GPL headaches

GPL is giving me major headaches. First, no matter what I do with core.ini, I cannot get rid of the spikes in the force feedback that I posted about a couple of weeks ago. They seem to happen every time I lift the throttle, and they are getting worse. Normally this would make me think that it's a controller problem, but GPL is the only game in which it happens. Surely someone has a solution to this?!?! It's getting to the point where I can't get decent lap times, because it spikes when I am downshifting into corners and throws me in the ditch. Secondly, I am convinced that the lap timer is wrong. For the most part the numbers make sense, but many times I have gone into the ditch, got back out on the road, and completed a lap and then gotten a better lap time than any of my clean laps. This makes no sense! I have heard that there is a fast CPU patch available, but I thought it was only for 1.7 ghz or higher. I am running a 1 ghz Celeron. Theoretically I don't need it, but I wonder if it would fix the timing problem. Has anyone tried the patch on slower machines? TIA, Hal

"Haqsau" wrote...

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> GPL is giving me major headaches. First, no matter > what I do with core.ini, I cannot get rid of the > spikes in the force feedback that I posted about a > couple of weeks ago. They seem to happen every time > I lift the throttle, and they are getting worse. > Normally this would make me think that it's a > controller problem, but GPL is the only game in which > it happens. Surely someone has a solution to this?!?! > It's getting to the point where I can't get decent lap > times, because it spikes when I am downshifting into > corners and throws me in the ditch.

That's strange... perhaps it's more to do with the general settings of your controller. I've found that I need to change these settings from game to game to maximize the benifit from their internal settings. For GPL I suggest getting rid of centering spring altogether, have the overal force setting nominal, the spring effect setting at like 75-80% and the damping at about 34-40% and make fine adjustments through the settings in core.ini (are you sure you're editing the correct file, BTW, because of Windows default behavior of hiding extension for certain filetypes a lot of people end up editing core.ini.sample instead of the actual file). If the effects of the FF really continue to throw you off course, I suggest increasing the "overall" damping setting and maybe introducing some centering spring to help keep the wheel straight under braking.

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> Secondly, I am convinced that the lap timer is wrong. > For the most part the numbers make sense, but many > times I have gone into the ditch, got back out on the > road, and completed a lap and then gotten a better lap > time than any of my clean laps. This makes no sense! > I have heard that there is a fast CPU patch available, > but I thought it was only for 1.7 ghz or higher. I am > running a 1 ghz Celeron. Theoretically I don't need it, > but I wonder if it would fix the timing problem. Has > anyone tried the patch on slower machines?

Nothing wrong with GPL's timing and no patch is required for CPU's < 1.4Ghz, it's just you need to realise that, true to the era, you're being timed by a virtual guy with a stopwatch, not a TAG-Heurer timing computer. In places where you're pitboard guy is stationed along start/finish this manual timing method implies the time shown to you on the board is that of the last lap you completed, not the one you're on and about to complete. Only exception is the Ring, where you're signaller is on the straight following Sudkehre and receives up to date lap time information via radio from s/f. Jan. =--- "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn.

Haqsau, reading from the replies of your previous post on this problem, I would agree with JS's post on the bad potentiometer as being the source of Jerky wheel in GPL. From my experience of this, I have found that GPL is very fussy about a dirty pot. It is really annoying as that like in your case it doesn't appear in any other game, Nascar 2 & 3, Need for Speed 3, 4, & 5, and numerous Motorcycle racing games. Constant recalibration of the windows game control panel, deleting the controls.cfg file in the player directory, recalibrating the in game calibration every time you start GPL would only be a band aid for awhile. I would usually end up replacing the pot about every month or so depending on how much I would want to race GPL without this annoying problem. Brand New Pot = smooth GPL racing for several weeks. Long ago I read of people cleaning the pots, but due to the low price of pots and the amount of time to R&R them, I would always put a new one in. Granted I've only had experience with analog (Thrustmaster) controllers, and the incompatibility of FF with older games has kept me purchasing one. No really I'm just an "Ole Cheap Bastard" ,,,,,,,, he he Nascar 4 has had the same problem with my new computer and a Logitech wingman Joystick, GPL game engine? I have found that assigning IRQ's for all the PCI slots in the motherboard bios (ASUS) instead of the AUTO selection gave somewhat of a cure, but didn't make that jittery wheel disappear, just went from a major jerk (into the wall) to an annoying but manageable problem. I don't know how hard it is to get to the steering pot on your Logitech FF GP wheel, but it may be worth taking a peek at. Good Luck, and give Logitech a call. -- R.I.P. - William Joseph Dunlop OBE MBE 2/25/52 - 7/2/2000 http://www.roadracers.uk.com/legend.htm

