rec.autos.simulators

You need this little lot in your core.ini:

[ Joy ]
allow_force_feedback = 1              ; Use FF if device has it
force_feedback_damping = 10.00000     ; force feedback damping coefficient
force_feedback_latency = 0.0650000    ; force feedback latency (secs)
max_steering_torque = 500.000000      ; steering torque in N*in giving max
device force

Make sure it's called core.ini, not core.ini.sample (disable 'hide
extensions for known file types' in the folder options to be sure).

Your core.ini probably already contains these lines, so to enable ff, you'll
just need to change the first line from 0 to 1.

The other settings are really down to personal preference, so mine almost
certainly won't suit you or your controller, but a quick google of this
group should give you plenty of example settings from others with your
wheel. Read the readme11.txt for more info on setting up ff.

If you're used to non-ff, initially it will feel disconcerting, but stick
with it, and test the latency by weaving from side to side on a straight and
adjust it (exit gpl, adjust settings, go back in etc) until the feedback is
in synch with the car. As the rear steps out the steering should naturally
tend to correct the slide for you, but too little latency & the car will
oscillate out of control as it tries to correct the slide before it's
happened. It took me about a week to get mine really 'right'.

It's not the easiest ff to set up, but it's worth it imo.

Malc.

Just for the record, These settings are for a Logitech Wingman Force, the
Joystick version of the original LWFF. They will almost certainly be useless
if you try them with a wheel.

Malc.

GPLRank -39.15
Monster Rank -120.28

I found that after several weeks of practice I was eventually quicker, and
now I'd recommend it to anyone.

But many drivers prefer not to use it, possibly finding that a high quality
controller (where FF may not be available) is better than something more
mainstream even with FF. This may be true, but sadly I'm not rich enough to
find out ;-)

Malc.

[ Joy ]
allow_force_feedback = 1
force_feedback_damping = 30.0000
force_feedback_latency = 0.03500
max_steering_torque = 225.000000

This is with the Momo Racing wheel under XP Pro.  I also have the overall
strength set at about 85% in the profiler, but don't bother with that until
you try the other settings.  OS made a huge difference for me.  Under 98 I
needed to use 0.120 for latency.  Probably somewhat hardware dependent too.
Best to tune the latency yourself.  Even though it is time consuming to do
so it makes a huge difference to get it right.  There aren't a whole lot of
ill effects for getting it a bit too high, but too low will kill you in a
tank slapper.

Control Panel:

100% Overall
0% Spring (mandatory)
0% Damper (mandatory)
0% Centring (mandatory)

Core.ini:

[ Hack ]
steer_ratio = 0                                 ; Enable low speed ratio
override

[ Joy ]
allow_force_feedback = 1                 ; Use FF if device has it
force_feedback_damping = 150.000000         ; force feedback damping
coefficient (40.000000)
force_feedback_latency = 0.000000        ; force feedback latency (secs)
(0.085000)
max_steering_torque = 150.000000          ; steering torque in N*in giving
max device force (225.00000)

Try this combo and tell me the FFB isn't amazing.

Marc

No latency at all??

Now that's what I call a high-end system ;-)

Malc.

Marc

Marc

That's a good explanation, and as I mentioned earlier, these settings have
alot more to do with personal preference than anything else, much like the
car setup you choose.

Although I do get the occasional spike, I find that setting the latency to
match the actual latency of my (fairly old) controller as closely as
possible gives me better results.

If I hit a curb at Silverstone, my controller tells me 'instantly', much
like a real car would, but the trade off is that occasionally it feels like
I hit something even though I actually missed it. Presumably your setting
will give less (or no) false feedback, but the accurate feedback you do
receive is slightly delayed. It's a trade-off either way.

Malc.

I'm always amazed at how people can set their controllers to something like
35ms latency and actually feel that it makes a difference.  Surely 35
*thousands* of a second wouldn't even be noticeable.  I'm using 180ms and it
feels quite good, but I do get the occasional spike when coming onto the
straight at Watkins Glen.

The thing that made the biggest improvement in the FF for me was turning the
damping down from the default of 40 to 10. (LWFF)