Category: Thrustmaster

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Star Wars: Squadrons VR Multiplayer Gameplay Livestream With Flight Stick

For today’s livestream we’re playing multiplayer in Star Wars: Squadrons, a AAA immersive space combat game from EA Motive! If you’re curious about how we livestream the way we do then look no further than this handy guide for general tips and this guide specific to our Oculus Quest setup.

In case you missed it yesterday, our review-in-progress published for Star Wars: Squadrons, including impressions on the story mode, gameplay, and VR support. We’ll update it with a finalized score once we finish the story and spend time with the multiplayer modes this weekend. Speaking of, now that the game’s out, we can dive in for some multiplayer right now! We may be joined by some other Upload staff on the stream as well.

Our Star Wars: Squadrons livestream is planned to start at about 10:30 AM PT today and will last for around an hour or two so, give or take. We’ll be hitting just our YouTube and I’ll be streaming from an Oculus Quest via Link using a T.16000M flight stick. I’m flying mostly solo on this one and will pin chat inside my cockpit to keep an eye on things.

 

Star Wars: Squadrons VR Multiplayer Livestream

Check out the Star Wars: Squadrons stream embedded right here and down below once live:

You can see lots of our past archived streams over in our YouTube playlist or even all livestreams here on UploadVR and various other gameplay highlights. There’s lots of good stuff there so make sure and subscribe to us on YouTube to stay up-to-date on gameplay videos, video reviews, live talk shows, interviews, and more original content!

And please let us know which games or discussions you want us to livestream next! We have lots of VR games in the queue that we would love to show off more completely. Let’s get ready to go!

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Thrustmaster Unveils Launch Date for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Edition Joysticks

Bandai Namco’s arcade flight experience Ace Combat: Skies Unknown is a couple of months away from launch, offering PlayStation VR compatible sequences rather than the entire experience. For avid flight fans after a more immersive control scheme than that offered by the DualShock 4 controller, Thrustmaster has just announced an official launch date for its new joystick, the T.Flight Hotas 4 Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Edition.

Ace Combat TflightHotas4_liftestyle5

Capable of being used in both virtual reality (VR) as well as on TV, the setup includes a limited edition joystick and throttle control. The device features a comprehensive flight gear: 5 axes + 12 action buttons + 1 rapid-fire trigger + 1 multidirectional hat switch (navigation / panoramic view), a weighted based for stability, official buttons for PlayStation 4 system (PS/Share/Options), adjustable stick resistance with large hand rest, and a dual rudder system which works by rotating handle (with integrated locking system) or by progressive tilting lever.

Additionally, to make the entire setup is as comfortable for all players as possible, the throttle is detachable.

The T.Flight Hotas Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown Edition will be available for preorder as of Thursday, 13th December, 2018, available at a suggested retail price of £74.99 GBP. The official launch date will be 17th January 2019, one day before Ace Combat: Skies Unknown lands.

Ace Combat TflightHotas4_Zoom

Having previously demoed the title VRFocus found that: “In its present state Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown promises high octane flying action for PlayStation VR players that’s sure to encourage legions of fans to try the VR compatibility. As long as Bandai Namco manage to provide enough content to satisfy then PlayStation VR is likely to have another killer exclusive title when the videogame finally arrives next year.”

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Thrustmaster and Ace Combat: Skies Unknown, reporting back with any further updates.

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Thrustmaster Takes to the Skies With New Product Line

Thrustmaster has become known as one of the most trusted brands for flightsticks and other peripherals relating to space sims and flight sims. Since the advent of modern virtual reality (VR) the company has also happily accommodated these users who want to take immersion to the next level.

At E3 2018 the company had a number of new products on display and Nina spoke to Tim Gorham of Thrustmaster to get some more details about them.

Thrustmaster HOTAS Stick Add-on

Gorham explained that this year the company were concentrating on products for flight, and with that in mind there were three products that were being showcased; A Rudder Pedal system, a gaming headset licensed by the US air Force and a new flightstick.

The new flightstick is based on an F-18 Hornet, which is a fully compatible add-on for the existing Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog system. “We’re showing F-18 hornet stick, which is usable in DCS the Digital Combat Simulator, and we’re letting people play that on a VR headset.”

The F-18 Hornet stick is set to come out later in 2018 so users will need the existing HOTAS Warthog system and then buy the stick itself, “We’ve built this on an ecosystem which we’re trying to expand so you can match the stick you’re using to the plane you are flying in game.”

“Right now we have three different sticks for three different planes, eventually we’re hoping to do the same sort of thing with rudders, the same sort of thing with throttles and any other accessories that work with flight games.”

Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018

The company admits that assembling the perfect immersive system is an expensive endeavour: “We’re really targeting that top niche of pilots who want to come as close as possible to replicate an actual cockpit in their basement, bedroom or living room. The prices are high, but these are exact replicas of what you would see in a real military jet.”

You can watch the interview below, and VRFocus will continue to bring you news and coverage from E3 2018.

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E3 2018: All the VR Games of Day Two

The second day of 2018’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Los Angeles, has come to a close. VRFocus has scoured the show floor looking for the latest and greatest in both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), and in the recap video presented here you can find all the hits-and-misses from the show.

ARia's Legacy

Following yesterday’s bombardment from Bethesda Softworks, Ready at Dawn, Twisted Pixel, Squanch Games and more, this second day began in earnest with a deep look at Thrustmaster’s new hardware offerings; the new TPR Rudder and a HOTAS Flight Stick add-on, the Replica F/A 18 Hornet. This was followed by a look at the one and only AR experience seen so far at E3, The Pixel Crushers’ ARia’s Legacy, both located in the Los Angeles Convention Center South Hall.

The new hardware continues with Cybershoes, CaptoGlove and Woojer Ryg, in addition to a fresh look at HTC Vive’s wireless adapter, created in partnership with Display Link and Intel. Back on the videogames side, we have Rebellion and Dream Reality Interactive’s Arca’s Path VR, Multiverse Inc.’s Seeking Dawn, and finally First Contact Entertainment’s Firewall: Zero Hour.

All of these you can find in the video below, while tomorrow brings us to the final day of E3 2018. There’ll be more from Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), as well as a first look at XSEED’s Gungrave VR and a fresh update from Kite & Lightning on the team’s progress of Bebylon: Battle Royale.

Gungrave VR screenshot

What else is happening at E3 2018? In terms of AR and VR, not much. It’s a slow year for the emerging medium – and for videogames as a whole, considered to be a mid-cycle year for consoles which are not offering anything particularly new – with eyes on the recently launched Oculus Go as a head-mounted display (HMD) geared more towards the mass market than the core videogames audience and still some way from the upcoming launch of the Santa Cruz HMD. As ever though, VRFocus will be on the ground bringing you all the latest news as it happens.

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Check Out Thrustmaster’s Latest Flight Simulator Rig

For players of titles such as Elite: Dangerous or virtual reality (VR) flight simulators like Flight Simulator X, one of the most satisfying things is to set up a proper cockpit rig, complete with flight stick and rudder pedals for a truly immersive experience. Thrustmaster is attempting to bring flight games up to the next level with its new accessories, which the company is displaying at E3 2018.

Thrustmaster says its new introductions are the result of extensive research and collaborations with a number of global partners, including the US military. Attendees at E3 2018 will be able to admire a new rudder system, audio headset and flight stick.

Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018

The TPR Rudder system is based directly on systems found in aircraft fuselage, adapted for videogaming use. The rudder pedal system weights in at 15 pounds of steel and aluminium and uses Thrustmaster’s proprietary PENDUL_R technology along with HEART magnetic readings to provide increased precision and fluidity on all three axes.

Also available to view at E3 2018 is the T.Flight U.S. Air Force Edition headset. The company say that this headset is inspired by specification requested from professional pilots in the military and commercial areas and offers balanced bass, mid-range and treble. The ear cushions are constructed of memory foam to better isolate from external noise and remain comfortable for hours of play. For communicating with other pilots, a unidirectional microphone is integrated into the headset.

The HOTAS Flight Stick add-on is also available to view, a flight stick which is based on the flight stick design of an F-18A military jet. Less information about this new accessory is available, but Thrustmaster say it is due for launch in Q3 or Q4 of 2018.

The TPR Rudder system is planned to retail for $499 (USD), though a price for the other devices is yet to be confirmed. Images of the devices are available to view below.

Thrustmater’s booth can be found during E3 in the South Hall at booth #2811. Further news on Thrustmaster’s upcoming products will be covered here on VRFocus.

Thrustmaster HOTAS Stick Add-on
Thrustmaster VR Setup - E3 2018
Thrustmaster VR Setup - E3 2018
Thrustmaster VR Setup - E3 2018
Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018
Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018
Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018
Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018
Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018
Thrustmaster TPR Rudders - E3 2018
Thrustmaster HOTAS Stick Add-on
Thrustmaster HOTAS Stick Add-on


 

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Latest EVE: Valkyrie Patch Turns It Into A HOTAS Paradise

Vision and control were at the heart of the latest update for CCP Games’ space shooter EVE: Valkyrie in the first significant update since the introduction of the Warzone update in September, which brought cross-platform play between VR and non-VR gamers.

