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To "linear" or to "non-linear," that is the question.

11 posts by 10 people · 26 May 1999 - 28 May 1999

-~=Darek M= 26 May 1999#470342
Can anyone explain what exactly the difference between the two is and what linearity means? And what do youprefer to use? I personally never experimented with it (maybe I should) but I saw some thing on a site that said the majority of people have the scale all the way to the left. So what does it mean and what is the difference/advantade/disadvantage? **** Posted from RemarQ - http://www.remarq.com - Discussions Start Here (tm) ****
5th Docto 26 May 1999#470343
>Can anyone explain what exactly the difference between the two is and what >linearity means? Linear=constant level of controller input as you move through the input axis. nonLinear=parabolic level of controller input. Near center, the controller input in very insensitive. You may wiggle the joystick a few degrees side to side without effecting the vehicle. As you move the controller to the axis extreem, the input increases more and more as you aproach the axis extreem. The idea is, steering wheels use 180 degrees or more of axis travel vs joysticks which have about 50 degrees of axis travel. Using nonlinear input, a joystick user may turn a car through a tight turn, and still be able to stay in a straight line while on a straightaway. If you find that your vehicle is very hard to keep in a straight line, you may want to dial in some more nonlinear effect. Combinations of steering lock and steering linearity are many, and the magic combo is user preference. For example, in GPL, at monza, I use 20 degrees of wheel lock, steering linearity at about 1/3 from the left, using a Nascar Pro wheel through a PDPI gameport. I personally never experimented with it (maybe The difference you will feel after some experimenting, the advantage/disadvantages are totally subjective. It's just a matter of "feel". I set mine so that I can keep the car straight with a minimum of effort while turning the wheel results in a comfortable and believeable response, one that is predictable. Note: arguable the fastest sim racer in GPL uses a joystick, and I would be interested in what he has for settings. (tm) ****
Aubrey 26 May 1999#470344
Well... lets try to keep it simple. If the steering is too twitchy on the straight, move the slider to the right. If its too twitchy mid-corner, move it to the left. I think its a mistake to say there is any one best setting. It depends on your controller. I've got mine a little more than halfway to the right. **** Posted from RemarQ - http://www.remarq.com - Discussions Start Here (tm) ****
Joe Marques 27 May 1999#470501
Linear is a 1:1 ratio between the steering wheel and the front wheels (not in terms of actual degrees but in terms of proportion). Meaning every degree of steering wheel rotation results in a equally proportional amount of front wheel movement. Non-linear is a variable ratio. When you first turn the steering wheel from center position and rotate left/right in non-linear mode the front wheels move less than 1:1. Meaning the front wheels move less than expected given the amount of rotation of the steering wheel. As you increase the steering wheel rotation, the front wheels turn at a greater than 1:1 ratio to the steering wheel. Meaning, near the limits of steering wheel rotation (approaching wheel lock) the front wheels seem to move more than expected relative to the amount of rotation of the steering wheel. The end result with non-linear is what seems like accelerated steering. The front wheels move slowly as you first start turning the steering wheel then move faster as you turn harder. I keep the GPL slider 1/4 between linear and non-linear (closer to linear). I have a TSW2 which is extremely precise so I can control the tight response of a linear-biased set up. My explanation is not scientific, it is interpretation of what the different modes feel like. (tm) ****
NanaKofi 27 May 1999#470502
You know when I went from joystick to wheel (1st Indycar racing game by Papyrus) I could never quite acheive my joystick times. Hmmmm..... Well, at I know I'm no pro sim racer. Just a guy who likes to drive and have fun. -Stan
See http://www.powerup.com.au/~philmak/GP2MAN/LowSen.htm This explains GP2 stuff but is basicly the same thing as your question. Phillip McNelley
Quoted text (9 lines)>Can anyone explain what exactly the difference between the two is and what >linearity means? >And what do youprefer to use? I personally never experimented with it (maybe >I should) but I saw >some thing on a site that said the majority of people have the scale all the >way to the left. >So what does it mean and what is the difference/advantade/disadvantage? >**** Posted from RemarQ - http://www.remarq.com - Discussions Start Here (tm) ****
Thom j. 27 May 1999#470504
Yes and the arguable fastest sim racer in GPL using a joystick might never say?! That is why he is arguable the fastest! He is not being secretive, Just smart..;0) Don't you think we should respect this? Cheers Thom_j. <snipped> > Note: arguable the fastest sim racer in GPL uses a joystick, and I would be > interested in what he has for settings.
john moore 27 May 1999#470505
This is from a post I did two days ago. Just to clarify information from yestaerdays posts. Linearity and deadzone are two different things. Deadzone refers to the "gap" in the center of the controllers range of movement. This gap is by default in windows 5 degrees which with various utilities can be adjusted to more or less with some people preferring to run 0 degrees. If your controller has physically/mechanically poor centering a 0 deadzone would be tough to drive, but if your controller is of high quality and you are a sensitive driver then you may get better control with a minimal deadzone. Lots of different thoughts on that I'm sure. Linearity on the other hand refers to the amount of game input compared to controller input. For example full linearity would give corresponding game input to controller input, 10% controller movement = 10% game input, 50% = 50% and so on. Full non-linearity however gives comparitively higher game input to controller input, 10% controller movement = 12% game input, 20% = 24%, 50% = 70% and so on. In other words linear the line is straight in nonlinear it is curved (think like a graph). The more non-linearity you put in the steeper the curve. This may not be totally clear, feel free to add and comment as necessary. John Moore
5th Docto 27 May 1999#470506
Absolutley Thom, I'm just curious...
Quoted text (15 lines)>Yes and the arguable fastest sim racer in GPL using a joystick >might never say?! That is why he is arguable the fastest! He is >not being secretive, Just smart..;0) Don't you think we should >respect this? Cheers Thom_j. ><snipped> >> Note: arguable the fastest sim racer in GPL uses a joystick, and I would >be >> interested in what he has for settings.
Actually that second example is also linear.(plot it and see a straight line) A non-linear example would be: 10% wheel = 5% game, 20% = 15%, 30% =40% and so on. -Bj?rn

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