DiRT Rally FFB tweak (no void)

Derinahon · Apr 29, 2015

That empty 10 - 2 position is now filled with glorious surface texture. Enjoy! Thanks Msportdan for the pad/wheel switch.

29/4
- Made some small changes to suspension and lateral settings.
30/4
- Updated to catch some feedback from tarmac
- Removed some overlap on suspension setting, feels cleaner now
- Reduced SelfAligningTorque - counter steering had too much resistance
- Switched collision settings to wheel; seems to add some nice effects
- Switched FFBSkid to wheel (these still need tweaking)

Steering resistance:

If anyone prefers the original resistance, change line 4 to:

<FFBEffectSelfAligningTorque device="wheel" scale="1.0"/>

or adjust to preference.

My wheel and settings:
T500RS default with 540 rotation.
In game:
Vibration 100
Strength 90
Weight 50

Open '\Steam\SteamApps\common\DiRT Rally\forcefeedback\effectsetup.xml' and replace contents entirely with the below. Make a backup of the original!

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<FFBEffects soloRampRate="1000" soloAttenuation="0">

   <FFBEffectSelfAligningTorque device="wheel" scale="0.5"/>

   <FFBlateral device="wheel" scale="1.0" velocityFactor="0.04" frictionGripScalar="55.0" frictionSurfaceScalar="6.5"/>

   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="0.75" thresholdLow="0.6" thresholdHigh="10.0" damageZone="0" freq="15.0" length="0.3" sample="smallCollisionWheel"/>
   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="0.75" thresholdLow="10.0" thresholdHigh="5000.0" damageZone="0" freq="10.0" length="0.6" sample="largeCollisionWheel"/>

   <FFBSuspension device="wheel" scale="0.12" thresholdLow=".07" thresholdHigh=".4" freq="7" length="0.4" sample="suspensionWheel"/>
   <FFBSuspension device="wheel" scale="0.18" thresholdLow=".4" thresholdHigh="2.5" freq="5" length="0.4" sample="suspensionWheel"/>
   <FFBSuspension device="wheel" scale="1.0" thresholdLow="2.5" thresholdHigh="20.0" freq="5" length="0.4" sample="suspensionWheel"/>

   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="0.07" thresholdLow="0.01" thresholdHigh="0.6" damageZone="0" freq="20.0" length="0.1" sample="scrapeCollisionLow"/>
   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="0.07" thresholdLow="0.01" thresholdHigh="0.6" damageZone="0" freq="20.0" length="0.1" sample="scrapeCollisionHigh"/>
   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="2.0" thresholdLow="0.6" thresholdHigh="10.0" damageZone="0" freq="15.0" length="0.2" sample="smallCollisionLow"/>
   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="2.0" thresholdLow="0.6" thresholdHigh="10.0" damageZone="0" freq="15.0" length="0.2" sample="smallCollisionHigh"/>
   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="2.5" thresholdLow="10.0" thresholdHigh="5000.0" damageZone="0" freq="10.0" length="0.5" sample="largeCollisionLow"/>
   <FFBCollision device="wheel" scale="2.5" thresholdLow="10.0" thresholdHigh="5000.0" damageZone="0" freq="10.0" length="0.5" sample="largeCollisionHigh"/>

   <FFBSkid device="wheel" scale="1.2" thresholdLow="0.9" thresholdHigh="1.1" thresholdMin="3.0" freqLow="4" freqHigh="30.0" load="1.0" length="0.2" sample="skidBack"/>
   <FFBSkid device="wheel" scale="1.6" thresholdLow="1.0" thresholdHigh="1.3" thresholdMin="3.0" freqLow="16.0" freqHigh="16.0" load="1.0" length="0.1" sample="skidFront"/>

   <FFBSuspension device="wheel" scale="0.25" thresholdLow="1.6" thresholdHigh="20.0" length="0.25" freq="7" sample="suspensionR1"/>
   <FFBSuspension device="wheel" scale="0.25" thresholdLow="1.6" thresholdHigh="20.0" length="0.25" freq="7" sample="suspensionL1"/>

   <FFBRevs device="wheel" scale="0.25" thresholdLow="0.1" thresholdHigh="1.2" freqLow="1" freqHigh="18.0" scaleLow="0.2" scaleHigh="0.95" length="0.05" sample="revEffect"/>

   <FFBSample name="scrapeCollisionLow" wave="9" envelope="61125521121"/>
   <FFBSample name="scrapeCollisionHigh" wave="9" envelope="98721" channel="1"/>

