Force feedback
Force feedback (форс фидбэк) — система, которая реализует тактильную обратную связь (feedback) игрового руля, джойстика или любого другого игрового контроллера, в компьютерных играх.
- Активный — при определённых игровых ситуациях руль самопроизвольно поворачивается в ту или иную сторону (для джойстика — отклонение рычага).
- Пассивный — когда в руле стоит пружина, и при его отклонении она возвращает руль в исходное положение. — при определённых игровых моментах руль начинает вибрировать.
В игровых системах force feedback впервые был применён в игровом автомате Out Run (1986) [источник не указан 52 дня] , где игрок занимал сидячее положение — обратная связь обеспечивалась через рулевое колесо. На игровых приставках такой вид обратной связи впервые использовался в контроллерах DualShock приставки PlayStation и в дополнительном устройстве Rumble Pak для Nintendo 64.
Примечания
Ссылки
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— статья на сайте IXBT
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- Игровые контроллеры
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Полезное
Смотреть что такое «Force feedback» в других словарях:
Force Feedback — Geöffnetes Gamepad mit Rumble Motoren Der Begriff Force Feedback (engl.; im englischen Sprachraum haptic technology oder haptics, also haptische Technik) bzw. Kraftrückkopplung bezeichnet eine in Eingabegeräten für Computer eingesetzte… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Force-Feedback — Geöffnetes Gamepad mit Rumble Motoren Der Begriff Force Feedback (engl. wörtlich Kraft Rückmeldung) bezeichnet eine in Eingabegeräten für Computerspiele eingesetzte Rückmeldung von Kraft an den Spieler. Je nach Spielsituation erhält der Spieler… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Force Feedback Joystick — [dt. »Kraft Rückkopplungs Joystick«] (Rüttel Joystick), aufwendig ausgestattetes Eingabegerät für Computerspiele. Der Joystick reagiert auf bestimmte Bedingungen der Spielsituation. So lässt ihn etwa ein unebener Untergrund rütteln oder er wird … Universal-Lexikon
force feedback — … Useful english dictionary
List of games supporting force feedback — This is a list of PC games that support force feedback.PC GamesAction/Adventure* Abomination * * Allegiance * * * B.F.R.I.S. * Black White * BreakNeck * Bugriders * Carmageddon II * Carmageddon TDR2000 * * * Cold Fear * Colin McRae Rally 2 * Colt … Wikipedia
SideWinder Force Feedback Pro — SideWinder Force Feedback Pro, der erste Joystick mit Kraftrückkopplung (»Rüttel Joystick«) … Universal-Lexikon
Feedback (Dark Horse Comics) — Feedback Matthew Atherton as Feedback at the 2007 New York Comic Con. Publication information Publisher Dark Horse Comics … Wikipedia
Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel — three dimensional computer game in which players simulate driving cars (produced by Microsoft) … English contemporary dictionary
GT Force — or Driving Force (see the trademark symbols difference) is the name of a line of Gran Turismo official steering wheels designed by Logitech (a.k.a. Logicool in Japan) in collaboration with Polyphony Digital. These racing games controllers are… … Wikipedia
Logitech Driving Force GT — Manufacturer Logitech Type Racing wheel Generation Seventh generation era Retail … Wikipedia
Что такое Force Feedback
Вместе с развитием и усложнением компьютерных игр не менее стремительно развиваются и совершенствуются игровые контроллеры. Если несколько лет назад самое большое, что можно было представить себе из игровых устройств, это двухкнопочный джойстик, то теперь можно встретить самые технически продвинутые устройства, в том числе и с функцией force feedback (обратная связь). Сегодня речь пойдет о руле Force Feedback Race Master от компании Trust.
Пожалуй, ни в одном жанре компьютерных игр обратная связь не востребована так, как в автосимуляторах. Если вы играете, например, в Need for Speed на клавиатуре, это аналогично тому, что водитель, сидящей за рулем автомобиля, способен лишь резкими движениями поворачивать руль в крайние положения и со всей силы давить на тормоз или газ. Звучит глупо. На практике получается, что игровой процесс состоит из постукивания клавиш поворотов, газа и тормоза при полной невозможности по-настоящему управлять машиной и плавно разгоняться и тормозить. Кроме всего прочего, если нужно переключать передачи, оглядываться по сторонам, переключать свет фар, сигналить, уходить в занос, разворачиваться, используя ручной тормоз, или переключать вид, то управление с помощью клавиатуры или джойстика не доставит вам удовольствия от игры, а лишь добавит путаницы с клавишами.
