HOLY Shamolee - The Long Requested / Buttkicker Gamer 2 / Simhub Tactile Effects Thread

[Mr Latte]

I've been asked for a long time to do a thread on one of the most popular ever tactile transducers.
To this day the Buttkicker Gamer 2 is one of the most considered entry-level packages.

​

The CURSE OF TACTILE:
As tactile becomes a REAL headache of a topic.

First off, I'm going to simply request that this thread is for discussion only of using the Buttkicker Gamer product line.
This way all users are on the same hardware. It's not, to talk about tactile in general, it's not to talk about other models of Buttkicker or different makes of units and different models or using different amps etc.

Keeping It Simple Guys
So let's focus on and talk about using "Simhub" and getting started with effects creation/tuning for the BK Gamer & BK Gamer 2 models
My hope is people will benefit and learn from this, owners will get involved. People will start to share their own effects, discuss issues, configurations ask questions. I will help what I can and for those that are new to this and using a single shaker or indeed the more advanced users with multiple sets of units installed.


Getting Started:
Tactile when it's working nice can be a great addition but it can also be a troublesome one as these and many threads show regards setting up, configuring, and how to come up with nice working effects. I will continue to update this thread in time with images/info on getting started but I think we have a fair few that are already using and familiar with the software.

(Info on Amp & Soundcard Settings To be Added)
(Info on Windows/Software Settings To Be Added)
(Images for break down on mentioned factors, Master Volume / Effect Folders / Effect Layers)


Featured Effects - Lets SHARE!
Here is my own effects submission, as my first test effects based on ACC and The Ferrari 488GT3
I used this car for creating the files as I had previous effects testing done with this.

My advice is if checking out the effects try them on that sim/car.
People will likely use shared effects for other cars and sims too and that can vary how well or suitable the effects are but for feedback.
I would suggest relating to how effects feel with the car/sim they are created on. To me, this makes sense if someone else creates/shares their own sets to mention what sim/car was used.



What I attempted to do with this set was to bring more to the immersion than an individual or typically used tones have.
Yet also with the intent to make things easy and keep down the number of layers an effect uses. This way we can get more variation in the possible feel and personalize the felt sensations.

• As a baseline, these are not bad, better is possible with more layers but this being mostly aimed at beginners to tactile
• I want to make it easier to start feeling or learning how we can achieve nice felt sensations
• Simple advice, stick to altering just the volumes and not things in each layer's settings if you are not aware of how/what they do
• In some scenarios with combinations of effects, even a single Hz change can alter how the layers of different effects work together or feel
• This can be covered if the thread is a success and then we could start looking deeper into each effect's primary settings

Balancing Frequencies
With each effect, I have them simply labeled for easy discussion and in their own folder.

• Within each folder, I have set out 3 layers for most effects
• This enables altering the volume of individual layers to adjust the feel of that effect
• Try each layer on its own, learn what it does/how it feels then set a general volume
• Do the same for all effects, then fine-tune the volume for each effect folder, to balance the mix for all effects
• Test and tweak, different cars or sims can vary even with the same settings

Same Effects / Very Different Feel
You can create a volume balance that is more towards the engine or chassis feel depending on what you like. It's also possible to create a volume mix for both scenarios and save these as individual profiles to then use/load as you please.

We all may differ in what, we prefer to represent sensations for different effects, so I welcome others to get involved too.
Personally, I think it's better to use more balanced volumes or try to limit the effects used. Even this set the Engine/Speed effects to keep a single unit busy and make it harder to feel other effects.

These effects have perhaps some potential for easier enjoyment in getting started but the may need better-balanced volume settings
See what you think and feel free to comment or indeed highlight issues.



How To Use:
Simhub can be found HERE
My efforts being shared are like an unofficial help/guidance I am no way associated with the software or its developer. I recommend this incredible software as it is the best option now available for tactile and with many other uses/features. So please consider giving its developer a kind donation.

I strongly recommend also reading any official documentation that is given to get a grasp of how to use it.​

NOTICE: The attached set of effects is not to represent ideal/perfect settings but as a starter for people to use and give feedback. If people get involved and offer feedback or share their own effects then I will help with sharing other effects more to what people may want.

My Attached Profile:
*Download File, place it in Docs/Simhub folder and rename from ".txt" to ".siprofile" for it to work as a profile
You should then be able to import it into Simhub.

 

[onearmedbandit46]

Those are all the effects I use too but I haven't customised them well enough so keen to try yours if you've played with the more advanced settings that I don't understand!

Here you go, just played with white noise, gamma and thresholds a little more. Just try removing the .txt extension from the file, I had to add that so I could upload it here.

 

[cosmokram3r]

Here you go, just played with white noise, gamma and thresholds a little more. Just try removing the .txt extension from the file, I had to add that so I could upload it here.

