****************************************************************************** * Force Feedback Tweaking Guide for Simbin Games * * Julien Regnard v1.

0 * * * * Disclaimer (a radi ion as soon as i deals wi ! !ardware"# * * $ assume no res%onsibili & for an& damage. * * Don' forge !a !e energ& &ou s%end urning !e w!eel alwa&s * * end mos l& as fric ion !ea and gears ageing. * * Too s rong and (erk& FF) will s!or en !e life of &our w!eel. * * * ******************************************************************************

1. Why
Recen l& $ was luck& o bu& a G*+, and $ wan ed o configure FF) in GT -egends for i , as !ere is no %rese for G*+. .uickl& i a%%eared !a !e onl& !ing $ could do was o download and es various se u%s o !er %eo%le did or o c!ange randoml& FF) %arame ers un il $ was sa isfied. /s !e se u%s $ downloaded didn' solve !e %roblems $ !ad wi ! GTR* (FF) s%ikes on ever& rack %ol&gon w!en urning !ard wi ! 0orsc!e" $ finall& !ad o c!ange !e %arame ers. T!is wa& $ finall& managed o unders and be er !e role of eac! FF) %arame er in 0-R1R2S files, and $ discovered !a !e FF) se u% accoun s for a ver& large %ar in !e sim. / good se u% can make a sim feel more realis ic, or easier o drive, and a bad se u% can ruin i , or even give !e im%ression !e %!&sics model is wrong or limi ed. T!ere are so man& w!eels, wi ! differen mo ors, differen lineari &, differen lock3 o3lock angle, and so man& drivers wi ! differen as e !a defaul FF) se u%s can feel good onl& for a minori &. FF) is a ma er of as e, ever&one !as i 's own se u%, $ !o%e !is guide will !el% &ou o find 4uickl& a se u% !a fi s &our as e and &our w!eel. 0ersonnal&, $ wan ed o find a se u% !a feels more like a real w!eel (even if i means slower la%s" ra !er !an a 5magical5 se u% o go fas er.

2. FFB forces
A. Available forces...this is what you can feel in Simbin games:
* The most important, steering force: 6ow !e &res are %us!ing !e w!eel !roug! !e s eering column. 7i ! !is force &ou can feel !ow !e car weig! is 5moving5 from one side o !e o !er, and back o fron , and road !oles, bum%s, grass, 8D s ri%s... T!is is !e mos im%or an !ing, even more !an gri%, because !is force will warn &ou before gri% is los , and &ou will feel w!ere car limi s are. T!is force coun ers eers w!en !e car is overs eering, brings !e w!eel in line w!en &ou le i urn. * tyre grip: $n Simbin games, &re gri% is massivel& e9agera ed in FF) and added o cornering force, o make !e w!eel loose w!en &ou !ave los gri%. T!is !el%s o unders and 4uickl& w!a are !e gri% limi s of a car, bu i of en masks

ver& valuable informa ion like slig!

c!anges in s eering forces.

* steering column Friction and Damper: /ll s eering columns use a s eering mul i%lica ion, and some imes a %ower s eering assis ance. $ !el%s !e driver a lo , and i makes !e s eering less direc . Fric ion and dam%er FF) allow &ou o simula e !is effec . T!is is no calcula ed b& !e %!&sics engine, (us FF). /nd i can en irel& c!ange !ow !e sim feels :: T!is is w!a gives s eering column a mass, some iner ia, makes i loose or ver& reac ive, realis ic or no . 7i !ou fric ion and dam%er !e w!eel is as lig! as !e in ernal FF) mec!anism allows. * additional FFB-candy: 3 brakes vibra ion# vibra ion added w!en &ou brake. 6el%s &ou o feel !ow s rong &ou brake, as !e vibra ion slows down wi ! car. 3 !ro le vibra ion# vibra ion added w!en &ou accelera e. 6el%s &ou o feel !ow s rong &ou accelera e, as !e vibra ion accelera e wi ! car. 3 s eering vibra ion# vibra ion added w!en &ou urn. 3 s ri%s vibra ion and force# vibra ion and force added w!en a &re is over a s ri%, as some s ri%s are no %!&sical ob(ec s, bu e9 ures genera ing no forces on &res. 3 (ol s# FF) s%ikes w!en &ou ouc! ano !er car or a wall.