According to the note, CCP Games took community feedback into account with this latest update which included amongst its more notable additions support for NVIDIA Surround, AMD EyeFinity and, for those of you who like your monitors super wide, or rather ultrawide EVE: Valkyrie now caters for the high end gaming monitors that operate at 21:9.

Onto controls and fans and enthusiasts of HOTAS (aka Hands On Throttle-And-Stick) controllers will be very pleased indeed with the addition of support and specfic (and customisable) control schemes for the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X, Logitech Saitek HOTAS X52, Logitech Saitek HOTAS X52 Pro, Saitek X-55 Rhino HOTAS, Logitech X-56 HOTAS, Thrustmaster Warthog Joystick & Throttle and Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick.

And, if you’re more enclined to fly by the seat of your… mouse, there’s also a new control scheme for it that removes the need for a mouse lock key, allowing pilots to constantly and smoothly move and turn with mouse movements.

You can find the list of bug fixes and adjustments in the patch notes below.

Singleplayer

  • Bug fix for crash occurring during Trojan Fleet mission
  • Bug fix for progression being blocked during Trojan Fleet

Maps

  • Stability improvements when playing Extraction on Cathedral
  • Bug fix for LOD issue on stationary ships on Shipyard

U.I.

  • Bug fix for Rán Hunt minigame
  • Bug fix for pilot dashboards not updating correctly
  • Bug fix for re-mapping Reset HMD button resulting in being unable to navigate menus
  • Bug fix for mouse input not being reset between binding attempts
  • Bug fix for default widescreen occurring when toggling between 2D and VR
  • Bug fix for unusual behaviour when inverting com alerts mouse axes
  • Removed mouse lock key from bindings that do not use its functionality by default
  • Removed incorrect Reset HMD custom input on PS4
  • Bug fix for custom helmets and suits not appearing in the post-match results screen
  • Added descriptions to illustrate which controls schemes utilise free look

Audio

  • Bug fix for mismatching voice-over and subtitles in Shadow ship bio
  • Bug fix for incorrect audio playing while in the Wormhole clone vat

Gameplay

  • Bug fix for red enemy indicator remaining static on screen
  • Bug fix for squad invites not functioning correctly on PS4
  • Bug fix for mismatched client and desktop resolution
  • Bug fix for AI flying away from the Carrier while the Attack phase is still in progress
  • Bug fix for incorrect title and outdated image being displayed in Squad invites
  • Bug fix for disparity between Clone Vat controller settings and in-game controller settings
  • PS4 controller settings default to Thrustmaster when this device is connected

FX

  • Bug fix on VFX when using Yurei Pulse Cannons
  • Bug fix for overpowering bloom on all maps
  • Updated the Kirins VFX to yellow. Previously the Kirin’s capacitor beam was using the same VFX as the Nagi’s heal beam. This was causing confusion as players didn’t know if they were being healed or having their capacitor refilled. This changed now adds better signs and feedback so the player now knows which buff they’re receiving.

VR

  • Bug fix for static loading screen being displayed on Vive HMD

VRFocus will bring you more news on EVE: Valyrie soon

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T300RS GT Edition Racing Wheel Review: The Ultimate VR Driving Sim Companion

T300RS GT Edition Racing Wheel Review: The Ultimate VR Driving Sim Companion

Playing a racing game in VR is an immensely satisfying gaming experience. The rush of cars blazing past you, the thrill of drifting around corners, and the detailed interiors of some of the world’s most exotic vehicles is all enough to take your breath away when viewed from inside a VR headset. When you look down in a racing game though and see your character’s hands grasping a steering wheel it can take you out of the experience if you’re just holding a regular old gamepad in your real hands instead. That’s why you need a certified racing wheel to really take the immersion to the next level.

The Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition Racing Wheel is designed to offer a top-of-the-line racing experience for PS4 and PC gaming (as well as PS3 too) and it works right out of the box. As soon as I opened it up and set everything up I just plugged it into my PS4 and the wheel automatically started spinning for calibration. No other setup required.

When I reviewed the Thrustmaster T16000M FCS Flight Pack I noted that I wasn’t exactly a rabid connoisseur of realistic flight simulators, but I could more than appreciate the audience and their tastes. I’ve got a high-level of respect for gamers that take the time to master flight control systems and perfect flying a craft in a realistic way. The same can be said for excelling at a high level in racing games with wheels like the T300RS.

Setting up this wheel was a little confusing at first, but that’s only because it came in a few more pieces than I expected. When you open the box the wheel itself is actually disconnected from the base and you just have to slide it into a socket and spin it around a bit to lock it in place. On the bottom you can attach a table mount that tightens to the edge of a table (or TV tray or something similar) and once that’s done it feels great to use. The pedals just plug into the back of the base, the base plugs into the wall and the PS4 via USB, and that’s it.