Thanks heaps! I just renamed it to Assetto_Corsa_-_onearmedbandit_v2.siprofile so I'll try it a bit later

 

[Elaphe]

Do you know if there's a way to make a quick test of every shaker installed from a command line, just to check that they are working, and not having to use the Simhub gui for that?

 

[Mr Latte]

Do you know if there's a way to make a quick test of every shaker installed from a command line, just to check that they are working, and not having to use the Simhub gui for that?

You might as well use the one built into the soundcard.
I think the test button feature in Simhub just plays a 40Hz tone, it's not actually using the telemetry/data and tone generation with the test feature.

Its not a feature you really need once you have things configured and is only really useful to confirm each unit is operating.

 

[onearmedbandit46]

Test button for me does play the at the hz I've selected.

 

[Mr Latte]

Test button for me does play the at the hz I've selected.

Do you mean test for an effect or test within the advanced screen for the channel?
I will make a not to confirm this for both, when I get my tactile connected again.

 

[onearmedbandit46]

Do you mean test for an effect or test within the advanced screen for the channel?
I will make a not to confirm this for both, when I get my tactile connected again.

Ah yeah I may have misundestood sorry, I was referring to the 'test effect', Cheers.

 

[Elaphe]

You might as well use the one built into the soundcard.

Good idea. I think it will be easy to find a command line tool to test the soundcard.

 

[wingert]

have some remarks and questions concerning simhub :
why generates the rpm setting a sinus wave and not pulse rate ?
is it intended that the high effect frequency for RPM settings affected the base effect frequency, both together are not independent ?
why generates the gear change a effect if I engage and a second if disengage the gear to neutral, can not deactivate the second ?

 

[ykap1]

I've had a play with Mr. Latte's settings but in AC, not ACC, and have to say it's very impressive. Having layered effects for each category of feedback works amazingly well, the only one i didn't like was speed which i removed completely and RPM i only use for idle and redline.

i'm using a Buttkicker Advance in the centre of my alu profile rig, and two Dayton BST-1s at front and rear.

I initially was using front and rear for suspension bumps but decided to move them onto the BK as mono center to keep the wheelslip front and rear cleaner. I didn't notice any real difference to having bumps on front and rear, i coudn't perceive driving over a bump and feeling it pass under the front then rear, at least not through my rig. Having wheelslip untouched by other effects is great, i get a nice range of textured feedback from the fronts during understeer but the rear still feels quite vague during oversteer. This is probably true to life as oversteer comes on as a lightness at the rear, i'm not sure how you'd go about introducing a more pronounced 'lightness', perhaps a duplicate rear only wheelslip effect at a higher frequency?

Even though i removed RPM it did feel quite nice, but i felt it was distracting on top of the other effects so turned it off as it wasn't providing any extra feedback.

I also added wheel lock as i do a lot of drifting and using handbrake to lock up the rears was easier to distinguish with a seperate effect. It also gives a nice lock up feedback from the fronts on non-ABS cars, and even ABS enabled cars under full braking right before you come to a complete stop the fronts lock for a split second which is a nice touch to feel.

An issue i had was i was getting clangs from the buttkicker for the suspension bumps X Large effect, i think this is called piston pang? I worked around this in the settings by adding in a small threshold and turning the gain down for that effect, i'm still a noob for tactile so if anyone can advise why this is happening and how to fix it, that would be welcome.

 

[ScreaminBejesus]

I've had a play with Mr. Latte's settings but in AC, not ACC, and have to say it's very impressive. Having layered effects for each category of feedback works amazingly well, the only one i didn't like was speed which i removed completely and RPM i only use for idle and redline.

i'm using a Buttkicker Advance in the centre of my alu profile rig, and two Dayton BST-1s at front and rear.

I initially was using front and rear for suspension bumps but decided to move them onto the BK as mono center to keep the wheelslip front and rear cleaner. I didn't notice any real difference to having bumps on front and rear, i coudn't perceive driving over a bump and feeling it pass under the front then rear, at least not through my rig. Having wheelslip untouched by other effects is great, i get a nice range of textured feedback from the fronts during understeer but the rear still feels quite vague during oversteer. This is probably true to life as oversteer comes on as a lightness at the rear, i'm not sure how you'd go about introducing a more pronounced 'lightness', perhaps a duplicate rear only wheelslip effect at a higher frequency?

Even though i removed RPM it did feel quite nice, but i felt it was distracting on top of the other effects so turned it off as it wasn't providing any extra feedback.

I also added wheel lock as i do a lot of drifting and using handbrake to lock up the rears was easier to distinguish with a seperate effect. It also gives a nice lock up feedback from the fronts on non-ABS cars, and even ABS enabled cars under full braking right before you come to a complete stop the fronts lock for a split second which is a nice touch to feel.