Jan, Thanks for the thorough reply. I am not using a centering spring in GPL, but I will try playing around with the other global settings and see if that helps. I do have the correct core.ini, I turned off that silly "hide extensions" feature long ago. ;o) Thanks for the explanation of the lap timer thing. It took a minute to figure out what you meant, but I think I got it. The thing that was confusing me was that you get a lap time displayed the second time you pass the pitboard, which made me think that was the time for the first full lap, i.e. the one I was completing as I passed the pitboard. But if the timing is based on the start/finish line rather than the pitboard location, I can see how it would have to be one lap off from that. That cleared up a lot of confusion! Regards, Hal "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> "Haqsau" wrote... > > GPL is giving me major headaches. First, no matter > > what I do with core.ini, I cannot get rid of the > > spikes in the force feedback that I posted about a > > couple of weeks ago. They seem to happen every time > > I lift the throttle, and they are getting worse. > > Normally this would make me think that it's a > > controller problem, but GPL is the only game in which > > it happens. Surely someone has a solution to this?!?! > > It's getting to the point where I can't get decent lap > > times, because it spikes when I am downshifting into > > corners and throws me in the ditch. > > That's strange... perhaps it's more to do with the general settings of

your > controller. I've found that I need to change these settings from gameto > game to maximize the benifit from their internal settings. For GPL Isuggest > getting rid of centering spring altogether, have the overal forcesetting > nominal, the spring effect setting at like 75-80% and the damping atabout > 34-40% and make fine adjustments through the settings in core.ini (areyou > sure you're editing the correct file, BTW, because of Windows default > behavior of hiding extension for certain filetypes a lot of people endup > editing core.ini.sample instead of the actual file). If the effects ofthe > FF really continue to throw you off course, I suggest increasing the > "overall" damping setting and maybe introducing some centering springto

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> help keep the wheel straight under braking. > > > Secondly, I am convinced that the lap timer is wrong. > > For the most part the numbers make sense, but many > > times I have gone into the ditch, got back out on the > > road, and completed a lap and then gotten a better lap > > time than any of my clean laps. This makes no sense! > > I have heard that there is a fast CPU patch available, > > but I thought it was only for 1.7 ghz or higher. I am > > running a 1 ghz Celeron. Theoretically I don't need it, > > but I wonder if it would fix the timing problem. Has > > anyone tried the patch on slower machines? > > Nothing wrong with GPL's timing and no patch is required for CPU's <

1.4Ghz, > it's just you need to realise that, true to the era, you're beingtimed by a > virtual guy with a stopwatch, not a TAG-Heurer timing computer. Inplaces > where you're pitboard guy is stationed along start/finish this manualtiming > method implies the time shown to you on the board is that of the lastlap > you completed, not the one you're on and about to complete. Onlyexception > is the Ring, where you're signaller is on the straight followingSudkehre

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> and receives up to date lap time information via radio from s/f. > > Jan. > =--- > "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn. > > >

It is behaving exactly like a bad pot, but the reason I doubted it is that not only is the problem not showing up in other games, but also when I look at the raw readout in the calibration routine in either N4 or GPL, I do not see any spikes. Also I thought N4's FF implementation was similar to GPL's, but I get no spikes in N4. Anyway, I guess the only way to figure this out for sure is to dig in and look. Thanks for your advice. Regards, Hal "REDLINE426 @yahoo.com>" <redline426<NOSPAM> wrote in message news:3Imc7.5048$[email hidden]... > Haqsau, reading from the replies of your previous post on thisproblem, I > would agree with JS's post on the bad potentiometer as being thesource of > Jerky wheel in GPL. From my experience of this, I have found that GPLis > very fussy about a dirty pot. > > It is really annoying as that like in your case it doesn't appear inany > other game, Nascar 2 & 3, Need for Speed 3, 4, & 5, and numerousMotorcycle > racing games. Constant recalibration of the windows game controlpanel, > deleting the controls.cfg file in the player directory, recalibratingthe in > game calibration every time you start GPL would only be a band aid for > awhile. I would usually end up replacing the pot about every month orso > depending on how much I would want to race GPL without this annoying > problem. > > Brand New Pot = smooth GPL racing for several weeks. Long ago I readof > people cleaning the pots, but due to the low price of pots and theamount of > time to R&R them, I would always put a new one in. > > Granted I've only had experience with analog (Thrustmaster)controllers, and > the incompatibility of FF with older games has kept me purchasing one.No > really I'm just an "Ole Cheap Bastard" ,,,,,,,, he he > > Nascar 4 has had the same problem with my new computer and a Logitech > wingman Joystick, GPL game engine? > I have found that assigning IRQ's for all the PCI slots in themotherboard > bios (ASUS) instead of the AUTO selection gave somewhat of a cure, but > didn't make that jittery wheel disappear, just went from a major jerk(into > the wall) to an annoying but manageable problem. > > I don't know how hard it is to get to the steering pot on yourLogitech FF

