Niels Heusinkveld Tours His Sim Setup - Video

[Paul Jeffrey]

Niels Heusinkveld is a prominent physics developer for Reiza Studios and owner of high end sim racing gear manufacturers Heusinkveld Engineering. Popular for his regular 'Talk and Drive' video sessions, Niels has responded to fan requests and produced a short visual tour of his sim racing setup back at home.

As a long time member of the sim racing community, Heusinkveld has made a name for himself as one of the most prominent and respected physics creators in the industry. Responsible for much of the driving experience in Automobilista as well as many other high caliber projects to his name, many fans have been requesting the Dutchman share some more details about what sim racing setup he uses when behind the wheel. With little happening in the industry on the build up to the festive holidays, Heusinkveld has taken the opportunity to create a short video tour of his racing setup, which you can enjoy below:

Now by his own admission not all the equipment on show hear is bang up to date with the latest technology. Running a relatively modest GTX 970 is a surprise, as well has his preference to strap on his rig a budget Thrustmaster TH8 as apposed to his own HE shifter. Still despite this, the estimated price of the setup shown in this video is still an eye watering 7500 euro... who said sim racing was cheap?

Still, it is interesting to see how one of the pro drivers have their own personal setup configured, and how Niels rig differs from ours back at home. I for one feel a bit jealous...

How does your setup compare to Niels? Let us know in the comments section below...

 

[Ole Andreasen]

Great looking system there Niels.

How do I get you to make me a setup for Christmas? I like the rough appearance of your rig... I have a small room, that would suit the rig perfectly. Now I "only" need about 4000-4500 euros for the parts and I am good to go...

SO - the biggest question is - can any of you guys come up with good suggestions for convincing my wife why I need to expand my €3000 computer to a complete racing rig?

 

[Deleted member 6919]

Take my hat off to anyone building their own rig, saves loads of dosh in most cases, but unless your in to industrial art that rig looks so ugly.

 

[fortyfivekev]

Got a better rollcage there than most of the older cars in AMS.

Nothing wrong with scaffold poles but personally I think 80:20 looks better and is probably more rigid as well.

 

[Yapci]

Only the wheel is half the price of the complete setup...

Would like to know why he uses the th8 if he uses it for seq shifter against his own one. I guess for simplicity for changing from H to seq?

Was looking for this shifter and if it is THAT good...

 

[Rodent]

I like Niels and all but really as far as rigs go, eh. It's a heck of a lot more awesome than my own stuff don't get me wrong, but it would make any awesome rig montages when you compare it to some of the rigs out there. Certainly not front page news material.

 

[Juergen]

...Certainly not front page news material.

Probably Niels intention in the first place wasn`t to show his rig, but to wish everybody a merry xmas and happy new year

 

[Rodent]

Hah, I'm not arguing Niels shouldn't have made the video, it was nice enough and I enjoyed it. I'm wondering why it's front page material, if it had been in the show your cockpit thread I would've given it a big like, maybe a comment, much like I did on Niels youtube when it showed up in my sub. Kevs probably right about the 80:20 being a better choice though, Niels rig squeeks a bit in some of his vids.

"With little happening in the industry on the build up to the festive holidays"? I'm sorry, did we not just have news about rFactor 2's multiplayer becoming free, AC dropping the last of the Porsche pack, R3E dropping a new car the very talented and humble sound engineer of S3 himself admitted was somewhat sub par, AMS falling behind schedule for their DLC and iRacing with a rather recent new build? How is that little?

But yes, merry Christmas to us all.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

"With little happening in the industry on the build up to the festive holidays"? I'm sorry, did we not just have news about rFactor 2's multiplayer becoming free, AC dropping the last of the Porsche pack, R3E dropping a new car the very talented and humble sound engineer of S3 himself admitted was somewhat sub par, AMS falling behind schedule for their DLC and iRacing with a rather recent new build? How is that little?

Lol I see your point in the last few days, but hey, nothings happening now is it?

"its not front page material". Well, would you rather I post nothing? It's something interesting, something different and gives a bit of insight into a sim racing "name". Plus I was hopeful it would start of a sim rig conversation.

