Hello!

I'm new to LFS and i'm willing to buy a license. But i'm using mouse+keyboard. I don't want to buy a racing wheel because I'm not a hardcore racer. Do i have any chance to become 'good' without a racing wheel? Or do you guys think I shouldnt even bother playing LFS without one?

Currently I think I'll have fun anyway (that is what it's all about, no ? ) But I only have experience with the Demo. (And i'm addicted as hell)

The faster I get an answer, the faster I take my VISA and buy a license.

Are there a lot of newbies in LFS? It's no fun to race against pro racers with years of experience the whole time!

Thanks in advance!

//edit//
Damn, I'll buy it anyway, I'm too excited!

I race against a person who comes so close to world records, and he uses a mouse. If you cant afford a wheel right now, I say first buy S2, get used to the tracks and the correct racing lines, and then when you can afford it, get the wheel. And half the experience is racing with the "pros" online, it is the best way to learn.

Depends what you want from LFS. If you're at all dedicated to driving, it's worth it, but perhaps not if you only race very infrequently.

Depends on how good you are TBH, i'd say you have more chance of becoming 'good' with a wheel, but I know pleanty of guys out there who use mouse and one specific guy who uses keys....

If you search for Kingnothing in LFS World you will see some of his pb's against wr's and so on, the guy must have alien fingers or something, as he is insanely fast with just keys. I guess he just prooves that you dont need a wheel to be good as this guy has got 2nd place is both of his OLFS races (In the top pool) In BF1 and UFR.

But, in both races he was beaten by wheel users I was the one in the BF1.

I don't think the decision to buy a wheel has much to do with how good you want to be, however you will only get the true LFS experience with a force feedback wheel. So if you want to enjoy the entire sim in all of its glory you will need this piece of equipment. You simply won't believe the difference between digital and FFB Analogue, it's a whole new sim.

Ok thanks

Maybe in the future i'll look out for a racing wheel. (The cheaper the better! Life is not all about games you now )

I'm a 'licensed' user now!

I believe the experience is only worth it with a wheel, The 1st wheel i bought was the logitech momo..cost $180 AUD...butwith 2 years it was stuffed...i then bought a cheap 2nd hand 1 i found at a 2nd shop...cost me $17 AUD and it out performs the momo wheel...

Go find a cheapy and youll find the game twice as enjoyable!!!

I use a mouse and im abit fast.. Its whatever you want, if you want simulation, get a wheel. If not use a mouse. I want sim but dnt ahve the money to get a wheel....

wheel isnt NEEDED atall. i use mouse and have good battles with wheel drivers.

A good FF wheel can add a great deal to LFS

Some people have commented in the past that the LFS FF is a little simplistic as it does not have engine vibration etc unlike other games/sims.

LFS is very focused in with its force feedback, it feeds the forces acting on the cars front wheels through a virtual steering column to your wheel the same way they are transmitted to the steering wheel IRL. This means once you learn what the wheel is telling you it allows you to feel what state the car is in at all times.


It will make you slower for a while until you get used to it.

Quote from Bawbag :

Depends on how good you are TBH, i'd say you have more chance of becoming 'good' with a wheel, but I know pleanty of guys out there who use mouse and one specific guy who uses keys....

If you search for Kingnothing in LFS World you will see some of his pb's against wr's and so on, the guy must have alien fingers or something, as he is insanely fast with just keys. I guess he just prooves that you dont need a wheel to be good as this guy has got 2nd place is both of his OLFS races (In the top pool) In BF1 and UFR.

But, in both races he was beaten by wheel users I was the one in the BF1.

yeah this guy is very good.
ok ok...please try not do the same as KingNothing, you'll only get your keyboard broken, white hair and a crazy cardiac rhythm.
he was playing other car games before LFS.

Besides i only need 1 hand to count the good players with keys only.
Keys are easy at beginning, but when you start seeking for faster times, well that's when things get complicated.

If i could afford to get a nice wheel i would leave my keys forever.
hope it helps.

you miss 70% of the fun without wheel (at least i would say so)
if your lookin for a cheap one that works not bad get a
"logitech formula force gp" you can buy it alreadyfor about 35-50euro
search a bit and im sure you will find a cheap store


i had tons of fun with that for years (last week the power supply burned up)
but logitech sent me a new one for free even when i said that i have no warranty anymore

I use a Logitech Wingman Rumblepad. Did have a MS non-FF wheel but it was poo, and it kept de-centralising.

Now I use the joypad as having raced RC cars for 25 years it's what comes natural to me. I may get a wheel when funds allow just to get the full feeling from LFS, but for now I'm happy with what I've got (even if it's pretty twitchy to drive with).

No-one online ever seems to admit driving with a joypad. Am I the only one?

Quote from thisnameistaken :

A wheel isn't needed, but if my wheel broke today I wouldn't play LFS until I'd replaced it.

Seconding this.

If my wheel, or just the FF motor broke, I wouldn't bother with LFS at all. Sometimes, when just taking a quick look at something, I use the mouse for steering, and boy does LFS feel hollow and empty with that. Until you've played with FF once, you don't realise how great and important it really is, and how much you actually miss out by not having a FF wheel.

Quote from Gunn :

I don't think the decision to buy a wheel has much to do with how good you want to be, however you will only get the true LFS experience with a force feedback wheel. So if you want to enjoy the entire sim in all of its glory you will need this piece of equipment. You simply won't believe the difference between digital and FFB Analogue, it's a whole new sim.

What Gunn said =P

To enjoy LFS at it's fullest it needs to be played with a wheel. Afterall you don't use a mouse to control your real life car do you?

Guys, he already said he's too excited and just can't hide it, he knows, he knows, he knows he's gonna buy it.

Quote from xaotik :

Guys, he already said he's too excited and just can't hide it, he knows, he knows, he knows he's gonna buy it.

Yes, but I was saying more for anyone else thats Perusing this site =P

No doubt wheels are the best thing to use. But you can be pretty competitive with mouse/kb too. Although the number of cars you can control effectively due to no progressiv throttle/brake control is lower. But anything is possible, it just takes some time to master it.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

A wheel isn't needed, but if my wheel broke today I wouldn't play LFS until I'd replaced it.

A wheel isn't needed, but if my wheel broke today I couldn't play LFS until I'd replaced it.

I used your quote Kev, but changed it to suit me .

Quote :

A wheel isn't needed, but if my wheel broke today I wouldn't play LFS until I'd replaced it.

Thirding this. I tried to play with a gamepad at first, and it was doable, but I wouldn't dare try it again. I'm sorry, it's simply just not as fun without a force feedback wheel IMO. I agree that cheap is better, but you're just cheating yourself if you don't get a wheel.



No pressure though.

Yep, when my old Saitak r440 wheel died I ordered the DFP the next day.

Quote from Spacid :

I don't want to buy a racing wheel because I'm not a hardcore racer

you will be. and youll also be a hardcore "i have no social life" person like me.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

LFS was my first racing sim and so at first I drove with a gamepad too, just to see if I liked it enough to buy a wheel.

Not me, I've been racing on the PC since 1995 and bought my first Thrustmaster T2 in 1996. My 5 yr old still uses it now on the other computer to play S1 GTi Blackwood. I just can't get her to run in S2. She whines and cries if I set up S2 for her, even if I put her on Blackwood in the GTi. "I want my racing, not your's!"