Ergonomically it’s fantastic, the material on the wheel itself is nice to grip and it spins in my hands very easily. There is nice resistance while turning and it spins back to a centered position when you let go, which is great for straightening out after turns or a collision. The subtle force feedback is noticeable when it needs to be and just subtle enough to add that extra ounce of immersion that’s missing most sorely from using just a gamepad.

I spent most of my time testing the T300RS GT Edition with my PS4 Pro and PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset in DriveClub VR and DiRT Rally. The setup also works out of the box for PC and does a wonderful job of increasing the level of immersion in titles such as Project CARS and iRacing.

Making the transition from gamepad playing to using a racing wheel took a few races. Instead of alternating the brake and acceleration with trigger presses I was shifting my foot between two different pedals. The setup even comes with a clutch already, which is great for fans of driving manual transmission vehicles. I don’t possess that skillset, but everything else about the T300RS GT Edition was wonderful for me to use.

Final Recommendation: Absolutely 

There are more expensive wheels on the market and there are more affordable wheels on the market. The Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition is definitely on the higher end of the spectrum, but you get what you pay for. It’s wonderful to use, easy to setup, and feels amazing in your hands. I can’t imagine playing a game like DriveClub VR, Project CARS, DiRT Rally, or any other racing title without a wheel like this now.

The Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition Racing Wheel is now available for purchase from Amazon for $390 as well as other retailers online and in stores.

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Thrustmaster Gran Turismo Sport Racing Wheel to be Unveiled at E3

Expert joystick and peripheral makers Thrustmaster will be demonstrating several new products at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2017 next week, including a new Racing wheel designed exclusively for Gran Turismo Sport on the PlayStation 4.

The new racing wheel was designed specially to enhance the experience of playing Gran Turismo Sport, the upcoming driving and racing simulator from Polyphony Digital on the PlayStation 4. Gran Turismo Sport is also offering virtual reality (VR) compatibility, which in combination with Thrustmaster’s racing wheel, could offer even more immersion to players.

Gran Turismo Sport was original slated for release at the end of 2016, but the developers were forced to push back the release date to 2017. Polyphony Digital are known among fans as being perfectionists, so it was not a huge surprised that an ambitious project such as Gran Turismo Sport ended up taking extra time. The Thrustmaster Gran Turismo Sport wheel will be demonstrated at the Sony PlayStation booth.

Thrustmaster will also be premiering other products at E3, including another racing wheel for Windows 10 and Xbox One at the Microsoft Xbox One booth, and at the Thrustmaster booth, the team will be offering demonstrations of Elite Dangerous using Thrustmaster joysticks, a demo of Dovetail Games’ title Flight Sim World and an event exclusive DCS World F/A F18, which was only recently announced by developer Eagle Dynamics.

In addition, Thrustmaster will be joined at its booth by racing videogame partners such as Codemasters to demonstrate their racing wheel products and Thrustmaster also plans to announce a new partnership with an automotive supplier, including a new product demonstration.

VRFocus will bring you further information on Thrustmaster’s products and E3 exclusives once it becomes available.

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Thrustmaster Unveils T300RS GT Edition

In the latter half of the year control in virtual reality (VR) has become quite the discussion point. HTC revealed reworked prototype controllers for the HTC Vive, we’ve got the release of the much anticipated Oculus Touch around the corner and even Merge VR (who have had a busy couple of weeks on their own) are releasing a new controller.

When it comes to controllers however one of the biggest names in the industry remains Thrustmaster. We’ve reported several times this year on one of their forthcoming releases, the T.16000M FCS Flight Stick (and Pack) with which the company partnered with VR space title Elite Dangerous. Now the company have announced another new peripheral is to be released, although in this instance it is more of a reworking of an existing favourite.

Thrustmaster T300RS GT 1

Thrustmaster have revealed the T300RS GT Edition, which partners the wheel with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo franchise and is hence compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in advance of Gran Turismo Sport. Gran Turismo Sport, already delayed until 2017 a few months back is set to feature a VR Tour Mode. Although the levels to which such goes is somewhat up for discussion.
The set, with an RRP of $399.99 (USD) comprises both the licensed racing wheel – featuring Force Feedback, upgradable firmware and 1080° degrees of rotation. And a uniquely designed metal 3-pedal set consisting of adjustable clutch, accelerator and brake. The latter of which will also offer progressive resistance. Are both designed to increase the immersive experience for avid race fans.

VRFocus will be bringing you more information on VR compatible control schemes in the near future. Be sure to check back regularly for the latest news in VR.

Thrustmaster T300RS GT 2