Still, complaints are just as fun


EDIT: In case this starts an argument, the above should be taken more in jest than as a challenge

 

[Ole Andreasen]

I DO think it´s front page material. I find the video quite inspiring. The rig part of it at least. I have "only" a desk with the computer and the pedals under, and my racing wheel and gearbox strapped to. I always find it interesting when I see people who setup a total racing seat with all the bells and whistles. And to see Niels´ rig - with small wooden blocks to keep it level - well it gives me hope that I can - at some point - make my own seat for my racing...

 

[Torcano]

Pssh, it's borderline peasant level compared to my rig. Nothing beats the wobbly table that can barely handle the mass of three monitors and audibly creaks from wheel torque, squeaky office chair with truly revolutionary 2 dof motion i.e. rotating in the opposite direction of wheel and tilting back and forth when stamping on the pedals, and the pedals that won't stay in place if not for the wall that it is resting against. Ahhh, #blessed. Recently did a huge upgrade to my table situation by getting rid of two monitors, how's that for some ingenious DIY skillz.

 

[Rodent]

Hah, yeah fair point Paul, I guess nothing has happened... Today .

And to keep in the spirit of things, Ole you could take Niels wooden ideas and run with it, plenty of really good looking rigs, better in form if not function to rival Niels one that are made of wood. If you're handy and have the tools you could fashion something together that might not set of the wife. Ricmotech sells plans for it even if you don't want to draw your own wife-placating dreamride.

Take this for example, pour a brandy and drive that Bentley.

 

[Luke Maney]

I think Niels rig is sweet! A sim rig will take you to a different level, and really shows your commitment to the hobby (sport?). It took me 3 weeks to design mine on paper/PC, 3 weeks to build it and cost me $250 (already had the controller's/pc/monitor). I built it from pvc pipe (2 inch), and used aluminum diamond plate for the pc floor (the pc sits behind the seat, like a rear engine?) It has a racing seat from JEGS and a plywood (finished of course)table integrated for the 28 inch Hanns G. I bolted my MOMO wingman controller to the cross plate and the foot controls to a forward positioned/angled plate. The rig looks like a tube framed formula car and has to be entered the same way. I have used this (prototype) rig for a couple of years now and am very happy with it. I even went over-board a little and gave the frame some pizzazz by including a roll hoop and exhaust pipes (complete with carbon residue...for effect). It has to be gotten into like you would a real formula car...by stepping into the rig and onto the seat, then lifting your body up so you can feed your legs forward into the structure and then sitting down. My rig really took my sim racing to a whole new level and I recommend building one for yourself, its way better than driving a table or a desk!

 

[Matt Lenart]

i would've gone w/ a rear-facing projector on an actual 3D windshield... all that's needed is a projection mapping algorithm to compensate for skew/distortion and provide uniform brightness. they've already developed them for computational hydrographic printing for 3D models

you can DIY a 1280x720 projector for ~$200 USD, so not only is it more immersive, its also more affordable.

this IS the future... i'm sure of it. hello? is this thing on?

 

[aka2k]

Oh, geez. I'd rather burn those 7k on a real car instead. Nothing can beat that. Or do a coke blow party with a dozen hookers...

You know, forget the car.

 

[Yapci]

You can't drive pretty much any car of AMS/AC for that money... maybe with that you can...buy your car some good tires and petrol...and save the rest to repair it after 15 minutes of full throttle action on circuit

If i had only that money to spend on a hobby I wouldn't buy (for racing) a car instead of this rig!

And @Torcano I made myself a wheel stand few years ago for less than 30€ and attached an office chair to it. It looked cheap as hell and wasn't very well done but improved inmersion a lot. If you are handy and buy some wood...for less than 100€ you can have something decent.

 

[Luke Maney]

Rodent: More pics of your rig please!

 

[Rodent]

Hah, I WISH that rig was mine. I'm running a T300 Alcantara edition on a GT Omega rig, about as vanilla as it gets.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Only the wheel is half the price of the complete setup...

Would like to know why he uses the th8 if he uses it for seq shifter against his own one. I guess for simplicity for changing from H to seq?

Was looking for this shifter and if it is THAT good...

Simplicity, nope, it's hard to do it on TH8. If you want two in one, there is no real substitution for Fanatec SQ.
Wish HE designed own hybrid one.

 

[randMracer]

Simplicity, nope, it's hard to do it on TH8.

Agreed that theTH8 is not a flick of the switch to change from sequential to H-pattern, but I think removing 4 screws to change is not that big of a deal.