feature which causes the steering wheel to pull back on the your turning it, if you are turning it in a way a real car "wouldn't want to go;" a counter-resistance — "pushing back" against drivers' initial attempts to turn it, based on the speed, inertia, energy, and geometry of the car, and what surface you are driving on. It will provide sharp, smooth and clean resistance effects on dry pavement, less resistance on wet pavement, and almost none on snow and ice. On a dirt or gravel track, it will vibrate erratically to give the sensation of actually driving on these surfaces. A minor feature, like the DualShock 2 remote, is vibrating when clipping the side of the road or some other object. The wheel generates a sudden jerk when hitting any object. If the driver goes over a bump, the wheel will jolt like in a real car. The close collaboration between the wheel and game development teams ensured that maximum use was made of the hardware's capabilities.

The Logitech website lists PlayStation3 under System Requirements, indicating it is supported. 900° support will be software dependent.

GT Force RX (LPRC-12000)

The GT Force RX, a.k.a. Driving Force EX is the PlayStation 3 official wheel released on the console's launch date, November 11, 2006. It features force feedback despite the rumble removal on the SIXAXIS
Sixaxis
The Sixaxis Wireless Controller was the official gamepad for the Sony PlayStation 3 from launch until 2008 when it was succeeded by the DualShock 3....

 default controller and it was succeeded by Driving Force GT. The wheel came bundle with Formula One Championship Edition
Formula One Championship Edition
Formula One Championship Edition is a racing video game, developed by SCE Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game follows the basic structure of Formula One 06 for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable...

.

G25 Racing Wheel (LPRC-13000)

The G25 Racing Wheel is unveiled on October 25, 2007 and set for release on December 13, 2007. No official Sparco kit is available yet but PlaySeats has released a compatible model called "Evo".

Racing Cockpit (LPSK-01002)

Sparco Racing Cockpit is the official kit for the original GT Force and Gran Turismo 3 A-spec, it was released in Japan in 2001. The kits two parts are named "Steering Pod" and "Bucket Chair
Bucket seat
A bucket seat is a seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from bench seats which are flat platforms designed to seat multiple people. Bucket seats are standard in fast cars to keep riders in place when making sharp or quick turns...

". As an official product the steering pod features a Sparco / Gran Turismo double name emblem plate, and the Sparco Speed seat has GT logos.

Racing Cockpit Pro

Racing Cockpit Pro Fighter Model (LPSK-02002)

Official kit for the GT Force Pro and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is a PlayStation 3 exclusive title which was announced at the E3 2007. This short version title was a precursor and sampling of Gran Turismo 5 and replaced Gran Turismo HD Concept...

 is the "Sparco Racing Cockpit Pro Fighter Model" that was released on December 22, 2003 in Japan. As for the first kit, this one features an emblem plate and logos. Racing Cockpit Pro kits are specially designed for the GT Force Pro wheel and are not compatible with other models, including prior GT Force wheels.

Racing Cockpit Pro (LPSK-03002)

The updated version of the GT Force Pro and Gran Turismo 4
Gran Turismo 4
is a racing simulator for the Sony PlayStation 2 which was developed by Polyphony Digital. It was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong , February 22, 2005 in North America , and March 9, 2005 in Europe , and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line...

 kit was released on June 10, 2004 in Japan. This kit replaces the Fighter seat by a Gran Turismo custom Sparco Speed seat which is an evolution of the Speed bucket seat. It still features official Sparco Gran Turismo plate and logos.

Racing Seat Pro (SRCP-000)

Released in June 2005, this Endless SKU is a North American licensed version of the Racing Cockpit Pro, hence "SRCP" (Sparco Racing Cockpit Pro). It has no seat but only the kit frame, e.g. steering floor mat and steering pod. Official Sparco / Gran Turismo plate is available though.

Racing Seat Pro Sprint (SRCP-001)

The "Sparco Sprint Bucket Seat" is the North American version of the LPSK-02002. Though, it replaces the "Fighter" bucket seat by a similar Sparco model called "Sprint". Although the Sparco / Gran Turismo plate is included, the Sparco seat is a regular one with no GT logo.

Racing Seat Pro Siena (SRCP-002)

A "larger individuals" version of the Type 1 was simultaneously released in the North American market. This version called "Sparco Siena Reclinable Seat" (or Type 2) replaces the regular bucket seat by a larger retractable model called Siena. As for the SRCP-001 kit, the Sparco seat is not a GT custom.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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