Question for GPL Joystick users?

This is really a message for those hotlappers who use a Joystick in GPL. What controls do you use for braking & accelerating? I use the fire buttons on my stick (MS PP) as the dead zone isn't big enough to use forward/back, it is impossible to keep the car straight doing this. What times have people done using the buttons for gas/brake? Chris

In article <01bf712d$a2cd6520$74231ec4@chris>, [email hidden] says... > This is really a message for those hotlappers who use a Joystick in GPL. > What controls do you use for braking & accelerating? I use the fire > buttons on my stick (MS PP) as the dead zone isn't big enough to use > forward/back, it is impossible to keep the car straight doing this. > > What times have people done using the buttons for gas/brake? Using digital buttons for your breaking and accelerating in Grand Prix Legends is no good at all. I imagine you spin your wheels every time you accelerate and lock your breaks every time you break, right? Some of my very best hotlaps have been done using the Microsoft Sidewinder Precision Pro (USB) to steer left and right and the excellent pedals from my Microsoft FF wheel to break and accelerate. When it comes to enjoying all the fun and realism of GPL, nothing beats a good FF wheel, but if it's beating your best lap record that you're interested in, a good joystick/pedal setup will do you justice, and is about the best you can get. I'm not sure why you have a problem with the deadzone in the MS Precision Pro stick however. It seems absolutely perfect to me and is splendid in GPL. Remember that the Sidewinder software allows you to determine how much movement is in the stick as well as the size of the deadzone. You might want to look into how yours is set up. Neo

> Using digital buttons for your breaking and accelerating in Grand Prix > Legends is no good at all. I imagine you spin your wheels every time you > accelerate and lock your breaks every time you break, right? > No, because the software automatically switches on traction control and ABS when you use the buttons. Chris

the [snip] Have you assigned braking and accelerating to the same axis? If so, this means that you can't throttle and brake and the same time, right? Don't you find that something of a disadvantage? Also, unless you have far better hand coordination that me, don't you find that while moving the stick in one axis you tend to lose precise control in the other axis? I use a joystick as well, and have assigned steering to the x axis, throttle to the third (z) axis and braking to the trigger. This makes the brakes either on or off, which means that I do sometimes have to pump the trigger to prevent locking up. However, after some experimenting, I find this set up gives me the best and most "natural" feeling control. Next item on my shopping list is a wheel, or at least a set of pedals :) S.

Which is even worse than wheel spinning and skidding! Neo

I'm more of a "warmlapper" but I use a joy stick like Wolfgang does so I guess its a valid way to go. I use the stick for steering and accellerating and braking (x/y axis?). I use the #1 fire button trigger for upshifting and the #4 for downshifts. #3 for clutch and the hatswitch for side looks (where is that maniac Surtees anyway?). The important part of the whole thing is my Logitech Wingman Extreme Digital joystick. Not the awful Logitech Wingman Extreme Digital 3D! Never had a moments worry about exact car control in any driving/racing game. Logitech doesn't make my stick anymore so I bought two from a department store when I replaced my faithful first stick. Best grip of any stick, works with any game without fiddlement and it was cheap! About the only time fit for public exposure I've done was a F2 1:10.05 at The Glen. Good luck. Mtanker A V A S T Right-Wing Conspirator

I use the joystick itself to control left/right and accelerate/brake and only use buttons for changing gears or looking left/right. Somehow I don't think you're going to achieve very good times if you continue using the buttons for gas and brake. I'm not too sure if the MS PP is ideal for my style of driving so I cannot recommend you doing the same as me. I think I tried this stick and found it extremely difficult to steer with as it had very little joystick deflection and required precise movements to keep the car in a straight line. If you really want to know what sort of times can be achieved with just a joystick though, here are some of my current best times :-) Kyalami 1:20.12 Monza 1:27.89 Zandvoort 1:25.11 Nurb'ring 8:20.xx The Glen 1:05.04 Spa 3:18.26 There are no tracks that I am slow on. -- Peter Ives - (AKA Ivington) No person's opinions can be said to be more correct than another's, because each is the sole judge of his or her own experience.

In article <[email hidden]>, Peter Ives <[email hidden]> wrote: > In article <01bf712d$a2cd6520$74231ec4@chris>, Chris Bloom > <[email hidden]> writes > >This is really a message for those hotlappers who use a Joystick inGPL.

