rec.autos.simulators

I can hardly believe no one has done this yet. Have you no idea how
famous someone would be if they could do this??

Just what the hell am I talking about? Listen up please all you
programmers:

Would someone please make a program that allows me(everyone) to adjust
the sensitivity of the joystick(wheel) in the win95 control panel?

One could even make it more sophisticated by allowing the joystick
sensitivity to be quicker or slower at different positions of travel in
the travel range i.e. steer slowly at the beginning of the travel(near
center) but slower towards the end of travel(towards the way left or
right position).

Think of how many people would be happy to steer their
car/plane/whatever a little slower/faster in a win95 game. I can think
of 5 games right off the top of my head which could benefit from a
joystick sensitivity adjustment.

Yes some games have this option within the game already but alot of
times its not enough adjustment range.

Hell, this adjustable ability would even work in some dos games being
run in a win95 dos window.

I get so frustrated playing a decent game that could be totally great if
it handled the way I wanted it to.

I would even pay  $20+ for a program that works well and can do what I
suggest.

So is this a good idea or what? Its got to be possible.

I totally agree! I would pay $10.00 for a program like that which worked
well.

        Depends on the quality of the VR helmet.  On those that provide
stereo-optic wide field-of-view images like the ones the U.S. Air Force
uses in its VR***pit research program at Wright-Patterson AFB, this is
not necessary-- Human peripheral vision of an average healthy ***
actually allows one to see his/her rear hemisphere when the head is turned
a bit more than 90 degrees to the side.  It's just a matter of programming
the visual output from these sims.

        Besides, seeing more than the apparent motion that you are used to
is a good way to get motion sickness.  =) Better make sure you got that
scopolamine patch behind your ear when you put on that VR helmet.  (grin)

        In any case, the technology is there; pity it's expensive-- Those
miniature 1.5-inch-diagnal 640x480 SVGA active-matrix LCD TFT displays
cost $1000 apiece, and one needs two of those in a helmet.  These are
really light though-- Air Force HGU-55 flight helmets fitted with the TFT
VR display weigh only 6 pounds.  (In comparison, the clumsy CRT-type VR
helmets we see at Virtuality game centers weigh a good 10 pounds).

        The US Army also has VR headsets used in training--  Check the CNN
website (yesterday they had an article on that).

        Maybe ten years from now an affordable civvie version will hit the
market.  =)

T.

Actually I had a similar idea that applied to VR helmuts. If you could
adjust the sensitivity to the tracking so that a user would be able to see
180 degrees behind him by only turning his head 90 degrees to the side.In
this way a user could easily scan around him by simply wobbling his head
through a limited range of motion.

Well Im no programmer but this is what I do to adjust the sensitivity. when
you go to calibrate your J stick in W95 control panel and it prompts you to
move stick left, right , circles etc do this- If you want it less sensitive
move the stick as far left and right as you can. If you want it more
sensitive barely move it right and left is seems to trick the calibration
into thinking that is your full range of movement. Be aware though that as
far as less sensitive goes moving it as far as possible is as insensitive
as it gets. But Ive always found it to be enough also, you can reduce more
of the sensitivity in most games. Try it as I fly jet combat sims and want
it very sensitive I barely move it in W95 calibration panel but when I
drive F1 sims I need it to be a lot less sensitive so I move it all the way
to the stops works great! Hope this helps you. Aloha, Mike

On Sat, 27 Dec 1997 17:22:26 -0600, Destroy-Derek Struye

Right now I would love that option with TOCA ... <sigh>

Regards

___________________________________

Remove the obvious to mail me.

  Derek you've got a good idea.  For my money, the Win95 joystick routines
are good for left right calibration only.  I have several driving games that
are useless unless I choose the keyboard option(YECHHH!) or (shudders!) a
gamepad.  The reason is the same for me as you...I cannot control the win95
sims that accept only minute input before driving me off the track.  I would
agree a joystick sensitivity applet would be immensely useful.   About the
only other idea I could think of would be to place a varible resistor (pot)
between my wheel and port to reduce amount of signal that gets through.  Of
course that would probably confuse Win95 even more.
  I would suggest you contact Thrustmaster and Microsoft about these
issues.  And the more of us that do, maybe some good will come out of this.
dave henrie

Great Idea! I probably wouldn't give one of my nuts, but I'd sure as hell
give $20.00.

left Nut ?  Are you sure ??  Careful what you ask for you just might
get it !

On Sat, 27 Dec 1997 17:22:26 -0600, Destroy-Derek Struye

Simple matter of code, pizza, and devilish details (they're always there).  
I'll look into it.  By the way, keep the left nut :).

Charles Gilley
Brave Software

It's already been done, with the Microsoft Game device Profiler
software.  You can select tree different sensitivies as well as
assigning functions to all the joystick buttons, except the hat.  You
can have 8 programmed funtions on the MS Sidewinder 3D, and 16 on the
Precision Pro or Force feedback Pro.

Mike

On Sat, 27 Dec 1997 17:22:26 -0600, Destroy-Derek Struye

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Joe