rec.autos.simulators

  First off I wanna say that I have been trying GPL with/without FFB
to really get a feel to see if I like it more or not.The answer is a
big I DO!!!.Even with its jerking the wheel on the straights
unrealistically or the fact that corner entry feel is not right or the
way the wheel goes limp for a second before it jerks in the other
direction when the weight shifts,I find I much rather drive with
FFB.The feedback of oversteer when braking hard and the way the wheel
countersteers when the rear breaks loose is to much  feedback to live
without.

 I have been running ideas thru my mind about ways to enhance FFB with
todays technology.Im not buying the reviews from the web on how FFB is
a detriment and shouldnt be used or that good FFB is yrs away if it
even arrives at all.Here are my ideas so flame em if you like:))

First off I think that Papy (or the West Bros for that matter) should
work on the FFB program so that we can use Asymetrical camber even if
they have to go unrealistic in attempt.When I read somewhere that
using uneven camber causes spikes in FFB I went to symetrical camber
and noticed a huge improvement.The lapses in force I would get went
away and the wheel felt more solid.BUT the new sims coming out need
asymetrical camber even more then GPL cars(especially N4 banking).They
didnt even use asymetrical in 1967.

Now heres my idea to to get rid of the annoying way the wheel goes
limp as the weight of the cars shifts then jerks in the opposite
direction.The way I figure FFB works on a LWFF is that the motor turns
a shaft in one direction and the wire wrapped around it pulls the
pulleys and the wheel in that direction.When you go from turning right
to a quick left the motor has to slow down then speed up in the
opposite direction and this is where the limpness then jerk comes
from.This ANNOYS the hell out of me!
But what if you use two motors instead of one and have each turning in
opposite direction and both attached by cable to a single shaft
connected to the pulleys.This way when you go from a quick right to
left turn the left motor can start up as the right one slows down and
youll get a much smoother transition.Im not sure but I think that the
loaded tire is the one that controls the feel of the wheel so in
effect youll have one motor for each front tire.As the weight leaves
the left tire and transfers to the right,its motor will have already
started generating force.The same way that your steering wheel in a
real car is getting forces from two different tires,now your FFB wheel
will get forces from two different motors.It would requiere a
different FFB code since it now has two motors turning in opposite
directions.

Anyone have ideas to add to this??????????????

I do not have a FFB wheel so I don't know what the effect actually feels
like, but the wheel going limp while the direction of the turn is being
reversed is what a real car does as well. But perhaps the FFB mechanism
intorduces some additional effects that I am not aware off.

-Gregor

On Tue, 01 Aug 2000 12:33:48 +0200, Gregor Veble

When going from one direction to another the wheel seems to just go
limp then jerks in the opposite direction due to there only being one
motor that has to slow down,stop,then change direction and jump to the
speed that the program feels it should be.In a real race car,as you
ease off the steering lock and the front wheels start traveling in the
direction that the car is pointing the steering stays tight and
centered (straight) due to the tightening effect that speed has on the
steering.Theres no completly looseness.With two motors I believe that
this problem will be eliminated and  the car wont jerk its way down
the straights anymore.It will be nice and tightly centered:))This will
make the FFB steering wheels feel much more realistic and then all we
have to concentrate on is improving the reaction time from Monitor
screen to wheel.

A little tip for making FFB seem better is to be smooth.I have noticed
just recently that if you try to go as smooth as possible the jerking
effect isnt as dramatic.Another one is when coming to the turn-in
point,turn the wheel slightly into the turn before you reach that
point so the motor starts to move and youll get a better feel to
turn-in.

Later