'SimShaker - Wheels' support thread

[=Andre=]

Here you can get help with "SimShaker - Wheels" issues and questions.

SimShaker - Wheels is a mediation software between a supported car simulation game and Gametrix JetSeat or well known Buttckicker hardware to provide immersing event driven vibration FXs (special effects).
Currently supported PC titles: iRacing, Assetto Corsa, Automobilista, rFactor 2, DiRT Rally, Project CARS, Project CARS2, ETS2, ATS, F1 2016/2017 and RRRE.
Currently supported console titles: F1 2016.

 

[RockABillyKilla]

Hello Andre, hello Latte...
...if i am not fine in investigation, let me know...BUT:

Can i run simshaker-wheels software at my onboard sound, cause my Xonar DGX is still for my headset !???

Greetings from Germany, Michael...

 

[=Andre=]

Hi Michael,
yes, you can.
Greetings from Russia

 

[RockABillyKilla]

Really, SWS at onboard sound and my great Xonar DGX still for my headset?

Unbelievable...and no limitations with the onboard sound???

 

[=Andre=]

What's SWS? A type of bass-shaker?

 

[RockABillyKilla]

I mean the simshaker wheels software...!

"Simshaker wheels software at onboard sound and my great Xonar DGX still for my headset?

Unbelievable...and no limitations with the onboard sound???"

 

[=Andre=]

Why there should be limitations? I don't quite understand.

 

[RockABillyKilla]

I asked only, because orther software (for exampel simvibe an others?) need a secondary soundcard, because onboard sound won´t work with it!

 

[=Andre=]

I think they need two sound cards to separate game sound and generated FXs low frequency sound, coming into bass-shakers.
Which card will be used as "secondary" doesn't matter, that may be onboard audio, or USB card, or even HDMI via LCD headphones output, for instance.
In case of SimShaker - Wheels just check if exclusive control by applications is allowed at Windows Sound->Playback devices->Your Device->Propeties->Advanced tab.

 

[RockABillyKilla]

Okay, tanks Andre *PERFECT* !

I will promote your work/software in our league, of course!!!

 

[=Andre=]

Thank you Michael, I would really appreciate that

 

[St3fan]

I just used 40 minutes trial on SSW, and took time testing the feelings very carefully. I started by having everything on default in Assetto Corsa, then turn only 1 effect at a time, and then combine my settings. Here are my thoughts and confusions.

1. It is a much better experience than using just the audio output, but it isn't something out of the world for me either (cuz I kinda know what I could expect)
2. My current setup is 1 shaker under the seat and 1 shaker behind the pedals. I tried both mono and stereo options, and sometimes get confused about what the vibration is trying to tell me. Does SSW actually support such front-back setup?
3. On most of the effects I turn the gain by a whole bunch. When I spin the car the tire slip/wear effect gives so much vibration than I feel comfortable, but if I turn down my amplifier the gear shifting effect feels too weak.
4. I feel there is a significant amount of delay in the bump effects. When I drive over a sausage curb, the shaking only occurs about 300ms or so later. I don't feel such a huge delay in the gear shifting effect.
5. When I oversteer (with a decent amount of slip angle) I don't think slip/wear effect even at 100% gain and sensitivity is giving any vibrations. Is this as designed? Does slip/wear only generate vibration when there is slip longitudinally?
6. I follow a link in the software and get to https://dreamsimteam.blogspot.ru/p/ssw.html what do those presets do?

 

[=Andre=]

Hi St3fan,
Thank you for the feedback.

My current setup is 1 shaker under the seat and 1 shaker behind the pedals. I tried both mono and stereo options, and sometimes get confused about what the vibration is trying to tell me. Does SSW actually support such front-back setup?

mono option obviously doesn't support bass-shakers space separation, no way.
2 channels option by default supports bass-shakers placed left and right.
6 channels option by default supports bass-shakers placed on 4 corners.
To adjust 2 channels option to front-back bass-shakers placement one should change channels order in some .wav samples involved in Acceleration Longitudinal, Deceleration Longitudinal and Acceleration Lateral FXs.
I've described in the User Guide the way one could change samples or I could do that for you, but a bit later.

