Direct Drive on a Budget? Feel VR Kickstarter is Here, But Act Fast!

[Paul Jeffrey]

We heard about the FeelVR Direct Drive wheel project back at the 2017 Sim Racing Expo, and now the plans are a reality with a new Kickstarter campaign launched today.

The team behind Feel VR had an ambitious target to develop and ship a Direct Drive wheel and pedal set for considerably less than any other DD product on the market, and it looks like they are now finally in a position to open up the long awaited Kickstarter campaign, having already surpassed their funding target in just 75 minutes!

At the time of writing the campaign has received over $200,000 in the first day, and if you want to take home an early bird discount you only have the rest of today to act!

I spent a considerable amount of time on a Skype video call with the team at the back end of last year, and it looks like the plans they have in place are very solid and well thought out, with several demonstration models already in action even back in 2017. In fact, the team would be at the Sim Racing Expo in September of last year, although unfortunately we didn't get an opportunity to pop over and say hi whilst we were on site ourselves.

So what is it the team are offering exactly? Well if done correctly, this could be something of a game changer for sim racers looking to invest in direct drive wheel technology - the team are offering a full Direct Drive wheel, and pedals, for the same price as a traditional mid range standard wheel setup.

At present "early bird" investors on Kickstarter can order a DD wheel, two rims (GT and Formula), all the cables and a set of load cell brakes for.... $549! That's cheap.. very cheap indeed..

So what does it look like, and what are the specs? Read on to find out..

The Wheel

As for the pedals, the team at Feel VR have developed an affordable load cell unit that promises to offer a more detailed and consistent performance that traditional spring loaded versions, as anyone who has tried loadcell can testify I'm sure, and if you wanted to pick them up as a standalone item, early bird prices are $149!

The Pedals

All sounds pretty good on paper, let's see what happens once the units begin to ship towards the end of the year...

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Like the look of these offerings from FeelVR? Will you be investing? Can a budget DD set such as this compete in a competitive marketplace, in your opinion? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[EsxPaul]

Hearing that 10 "popular" YouTubers will be amoungst the first people to receive units is a kick in the nuts for all those early backers. I hope this doesn't turn out to be a scam for them

Glad I stayed well clear of this one.

 

[Brandon Wright]

Hearing that 10 "popular" YouTubers will be amoungst the first people to receive units is a kick in the nuts for all those early backers. I hope this doesn't turn out to be a scam for them

Glad I stayed well clear of this one.

I met one of the main guys and sampled the product, I really don't think it was every their intention to scam anyone and they seemed really serious about getting this done. I think they just got in over their heads and underestimated the skepticism of sim racers. The wheel actually looked and felt pretty nice, the pedals were nothing special though since I'm used to Clubsports.

 

[EsxPaul]

I met one of the main guys and sampled the product, I really don't think it was every their intention to scam anyone and they seemed really serious about getting this done. I think they just got in over their heads and underestimated the skepticism of sim racers. The wheel actually looked and felt pretty nice, the pedals were nothing special though since I'm used to Clubsports.

Fair points. Looking back on my wording, "scam" wasn't the best choice of word.

I think they really need to get their heads down now and start sending out some finished units to the early backers, making that an absolute priority over any additional fundraising or promotional advertising.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Fair points. Looking back on my wording, "scam" wasn't the best choice of word.

I think they really need to get their heads down now and start sending out some finished units to the early backers, making that an absolute priority over any additional fundraising or promotional advertising.

The danger is that they are so over their heads that they've hit cost overruns and need to drum up more sales just to keep afloat. If so what they are doing actually makes it more likely that early contributors will actually see product for their money.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

The danger is that they are so over their heads that they've hit cost overruns and need to drum up more sales just to keep afloat. If so what they are doing actually makes it more likely that early contributors will actually see product for their money.

MMM

 

[EsxPaul]

The danger is that they are so over their heads that they've hit cost overruns and need to drum up more sales just to keep afloat. If so what they are doing actually makes it more likely that early contributors will actually see product for their money.

I can see where you are coming from but haven't they already had over a million dollars without being able to deliver a single set of wheel and pedals to a backer?

 

[RCHeliguy]

I can see where you are coming from but haven't they already had over a million dollars without being able to deliver a single set of wheel and pedals to a backer?

You make it sound like that's a lot.

I'm not saying what they are doing is right. I'm just saying that if they don't know what they are doing in business, it's not hard to burn a million dollars.

This is probably an indication of things not going smoothly or well for that matter.

 

[l0lhunt3r]

now we have the 10.7.2019 and still no realease date yet. i want tin invest but i dont want spent 600 euro and get my wheel 2 years later (worst case) they want to realease at the beginning of 2020 and im waiting for black friday to get a fanatec or this one cheap. should i spend the money than?

 

[karoliens]

I wouldn't do that if I were you. Initial release date was probably one or two year ago? They just don't deliver. Better spending your money elsewhere.

 

[Paul Glover]

Any news? They have started shipping to backers?

 

[Mascot]

Any news? They have started shipping to backers?

 

[Caton XII]

Wait and see..!

Anyway, I will not be at ease if I gave some money in it.

 

[menacegtr]

I wouldn't do that if I were you. Initial release date was probably one or two year ago? They just don't deliver. Better spending your money elsewhere.

Good advise. I ended up buying the 20nm OSW from simtech in the uk around june 2018, could not be happier, major major improvement over my much loved G25. My arms have muscles now.

 

[azaralamouri]

They shipped the pedals

 

[karoliens]

They shipped the pedals

Two years later they will start shipping the rest... perhaps...

 

[azaralamouri]

Two years later they will start shipping the rest... perhaps...

I don't know I hope they succeed at the end because all big companies that makes budget hardware (Logitech, Thrustmaster) stopped developing new products and Fanatec is only concerned about making their hardware fancier and fancier in look and cost so I hope some one will make the DD prices less than half what they are today and it might be FeelVR.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

I don't know I hope they succeed at the end because all big companies that makes budget hardware (Logitech, Thrustmaster) stopped developing new products and Fanatec is only concerned about making their hardware fancier and fancier in look and cost so I hope some one will make the DD prices less than half what they are today and it might be FeelVR.

Wouldn't simplicity wheels be a safer bet for budget DD.

SW7C (7Nm Direct Drive Wheel) - (Discontinued)

*********** This product is discontinued and is replaced by the SW8C+ *********** Direct Drive Wheel built around the MiGE 80ST-M02430 with a 2,500 ppr /10,000 cpr incremental encoder. Included are SW7C Control Unit MiGE 80ST-M02430 with 2,500 ppr encoder 1.5 metre motor power cable 1.5 metre...

sim-pli.city

And there is also Simagic

 

[asteroulis]

From the beginning I could not do the math. Advertised price would be less than manufacturing cost. So its not a viable business imho.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

From the beginning I could not do the math. Advertised price would be less than manufacturing cost. So its not a viable business imho.

Typical bait-and-switch model.

 

[asteroulis]

I wouldn't say this is the case. They didn't try to sell something else instead.
It's simply bad calculations. A not well thought of business plan. They still try to make this work . Let's give them credit for that at least.