B. FFB levels
* Low: s eering force (s eering;gri%" * Medium s eering force; dam%er; fric ion; s ri%s rumble *High s eering force; dam%er; fric ion; s ri%s rumble; brakes vibra ion *Full s eering force; dam%er; fric ion; s ri%s rumble; brakes vibra ion; vibra ion; s eering vibra ion

!ro

le

3. FFB parameters
For GT-, GTR*, FF) %arame ers are in eac! %la&er se u% (.0-R files". <ou can find !ese files in !e folder =serDa a1*=ser>ame*. For 7T22 Race, FF) %arame ers are in a .rcs file loca ed in =serDa a12on rolSe . T!e file is named like !e con roller se u% &ou c!oose in game (for e9am%le ?-ogi ec! G*+ S ick s!if .rcs@". 7!en &ou c!ange !ese %arame ers, don' forge o make a backu% co%& of &our 0-R (or rcs" file. $f &ou c!ose a FF) %rese in !e game, i will override all c!anges &ou made %reviousl& in !e file.

FF) %arame ers are a !e end of file. 6ere is a lis of !e mos im%or an %arame ers wi ! !eir role (w!a $ !ink $ unders ood wi ! some es s and e9%erimen s, i ma& be wrong bu is seems o work as e9%ec ed"#

A- Global parameters
*FFB ffects Le!el"#$# %% &um'er of FFB effects to use: ("&o ffects, )"Low, *"Medium, +"High, $"Full, ,"-ustom. $f &ou se i o 1, &ou (us !ave cornering and gri% forces. A !er levels ac iva e ar ificial vibra ions. 0arame er %resen in game =$. See *.). *FFB /ain"#(.00(((# %% 1trength of Force Feed'ac2 effects. T!is is overall FF) s reng !, %arame er %resen in game. 3ange (.( to ).(.

B- Steer force (cornering+grip

*FFB steer force input ma4"#-)),((.(((((# %% 3ecommended: )),(( 5-)),(( if controller pulls in the wrong direction6. T!is %arame er s!ould be c!anged onl& if w!eel is %ulling in !e wrong direc ion. /ll -ogi ec! w!eels !ave a nega ive value *FFB steer force output ma4"#).7((((# %% Ma4imum force output of steering force, recommendation (.8 to *.( T!is is !e ma9imum ou %u allowed for s eering force. *FFB steer force a!erage weight"#(.9((((# %% How much weight is gi!en to new steering force calculations each frame 5(.() - ).(6. Lower !alues will smooth out the steering force, 'ut will also add latency. Bver& frame, s eering force &ou can feel is an average of %revious frame force and new calcula ed force using !is weig! . 0.01 means new force is CCD %revious frame force and 1D newl& calcula ed force. 0.C0 means new force is 10D %revious frame force and C0D newl& calcula ed force. >o e !a i is framera e de%endan ... !is causes FF) o feel differen be ween wo com%u ers wi ! differen s%eed: $n rFac or, !is wa& of smoo !ing s eer force was re%laced b& a framera e inde%endan algori !m. T!is is a ver& im%or an %arame er...a lower value will give &ou smoo !er FF) wi ! some la enc&. For e9am%le, wi ! 0.80, i will remove !e anno&ing FF) s%ikes &ou can feel in GTR* wi ! 0orsc!e wi !ou adding a no iceable la enc&: *FFB steer force e4ponent"#(.7,(((# %% 1teering force output #sensiti!ity#. 3ange (.( to infinity. (.( to ).( " higher sensiti!ity, greater than ).( " lower sensiti!ity. T!is %arame er c!anges !e wa& FF) ou %u is fil ered (!ow !e forces increase w!en &ou urn !e w!eelEslower or fas er !an linearl&". Defines !ow !e

s eering feels (loose or s!ar%" in !e cen er. -ower value will give &ou a s!ar% s eering feeling bu will in roduce oscilla ions around cen er and &ou will lose de ails in forces. 6ig!er values will give &ou a loose s eering in cen er, bu more de ails in forces. *FFB steer update thresh"#(.(((),(((((# %% :mount of change re;uired to update steer force%!i'e 5(.( - ).(6. Lower !alues " steering force updated more fre;uently " lower frame rate. FF) forces genera ed b& !e w!eel are u%da ed onl& if !eir value !as c!anged more !an !is !res!old. To ge !e mos accura e FF), and if &ou !ave no framera e issues, !is %arame er can be se o 0 *FFB steer force grip weight"#(.9((((# %% 3ange (.( to ).(, recommended: (.$ to (.9. How much weight is gi!en to tire grip when calculating steering force. T!is %arame ers c!anges !e wa& cornering forces and gri% are mi9ed oge !er. 0.C means s eering force e4ual C0D gri% and 10D cornering. T!is is a ver& im%or an %arame er. $ seems !a in Simbin games !is %arame er is massivel& e9agera ed o focus on gri% level. =nfor una el& !is e9agera ion !as a cos # w!en &ou lose gri% &ou suddenl& lose C0D of forces and i is 4ui e difficul o recover during overs eer as &ou !ave onl& 10D of force o guess w!a o do. *FFB steer force grip factor"#(.0((((# %% 3ange (.( to ).(, recommended: (.* to (.0. How much of a factor the front wheel grip is on the steering weight. T!is %arame er c!anges !e weig! of fron and real &res in !e gri% force. 0.F means gri% force is F0D fron &res gri% and G0D rear &res gri%.