An issue i had was i was getting clangs from the buttkicker for the suspension bumps X Large effect, i think this is called piston pang? I worked around this in the settings by adding in a small threshold and turning the gain down for that effect, i'm still a noob for tactile so if anyone can advise why this is happening and how to fix it, that would be welcome.

Thank you for these detailed observations. They are very much in line with my own impressions of the layered approach advocated by Mr Latte. You may have luck eliminating the piston pang in your BK-Adv by applying a bit of equalization and crossover filtering, if you haven’t tried that already.

 

[ykap1]

Thank you for these detailed observations. They are very much in line with my own impressions of the layered approach advocated by Mr Latte. You may have luck eliminating the piston pang in your BK-Adv by applying a bit of equalization and crossover filtering, if you haven’t tried that already.

Thanks i'll look into that, i see that simhub output tuning has high and low pass filtering, is that a good place to start? I am going to try and set them around the operating frequency of the shakers.

Next time i'll try playing with test tones as well, i have limited time to use the rig let alone test and troubleshoot so any pointers are very welcome.

 

[ScreaminBejesus]

Thanks i'll look into that, i see that simhub output tuning has high and low pass filtering, is that a good place to start? I am going to try and set them around the operating frequency of the shakers.

Next time i'll try playing with test tones as well, i have limited time to use the rig let alone test and troubleshoot so any pointers are very welcome.

I have never tried to use SimHub's filtering, so can't say whether it works. But I would suggest sweeping with a tone generator like this one to see the effective range and where there may be unwanted peaks. I have done this with a BK-Adv starting on post #16 of on my build thread in case you want to compare your results and see some ideas of what to do next.

 

[roylan101]

BK gamer has been out of stock for awhile but I’m finally getting one tomorrow.

for those interested, in this video, the gentleman claims that he got better response when the buttkicker was mounted to oscillate horizontally as opposed to vertically. It was up against his seat in the horizontal position so maybe that contributed. Here is the video:

Can anyone test and see if it works?

 

[roylan101]

I have been testing the setups in this thread with a single bk gamer 2 bolted to a socket to an 8020 rig. For some reason I am not getting very strong vibrations through the seat without clipping the BK amplifier. I have tried installing the buttkicker RI-4 isolaters (6 of them), and that helped a bit with the detail and loudness, but still not as much as I prefer. Is the stock BK amp just really weak? Or are there other ways to tune volume to get more response out of the transducer?

 

[2stains]

I have a mini concert with Buttkicker amp, so the same as Gamer 2 but without the mount arm and I mounted it on wood under my seat of GT Ultimate, I'm not sure what vibrations your getting and what you expect to get but for me it give great feel along with my FFB. Nothing to move the rig around but certainly enough to feel kerbs, track detail and lock ups and along with the wheel FFB it really is a perfect match.

I have my amp at 57 main volume and the physical button volume at 13 clicks from off and occasionally see a faint red clip light activated.
I've put some files in this thread also if interested.

 

[wingert]

I have been testing the setups in this thread with a single bk gamer 2 bolted to a socket to an 8020 rig. For some reason I am not getting very strong vibrations through the seat without clipping the BK amplifier.

You can try the Concert or LFE they have a much greater piston (1,48Kg) compared to (0,17Kg) of the gamer 2.
Another point is the mounting, give it the ability to swing such as mounting it on springboard.Imo the gamer 2 is more suitable only for RPM.

 

[jaropsax]

I tried Mr Latte's file on Asseto Corsa (not Competizione) , using a single buttkicker (on Next Level F-GT cockpit), mounted on the front post because I sit in formula seating position and it doesn't fit otherwise. I tried it with RSS Formula Hybrid 2020 and 1990 v 12 cars.

I found it to be absolutely wonderful, a huge improvement on the settings I had previously. I think the RPM effect is done superbly. I'm just writing to express my appreciation for the work that went into this - thanks Mr Latte.

 

[dwightyone]

I have a mini concert with Buttkicker amp, so the same as Gamer 2 but without the mount arm and I mounted it on wood under my seat of GT Ultimate, I'm not sure what vibrations your getting and what you expect to get but for me it give great feel along with my FFB. Nothing to move the rig around but certainly enough to feel kerbs, track detail and lock ups and along with the wheel FFB it really is a perfect match.

I have my amp at 57 main volume and the physical button volume at 13 clicks from off and occasionally see a faint red clip light activated.
I've put some files in this thread also if interested.

You have the buttkicker amp at 57?

 

[2stains]

Yes, well as I wrote, in my audio driver it shows 57 but the buttkicker is 13 clicks. I'm not sure how to say what the kicker amp is other than how I've written it.