RD2 "Wheel" and "Pad" settings -- possib

jbodin · Post by **jbodin** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 2:53 pm

If you are a wheel user and you have trouble the twitchiness using the fully-linear "Wheel" setting in RD2, but you find that the non-linear "Pad" setting doesn't quite give you the necessary controller responsiveness that you're used to in other sims, then I have a possible solution -- I've used the StickWorks CTFJ! utility by Bob "Sticky" Church with several other sims/games; MrLipid first turned me on to this when we were trying to find ways to improve SOS1937, but I've found it useful for other games, too. Here's the scoop on this neat little utility:

CTFJV320.ZIP contains version 3.20 of the CTFJ Joystick Utility for W95 and W98. CTFJ features improved scaling and deadzone routines and expanded scaling methods over those provided with Windows as well as providing Gain and Range adjustments that allow you tailor your joystick reponse for optimum results with any game or simulation. Before installing CTFJ v3.20, you should uninstall any CTFJ v2.xx or CTFJ v3.xx files that you're already using via the Add/Remove program option in the Control Panel. When it asks if you want to delete the CTFJ300.VXD or CTFJ310.VXD files, say 'Yes'. To install CTFJ v3.20, unZIP the file into a temporary directory and run the SETUP program. After installation, please read the DOC file in the installed directory (usually \Program Files\StickWorks\CTFJ3) before trying to use CTFJ3. (772,728 Bytes)

Logitech Users Note: Some users have reported some problems using CTFJ3 with Logitech devices, particularly the force feedback wheels. If you're using one of these units. check TN0001.ZIP (above) for a Tech Note on the problem and it's solutions before you install CTFJ3.

WIN98 SE Users Note: Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) has made some changes in the way that certain types of joysticks are accessed when a game uses the newer DirectInput calls. This primarily affects USB joysticks/controllers when running newer games under W98 SE. In those cases, not all functions of CTFJ will work. Basic centering should still be improved, but the deadzone, sensitivity, and gain adjustments will probably have no effect.

Basically, CTFJ! lets you "tune" your controller's response curves -- you can select fully-linear behavior, or you can select varying response curves for more OR less responsiveness from your controller inputs. A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, so this should give you a better idea of what I'm talking about:

The X-Axis settings are for my wheel, and the Y-Axis is for my brake/throttle (I'm a right-foot braker, so I don't bother with split-axis brake/throttle in GPL or in any other sim). Note that I have the X-Axis (steering) set to be a bit more linear than the Y-Axis (brake/throttle); this allows for slightly more sensitive steering (for better steering responsiveness around center, minus the twitchiness), and slightly less sensitive throttle/brake inputs (minus the lockup tendencies).

If you'd like to try out the settings that I'm using, you can download my RD2 TSW2 Wheel configuration (*.cfg) file for CTFJ! here:

http://irlheat.bhmotorsports.com/RD2/CT ... 2Wheel.zip

Note that these settings are optimized for use when your controller selection is set to "Wheel" in RD2; these settings essentially de-sensitize your wheel and throttle inputs, making them essentially non-linear inputs, but as far as I can tell, it's much MORE linear than the "Pad" settings, but it's just non-linear enough to make things less twitchy than the fully-linear "Wheel" settings by themselves.

I've tried optimizing things in the opposite direction -- that is, setting the controller to "Pad" in RD2 and adjusting the CTFJ! controller response curves for MORE responsive controller inputs, but that didn't work very well.

Overall, though, using the controller profile that I've cooked up with CTFJ! and with the controller selection set to "Wheel" in RD2, Pro-Simulation mode now feels even better than before, in EITHER "Pad" OR "Wheel" setting.

This underscores the need for a controller linearity adjustment from within the RD2 controller selections -- the current non-linear "Pad" and fully-llinear "Wheel" settings just don't provide enough "tune-ability" to provide proper support for the full spectrum of controllers that are available.

Anyway, if you've been playing RD2 with a wheel using the "Pad" setting for your controller, I recommend that you download CTFJ!, apply my RD2 controller configuration file, then fire up RD2, set your controller selection to "Wheel," and see what you think. You might have to play with the response curves in CTFJ! a bit to properly "tune" things for your specific controller, and using the more linear "Wheel" settings will still require a bit of a "learning curve" if you've been using the "Pad" setting, but after playing around with it this way for a while, the end result for me is a MUCH more rewarding and sim-like experience, with less of that vague, "arcade-like" controller responsiveness that seems to appear at times. Zooming around in the Formula Fords now feels much more GPL-like now that my controller responsiveness is more direct, but not to the point of "twitchiness."

You can download the CTFJ! utility here:

http://home.att.net/~stickworks/swdownld.html#CTFJ12

Here's the main page, with lots of other cool controller utilities and such, which might be of interest to some of you:

http://www.stickworks.com/

Let me know if this makes things better for you, and feel free to share any controller-specific configuration files that you come up with -- my TSW2 configuration may not work well with all wheels, but it should make for a good starting point for everybody.

Enjoy!

-- JB

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 6:19 pm

Thanks JB, I have been struggling with finding a decent setting for my Logitech MOMO (red) for several days now. I am not a great tinkerer, but it seems like every change I did make, both within game, in MS Game Controllers, and in the Logitech Profiler settings, all just made things worse. I did end up using the pad setup within TRD2 instead of wheel, but that just did not feel quite right either. I forgot all about that CTFJ utility. I think you were the one who introduced me to it a few years ago. Now I will have to see if I can find a decent setup. With 4 different areas to tweak the control and the force feedback it can sometimes be a daunting task. I will definitely post once I find something decent.

Also, thanks for the tips on career mode race length changes and pro-sim mode for career.

PS - Did your wheel setup changes allow you to race the trucks/ovals using pro-sim or is it still basically impossible to keep them from spinning?

jbodin · Post by **jbodin** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 7:39 pm

DChaps wrote:PS - Did your wheel setup changes allow you to race the trucks/ovals using pro-sim or is it still basically impossible to keep them from spinning?

Not really, unfortunately -- the trucks are easier to handle in the turns now, but I still can't believe how easy it is to lose control while going STRAIGHT.

I'm tempted to pull another "track swapper" trick and do away with the ovals for the Lightning Truck series -- maybe put in a couple of non-ovals, like Brands Indy and Oulton Park Short, perhaps, then dial-in the AI so it would work in career mode.

Just a thought . . .