rec.autos.simulators

I finally managed to fix that stupid joystick deadzone problem with
Need For Speed II SE that caused steering response to suck.    This fix should
also work for any other DirectX game that uses DirectInput for analog-style
joystick/wheel input but doesn't have a separate control setting for the
deadzone.

The deadzone is the area in the center where the joystick/wheel doesn't
respond.  DirectX has its own notion of a deadzone, and Microsoft has
hardcoded the default to 5% of its full range.  

Need For Speed II SE doesn't have an option to adjust the deadzone and  
therefore uses the DirectX default, which results in a pretty good simulation
of a loose steering linkage!  This is really annoying for those of us that
don't want to use our expensive steering controllers as PlayStation gamepads!
:-)

Anyway, DXDZFIX patches the DINPUT.DLL default of 5% and changes it to
0 (or anything you like, for that matter).

You can find it at:
        http://www.racesimcentral.net/
        http://www.racesimcentral.net/; (soon)

Send me a note if you try it out and like it.

---

Neuroscience and Computer Science at University of British Columbia, Vancouver
http://www.racesimcentral.net/;                    http://www.racesimcentral.net/

I've downloaded the DXDZFIX utility in an attempt to solve the "Win95
calibration jitters" with my T2 wheel. I've correctly patched the
DINPUT.DLL file with different deadzone values (from zero to 25) but
it seems to make no difference at all.

When is the DINPUT.DLL library loaded? Is it at Win95 startup time? Do
I need to reboot after replacing the DINPUT.DLL file?

Joe,

I installed the "patch" also, and I found it to help a great deal in sims
that use Win '95 control panel.  What games/sims are you using for
comparison?  No, you do not need to re-boot to get the "new" DLL files
effect.  BTW, Need for Speed 2 SE will be effected by the patch, where DOS
sims like Nascar 2 and Indy Car 2 will not.

--
Paul

My "reply" e-mail address has been changed to
deter spammers.  My real address is:

ICQ UIN: 5692838

Joe

  I had the jitters too in Win95 with both my wheel and TM Joystick.   I yanked
out my old ACM card and the jitters went away..  I am not sure if it was an
incompatibility with DX5 and the ACM or if the mechanical movement of the acm
card was shot.  btw this was an older card that did NOT have the adjustable
extention pot.  Mine had a very small post between the joystick ports, most
difficult to grab hold of and rotate.
dave henrie

Joe

When I try to apply the DXDZFIX patch, the response is "program won't
run in DOS mode"  I have tried running in a DOS window, DOS mode and
W95 command line.  Does anyone have any ideas?   Thanks

Joe

% >  I had the jitters too in Win95 with both my wheel and TM Joystick.   I yanked
% >out my old ACM card and the jitters went away..  I am not sure if it was an
% >incompatibility with DX5 and the ACM or if the mechanical movement of the acm
% >card was shot.  btw this was an older card that did NOT have the adjustable
% >extention pot.  Mine had a very small post between the joystick ports, most
% >difficult to grab hold of and rotate.
% >dave henrie

% Yeah, I had an ACM too (which I feel is a piece of junk) and it also
% had the jitters. Now I use my Soundblaster16, which isn't as bad but
% still jittery enough to foul up sensitive games like TOCA.

Not to say that this was the cause of your problems, but many times this
type of "jitters" with an ACM is because there is still an existing
conflict with the gameport on the soundcard.  Until the soundcard's
gameport is "TOTALLY" disabled, the ACM can not always get the readings
it needs as the soundcard's gameport is stealing some of the I/O reads.

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

It also won't work if the game does its own deadzone weirdness (like Need For  
Speed II SE which needed its own additional patch, grrr).

You can find the patches at:
http://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/win95/util/dxdzfix.zip
ftp://ftp.nd4spd.com/pub/nfs2se/nfsdzfix.zip

--

Neuroscience and Computer Science at University of British Columbia, Vancouver
http://www.House.ORG/chris                      http://www.sns.cs.ubc.ca/chris

--

Neuroscience and Computer Science at University of British Columbia, Vancouver
http://www.House.ORG/chris                      http://www.sns.cs.ubc.ca/chris