FFB - What's supposed to happen !?

Hi
I have just got my hands on a Thrustmaster T150

I've tried it in a few games, but don't really know What I am supposed top be looking for in regard to all the FFB settings.

For example, Project cars with this wheel is really hard to even steer, Assetto Corsa doesn't seem to have much FFB, and Automobilista Has some when driving fast, but very little when going slower.
Rfactor 2 has a lot of options, So again, I am unsure where to begin, and what exactly I'm looking for.

It maybe a stupid question, but I've no idea what's 'supposed to happen' When you drive over curbs, or just drive on a straight road, etc.

I guess people may say just use the settings I like, but I don't even know what feels natural, and what is just not supposed to be there.
So I'm pretty clueless.

Any universal settings would be ok for a clueless fool like me.
Any ideas?
Thanks

Ps, I like to have the wheel at only about 360 rotation, if that makes any difference.

 

Choose that wheel in controller options , make sure you don't have the ffb set to high

Then your brain will tune in through use
You'll get use to it

Not sure if someone attempting to explain it would help at all

 

Thanks
I tried that, but the wheel is really resisting being steered, also there is no steering lock.
In my wheel settings, and game settings, I set the wheel to 360 degrees, but when I play ,the wheel freely turns the full 1080 degress, but it is very stiff.
I don't think it's working right.

 

Turn down your ffb in your thrustmaster UI to 70%
Spring & damp to off or low

Then after that adjust the ffb strength in rf2 UI to suit

 

Same problem.
The wheel is easy to turn before I run the game, and even in the game menus, but as soon as I start to race, the steering lock dissappears, and the wheel is really hard to turn.

There must be some error.
I tried to set the car steering lock to 360 degrees also, but the dam settings are written differently '28 'degrees etc.
Maybe that is clashing with my original settings, because I can't match them?

Other wise, I've no idea

 

Is there any way to oreverse the FFB?
In Automobilista you can have either - 50 or + 50 etc.

I set it to minus instead of plus, and it's a big improvement.
Can we do the same in Rfactor?

also the car steering lock in game settings.
I want them ate 360 degrees, but the options are often only 10 - 28 degrees.
How to we convert that?

I was having more fun with my non ffb wheel. It felt more intuitive than this shakey garbage lol

 

I also don't understand the FFB option in the game 'Car specific' etc.

Any guides online or anything?
Thanks

 

I read on another post that there are some issues with FFB in the DX11 build. I'm like you, I have no idea of the correct settings (as far as I'm aware there is no documentation regarding this). But it would seem that you may be experiencing the problems with the DX11 build. I just kept my on the default settings and I'm really impressed with the FFB. I've only been racing the Brabham at Spa 66 and the FFB is generally light, as the car has no wings, but some fast corners, in particular the exit of the Stavelot which is flat out the FFB really pushes you towards the edge and then I get a rebound affect as it's pushed in the other direction. Really adds to the sensation of speed. Other thing I noticed that is on the faster corners following Les Combes my left front tyre is off the ground (I believe this started happening once I reduced the gear ratios to get some more speed). Anyway I can distinctively feel through the FFB that the wheel is off the ground, a real achievement from the developers and to be honest I've got no idea how they managed to get the FFB so good as it is.

That being said, I've got no idea whether my FFB is set to optimum as there's no documentation. But it does sound as if you definitely have problems, perhaps it's related to the DX11 build?

 

Look at the thread a few threads down called "Messed up FFB (Resolved)", perhaps it applies to your wheel as well...

 

I think I am running the DX9 build still.
I frankly am lost
Assetto Corsa runs even worse it's totally unplayable, and I've triad various settings., and I just got banned from their forum as I took a disliking to them insinuating I am stupid.

Automobilista runs better now.

But frankly, If I knew FFB set ups could be this hit or miss, I'd never have bought it.

The things is, as I said, I don't really know what I'm looking for as I've never used FFB wheels before,and I don't know what sensations they try to convey, and what ones are erroneous., so it is hard for me to even tweak it in the right direction.

I will check out the links, thanks guys.

I'll try some trouble shooting for a few days, but if I can't get progress, the wheel will have to go back!

 

The plus and minus are no longer needed, rF2 detects the sign automatically correctly when you load a Thrustmaster profile from rF2 controller setttings. Also in older games like rF1 and AMS Thrustmaster wheels are supposed to be using positive, not negative numbers. Negative are for Logitechs, so it sounds your wheel is indeed broken.

 

What I would do is reset all the settings to their default. Ensure you have the Thrustmaster controller and drivers up to date and running before you load rFactor 2. (I can't help with this as mine in Logitech). Then, load up Brabham at Spa 66. Initially you should feel very little feedback from the wheel, just the occasional bump (a slight shake of the wheel). Then drive to the second half of the circuit after the long Masta straight, which has mostly flat out corners. Then driving pretty much flat out (ease off a little to avoid crashing). What you should notice is what I mentioned above, the wheel will push to the left and you have to apply force to the right. However this is most noticeable only really at high speeds. But I really wouldn't change any of the settings until you've gotten used to the defaults. But again this may not apply to the Thrustmaster. If it doesn't feel right in any game, it's possible either the drivers are not installed or even the wheel is faulty.