! - steering column friction an" "amper

Fric ion forces are resis ive forces !a de%end on !e forces a%%lied on !e w!eel (even if !e w!eel is no urning". T!e s ronger &ou %us!, !e s ronger i resis . / !ig! fric ion s eering will be eas& o urn in s raig! line or a low s%eed (in suc! condi ion &res are eas& o urn, &ou need o a%%l& a modera e force o urn !e w!eel, and so fric ion resis ive force will be modera e". )u in condi ions like !ig! s%eed and s rong urns w!ere &res are more difficul o urn, resis ive fric ion forces will become s ronger (as &ou are %us!ing s ronger on !e w!eel". $ncreasing fric ion is like removing lubrican . Dam%er forces are resis ive forces !a de%end on w!eel s%eed... !e fas er &ou urn !e w!eel, !e s ronger i resis . -ike urning some !ing in o a !ick fluid. $ncreasing dam%er is like increasing fluid !ickness. $n Simbin games, s eering mec!anism effec on feel (usuall& ver& im%or an , can kill a good sim" is onl& simula ed using !ese %arame ers. *FFB steer friction coefficient"#(.)((((# %% -oefficient to use for steering friction. 3ange: -).( to ).( T!is %arame ers defines !ow s rong !e s eering column fric ion is. 0.10 means !a !e s eering fric ion makes !e w!eel 10D more difficul o urn !an !e s eering force alone.

6ig!er value give mec!anism.

!e im%ression of an old, rus &, non3assis ed s eering

*FFB steer friction saturation"#).(((((# %% 1aturation !alue to use for steering friction. 3ange: ( - ).( T!is %arame er defines !e ma9imum value fric ion force can reac!. (i !as be com%ared o FF) s eer force ou %u ma9"

*FFB steer damper coefficient"#(.)((((# %% -oefficient to use for steering damper. 3ange: -).( to ).( T!is %arame ers defines !ow s rong !e s eering column dam%er is. T!is coefficien is some!ow mul i%lied b& w!eel s%eed o give a resis ive force. 6ig!er value give !e im%ression of a !eavier s eering column !a akes more ime and effor o move. *FFB steer damper saturation"#).(((((# %% 1aturation !alue to use for steering damper. 3ange: ( - ).( T!is %arame er defines !e ma9imum value dam%er force can reac! (i !as o be com%ared o FF) s eer force ou %u ma9"

3. Tweaking FFB parameters

6ere is a kind of ?s ra eg&@ in + s e%s (;* o% ional" &ou can a%%l& o ob ain w!a ever feeling &ou wan from Simbin games force feedback. $ onl& ake care of mos im%or an %arame ers o make i s!or er.

A - Start from a simple FFB setup

To kee% !e %rocess under con rol, s ar from a sim%le FF) se u%. $ s ar from !is se u%, no vibra ions, no dam%er, no fric ion, no 1.0 gain, 1.0 e9%onen . FF) FF) FF) FF) FF) FF) FF) FF) FF) Bffec s -evelH515 GainH51.000005 s eer force e9%onen H51.000005 s eer force gri% weig! H50.000005 s eer force gri% fac orH51.000005 s eer fric ion coefficien H50.000005 s eer fric ion sa ura ionH51.000005 s eer dam%er coefficien H50.000005 s eer dam%er sa ura ionH51.000005 &re gri%,

Tr& i ...w!a &ou feel is &re load and cornering forces...of course, !e w!eel is oo lig! in cen er, (erk&, i moves a lo , bu &ou can feel mass ransfer informa ion.

B - #ntro"uce front wheels grip level.

$ncrease %arame er 5FF) s eer force gri% weig! 5. T!is is !e weig! of gri% informa ion in !e forces &ou can feel. $ makes !e w!eel lig! er w!en &ou lose gri%. Too low and &ou feel no !ing, oo !ig! and i kills some info like

mass ransfer. $f &ou increase i reasonabl&, &ou feel !e w!eel slig! l& lig! er w!en unders eering. $ r& o increase i un il !e w!eel becomes as lig! w!en $ unders eer (gri% info" !an w!en $ overs eer (mass ransfer info".

! - intro"uce rear wheels grip level. ($ptional

For !e momen , gri% informa ion &ou added is 100D fron gri%. <ou feel overs eering !roug! mass ransfer. T!is is w!a !a%%en in real s eering and can be enoug! for w!eels wi ! s!ar% FF) like G*+. $f &ou reall& wan o add rear &re gri% informa ion, &ou can c!ange %arame er 5FF) s eer force gri% fac or5. 2urren l& !e value is 1.0 $ means !e gri% info added is 100D fron gri%. $f for e9am%le &ou se i o 0.I gri% info becomes I0D fron , *0D rear. $f &ou wan a realis ic se u%, kee% i 1.0. $f &ou wan more informa ion, lower i .

