Dirt Rally 2

[wombat666]

I'm on a roll here.
Nothing like the original 'Dirt 2', this is a decent attempt at a proper rally sim.
Another one lurking on my Steam storage from the last mid year 'sale'.

[Tako_Kichi]

I have that somewhere in my Steam Library but recently I have been playing Dirt 4 after months of neglect.

I broke two bones in my right hand a week before Xmas so that screwed any chance of playing my first person shooter type games as I couldn't hold the mouse while wearing a half cast/splint and dealing with massive swelling and bruising (my exposed fingers and thumb were 3x their usual diameter and every colour possible except pink!) I did try using an Xbox controller on the PC and while I could move my character around using the left joystick trying to aim and shoot with the right joystick and right lever just led to massive frustration!

I then tried the Xbox controller on driving sims but switched my usual manual transmissions to automatics to make things easier. It was OK but not very convincing so after Xmas I dragged out my wheel stand that has my G27 wheel, pedals, H-shifter and switch box mounted to it and tried that. I found that in truck sims (ATS, ETS2) I could still drive using the H-shifter but in racing games (Dirt 4, PC2, AC etc.) the faster shifting meant that I had to revert to automatics to compete.

I hadn't played any driving games for months as I had been busy in my basement woodwork shop (it's the reason for my broken hand too!) and I'd forgotten how much fun they were. Oh well, this cast is due to come off in 12 days and then the orthopedic surgeon will decide if I have to have another half cast, a full cast or just physio based on the x-ray results and how well it's healing. I have an unfinished project to complete in the basement that is driving me crazy because I can't get to it but I guess I have to heal first!

[wombat666]

Odd problems holding the video settings and some quirks setting up the Thrustmaster shifter and handbrake units but getting there.
Entertaining driving experience!!!!
And a BTW: How's the hand healing Larry?

[Tako_Kichi]

And a BTW: How's the hand healing Larry?

The half cast/splint came off a week ago as the ortho surgeon deemed the bones strong enough to support themselves after looking at the X-rays ..... if I was careful!

Movement is still a problem though as the two outer fingers that were strapped together in the cast have a very limited range of motion. Swelling is still present around the finger to hand knuckle on my pinkie finger and that area of the hand is warmer to the touch than the rest of my hand. When trying to make a fist my thumb and first two fingers close up fine but the ring finger (which wasn't broken) only bends about halfway before it seizes up and the little finger barely moves at all. When I go to bed or if I go out to the stores I have been strapping the outer two fingers together with swabs and medical tape to try and protect the damaged one but around the house I take the strapping off and try to move the fingers as much as possible (pain allowing). I also try to do some physio on them in a sink of warm water at least once a day which seems to help a little bit but I think it's going to be a long road to full movement unfortunately, especially as I already have osteoarthritis in my hands and I also suffer from osteoporosis too!

For the record and especially if your better half is looking over your shoulder I had a clean break of my outer metacarpal on my right hand and a broken, rotated and displaced proximal phalange on my pinkie finger! It was because of the latter that I had to be sedated in the ER while they reset the joint (BTW ketamine is my new friend! )

I see the surgeon again on Feb 7th and he will then decide if I need to have additional physio if the movement is still poor or if he writes me off as fit. I would like my movement back ASAP as I have projects to finish in the basement workshop and a life to live, even if it is restricted and boring anyway seeing as I am disabled with ME/CFS and have hyperthyroidism held in remission with drugs in addition to all the above!

Thanks for asking!