I knew it was too good to be true ....

[*Emma*]

I've just bought a bargain driving game from Sainsbury's for my son.  I've installed it, but the steering wheel won't do anything.  Any SIMPLE suggestions for a computerphobe?

Before anyone asks, yes the steering wheel is plugged into the mains and the USB point.

[Boomy]

When you say it won't do anything, what do you mean?.

Did it come with any sort of driver disc or cd and if so is that installed?.Just checking because i have heard people say "i installed it" when they just mean plugged it in to a USB etc.

Does anything else work in the same USB port?.I ask this because it is possible to turn off or disable USB ports etc.

Those are my first three questions.Oh and what make/model is the wheel?.  

[*Emma*]

QUOTE

When you say it won't do anything, what do you mean?.

I mean that when I press the pedals, nothing happens; and when I try turning the wheel nothing happens.

QUOTE

Did it come with any sort of driver disc or cd and if so is that installed?.

Yes, the steering wheel is installed, and works with other games.

QUOTE

Does anything else work in the same USB port?.

Yes.

QUOTE

what make/model is the wheel?.  

It's a Logitech Wingman Force Field, and is only a couple of years old.

[Asterix]

what's the game?

[*Emma*]

It's called "Screamer 4x4" and it's from Sold Out Software.

[Asterix]

It seems you are not alone, bottom of second page...

Annoying codrivers aside, Screamer 4x4's most potentially serious problem lies in its erratic controller support. In simple terms, the game seems to have trouble recognizing analog axes. We tried a variety of controllers during testing, including such elaborate contraptions as Logitech's MOMO Force and basic controllers such as Microsoft's SideWinder Gamepad and a standard keyboard. In every case where acceleration and braking were handled by a digital device, such as the directional pad of a gamepad, the buttons of a joystick, or the keys of a keyboard, the game's virtual cars functioned as expected. Yet when we attempted to steer, accelerate, and brake with an analog control, the results were quite different.

Screamer 4x4 challenges even the most capable 4WD vehicle.

Although the specific nature of the problem varied from controller to controller, we were often compelled to go above and beyond the norm just to get the car to turn, accelerate, and stop as it should. In the case of the MOMO, we referred to the readme file and soon discovered the game correctly recognizes only those pedals that are configured on separate axes. Unfortunately, no solution was offered for those pedal systems that don't support separate axis acceleration and braking. Nor was there clarification for our Saitek Cyborg USB joystick, although we did eventually get it working by configuring it as a Saitek wheel. In all fairness, we were usually able to rectify the various situations through a few clever tweaks. Yet the game never should have been released in this state. At the very least, Screamer 4x4 publisher Virgin Interactive should have supplied proper documentation to make the whole procedure less agonizing for those with potentially conflicting controllers.

[*Emma*]

Aah, now I understand why it was only 99p!