Обычный руль немного спасает положение, позволяя хоть как-то управлять машиной, но у дешевых моделей педали могут быть реализованы с помощью простых переключателей. Это означает, что нельзя регулировать положение педалей акселератора или тормоза, что будет интерпретироваться игрой как крайние положения. В этом случае, например, невозможно двигаться с постоянной скоростью или плавно притормаживать.
Последнее поколение рулей использует специальное устройство, прикладывающее к рулю определенное усилие в зависимости от игровой ситуации. Например, если вы вылетаете на обочину с травой и кочками, вы это обязательно почувствуете. Если машина стоит на месте, то руль при повороте остается в том положении, куда его повернули, как в общем и должно быть на самом деле. При движении на скорости, руль, как ему и положено по всем правилам, возвращается в центральное положение. Те же эффекты при столкновениях и заносах. Руль сам норовит вывернуться их рук. Существует заблуждение, что обратная связь только мешает управлению, однако это не так. Во-первых, силу всех force feedback эффектов можно настроить на свой вкус, а во-вторых, помимо управления, машину можно ЧУВСТВОВАТЬ.
Что касается Force Feedback Race Master, то данный руль поддерживает все функции, которые только можно требовать от контроллера данного класса. В большой коробке, в которой поставляется руль, вы найдете следующее: собственно блок с рулем и переключателем передач, кронштейны для дополнительного крепления блока, блок с педалями, блок питания, соединительный провод, дискета с драйверами, компакт-диск с игрой и толстое руководство пользователя на разных языках. Существуют модели для последовательного порта и USB. С моделью для последовательного порта поставляется переходник для 9-25-игольчатого разъема, поэтому с подключением проблем возникнуть не должно. С драйверами, входящими в поставку Need for Speed: Porshe Unleashed, работать не хотел, поэтому пришлось обновить драйвер с сайта Trust (www.trust.com). После установки драйвера в Game Controllers появляется новое устройство, в котором можно протестировать основные функции и настроить руль, калибровка производится автоматически и никакого вмешательства пользователя не требуется.
Что касается удобства пользования, то хоть и руль имеет форму штурвала, пользоваться им весьма удобно. Для того чтобы руки не соскальзывали, предусмотрена резиновая полоска, проходящая по рулевому колесу. Конструкция руля произвела впечатление надежной и прочной, но вот дополнительные кронштейны, которыми руль закрепляется помимо присосок, подойдут не к каждому столу. Поворот руля составляет 220 градусов. Педали обеспечивают плавную регулировку тормоза/газа, но несколько легковаты и изготовлены из пластмассы. В следующей модели руля от Trust, Force Feedback Race Master II это было учтено, и педали имеют специальную подставку для левой ноги и, кроме того, различную форму. Shifter, или переключатель передач, расположен довольно удобно, но не имеет щелчка при переключении, что немного затрудняет определение, на сколько же передач вы переключились.
Всего на руле расположено 6 кнопок, 2 из которых на рулевом колесе, 4 — посередине. В центре руля переключатель видов для четырех направлений. Всего этого арсенала вполне хватает, чтобы подвесить все необходимые функции и вообще не использовать клавиатуру.
Подведем итог. Среди достоинств данного руля можно выделить надежную конструкцию, удобное расположение кнопок и качество обратной связи. Среди недостатков — легкий блок с педалями и неудачную конструкцию кронштейнов для крепления, которые могут не подойти к каждому столу. В общем же получилось довольно неплохое устройство, которое может доставить немало удовольствие любителям гоночных и автосимуляторов.
Виталий Шуравко
Компьютерная газета. Статья была опубликована в номере 16 за 2000 год в рубрике hard :: ввод
What Is Force Feedback in a Racing Wheel?
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Table of Contents
- What Is Force Feedback?
- How Does Force Feedback Work?
