rec.autos.simulators

Anyone using CTFJ3 controller utility? If so, please help

nospamfor_dmac

Anyone using CTFJ3 controller utility? If so, please help

by nospamfor_dmac » Sat, 18 Mar 2000 04:00:00

Hi.  For the past year or so I've been using the CTFJ3 controller
centering utility, available from "The Stickworks"
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

primarily for my joystick setup for flight sims, and decided to try it
this week with racing sims.

Specifically, I'm trying to use it to decrease brake lockup in GPL,
without resorting to the "squashball under the brake pedal" solution
that some people use.  I have a TSW with the rollers on the pedal
base, and there's really no easy way I can see to put something like a
squashball under the brake pedal to help decrease braking lockup.

So, I've been experimenting with the CTFJ3 utility because you can use
it to decrease the range of a joystick's axis.  In this case, with the
split axis for brake and throttle on the TSW, I've been trying to
decrease the axis range on the brake (the Y axis) to about 75 - 80% of
its maximum range.

The problem is that this works sometimes with GPL and not others, even
with the same car and setup used on the same track.  When I can get
this to work, the brakes get almost to lockup when the pedal's fully
depressed which is just what I want.  But other times, the utility
seems to have no effect.

So, is anyone else using this (otherwise great) utility with racing
sims, especially GPL?

Also, if so, should you calibrate your wheel and pedals in the GPL
"Options" screen on top of doing so from within CTFJ3?

TIA for any help, and for putting up with my typical verbose posting
style.  :)

Cheers,
============================
Dave Mack

(remove "nospamfor_" for correspondence)

Marc Collin

Anyone using CTFJ3 controller utility? If so, please help

by Marc Collin » Sat, 18 Mar 2000 04:00:00

The only problem or confusion that sometimes happens is if you recalibrate
inside GPL (or another title) with CTFJ running.  You have to turn it off,
calibrate "normally", then turn it on and go back into the game.  If you
calibrate with CTFJ already on (slicing off the depressed end of your pedal
travel), it may seem like there is no difference from normal, because full
depression of the pedal will still be full braking (albeit a bit lower
resolution).

I couldn't drive in GPL with my Saitek R4 FFB unless I used CTFJ--the
Saitek's pedal travel and resolution on the brake pedal are so little/low
that it is unsuitable for GPL.  CTFJ made it tolerable.  The king of brake
pedals has to be my current Ferrari wheel--the resolution on the brake pedal
is the same as the steering wheel!!  My lap times have decreased in GPL for
no other reason than I can actually brake accurately for the first time!!
It makes a huge difference.

Marc.


> Hi.  For the past year or so I've been using the CTFJ3 controller
> centering utility, available from "The Stickworks"
> http://www.stickworks.com

> primarily for my joystick setup for flight sims, and decided to try it
> this week with racing sims.

> Specifically, I'm trying to use it to decrease brake lockup in GPL,
> without resorting to the "squashball under the brake pedal" solution
> that some people use.  I have a TSW with the rollers on the pedal
> base, and there's really no easy way I can see to put something like a
> squashball under the brake pedal to help decrease braking lockup.

> So, I've been experimenting with the CTFJ3 utility because you can use
> it to decrease the range of a joystick's axis.  In this case, with the
> split axis for brake and throttle on the TSW, I've been trying to
> decrease the axis range on the brake (the Y axis) to about 75 - 80% of
> its maximum range.

> The problem is that this works sometimes with GPL and not others, even
> with the same car and setup used on the same track.  When I can get
> this to work, the brakes get almost to lockup when the pedal's fully
> depressed which is just what I want.  But other times, the utility
> seems to have no effect.

> So, is anyone else using this (otherwise great) utility with racing
> sims, especially GPL?

> Also, if so, should you calibrate your wheel and pedals in the GPL
> "Options" screen on top of doing so from within CTFJ3?

> TIA for any help, and for putting up with my typical verbose posting
> style.  :)

> Cheers,
> ============================
> Dave Mack

> (remove "nospamfor_" for correspondence)

nospamfor_dmac

Anyone using CTFJ3 controller utility? If so, please help

by nospamfor_dmac » Sat, 18 Mar 2000 04:00:00

On Fri, 17 Mar 2000 21:59:54 GMT, "Marc Collins"


>The only problem or confusion that sometimes happens is if you recalibrate
>inside GPL (or another title) with CTFJ running.  You have to turn it off,
>calibrate "normally", then turn it on and go back into the game.  If you
>calibrate with CTFJ already on (slicing off the depressed end of your pedal
>travel), it may seem like there is no difference from normal, because full
>depression of the pedal will still be full braking (albeit a bit lower
>resolution).