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> GP wheel, but it may be worth taking a peek at. > > Good Luck, and give Logitech a call. > > > > -- > R.I.P. - William Joseph Dunlop OBE MBE 2/25/52 - 7/2/2000 > > http://www.roadracers.uk.com/legend.htm > > >

"Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:bAnc7.3379$[email hidden]... : It is behaving exactly like a bad pot, FWIW, I got this with an old InterAct V3 wheel *and* a brand-new LWFF... it's not bad pots in my case. Dale. ================================================== GPL Rank: +106.12 DSM: www.dsm.org CP990 Panorama Gallery: http://members.home.net/digitallattice/pano.html

I see Jan answered your question about the lap timing in GPL. As for the spiking in your controller in GPL try setting your front wheel cambers as close together as possible ie. Front Left -0.25 Front Right +0.25 or similar . Try to avoid big differences between the two. This stopped the spiking for me with my LWFF. Sid. "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Nqkc7.1736$[email hidden]...

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> GPL is giving me major headaches. First, no matter what I do with > core.ini, I cannot get rid of the spikes in the force feedback that I > posted about a couple of weeks ago. They seem to happen every time I > lift the throttle, and they are getting worse. Normally this would make > me think that it's a controller problem, but GPL is the only game in > which it happens. Surely someone has a solution to this?!?! It's > getting to the point where I can't get decent lap times, because it > spikes when I am downshifting into corners and throws me in the ditch. > > Secondly, I am convinced that the lap timer is wrong. For the most part > the numbers make sense, but many times I have gone into the ditch, got > back out on the road, and completed a lap and then gotten a better lap > time than any of my clean laps. This makes no sense! I have heard that > there is a fast CPU patch available, but I thought it was only for 1.7 > ghz or higher. I am running a 1 ghz Celeron. Theoretically I don't > need it, but I wonder if it would fix the timing problem. Has anyone > tried the patch on slower machines? > > TIA, > Hal > >

A spikey pot is difficult to see. When I had a similar problem, eventually I gave up and replaced the pot in desperation, and it cured the spikes. It's not that bad a job, so it's worth a try. If it makes no difference, you can always put the original one back. R. =-=- It is behaving exactly like a bad pot, but the reason I doubted it is that not only is the problem not showing up in other games, but also when I look at the raw readout in the calibration routine in either N4 or GPL, I do not see any spikes. Also I thought N4's FF implementation was similar to GPL's, but I get no spikes in N4. Anyway, I guess the only way to figure this out for sure is to dig in and look. Thanks for your advice. Regards, Hal -- Posted from motgate4.mot.com [144.189.100.102] via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