- Different Types of Force Feedback Racing Wheels
- Gear Drive
- Belt Drive
- Direct Drive
- Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to racing games, there are a few things that can make or break the experience. One of those factors is having a good racing wheel. Not only does it make the gaming experience more realistic and immersive, but it can also give you a competitive edge against your opponents.
But what is force feedback in a racing wheel, and what benefits could it provide?
In today’s article, we’ll look at what force feedback is, how it works, and the different types of wheels with force feedback. So whether you’re a seasoned racing gamer or just starting out, strap in.
What Is Force Feedback?
While the best PC controllers offer simplicity and portability, racing wheels provide an immersive experience that gives players a better sense of control over their car. This is made possible by force feedback, which is similar to haptic technology that uses vibrations and other tactile feedback to create the illusion of sensory input.
Force feedback steering wheels are designed to give players a realistic driving experience by replicating the forces that would be felt if they were behind the wheel of an actual car.
In reality, this means that the game will try to simulate car handling, complete with the sensations of resistance and vibration on the steering wheel. How much resistance and vibration you experience will depend on whether you’re driving on mud, gravel, snow, or other surfaces.
How Does Force Feedback Work?
All force feedback wheels have motors that create the vibration and resistance you feel while playing. The strength of the vibrations and resistance will depend on the game and your chosen settings.
Some wheels will also have a second motor responsible for simulating road surface textures. This can add another layer of realism to the experience, as you’ll feel the difference between driving on a smooth asphalt road and a bumpy dirt path.
The way that force feedback works can best be described with an example. Let’s say you’re driving on the road with many potholes. As you drive over each pothole, your wheel vibrates and offers resistance. The same goes for when you’re making a tight turn; the wheel will offer more resistance.
All of this is possible thanks to the Microsoft DirectInput API. Game developers use it for input devices such as your steering wheel, pedals, handbrake, and other gaming controllers. It includes the library needed to produce force-feedback effects for devices with suitable drivers.
Different Types of Force Feedback Racing Wheels
Now that we know how force feedback works let’s take a look at the different types of steering wheels that offer this feature.
Gear Drive
Because it is the cheapest of the three, gear drive is usually the first type of steering wheel with force feedback most people get in contact with. As its name implies, it utilizes a series of gears attached to an electromotor to simulate the force feedback effect.
One thing to keep in mind with gear drive wheels is that they can be noisy. This is because the gears are responsible for creating the resistance, so they will make clunky sounds as they spin.
Nonetheless, it’s still a good entry point for any enthusiast as it’s affordable and easy to find.
Belt Drive
The second type of force feedback wheel is the belt drive. As you can probably guess, this type of steering wheel uses a belt to create resistance. The system generates a stronger force feedback effect than any gear-drive steering wheel.
It is more expensive than a gear drive, yet it is the perfect balance of price and quality. The only downside is the belt itself. Over time it will show signs of wear and tear, including stretching, which will require replacement if possible.
Direct Drive
The last and most expensive type of steering wheel is direct drive. This steering wheel is the pinnacle of performance as it doesn’t rely on gears or belts to create resistance. Instead, it uses a direct connection to an electromotor.
This results in a much smoother and more realistic force feedback effect. However, the price tag can be quite hefty, with some models costing over $1,000. But if you’re serious about sim racing, you’ll want to get this type of force feedback racing wheel.
What Is Force Feedback Clipping?
Clipping happens when your steering wheel maxes out the force feedback effect it can create and, in a way, stops producing new effects. Let’s explain this via an example.
Let’s say you are driving around, and a simple gravel patch maxes out your steering wheel force feedback effect. As long as you are in a gravel patch, you won’t be able to register any new force feedback effects because your controller can’t physically produce them.
Force feedback clipping is a common issue that various factors can cause. When it does happen, it’s usually due to your steering wheel settings being too high. You’ll need to adjust them until you find the sweet spot that gives you the best experience. Just keep in mind that different tracks have varying loads.
Do You Need a Force Feedback Racing Wheel?
Now that you know all about direct drive, belt drive, and direct drive force feedback steering wheels, you might wonder if you need it. The answer to this question depends on how serious you are about sim racing.
