rec.autos.simulators

I think IndyCar drivers still need a clutch, so I'd guess they do it
to keep the turbo pressure up. I think F1 drivers did the same back
in the turbo era.

Left foot braking becomes possible because F1 cars don't need clutches
(other than at the start).
--

When driving a 100cc kart in the wet I sometimes use the brakes and
throttle together to reduce the sensitivity of the throttle. If you're
not careful just breathing on the accelerator in one of those things
in the wet can send you spinning off.

Sorry, indycar drivers only need the clutch to get started in first.
Any car with a decent racing transmission can be shifted by rev matching.

--
                                | Dave Vollman (HASA "S" Division)
  Cogito, ergo stipendium       | AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, IL

                                | AT&T would never let ME speak for THEM!

Since my original post (and the helpful reply from Mr Papyrus), I've
started using a CH FLIGHTSICK PRO - which was a VERY late gift from
Santa!
I am finding the THROTTLE CONTROL much better than using keys (since
I can feed in the power gentle as I go through the apex of turns) and so
I'm not oversteering nearly as much as before.
Having said that, the FLIGHTSTICK PRO seems to be VERY badly designed for
use in Racing Sims, because the THROTTLE CONTROL thumbwheel has been
STUPIDLY placed such that you can't use it if you're truning hard left!
This is most noticable inn Indycar and Nascar races, where one tends to
turn left rather alot - and its JUST where you want to be controlling the
throttle!
I still find that the joystick lacks accuracy for steering - but I'm getting
used to it.  Maybe I should look at buying/making one of these
steering wheel things.

Thanks for all the info.
--
Andrew Jackson.  (Bracknell, Berkshire, England).

Well, if you are a bit adventurous, you might try this :

(BTW, I have done this for a CH FLIGHTSTICK, not a PRO, but I think they
have the same base design so it should work)

If you open up <gasp> the bottom (you must take off the sticky things and
then unscrew the 4 base screws) you will get to see the beautiful
engineering job of the flightstick.  

What's really interesting is that because of the design of the throttle
wheel, there is a way to move it.  

Looking at the bottom of the joystick like this:

DISCLAIMER: I'm a horrible ascii artist, but I'll do the best I can
         _
        | |
        | |
       _| |
  ____||| |_____
  |            |
  --------------
       /\
       || look this way, after bottom is removed.

You will see that the throttle wheel sits loosely in between two holders
which form a circular support when the bottom is screwed on.

If you were to pick up the entire throttle assembly, and flip it 180
degrees, it would result in offsetting the thumbwheel's position on top
by about twice the length of the axle.  Fortunately the axle is short
enough that the thumbwheel still fits inside the joystick.

Here's another crude drawing:
(whoops, I flipped it upside down, oh well)
 ___________________________________________
|   Circular                                |
|    Holder                                 |
|       ||      __________________          |
|       ||   || |                 |         |
|       ||   || |                 |         |
|       ||===|| |    Joystick     |         |
|       ||   || |    Apparatus    |         |
|       ||   || |_________________|         |
|       ||                                  |
|         Thumbwheel                        |
|___________________________________________|
                  Top

Oh, of course you have to cut out another slot for the thumbwheel to fit
into, just like it does right now next to the joystick.  With careful
measuring, you should be able to rough out a good outline of where it
should be (on the bottom) and cut out a new slot.  (I used some exacto
knives and a dremmel [very handy tool to have])

It should now look like this:
 ___________________________________________
|   Circular                                |
|    Holder                                 |
|       ||   _  __________________          |
| ||    ||   || |                 |         |
| ||    ||   || |                 |         |
| ||====||   || |    Joystick     |         |
| ||    ||   || |    Apparatus    |         |
| ||    ||   || |_________________|         |  
|New    ||   -                              |
|Position    Old slot                       |
|___________________________________________|
                  Top

Next, as you should be able to tell, you have reversed the axis of
rotation, so that up is down and down is up when you spin the wheel.

But, you can fix that too.  I figured that you could just flip the wires,
but it doesn't quite work that way. There are about three connectors to
the thumbwheel, and only two wires to it.  You have to play with putting
them into different posistions until you get it right, but you should be
able to.  YOU MAY WANT TO VERIFY THIS FIRST BEFORE CUTTING YOUR NEW SLOT
ON A FLIGHTSTICK PRO!

So, once you have done that, flip the wheel, inserting it into your new
slot, make sure the wires are reconnected properly and all should be
well.  

There is only one caveat, I wasn't able to move the little piece of
plastic which rubs against the thumbwheel to produce the resistance and
slight clicking noise.  There probably is a way, but I didn't bother.

I don't think the clicking matters much, but it is kinda nice to have.  If
you're really attached to that device, you may not want to do this
'modification'.

All said and done, I have successfully done this.  I did it about two
years ago, and my joystick is still working fine so there shouldn't be
anything to worry about, except aesthetics if you don't have confidence
in cutting a clean new slot.  

Good luck, tell me if you do it or not (or anybody else for that matter).
I find that it makes using the thumbwheel in ALL games much more enjoyable
since you're not always banging the joystick into your thumb when
turning/steering left.

Yeah, me too.  But using my modified Flightstick works ok.  Concerning
Indycar2 (and IndycarI), I have found that if you have the brake and
throttle on the thumbwheel, then you have to center it exactly for reverse
to work.  This kinda sucks and I have since given up on it, using two keys
on my left hand for brake and throttle.  I find this allows me to place
the joystick flat on my desk instead of holding it which is much better
for accuracy.

I do wish that I could have real analog braking/throttle.  It does allow
for more fine tuning in turns and what not.  Of course you can kind of
simulate that by pressing the brake/throttle at different rates too, but
that certainly doesn't immitate real life very well.

Cheers,

--

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:    the spaces of  the mind  are    ::       space extends to infinity    :
:    _a new dimension_.  the body    ::                outwards            :
:    is a  mere wall between  two    ::   the mind stretches to infinity   :
:             infinities             ::                inwards.            :
:                           _the mind parasites_                           :
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