OK, thanks, that makes sense.  But, I'm still a bit confused about
using CTFJ and calibrating *outside* of GPL.  More specifically, I'm
unsure about the sequence of calibrating, changing range values, and
"centering axes".

Let's say you're experimenting with different range limits on the
brake axis, so you've set the Y-axis range to something like 80.

Here's the sequence I've been using, which I'm not sure is correct:

1) Launch CTFJ
2) Click the CTFJ "calibrate" button which launches the Control Panel
calibration utility.
3) Calibrate the wheel & pedals
4) Click "OK", leave the calibration utility and go back into CTFJ.
5) Change the Y-axis (brake axis) range to 80.
6) Click the "calibrate" button again which launches the Control Panel
calibration utility.
7) Calibrate the wheel & pedals again
8) Click "OK", leave the calibration utility and go back into CTFJ.
9) Click the CTFJ "center axes" button to center the X-axis (steering
axis)
10) Click the CTFJ "Done" button
11) Launch GPL, and don't calibrate in the GPL "Options" screen...just
go right to training or racing.

This would be easier for me if the .doc file supplied with CTFJ dealt
more with the sequence of using the features, instead of just what the
features are for.  But, it's a free utility and a good one too (has
saved my sanity in flight sims, that's for sure), so I guess great
documentation is asking for the moon.  :)

Anyway, if you can straighten me out with this, I'll be in your debt
for sure.  And if there are others who have plowed through this thread
this far, give this utility a try.  It doesn't seem to take up any
noticeable processor bandwidth, and is really, really cool.

TIA again,
============================
Dave Mack

(remove "nospamfor_" for correspondence)

Marc Collin

Anyone using CTFJ3 controller utility? If so, please help

by Marc Collin » Sun, 19 Mar 2000 04:00:00

I don't know what else I can say...my wheels haven't needed calibrating in
Windows, because they were USB or partially digital.  If you calibrate in
GPL (or any title) with CTFJ already running and configured to do something,
you are making a fundamental error in the use of the utility.  You have to
calibrate with your "normal" no-CTFJ settings and then play with CTFJ to
trim or tweak whatever it is you are not happy with.  Lopping off the last
10% of the brake axis worked wonders for me in GPL.

Marc.


> On Fri, 17 Mar 2000 21:59:54 GMT, "Marc Collins"

> >The only problem or confusion that sometimes happens is if you
recalibrate
> >inside GPL (or another title) with CTFJ running.  You have to turn it
off,
> >calibrate "normally", then turn it on and go back into the game.  If you
> >calibrate with CTFJ already on (slicing off the depressed end of your
pedal
> >travel), it may seem like there is no difference from normal, because
full
> >depression of the pedal will still be full braking (albeit a bit lower
> >resolution).

> OK, thanks, that makes sense.  But, I'm still a bit confused about
> using CTFJ and calibrating *outside* of GPL.  More specifically, I'm
> unsure about the sequence of calibrating, changing range values, and
> "centering axes".

> Let's say you're experimenting with different range limits on the
> brake axis, so you've set the Y-axis range to something like 80.

> Here's the sequence I've been using, which I'm not sure is correct:

> 1) Launch CTFJ
> 2) Click the CTFJ "calibrate" button which launches the Control Panel
> calibration utility.
> 3) Calibrate the wheel & pedals
> 4) Click "OK", leave the calibration utility and go back into CTFJ.
> 5) Change the Y-axis (brake axis) range to 80.
> 6) Click the "calibrate" button again which launches the Control Panel
> calibration utility.
> 7) Calibrate the wheel & pedals again
> 8) Click "OK", leave the calibration utility and go back into CTFJ.
> 9) Click the CTFJ "center axes" button to center the X-axis (steering
> axis)
> 10) Click the CTFJ "Done" button
> 11) Launch GPL, and don't calibrate in the GPL "Options" screen...just
> go right to training or racing.

> This would be easier for me if the .doc file supplied with CTFJ dealt
> more with the sequence of using the features, instead of just what the
> features are for.  But, it's a free utility and a good one too (has
> saved my sanity in flight sims, that's for sure), so I guess great
> documentation is asking for the moon.  :)

> Anyway, if you can straighten me out with this, I'll be in your debt
> for sure.  And if there are others who have plowed through this thread
> this far, give this utility a try.  It doesn't seem to take up any
> noticeable processor bandwidth, and is really, really cool.

> TIA again,
> ============================
> Dave Mack

> (remove "nospamfor_" for correspondence)


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