We suggest getting a steering wheel without force feedback or connecting your Xbox controller to your PC if you’re just getting started. This is because getting a racing sim setup can be quite expensive. Even the budget version of the force feedback steering can set you back between $200 and $300 without extras such as pedals and a handbrake. This isn’t an expense for a Sunday driver.
However, if you’re already familiar with sim racing, it’s your favorite pastime, and you want to take your hobby to the next level, we recommend getting a good force feedback steering wheel. Then, slowly work your way up to a perfect steering wheel setup rig with all the accessories.
You should know that it won’t be cheap, but the extra realism of force feedback makes it worthwhile. Once you try it, you’ll never be able to play racing sims on your controller ever again.
Whether you update your PS5 controller to the latest version or use Sony DualSense with haptic feedback, it will never be able to reproduce the force feedback effect of a direct drive racing wheel.
Force Feedback: what is FFB, how does it work and how do I set it up?
The joy of working with direct drive wheelbases is the huge scope to make adjustments to the wheelbase’s force feedback. You can make changes to your wheel settings to suit your preferences, and the possibilities are vast.
Testing the wheel, making notes, and learning what difference the settings make in the calibration software menu is a lot of fun and a very valuable learning experience.
As it turned out this process works well with any DD wheelbase, just so long as you’re able to take note of its behaviors and learn enough about the settings to effect meaningful change. By tackling one issue at a time, you can improve the force feedback from your sim racing wheel in no time.
Of course, the settings you’ll end up with are entirely dependent on your personal preferences, the car you’re driving, and even the circuit you’re on. There’s no wrong or right, only a point where there’s a good chance the FFB settings are hiding the details you should be feeling from the simulated race car chassis.
If you’re new to setting up a sim wheel, or you’ve recently upgraded to a Fanatec wheel from the Logitech G29, this article is designed to assist you.
How I like FFB to feel
My approach: less is more. I don’t like bags of resistance to input and high-strength settings. If you’re struggling to turn the wheel, you’re hardly going to feel the subtle early warning signs of a car about to slide! Don’t feel that just because you have a wheel that can deliver a peak of 30nm, you need to use all 30nm! But don’t just turn FFB off, either:
Settings for iRacing with a Fanatec DD2 DD wheel running the latest v3.73 beta driver with strength set to a mid range 4.1 (image source: our iRacing setup guide)
Basic Concepts of FFB
While it’s not completely necessary, it certainly helps to understand a little bit about force feedback as a function of the Microsoft DirectInput API.
DirectInput is an API that (Windows) games developers use for input devices including your steering wheel, pedals, handbrake, and any other game controllers. It provides the library required to generate force-feedback effects for devices that have compatible drivers.
A force feedback event, such as the feeling of push or resistance in the wheel is called an effect. There are only a handful of categories for effects in DirectInput’s Force Feedback library and they’re pretty simple:
Constant force
“A steady force in a single direction for example the resistance you feel when you’re turning into a corner.”
Ramp force
“A force that steadily increases or decreases in magnitude, for example, the resistance of the weight of the car and you transfer the weight of the chassis in a corner. A ramp force might be felt more strongly in a car with a lot of caster in the steering angle.”
Periodic effect
“A force that pulsates according to a defined wave pattern, for example, if you’ve damaged the car sometimes the simulator software will add a vibration through the steering wheel.”
A sawtooth periodic effect with a magnitude of 5,000, or half the maximum force for the device (source)
Condition
“A reaction to motion or position along an axis. Two examples are a friction effect that generates resistance to movement of the joystick, and a spring effect that pushes the stick back toward a certain position after it has been moved from that position.”
I found that the Simplicity SW20 had a lot of this effect added by default which made it initially very resistant to input. By turning this effect down, the wheel became far easier to use and easy to feel other effects.
Something to note: generating effects can be very difficult since devices with different motors react differently to the parameters created in the effects. This is where wheel tuning comes in later on.
How simulators like iRacing create FFB effects
I’m mostly an iRacer competing in championships that use baseline setups. This makes it purely driver-orientated, which is at times a welcome break from the real world of Motorsport.
Porsche 911’s in iRacingiRacing’s physics engine is a series of algorithmic models based on thousands of measurements taken from the vehicle itself. When the dynamics of a particular car are added to the tyre model you end up with (what is in my view) a really refined simulation of a real racing chassis.