On most of the effects I turn the gain by a whole bunch. When I spin the car the tire slip/wear effect gives so much vibration than I feel comfortable, but if I turn down my amplifier the gear shifting effect feels too weak.

They say "everyone to his own taste". My default settings are good for me and my BK Gamer2, but not for every other case. Please use gain sliders.

I feel there is a significant amount of delay in the bump effects. When I drive over a sausage curb, the shaking only occurs about 300ms or so later. I don't feel such a huge delay in the gear shifting effect.

Curbs are not implemented well in case of AC due to some available for 3rd parties data lack. I'm going to find a work-around. I recommend you to try curbs in rFactor2, AMS or Project Cars (2). There should be much better feeling than in AC.

When I oversteer (with a decent amount of slip angle) I don't think slip/wear effect even at 100% gain and sensitivity is giving any vibrations. Is this as designed? Does slip/wear only generate vibration when there is slip longitudinally?

I don't think so. In case of AC, I use Physics.WheelSlip data for 4 wheels. If I remember correctly there was a good feeling when oversteering as well. I will check it on my side.

I follow a link in the software and get to https://dreamsimteam.blogspot.ru/p/ssw.html what do those presets do?

In case of presets, pilots share settings they've found optimal for them. Currently only PicoBP shared presets and he uses JetSeat, not bass-shakers, as well as I know. May be not too much useful in your case and in the current release version may cause some problems due to different decimal symbol in use. But the problem is fixed in the current beta version of SimShaker - Wheels.
Samples by Mr Latte may be extremely useful if your bass-shakers are other than Buttkicker type.
In order to use it please unzip files to Documents\SimShaker-Wheels FXs\Audio\Customized\2 folder and select 2 channels mode in SimShaker - Wheels audio settings.
Happy driving!

 

[Mr Latte]

Hey guys....

I am going to adjust the last profile I did to suit all options from Mono using 1 unit to 6 units.
I've just been busy with chatting to folk on Skype regards their tactile builds and replies to others regards various tactile threads etc.

Certainly possible to create files to suit dual mono configuration too.
I assume this can be applied like how the Jet Seat uses the principle for the base of the seat as front and the back of the seat as rear. Or of course, have specific effects operate in both pedals/seat regions at same time. Not a hard thing to determine what effects go where based on the great way SSW operates with the "Wav" files users can create in audacity.

Bumps in AC have been hard to extract to feel good, I would say how they operate could be refined somewhat. Although what I have on my own feel great now.

Possibly worth considering looking at the lower telemetry values so they are a bit more prominent to larger values. Bigger bumps seem to feel fine but smaller bumps less so defined. Then with the volume too high and depending on the units being used the bigger bumps felt sensation can perhaps be too strong while now the smaller bumps are more detectable. I think it's just fine-tuning the balance for the values for this sim that might help improve them.

When the car is spinning and all wheels are slipping was helped when you added the "compressor" which should be tried. I would assume if a mono unit is used then it may have increased gain based on values of upto 4 channels of data being mixed into 1 in this instance?

Or does this depend on the volume used by the user for "Lateral G" & "Wheel Slip"?

 

[Ryan Robbins]

I have a question. I noticed that the compressor option is only available if the bass shakers are enabled. So I assume that the compressor option does not affect the Jetseat ?

 

[=Andre=]

That's right, compressor option does not affect the Jetseat.

 

[St3fan]

I tried swapping channels and editing the audio files and kind of get what I like - use my butt to feel the wheels and road bumps, and use my feet to feel the lock-ups, but I think I can still do some more tweaking.
Because I mostly play AC on online pub servers so the AC bump lag is a bummer for me
A tiny suggestion for just a bit improved immersion: is it possible to have no gear shifting effect when shifting to neutral?

 

[=Andre=]

>>Because I mostly play AC on online pub servers so the AC bump lag is a bummer for me
I see. I'm going to make things better in this year.

