rec.autos.simulators

Randy Cassidy: "Also, I suggest all players use DirectInput, instead of
the Generic driver. We disable interrupts during the joystick read in
the Generic driver, which will more than likely cause bad things with
the serial port."

So the big question is, does one want "poll with interrupts" checked in
the Game Controller/Joystick applet?  General wisdom has said that
having this checked is usually detrimental to performance.

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

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

"Poll with interrupts enabled" can cause some control spiking, so if
your system can maintain a decent connection with it disabled it's
probably preferable from a control standpoint.

Trips

I'm not totally clear on the term "serial device".  Is a standard
28.8k internal modem a serial device?

We're all dying to know.  Maybe changing to direct input will
fix some of the disconnects and warp problems?  I hope so!

--
Pat Dotson
IMPACT Motorsports
http://www.impactmotorsports.com/pd.html

% I'm not totally clear on the term "serial device".  Is a standard
% 28.8k internal modem a serial device?

Not all connnections to the Internet a via serial connected modems.
Some people have a closer and more direct connection with God.

% > So the big question is, does one want "poll with interrupts" checked in
% > the Game Controller/Joystick applet?  General wisdom has said that
% > having this checked is usually detrimental to performance.

% We're all dying to know.  Maybe changing to direct input will
% fix some of the disconnects and warp problems?  I hope so!

% --
% Pat Dotson
% IMPACT Motorsports
% http://www.impactmotorsports.com/pd.html

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

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

It would not be an overstatement to say that car control
with the direct input setting sucked, which is sad
because it was kind of nice to have all nine of the
buttons on my ACT Labs RS available.  Generic was
infinitely better.

BTW, my connection is an internal USR 28.8k sportster.

--
Pat Dotson
IMPACT Motorsports
http://www.impactmotorsports.com/pd.html

% It would not be an overstatement to say that car control
% with the direct input setting sucked, which is sad
% because it was kind of nice to have all nine of the
% buttons on my ACT Labs RS available.  Generic was
% infinitely better.

% BTW, my connection is an internal USR 28.8k sportster.

So far my observations are similar, give me generic over Direct Input
any day (though you may be able to change the Linear slider to improve
control via Direct Input).  I've tried both settings while online.  Most
of the time I have had no problems using generic (along with my serial
modem).  However one night, I don't know if this was caused by have the
interrupts disabled (via generic), but GPL had some communication error
and I could not connect with anyone until I rebooted the machine.
Always got the same error.  This happend after being disconnected with
one of the servers (which may have actually been the culprit, not
generic input).
--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

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

I have this same problem all too frequently, using GPL online. If
GPL gets disconnected during an online session there's a pretty good
chance that what you just described will happen - i can no longer
properly connect with anything on the net. well, ping and tracert
will work, but nothing more high-level. even redialing doesn't help,
and when i go to shut down win95 it fails to shut down properly,
requiring the reset button on the front of the machine to be pressed...
i figure it's some sort of bug with GPL, as opposed to a controller
issue.

at least i now know i'm not the only one with this problem!:) hopefully
there's some kind of solution.

Grant.

David G Fisher
DmndDave

% My comment has nothing to do with online racing but only with Direct Input
% itself. I tried last night Dave Mansell's setup for the Lotus at Monza using
% Direct Input. It seemed like control felt pretty good but not so responsive as
% the generic driver. It was like my throttle and brakes were limited in their
% upper range. I then decided to do some laps and compare my times with the
% generic driver. Although it doesn't seem like it, my laps with Direct Input
% were about 2 seconds slower than with the genric input. I tried changing my
% gameport from standard to TB's Montego port; check and uncheck "poll with
% interrupts enabled"; nothing made a difference.

If you notice the calibration numbers when calibrating Direct Input vs.
generic, I think you will see why generic can be faster (if you have the
controller device(s) that are capable of precision control).  The range
for me in Direct Input is in the low 100's where it's in the 1000's for
generic.

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

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