The joy of sim racing is that these cars really do feel like their track counterparts, something I can attest to. Here’s an interesting video of how iRacing maps new vehicles:
Of course, the physics engine is running in iRacing’s software. The output of all of these physics calculations is communicated to Windows game devices (your wheel!) via DirectInput. For a fascinating insight into how iRacing deals with the problems associated with true simulated physics, check out this article by Dave Kremmer on the iRacing blog.
Communicating with the outside world: digital signal processing, upsampling and filtering
The resulting physical simulation of the car is communicated to the installed wheelbase driver via the DirectInput API at a rate of 60hz (60 times per second in iRacing).
In today’s money, a 60hz sample rate doesn’t seem all that fast. Especially when the available sample rate inside the hardware of say, a Fanatec DD2 is closer to 16khz and a Simucube 2 Pro is closer to 22khz. That’s a lot of data to make up!
This is where the upsampling filters in the wheelbase driver and hardware come in. The software driver and wheelbase processors use a process to “gap fill” (if you like) the missing data between the iRacing / DirectInput sample rate of 60hz and the motor hardware’s 16khz.
This digital signal processing is called “Interpolation”, the process of upsampling followed by filtering, to create “in-between” samples from the original samples. The result is as close as you can get to having originally sampled your signal at a higher rate. Naturally then, hardware and software engineers at manufacturers such as Simucube, Fanatec, Simplicity, and more are in continual pursuit of the improvement of this process.
The higher quality wheelbases tend to have better onboard DSP hardware that’ll run at higher sample rates, all in real-time. The software is developed with the goal to create filters with the available data that create a smooth and realistic experience with little if any lag.
Whatever the wheel you own, what you have in front of you is a system built to translate the information sent by the simulation software into a realistic impression of what the car feels like. The simulator talks to the hardware via the DirectInput API to the hardware driver, which sends a digital signal to be processed and filtered by the wheelbase hardware.
So how to make the best of this?
How to setup Force Feedback
When you’re setting up FFB, what is it you’re looking out for?
When I first did the test drive of the Simplicity SW20, I was initially surprised by how far from my preferred feedback settings the wheel was.
When you first start working with a wheel, take notes. For example:
- Counter rotation too strong, resistance to turning at all times (1)
- Would not accept fast, aggressive inputs (2)
- Very resistant to inputs overall (3)
You might be able to see how some of this feedback relates to the effects from the DirectInput force feedback library, but of course, those settings aren’t adjustable, it’s just how the wheelbase interprets them that is important.
The notes I took above were based on my initial feedback on a Simplicity SW20, so you can read how the settings were changed to resolve those characteristics in the Simplicity wheel configuration tool here.
Today, we’re going to focus more on Fanatec hardware, and specifically how you might start from taking some initial notes on how the wheel feels to making effective changes that make more sense for the car you’re driving and your personal preferences.
Critically though, it’s important to have notes on what the settings all do. In the list below I’ve included the FFB settings from a Fanatec DD2 configured in Fanalab. You can also configure these settings from the wheel’s settings menu or from the Fanatec Wheel properties dialogue under the “Tuning” menu.
I recently covered living with the DD2 after 2 months of use and cover some of the setup procedures in that article.
Understanding Fanatec Tuning Menu settings
As I’ve made notes about my wheel’s behavior above, I’m going to highlight the settings most likely to make a difference with a number, for example “(1)”.
When you’re setting up your own wheel, try the same. Make simple notes, review your settings options and try making one change at a time:
[SEN] – Maximum Steering Angle
Steering sensitivity is how much steering input rotation is required on the wheel to effect a full turn in the car. F1 cars need less steering input to effect a lot of turn in the front wheels while a truck needs many, many wheel rotations to get to full lock. You’re essentially putting in a faster steering rack by reducing the setting.
My preference: 900° or AUTO
[FF] – Overall FFB Strength
Think of this setting as a volume control on the total force feedback strength of all effects coming from the simulation software, where 100% with use your wheel’s full available torque. Be a little careful when running 100% force feedback, you might experience some surprisingly heavy feedback – overwhelming potentially where the strength of the output is a little too much for the wheel motor. You might experience unexplained notchiness or a lack of detail at high load moments. I haven’t had this problem with my DD2, but I don’t run maximum FFB strength in my iRacing settings and I have set up my torque output properly in iRacing (guide to torque settings here).