   <FFBSample name="smallCollisionLow" wave="9" envelope="986454321"/>
   <FFBSample name="smallCollisionLow" wave="9" envelope="982312531"/>
   <FFBSample name="smallCollisionHigh" wave="9" envelope="986454321" channel="1"/>
   <FFBSample name="smallCollisionHigh" wave="9" envelope="982312531" channel="1"/>

   <FFBSample name="skidBack" wave="9" envelope="0" channel="1" solo="1"/>
   <FFBSample name="skidFront" wave="9" envelope="9" channel="1" solo="1"/>
  
   <FFBSample name="largeCollisionLow" wave="9" envelope="98675462584" solo="1"/>
   <FFBSample name="largeCollisionLow" wave="9" envelope="98765432629" solo="1"/>
   <FFBSample name="largeCollisionHigh" wave="9" envelope="98675462594" channel="1" solo="1"/>
   <FFBSample name="largeCollisionHigh" wave="9" envelope="98765432628" channel="1" solo="1"/>

   <FFBSample name="suspensionR1" wave="9" envelope="9564720" channel="0"/>
   <FFBSample name="suspensionL1" wave="1" envelope="9564720" channel="1"/>

   <FFBSample name="revEffect" wave="91" envelope="9" channel="1"/>

   <FFBSample name="smallCollisionWheel" wave="124689" envelope="97654321000"/>
   <FFBSample name="largeCollisionWheel" wave="5697641345" envelope="9879987542312"/>

   <FFBSample name="suspensionWheel" wave="64" envelope="9"/>

</FFBEffects>

Paul Middleton · May 9, 2015

Hello guys. i just used this xml in dirt rally, using my new tx ferrari italia wheel. and yes definitely improved the gap at 10 to 2 where there was no ffb at all.
BUT, what is it we are suppose to be feeling. to me honestly, it feels like i have buckled wheels, or that i have a loose wheel and its about to fall off. am not feeling the raise of the road up and down. like id really like to. just the buckled wheel effect. i also like a little wheel weight but am not getting any, not until i have turned my wheel a good bit. is this normal. i get a good feeling when i bang into a hump or side of road, its a great bumpy feeling, i actually like the way that feels, but i really dont like this feeling of having buckled wheels. and no spring or weight. i cant feel the tires grip its there but it come and goes so fast, with no real resistance, feels like the cars is constantly loosing its grip. i hope they will do some work on this force feedback for dirt rally, it deserves some better ffb this game, its really got the roads for it. right now am not really enjoying it.
my settings are same as yours,

540 deg
In game:
Vibration 100
Strength 90
Weight 10

i tried putting up weight but cant feel any difference myself
even gone into wheel preferences and put everything on max. doesn't feel very nice at moment.

Hellracer234 · May 9, 2015

Hi Paul!
I read somewhere that Codemasters acknowledged that the FFB so far is´nt fully developed for wheels, and that they are working on an accurate sim FFB for steering wheels.
This fix does not really do so much more than filling the emty space that previously were between 10 and 2, and that we now (to some extent) also can feel the suspension working, and the car feels better on tarmac now.
The vibration you feel in the steering wheel, is still not so much a result of irregularities in the road, these are artificially to create a sense of road contact for pads.
But there is no doubt that this fix makes the game muth mor fun and now playable (for the time being), which was´nt the case before the fix according to me and many others.
I realy hope Codis release the real sim FFB soon and it proves to be in class with RBR : )

Skazz · May 9, 2015

I've been running my T300 on 50% vibration, 100% force and 0% weight. And it doesn't feel that great, but it is super easy to control the cars so I was just accepting it. Interestingly the T500 feels better, but I find it hard to explain how/why: I think it gives more surface feel.

Last night I decided to have a few quick sessions on DiRT 3 Complete Edition with the T300 and was really surprised by just how much FFB information I was getting. Bumps were less felt, but track texture and car grip levels (particularly in Rallycross) were really nice.

A mix between Codemasters older FFB and the good points of this DiRT Rally tweaked FFB would be reasonable. Not awesome, but certainly a good step forwards.

Msportdan · May 9, 2015

skazz you know you can stick the dirft 3 Effect.xml into dirt rally!

someone in the ffb thread has done it

Hellracer234 · May 9, 2015

I have tryed the Dirt 3 Effect.xml but i dont think it become any better( at least fo me an my G27 ) than the original modded version we use. Perhaps Dirt Rally is programed somewhat differant then Dirt 3 so that Dirt Rally dossent read the Dirt 3 effect.xml the right way, i dont know.

sebbe1985 · May 9, 2015

Hi guys! Can somebody help me with settings for Logitech G25? Including the settings for Logitech Profiler global settings etc. I could only find in game settings for G27 in this thread. I have no idea how a real rally card should feel like so I can't really test different settings =/ Thanks guys!