I had a similar problem with a Thrustmaster USB wheel non FF, however it only happened online. I traced it to being the USB port sharing an IRQ with my ISDN card. -- Ian P <email invalid due to spammers> "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:twnc7.3367$[email hidden]... > Jan, > > Thanks for the thorough reply. I am not using a centering spring in > GPL, but I will try playing around with the other global settings and > see if that helps. I do have the correct core.ini, I turned off that > silly "hide extensions" feature long ago. ;o) > > Thanks for the explanation of the lap timer thing. It took a minute to > figure out what you meant, but I think I got it. The thing that was > confusing me was that you get a lap time displayed the second time you > pass the pitboard, which made me think that was the time for the first > full lap, i.e. the one I was completing as I passed the pitboard. But > if the timing is based on the start/finish line rather than the pitboard > location, I can see how it would have to be one lap off from that. That > cleared up a lot of confusion! > > Regards, > Hal > > "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > "Haqsau" wrote... > > > GPL is giving me major headaches. First, no matter > > > what I do with core.ini, I cannot get rid of the > > > spikes in the force feedback that I posted about a > > > couple of weeks ago. They seem to happen every time > > > I lift the throttle, and they are getting worse. > > > Normally this would make me think that it's a > > > controller problem, but GPL is the only game in which > > > it happens. Surely someone has a solution to this?!?! > > > It's getting to the point where I can't get decent lap > > > times, because it spikes when I am downshifting into > > > corners and throws me in the ditch. > > > > That's strange... perhaps it's more to do with the general settings of > your > > controller. I've found that I need to change these settings from game > to > > game to maximize the benifit from their internal settings. For GPL I > suggest > > getting rid of centering spring altogether, have the overal force > setting > > nominal, the spring effect setting at like 75-80% and the damping at > about > > 34-40% and make fine adjustments through the settings in core.ini (are > you > > sure you're editing the correct file, BTW, because of Windows default > > behavior of hiding extension for certain filetypes a lot of people end > up > > editing core.ini.sample instead of the actual file). If the effects of > the > > FF really continue to throw you off course, I suggest increasing the > > "overall" damping setting and maybe introducing some centering spring > to > > help keep the wheel straight under braking. > > > > > Secondly, I am convinced that the lap timer is wrong. > > > For the most part the numbers make sense, but many > > > times I have gone into the ditch, got back out on the > > > road, and completed a lap and then gotten a better lap > > > time than any of my clean laps. This makes no sense! > > > I have heard that there is a fast CPU patch available, > > > but I thought it was only for 1.7 ghz or higher. I am > > > running a 1 ghz Celeron. Theoretically I don't need it, > > > but I wonder if it would fix the timing problem. Has > > > anyone tried the patch on slower machines? > > > > Nothing wrong with GPL's timing and no patch is required for CPU's < > 1.4Ghz, > > it's just you need to realise that, true to the era, you're being > timed by a > > virtual guy with a stopwatch, not a TAG-Heurer timing computer. In > places > > where you're pitboard guy is stationed along start/finish this manual > timing > > method implies the time shown to you on the board is that of the last > lap > > you completed, not the one you're on and about to complete. Only > exception > > is the Ring, where you're signaller is on the straight following > Sudkehre > > and receives up to date lap time information via radio from s/f. > > > > Jan. > > =--- > > "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn. > > > > > > >

Some remarks are thrown in below. On Wed, 8 Aug 2001 22:38:49 -0400, "REDLINE426" <redline426<NOSPAM>@yahoo.com> wrote: >Haqsau, reading from the replies of your previous post on this problem, I >would agree with JS's post on the bad potentiometer as being the source of >Jerky wheel in GPL. From my experience of this, I have found that GPL is >very fussy about a dirty pot. Must be something about the dead-center or so.

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> >It is really annoying as that like in your case it doesn't appear in any >other game, Nascar 2 & 3, Need for Speed 3, 4, & 5, and numerous Motorcycle >racing games. Constant recalibration of the windows game control panel, >deleting the controls.cfg file in the player directory, recalibrating the in >game calibration every time you start GPL would only be a band aid for >awhile. I would usually end up replacing the pot about every month or so >depending on how much I would want to race GPL without this annoying >problem. > >Brand New Pot = smooth GPL racing for several weeks. Long ago I read of >people cleaning the pots, but due to the low price of pots and the amount of >time to R&R them, I would always put a new one in.

According to my experience the pots give you problems earliest after one year. This is for extremely extensive use (says my wife, I would call it regularly) and a very humid and warm environment. Unluckily you cannot get Logi-spare pots on the market :-( <snip> JensSchumi --------------------------------------------- LWFF Ball Bearing conversion at: http://members.nbci.com/JensSchu/ GPLRank: -13 Monsters of GPL: sub 200

"JS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > According to my experience the pots give you problems earliest afterone year. > This is for extremely extensive use (says my wife, I would call itregularly) > and a very humid and warm environment. > Unluckily you cannot get Logi-spare pots on the market :-( > Jens, you are saying then that I can't just run down to the local electronics outlet and find an equivalent pot? What is unique about them?