[LIN] – Linearity
Linearity is a form of range compression, much like the kind you might encounter in audio applications (where a TV ad seems really loud compared to the sound in the program you’re watching). Put simply, this setting compresses the FFB range to accommodate less powerful wheels that might have a maximum torque that is lower than the maximum torque rating of the simulated car. I’ve explained this in my torque settings article; suffice it to say it really isn’t required for a direct drive wheelbase and would be something I’d only use with a belt-driven or lower torque unit.
Dynamic Compression (image source)My preference: OFF
[NDP] – Natural Damper
“Natural damper” is a filter that dampens unwanted vibrations and oscillations through the wheel. It’s best to deal with any weird behaviors, for example, if after a crash you can’t stop the wheel rocking from right to left, you might need to increase your natural damper. Increasing the value will also make the wheel feel less keen to turn suddenly, in a similar way to the friction setting. It’s set to 50% as the default and it’s intended to prevent those weird wheel movements like excessive vibrations on the straights. Increasing the setting adds resistance (1), so it’ll make your wheel harder to turn and much less willing to accept fast inputs (2). I actually think it’s worth testing reducing this setting if you like to feel like you’re getting as much track detail as possible, just be careful when you’re making changes and reduce this settings in smaller increments.
My preference: 18
[NFR] – Natural Friction
Makes the steering feel heavier. A higher setting will make the wheel always harder to turn. In my experience, it takes away your sensitivity to finer details and makes it harder to react quickly to slides or to feel a loss in traction. (3)
My preference: Keep this setting low (around 5) and if you like a heavier feeling wheel, you can always reduce the forces when parked via iRacing’s options screen.
[NIN] – Natural Intertia
This adds rotational inertia to the wheel, so at a high setting, inputs into the wheel will keep it spinning. A useful setting for drifting or to help the wheel return if you’re simulating lots of caster in the steering geometry.
[INT] – FFB Interpolation
Adding extra samples for simulators with lower sample rate outputs will make the experience feel smoother. Some simulators have a higher sample rate (for example ACC) and so this really isn’t necessary all the time. Personally, I like a grainy feel from my DD2 (yes I’m weird like that) so a lower setting suits me.
[FEI] – Force Effect Intensity
Amplify the subtle effects and details you feel from the circuit through the wheel. Set it high and you’ll feel these effects significantly. A lower setting will mute (reduce) those sensations. It’s good to remember that this will amplify circuit details without affecting overall FFB strength – so the car’s feedback will be unaffected except when big events like kerb hits occur.
[FOR] – Game Force Effect Strength
Can be used to increase or reduce the overall force effects without affecting other effects.
[SPR] – Spring Effect
Adjusts centering spring force. How keenly will the wheel return to a center position? iRacing already takes care of this so leaving at 100% adds no further intervention by the Fanatec software.
[DPR] – Damper Effect
Adjusts the simulator’s damping settings to mop up any remaining vibrations. I leave this untouched at 100%
[SHO] – Vibration Strength
Some Fanatec wheels have vibration motors built into them such as the Podium F1. This setting adjusts the strength of the vibration effect coming from the motor. I prefer to use vibration via Simhub using the Sim3D rumble kit.
My current DD2 settings with the latest beta driver
Testing
When we’re out on the circuit testing a car, it’s best practice to start with a hypothesis. All the better if you can predict what the car might feel like before even turning a wheel! Make single changes, note how the car has changed, decide if that’s a positive or negative step. Ideally, keep making that change in the same direction until it’s gone past the optimum point. Then, you’ll understand the impact of that setting change.
Your approach to sim racing should be much the same, especially in championships that run with a baseline setup, as the car will always remain consistent. That’s why the global Mazda series is so good, you’re restricted by car setup – any gains have to come from your technique, which will improve as you improve your wheel setup.
Mazda MX5 Cup in iRacing (image source)The goal you’re trying to achieve is whether you feel like you’re getting a detailed understanding of what the car is doing and whether you feel happy and confident with the car.