Hellracer234 · May 10, 2015

sebbe1985 said:
Hi guys! Can somebody help me with settings for Logitech G25? Including the settings for Logitech Profiler global settings etc. I could only find in game settings for G27 in this thread. I have no idea how a real rally card should feel like so I can't really test different settings =/ Thanks guys!

Profiler settings:
http://sv.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2qla79u&s=8#.VU7nGvntmko

sebbe1985 · May 10, 2015

Hellracer234 said:
Profiler settings:
http://sv.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2qla79u&s=8#.VU7nGvntmko

That feels completely wrong. The wheel is just shaking all the time, even when standing still. And with 543 degrees the U-turns are almost impossible to take..

Hellracer234 · May 10, 2015

sebbe1985 said:
That feels completely wrong. The wheel is just shaking all the time, even when standing still. And with 543 degrees the U-turns are almost impossible to take..

Then why do tou ask? I suggest that you test differant settings your self, thats the best way to get it just the way you want it : )

Deyrick · May 11, 2015

Put it to 330 degrees rotation or reduce the steering Saturation Slider in game.

Also put Centering spring to 0, no driving Sim has used a value above 0 for over 10 years.
(All it produces is a fake centering force, hence the name).

Just Rotation and Force Effects Strength need value, others leave at 0.

I use the XML with G25, wheel settings as above on Windows controller settings (I never use Logitechs profiler as no need, some software does not even like it).

In game 70, 70, 20 for force settings.

bokoy · May 12, 2015

Many thanks, it looks like a different game, awesome work.
LT Momo racing whell

Dave McMillan · May 14, 2015

Latest quote from Codies

“We’ve got things feeling right as far as the Force Feedback is concerned but it has taken a complete rewrite to get us to this point. Next we are going to get it in the hands of some rally drivers to get their feedback (pardon the pun). We are also working on the in-game calibration, configuration and options screens to give you more control over how the wheel feels.

Can't wait to try what they're saying is "feeling right"....

Full info here...
http://blog.codemasters.com/dirt/05/dirt-rally-road-book-130515/

Tobbe Bergman · May 15, 2015

David Cordell said:
"Steve our Physics guy, Nick and Paul who do the car handling, Paul Coleman the Chief Game designer and myself had a skype call with him today. Really smart guy and he knows his stuff inside out, its the kind of feedback like this we need too. Good in-depth feedback that we can work with.

I find it utterly strange that Codemasters, a Game Developing company that has been making games for nearly 30 years have a so modest knowledge about Physics and in particular Force Feedback.

Physics and FFB seems to be the absolute hardest departments in making a really good racing game, be it arcade or sim.

Skazz · May 15, 2015

Mikaela Andersson said:
I find it utterly strange that Codemasters, a Game Developing company that has been making games for nearly 30 years have a so modest knowledge about Physics and in particular Force Feedback.

Physics and FFB seems to be the absolute hardest departments in making a really good racing game, be it arcade or sim.

I don't think they are talking about the physics, just the FFB.

Look at it this way: their earlier games were probably 95% controller users. Sure, FFB worked (at least after the original GRiD and DiRT which were both floaty and nasty with a wheel) but it was never high on a priority list.

Suddenly they have a simracing "hit" on their hands and the biggest complaint isn't graphics or difficulty, it's FFB for wheel users. The noise they are making is clearly them re prioritizing FFB as a main thing given the clearly very different audience compared with their previous outings.

Hellracer234 · May 15, 2015

Mikaela Andersson,
I agree 100% , it´s so weak of them not have the physics and FFB right from start because thats the ABSULUT most important thing in a sim driving game, at second place comes sound and grafics, everything else comes in thirde place thats my opinion.

Ryan Soucy · May 15, 2015

Well, at least its a beta... or is it alpha? Doesn't matter, they have months to work on it with the help of helpful testers who can hopefully provide positive feedback on their negative force feedback.

Tobbe Bergman · May 15, 2015

I will try it again when they have upgraded the FFB

The FFB is horrible right now IMO

Audio, Graphics and Stages are already much better than RBR and that comes from a hardcore RBR fan mind you

The Physics seems really good especially if you turn FFB completely off and only use visual feedback.

If they can fix the FFB and maybe polish the Physics we can retire RBR for good

Golanv · May 18, 2015

Has anybody figured out how to fix "save game" in career mode if XML files are modified, in particular FFB with this "no void", and perhaps even lowered grip levels per car?