Wouldnt depend on the quality of "pot" at ur local outlet? oops wrong "pot" sorry :) "Haqsau" wrote: | Jens, you are saying then that I can't just run down to the local | electronics outlet and find an equivalent pot? What is unique about | them? | --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.265 / Virus Database: 137 - Release Date: 7/18/2001

I think that kind of pot doesn't give you headaches, it just makes you hungry. "Thom j." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:jMgd7.94165$[email hidden]...

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> Wouldnt depend on the quality of "pot" at ur local outlet? > oops wrong "pot" sorry :) > > "Haqsau" wrote: > | Jens, you are saying then that I can't just run down to the local > | electronics outlet and find an equivalent pot? What is unique about > | them? > | > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.265 / Virus Database: 137 - Release Date: 7/18/2001 > >

Makes ya goofy at times too but I really wouldnt know? I'm old now!! :( "Haqsau" wrote:

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| I think that kind of pot doesn't give you headaches, it just makes you | hungry. | | "Thom j."wrote: | > Wouldnt depend on the quality of "pot" at ur local outlet? | > oops wrong "pot" sorry :) | > | > "Haqsau" wrote: | > | Jens, you are saying then that I can't just run down to the local | > | electronics outlet and find an equivalent pot? What is unique about | > | them?

--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.265 / Virus Database: 137 - Release Date: 7/18/2001

I guess you must run very far. If you find any, buy 100 and offer them here. Problem is 1st: the quality, but the original logi-pots were lousy too 2nd: the milled flattend shaft, this shouts for DIY. 3rd: those tabs (flaps?) at the pot housing. normal pots don't have them. No big problem, since hotglue is your best friend :-) Cya Jens BTW: Mike Turner from UK found the manufacturer (who makes these thingies for several controller producers) and got even a quotation. Price was good, but minimum purchase 1000 pcs. On Sat, 11 Aug 2001 18:17:56 GMT, "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>"JS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:[email hidden]... >> According to my experience the pots give you problems earliest after >one year. >> This is for extremely extensive use (says my wife, I would call it >regularly) >> and a very humid and warm environment. >> Unluckily you cannot get Logi-spare pots on the market :-( >> > >Jens, you are saying then that I can't just run down to the local >electronics outlet and find an equivalent pot? What is unique about >them?

--------------------------------------------- LWFF Ball Bearing conversion at: http://members.nbci.com/JensSchu/ GPLRank: -13 Monsters of GPL: sub 200

I'll have to take a look at them I guess. As it happens, I currently work in the powertrain electronics area at a major auto company, which means we have mounds of catalogs from various electronics suppliers lying around. If there's something available in the area, I'm pretty sure I can find it. "JS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > I guess you must run very far. If you find any, buy 100 and offer themhere. > Problem is > 1st: the quality, but the original logi-pots were lousy too > 2nd: the milled flattend shaft, this shouts for DIY. > 3rd: those tabs (flaps?) at the pot housing. normal pots don't havethem. No big > problem, since hotglue is your best friend :-) > > Cya > Jens > > BTW: Mike Turner from UK found the manufacturer (who makes thesethingies for > several controller producers) and got even a quotation. Price wasgood, but > minimum purchase 1000 pcs. > > > On Sat, 11 Aug 2001 18:17:56 GMT, "Haqsau" <[email hidden]>wrote: > > >"JS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > >news:[email hidden]... > >> According to my experience the pots give you problems earliestafter

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> >one year. > >> This is for extremely extensive use (says my wife, I would call it > >regularly) > >> and a very humid and warm environment. > >> Unluckily you cannot get Logi-spare pots on the market :-( > >> > > > >Jens, you are saying then that I can't just run down to the local > >electronics outlet and find an equivalent pot? What is unique about > >them? > > --------------------------------------------- > LWFF Ball Bearing conversion at: > http://members.nbci.com/JensSchu/ > > GPLRank: -13 > Monsters of GPL: sub 200

Please let us know if you find anything. Cya JensSchumi On Wed, 15 Aug 2001 23:45:55 GMT, "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote: >I'll have to take a look at them I guess. As it happens, I currently >work in the powertrain electronics area at a major auto company, which >means we have mounds of catalogs from various electronics suppliers >lying around. If there's something available in the area, I'm pretty >sure I can find it. --------------------------------------------- LWFF Ball Bearing conversion at: http://members.nbci.com/JensSchu/ GPLRank: -13 Monsters of GPL: sub 200