rec.autos.simulators

I made an earlier post regarding setting up my new Thrustmaster F1 Force
Feedback wheel (the ferrari replica one) in GPL. I have followed the advice
given and checked the internet links etc. However I still cannot get it
right and would just like to draw on other people's experiances.

When I first enter the game and am in the pit lane the steering wheel is
juddering all over the place and erratically jerking left and right. Is this
normal if the settings are not right?

If I adjust the torque and damping settings to smooth out the juddering,
then there are no force feedback sensations in the game. If I stop the car,
turn the steering wheel full left or right and then pull away, the wheels
will not straighten up on their own.

Should I be using the direct input or generic controls setting in the game.
I have always used the direct input but that was with my non-force feedback
wheel.

Then, of course, there are the settings in the Thrustmaster windows control
panel for force feedback settings.There are four sliders labeled Master,
Static, Dynamic and Spring. Does GPL use these settings or doesn't it matter
where they are set?

Just as a test, I loaded GP3 last night to see what that was like. That had
the same juddering as I'm getting with GPL but there are no settings to
adjust in GP3. I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with
my wheel but F1 2002 works brilliantly with just the default game settings.
Rallisport challenge also doesn't judder but the force feedback effects are
crap, but I think thats just the game itself. All the advice I've read seems
to be based on Logitech MOMO wheels but of course the settings in the
control panel will be different.

I'm eager to get this going right as I've so many good things about force
feedback in GPL so any help would be very, very gratefully received.

Many thanks

Russell

Did you follow that part of the earlier post?

Marc

That's definitely not normal.

If the car isn't moving, then the wheels shouldn't straighten up on
their own, as they don't straighten up in a real car either. They
should straighten up when you start driving though.

Direct input is the preferred setting, and the wheel should work with
it just fine.

I have the Logi Momo, and the Wingman software has "only" strengh,
damping and centering spring sliders. The spring setting should only
be used if the game has no centering effect... GPL has it (as long as
the car is moving of course ;) so zero spring should work fine. I've
also set the damping to zero. Works fine in other games too (eg. in
Viper Racing, Racer, LFS and F1 2002 mods).

I think you should try to find core.ini values and windows settings
that someone else is succesfully using with the same wheel, and if
they work, then start tweaking them to your personal preference. If
they don't work, then it could be a driver issue or some compatibility
problems...
--
- JKo -

Marc

Thanks for all the help. I still didn't have much joy. I've tried speaking
to Thrustmaster technical support and checked their web-site. I still didn't
get any joy. However, what I did find in the Thrustmaster support forums,
was lots of people having problems with the drivers for this wheel.
I finally came to the conclusion that I was wasting my time, so I took the
wheel back to PC World where I bought it and replaced it with a Logitech
MOMO force. So I am now in the process of setting GPL up again for this
wheel.

I have to say that ergonomically, I prefer the Thrustmasterwheel. It looks
very nice, I would say that the build quality is comparable tothe MOMO and
it has more buttons. However, if it doesn't work properly with one of my
favourite games (GPL) then it aint no good.

Bearing in mind I only got the MOMO today I havn't had much time to get
things setup properly, but in F1 2002 the force feedback doesn't seem as
strong as with the Thrustmaster. I seemed to have a better sense of when the
back end of the car was about to slip away and could correct it. I'm hoping
that this is just a setup issue and with a bit of experimenting I will get
it just right. In GPL I am definately having more success with this wheel
than with the previous one, but a little more tweaking to do yet.

Thanks again for all your help

Russell

--
don

-------------------------------------
                    BAPOM
Alternative Program Covers for GPL
   http://www.trilon.com/bapom/

I can't believe the force feedback effects in GPL considering the game came
out when force feedback was in its infancy. The effects are just spot on and
puts a lot of more modern games to shame. For instance, I've got Microsoft's
Rallisport Challenge, the force feedback effects in that are absolutely
rubbish. A bit of vibration and rumbling and thats it. No steering feedback
at all. I would expect Microsoft to produce a game to show off the
capabilities of the Windows environment and DirectX. I didn't think GP3 was
all that good in the force feedback department either (not tried GP4).

Anyway thanks for the help, it is much appreciated.

Russell

You're far from the first to say that but it's still good to read it from
someone new to gpl. There are other sims that do it 'properly' too though.

It's the kind of feedback that makes you realise FF is more than just a
sales gimmick ;-)

Malc.

I am by no means new to GPL, I've been driving it since it first came out in
1998. I've just never used a force feedback wheel before. I'd always thought
they just vibrated and rumbled a bit and considered them a gimmick. How
wrong I was. You can actually "feel" the steering now and correct slides
"instinctively" rather than visually.

Russell

Sorry! Rephrase it to

I don't think it ultimately makes a difference to your laptimes though, but
I find it makes it easier to correct mistakes & keep the car on the track.

It's easier to drive more consistently I think, but it takes time to get
used to it.

Malc.