% - a"&ust steering force smoothing to get ri" of FFB spi'es an" feel better car mass.
S eering force ou %u is fil ered ever& frame, using !e %arame er 5FF) s eer force average weig! 5. Au %u for curren frame H calcula ed s eering force for curren Frame *coeff;(1.03coeff"*Au %u for %revious frame $ allows o ge rid of FF) s%ikes occuring on racks %ol&gon limi s bu in roduces la enc&. T!is able s!ows, for differen values of !e 5FF) s eer force average weig! 5 %arame er, even s w!ic! are fil ered... !is is also roug!l& e4ual o !e la enc& in roduced. For e9am%le, w!en %arame ers value is 0.8*, &ou will no feel an&more FF) s%ikes !a las less !an * frames. $f &our average framera e is +0 f%s, i means &ou ge rid of s%ikes las ing less !an **11+0H0.0Gs 2oef value 0.C+ 0.JC 0.+G 0.8* 0.*8 0.1I 0.1G+ 0.1* 0.10F 0.0C8 0.0I8 0.0J+ Dura ion of even s fil ered H la enc& (in frames" 0.*+ 0.+ 1 * 8 G + F J I C 10

>o e !a !is is framera e de%endan (rFac or c!anged !is algori !m o avoid !is de%endanc&". $ means !a com%u ers wi ! a !ig!er framera e fil er less

and less !e s%ikes and !ave a (erk& FF). Tr& o decrease !is %arame er un il &ou are sa isfied wi ! FF) smoo !ness wi !ou being dis urbed b& la enc&. FF) overall s reng ! will decrease w!en fil ered bu !is will be correc ed la er. 7i ! an average framera e of F0 $ use 0.*I o ge rid of s%ikes wi !ou an& anno&ing la enc&. T!is was ver& !el%ful wi ! 0ower K Glor& mod and i allows o !ave a smoo ! s eering wi !ou dam%er, w!ic! is nice because dam%er ma& !ave a bad effec in cri ical manoeuvers.

(- a"&ust steer force output level to compensate for smoothing.

/s &ou no iced, smoo !ing decreases !e level of forces. $ncrease slig! l& 5FF) s eer force ou %u ma95 un il i feels be reasonable limi (recommended range is 0.I3*.0" er...s a& in

F- intro"uce "amper an" friction. ($ptional

7!a &ou can feel now are forces coming direc l& from &res and sus%ension geome r&, re%roduced wi !ou dis orsion. S eering mul i%lica ion mec!anism (and %ower assis ance" c!ange drama icall& !ow !e s eering feel. T!e& in roduce smoo ! dam%er and fric ion forces &ou can feel all !e ime w!en &ou s eer, and modera e &re forces. T!e& make &re forces more %resen close from cen er and less s rong far from cen er o give a be er feeling of !e rack. $f &ou wan o simula e !e direc ion column, se !ese wo %arame ers#

FF) s eer dam%er coefficien # defines !ow muc! dam%ered !e s eering is. 0.0 is unrealis ic, 0.* is reasonabl& dam%ered, 0.G corres%onds o a modern road car assis ed direc ion, !eavil& dam%ered. FF) s eer fric ion coefficien # i s!ould be nega ive, !alf !e value of dam%er, o be sure !a !e w!eel moves fas w!en re4uired b& !e car movemen s. For e9am%le, if &ou like dam%er 0.*, fric ion be ween 30.1 and 30.* gives nice resul s.

G- a"&ust wheel behavior in center.

To ad(us w!eel be!avior in cen er and c!ange s eering sensi ivi &, c!ange 5FF) s eer force e9%onen 5. -ower value will give &ou a s!ar% s eering feeling bu will in roduce oscilla ions around cen er like if a cen ering s%ring was used, and &ou will lose de ails in forces. 6ig!er values will give &ou a loose s eering in cen er, bu more de ails in forces.

Ti%# o ad(us !is %arame er, c!eck w!eel coun ers eering be!avior...w!en &ou !eavil& overs eer and !en !e rear is bru all& coming back and s ar s overs eering !e o !er wa&....w!eel s!ould coun ers eer 4uickl&. -ower !e %arame er un il &ou are sa isfied wi ! w!eel coun ers eering be!avior in suc! si ua ion. For informa ion, defaul Simbin value is 0.J+ and &ou s!ould no go lower !an 0.+ o !erwise !e w!eel will oscilla e violen l& around cen er.

$ Ls done. >ow &ou can increase FF) Bffec s -evel

urn on all vibra ions.