Need For Speed Hot Pursuit
Force Feedback: Limited
Pedals: Separate
Shift Lights: No
Released: Nov 16, 2010

This article is part of our series: The Logitech G27 Racing Wheel for Casual Racing Gamers. Here, we will cover setting up your G27 racing wheel to play NFS: Hot Pursuit. The 16th title in the series, Hot Pursuit was developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. Hot Pursuit revisits a favorite concept of the series with high speed police chases through the streets, now featuring an open world.

Solid Tip: Looking for G27 drivers or Logitech Profiler software? Get it here.

Logitech G27 Solid Series Articles
1. Casual Gamer vs Simulation Gamer 11. Test Drive Unlimited
2. Setting Up Your G27, Made Easy 12. Test Drive Unlimited 2
3. Need For Speed: Carbon 13. Burnout Paradise
4. Need For Speed: Pro Street 14. Race Driver: GRID
5. Need For Speed: Undercover 15. Split Second
6. Need For Speed: Shift 16. GTR Evolution
7. Need For Speed: Shift 2 17. DiRT 2
8. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 18. DiRT 3
9. Need For Speed: The Run 19. Blur
10. Need for Speed: Most Wanted

G27 Wheel Issues

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, while a great step forward for the franchise, is a big step backward for G27 fans. Force feedback is very limited, there is no shifting, and still no built-in LED support. Worst of all, there is a large steering dead zone. I will address these after the step-by-step instructions below.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit G27 Settings

NFS: Hot Pursuit Controls

Hot Pursuit Controls

  • Open the Logitech Profiler
  • Select New > Profile
  • Add NFS11.exe as a new game
  • Open Specific Game Settings
  • Check ‘Use Special Force Feedback Device Settings’
  • Raise ‘Overall Effects Strength’ to 150% (optional)
  • Check ‘Use Special Steering Wheel Settings’
  • Set ‘Degrees of Rotation’ to 200 (to avoid dead zone)
  • Leave ‘Use Special Game Settings’ Unchecked
  • In game, go to Gameplay Settings > Controls
  • switch ‘Keyboard’ to ‘Logitech G27 Wheel’
  • Map wheel buttons to your liking

Beware the Dead Zone

For some mind-boggling reason, there is a large dead zone in the steering. This is very frustrating and unplayable if you don’t have someone to help out. Luckily, I have 2 answers for you.

Your first option– shrink the dead zone by also shrinking the steering range. To do this, you just lower your degrees of rotation to 180-200. Quick and official, but it doesn’t totally solve the problem.

The second option– download a file made by racing community member Racer_S at TocaEdit.com. This file will eliminate the dead zone, allow the use of your paddle shifters, correct force feedback, and give you 1:1 steering.

Here is a link to the file at SolidlyStated. Two caveats! First, this is not official (even though EA should buy it from him and implement the change) so Racer_S says not to use it online. Cheat detection mechanisms might think you modded the game to cheat. Secondly, you should add a 2-3% dead zone in your Logitech Profiler under Steering Wheel > Axis Properties.

If you want an easy explanation of using this download, at least until Criterion/EA get a patch to improve things, check out this helpful article for using the mod and adjusting the Profiler dead zone.

The Verdict

For the time being, I think Racer_S gives us a great fix to be able to enjoy the game with our wheel. It is inexcusable for the biggest racing franchise out there to not fully and properly support wheels. This game is incredibly polished and has huge production values and I am sure EA doesn’t want it to end up in the bargain bin with the disasters known as Split Second and Blur.

There will no doubt be a patch sooner or later. Until then, it only takes a few minutes to implement this fix.

PS- If you are having issues with blinking trees, read this posting.

Need For Speed ZR1 Corvette

The Hot Pursuit Corvette ZR1