 

Thanks guys.
Basically I've had little success.
The driving experience is smoother with the FFB turned off.
The only thing I feel is accurate is when I run over the curbs in AMS, it feels very authentic.
As for everything else, I don't know what to make of it, it seems a bit of a mess.
Too much fighting the wheel. the wheel moving on its own
I think I'll be sending the wheel back and going back to my non FFB T80
I'm still not SURE it's broken, but I do not like this FFB experience anyway.

 

Why not a second hand Logitecg G27?

 

I would recommend the G27 as well, although I honestly think FFB in general just takes some getting used to. But it might also be the case that your specific wheel is more geared towards console gamers who prefer a constant and strong FFB. One other thing which I didn't mention was to make sure minimum force is set to 0. I don't know how rFactor handles that but I've always set it to 0 from within the Logitech controller.

 

Maybe I will give it another shot later.
I was told that T150 would be great.
Most reviews were very positive.

One more thing, I'd REALLY like to know how to convert steering look ration to in game car steering ratio.

For example, I'f my wheel is 900 degrees, the garage settings in Rfactor2 give me 10 - 28 degrees only!?
How to convert it to the correct numbers?

Also, I prefer using a much lower lock.. about 440... how to know how many in game degrees that converts too?

I think it's a big mistake to use different number systems - very confusing

 

The steer lock in game will be using the proper range for what ever car you select as long as 'vehicle set' is ticked Then the "stere lock" setting in the set up menu (your 10-28 degrees, using 630 as the baseline) will let you adjust it more but it will be starting at 630 so your 10-28 degrees will be a factor from 630 ,turn it down and it will be faster steering ,less precision shorter throw , turn it up and it will have more precision & slower throw .. Vehicle set only works properly if your wheel is set to 900* in its profiler ..,.

 

This is not entirely true...
I think for most official cars(ISI/397) this applies, but I have driven a few 3rd party mods that are just a bit off.
For example, the Porsche 917, at the default set, its about 20 degrees off at full lock, and about 5-10 at 180. When I set the rotation manually(in rF) to 500 its bang on. My profiler is always set to 900*, overall FFB 107%, center spring/damper at 0. I have never had a deadzone issue with my G27 in 5 years of driving with an FFB level that people say is too strong for it. I have the pedal overlay plugin, and the ffb meter goes red every corner. At the end of an hour enduro its so hot I could fry an egg on it. By most of the opinions on this forum(and others), my G27 should have crapped out a year or two ago.

Im not sure how your TM and my G27 compare, but I usually leave car specific at 1, smoothing between 1-5, and minimum torque between 0-5. Of course, if your wheel is too stiff, reduce car specific ffb by 10 points at a time(1.0 to 0.9 to 0.8 etc.) and do at least 2 laps with each to test the feeling. Lime Rock is a good test track, its short and not too bumpy, and has a couple of hill corners to test ffb functionality.

Each car is different... so there really is no "universal" setting that will make every car feel right. Personally I make little adjustments to each car I drive, mostly the min torque, and a little smoothing if it rattles too hard on the kerbs.

Another thing to play with is the steering rate, it may not make a difference for you but worth a shot.

As far as what FFB "should" feel like, is different per car. Many things affect the steering feel of a car. Power Steering is a big one, and most race cars do not have PS, but some do (F1 for example has PS, while Indy does not). Other things like caster, weight balance, drive type(RWD, FWD, AWD), tyre pressure, and many others will have an impact on how it will feel.

As for what you should feel; bumps in the road/changes in track surface(Watkins Glenn has many different surfaces) will make the wheel "twitch/jerk", kerbs and the grass/dirt/marbles should make it shake consistently. If a corner "scoops" the car (Like the uphill Turn 6 @ Lime Rock [no chicane]) it should get stronger as the car is pulled down by G-Forces, if the car crests a hill mid corner (the top of the same corner) the FFB should get lighter. When you lose traction, the ffb should lighten, and once you find traction again it should be a sharp pull in the opposite direction of the slide. Scenario: Right hand turn, too much mid corner throttle gets the back end out. The ffb should go light once the rear breaks free. As you counter-steer left the ffb should gradually increase, and you should feel the wheel pull sharply to the right when traction comes back, so you snap the wheel back to 0(thereabouts) and the slide should have been saved.

I hope this paints a bit of light instead of casting you further into darkness. I know its a lot to take in, and I have a somewhat hard to understand way of explaining things.

Cheers, and good luck with your wheel.
rocket

 

Thanks very much for the masses of support.
I will have another attempt at this after work
Hopefully I can report back with better results

 

I set my wheel to 900 in the profiler.
Then go to the settings.
But when I try to select 630, and save it, it automatically goes to 800, and even my profiler outside of the game is changed to 800 also !

Very confusing

I tried setting it to 900 in my profiler and in game, but when I save it, it still changes it back to 800

If I don't choose 'vehicle set' then my wheel stays at 900.

I tried the Renaul Megane Trophy on Oulton park.

I left it's steering degrees at maximum in the car settings (about 600) and played it with my wheel set at 900.

I liked it.

I do not know how to tweak settings still.
It's too confusing, sorry.

But this 900 wheel and Renault Megane trophy setting out of the box seems to work well.
It was quite savage and exhilarating actually.

I think my preference of low steering lock makes the game harder to calibrate.
Maybe best to just leave my wheel at 900 and get used to it