>>A tiny suggestion for just a bit improved immersion: is it possible to have no gear shifting effect when shifting to neutral?
Yes, I can do that. Seems not to be a problem. Do you think that would be more realistic?
Does anybody object here?

 

[Mr Latte]

@St3fan I don't find any real issue with bump lag, maybe just me but wondering if you have any specific sound card modes enabled that may be adding to this or tried a different sound card to see if any difference?

I did notice that on the Asus DGX and using the "hifi" mode that Andre has highlighted does utilise DSP to create a larger sound presence (from small - medium). You can see this if you toggle it on/off while viewing the "effect" tab on the sound cards tool. Just be sure you don't have some of the DSP environments running.

 

[St3fan]

@St3fan I don't find any real issue with bump lag, maybe just me but wondering if you have any specific sound card modes enabled that may be adding to this or tried a different sound card to see if any difference?

I did notice that on the Asus DGX and using the "hifi" mode that Andre has highlighted does utilise DSP to create a larger sound presence (from small - medium). You can see this if you toggle it on/off while viewing the "effect" tab on the sound cards tool. Just be sure you don't have some of the DSP environments running.

I'm using the onboard sound chip, and I just checked that there wasn't any equalizer or special effects enabled on it. It really is weird because the gear shifting effect (which is very easy to feel if there is lag) doesn't have any noticeable lag, but when I drive over the curb, it is often when I'm already in the middle of the curb that I start to feel the initial bump.
TBH I'm still hesitating between purchasing SSW vs purchasing SimVibe. I really like that in SSW I can play and experiment with audio files (considering adding another output to the speaker so when I'm driving in Dirt Rally the co-driver will "ouch" when there is impact/damage how about that ), but this lag that's kinda bothering me.
Well maybe I'll try further increase the intensity bump effect and try to figure out what is going on with a even clearer feeling.

In the mean while could you or maybe @=Andre= explain what would you do to switch stereo mode from left/right to pedal/seat? I'm just checking if I do the customization correctly. I'm most confused by the 3 files titled "left bump" "right bump" and "bump".

Quick question: I notice that in your custom audio files @Mr Latte there is no engine beat sound. Does that mean you don't use it?

 

[Mr Latte]

Yeah some of us are not using the engine beat, its distracting for some folks...
I think it would make more sense if Andre had it come in like how Simvibe uses "engine load" based on the pedal depression but letting us adjust the start point %. Like eg 60% depression. An alternative would be for it to look at the cars max RPM being used and become active in the last 70% of this which would activate for each gear. So with say an 8000 RPM car it would come in and increase in strength from 5600 rpm to max volume at the 8000 RPM. This then makes gear changes more fun also as this is active at the high rev values only.

I created good effects layers like this in Simvibe in the past that people seemed to enjoy.




SSW Mono Front Pedals & Seat Rear
In audacity, you would select effects to operate on your L or R channels to represent front/rear.
So this means you have to adapt any typical stereo files that they are not on both L/R.

As an example, if L channel was your pedals and R your seat.
Then you could try wheel slip effect set to L only (blank on the R channel)
But as this uses (8) & (9) typically for "left" and "right" wheels then both these files would need to be the same.

So I assume you would want to ensure the file for them is at a lower dB as both will be active at the same time on your mono channel for say pedals. If you wanted it for seat youd do it that (8) (9) operated only for the R channel and (blank on the L channel)

You have to adapt stereo effects as it would be a bit weird to feel the left wheel in pedals and right wheel in seat. Or left bumps in pedals and right bumps in seat.

I think you should try Acc for Seat only and Dec for Pedals only.
For Lateral G (14) (15) do the same as with wheel slip but set those to the R channel to operate only on your seat.

This way you could have:
Acceleration in seat
Braking in pedals
Wheel slip in pedals
Lateral G in seat

Bumps in both (As Dual Mono)
Damage in both
Gear in both
Engine in both

Hard to explain but actually simple to do....
As using 2 Channel mode you must ensure ALL files use (L/R) 2 channels.
Just make sure the non-needed side is blank but not deleted.