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> >What controls do you use for braking & accelerating? I use the fire > >buttons on my stick (MS PP) as the dead zone isn't big enough to use > >forward/back, it is impossible to keep the car straight doing this. > > > >What times have people done using the buttons for gas/brake? > > > > I use the joystick itself to control left/right and accelerate/brake

and

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> only use buttons for changing gears or looking left/right. Somehow I > don't think you're going to achieve very good times if you continue > using the buttons for gas and brake. > > I'm not too sure if the MS PP is ideal for my style of driving so I > cannot recommend you doing the same as me. I think I tried this stick > and found it extremely difficult to steer with as it had very little > joystick deflection and required precise movements to keep the car in

a > straight line. Which stick do you use? How do you handle the inevitable situation where you want to tap the brakes while standing on the accelerator? Do you race any NASCAR or DTR where for some tracks you need to stand on it the whole time? Any soreness or joystick damage from this :-) Did your stick come with an AC/DC power adapter or a power cord? Thanks, from a current Interact FX Racing Wheel user who is considering a joystick because I am hoping it will give more precise control of steering, plus I can't find a power adapter for my racing wheel, and am sick of chewing up batteries. PS no room for a real wheel yet :-( -- Doug Appleyard "Bound to cover just a little more ground" Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

In article <KmLn4.9199$[email hidden]>, "Steven Dickson" <[email hidden]> wrote: [...deleted...] > > Have you assigned braking and accelerating to the same axis? If so,this > means that you can't throttle and brake and the same time, right?Don't you > find that something of a disadvantage? Also, unless you have farbetter > hand coordination that me, don't you find that while moving the stickin one > axis you tend to lose precise control in the other axis? > > I use a joystick as well, and have assigned steering to the x axis,throttle > to the third (z) axis and braking to the trigger. This makes thebrakes > either on or off, which means that I do sometimes have to pump thetrigger > to prevent locking up. However, after some experimenting, I find thisset > up gives me the best and most "natural" feeling control. > Curious which stick you use? Also I am a joystick newby so is the z axis controlled by pushing the stick forward, or do you use the trigger on the joystick, or something else? Actually you said throttle - how does that work for acceleration/deceleration? Is it controlled by your left thumb, and does it rebound when you lift your thumb? Again sorry for being without a clue. Thanks -- Doug Appleyard "Bound to cover just a little more ground" Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

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>This is really a message for those hotlappers who use a Joystick in GPL. >What controls do you use for braking & accelerating? I use the fire >buttons on my stick (MS PP) as the dead zone isn't big enough to use >forward/back, it is impossible to keep the car straight doing this. >What times have people done using the buttons for gas/brake? >Chris

I started GPL with a Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro. Used the left-right motion for steering, the slider for throttle (lots of range of motion), the trigger for braking, the two left side thumb buttons for shifting up or down, the rear thumb button for clutch, and either the base buttons or the hat for sideways looks. With the original drivers, Win95 would not recognize simultaneous button pushes.. ie: no downshifting while braking. Not good. However, the current downloadable drivers DO allow simultaneous buttons, so much better. Braking with the trigger, however, you loose a lot of time because GPL automatically switched on braking assistance, so you can't get maximum braking. ( that's why you all have been running into me from behind ) For that reason alone, I am now retraining myself on a wheel.

deja.com> writes

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>> >This is really a message for those hotlappers who use a Joystick in >GPL. >> >What controls do you use for braking & accelerating? I use the fire >> >buttons on my stick (MS PP) as the dead zone isn't big enough to use >> >forward/back, it is impossible to keep the car straight doing this. >> >What times have people done using the buttons for gas/brake? >> I use the joystick itself to control left/right and accelerate/brake >and >> only use buttons for changing gears or looking left/right. Somehow I >> don't think you're going to achieve very good times if you continue >> using the buttons for gas and brake. >> I'm not too sure if the MS PP is ideal for my style of driving so I >> cannot recommend you doing the same as me. I think I tried this stick >> and found it extremely difficult to steer with as it had very little >> joystick deflection and required precise movements to keep the car in >a >> straight line. >Which stick do you use? How do you handle the inevitable >situation where you want to tap the brakes while standing >on the accelerator?

I use a Saitek Cyborg 3D. It's a digital stick, which I'm hoping will last longer than my previous sticks that have used pots. The pots always became worn very quickly (4 - 6 weeks) resulting in intermittent contact points making the steering very juddery. As far as having to brake whilst accelerating. Mmm, well obviously using my joystick I never am able to, though it hasn't prevented me from driving fast or consistently (I have finished Grand Prix races with this setup). Having never been able to use this technique I am not able to say where I am missing out, or by how much it could be preventing me from improving. :-) I have both N2 and N3 and also have the DTR demo. I'm still pretty new to N3 and haven't raced over 10% distance yet what with graphics card probs (see my other post), though with N2 I used to do 50% races without problems at tracks like Tally, no noticeable soreness. I actually have a glass door from a cabinet that sits on my knees with the stick on that - no room on my computer desk - so during long distance races I do find myself attempting to stretch the old pins, but no arm ache as such. As far as wear, like I said, I found non-digital sticks to wear quite rapidly. No, it just plugged into my game card's joystick port. I'm in the same position. That's why I'm sticking (no pun intended) with my current setup. With more room I would definitely be considering getting a wheel. -- Peter Ives - (AKA Ivington) No person's opinions can be said to be more correct than another's, because each is the sole judge of his or her own experience.