Gamepad Support - Analysis, Suggestions, Wishes

Biggest ME problem is steering sensitivity curve. Linear (50) looks fine from input perspective but nobody wants linear steering (not precise enough). Steering lock trick just does more friendly linear curve which is not much. We need curve where you have big moves around zero as small ones and the opposite on the end. It's normal curve in any other game but not in ME. I am not sure, don't have time to test it, but I think if you lower steering sensitivity it's less sensitive than you need even if linearity is probably better. It's just problematic math, nothing serious.

edit:
And PC2/AMS2 looks a bit more filtered (adding lag) than better games.

 

Yes, high sens. with high speed sens. works fine in ME too. It goes against each other. I don't like it too much because it changes sensitivity very wildly according to speed. And you have damping too so you don't care about some filtering which is fine.

 

Interesting question is, what steering sensitivity do you use for AMS1? It's typical ISIMotor and I have it in all games the same. Maybe it's mostly my problem with the curve, who knows.

 

I use the same settings for rF1, rF2, GTR2, Race 07, AMS1, AMS2, AC, PC1, PC2; precision steering, aids either authentic or off, manual transmission:
Steering dead zone: 20 (my controller is a few years old)
Steering Sensitivity: 50
Throttle dead zone: 0
Throttle Sensitivity: 50
Brake dead zone: 0
Brake Sensitivity: 50
Speed Sensitivity: 0
Controller Damping: 0
Also I set steering range to 300 degrees and generally start with steering lock at 15 degrees (which gives me a steering ratio of 20.0:1) and make adjustments from there if needed. This last part varies from one game to another though. rF1, rF2, and AMS1 allows to adjust both steering range & steering lock separately (best option imo); PC1/2 allows to adjust steering ratio; AC & F1 games don't have any of those settings; iirc GTR2, Race 07 & ACC allow only changes to steering lock just like in AMS2.
One last thing is to make sure you have "render frames ahead" set to 1, anything higher than that and you'll have input lag (AMS2, PC1/2 have this setting in the graphics options, for ISImotor games you have to set this in NVidia control panel).

 

..f**k

 

I will come back to the last post but finally I had few mins for testing PC2 settings. I was a bit wrong. On my gamepad I can't have less than 40 on sensitivity because lower creates a deadzone. About 10 % for 10 steps? Something like that. And 40 is not good enough for "half" of the linearity like in ISI (if 100 is linear, 50 is fine to play) games. Another problem is steering rate, it's too low, something like 2 times faster is necessary. I think AMS2 is rather the same but currently I don't have HDD space for it so at least PC2 (played on Xbox). ME is not gamepad friendly from comfortable perspective. It's possible to play it but if you can play ISI games, it's better to play it to me. AC/ACC is fine from input perspective but I don't like the handling there too much.

 

I've also started using different user controller profiles for different car types. For example the porsche which all have light very fast steer I've got a very low sensitivity profile. And for the general GT cars a faster and more sensitive steering profile. Have built one for the trucks yet though.

It is nice to be able to drive the porsche properly again.

 

Having different controller settings for different cars is a good idea but in some cases making adjustments to car setup is better imo. Some default car setups aren't very good imo, some need adjustment to steering lock, some need adjustment to suspension and/or differential, in some cases using a setup that is as close as possible to that car's AMS1 default setup works well.

 

Ok I'm now having a much better time driving AMS2 on gamepad.

First this fast driver posted his settings that work well for me:
Automobilista 2 V1.2.2.0 RELEASED!

Second the fix today fixing throttle response in all cars means I can finally feed the power in on gamepad. Prior to this most slow corner exists involved hitting traction control hard and flailing left to right desperately trying to stay on track. With this patch I can nicely just 'touch' the TC and exit in a straight line!

 

Anything new? I don't play AMS2 anymore because it's doesn't feel good. The problem is with comparison. When I started with AMS2 I was used to PC1, PC2 and AC. And AMS2 was amazing. But after AMS1, rF2 and R3E there is no chance to go back. It's sad, I just tried Monza yesterday and it would be great if I have just AMS2 and nothing else.

Probably the fix could be easy and SMS should be able to do it pretty fast.

 

Yes I remember, you were quiet happy at the beginning. For me, I came directly from AMS1 and Race07 it was a big disappointment. If you would drive with vibration on, the dfference is even worse.
Funny, this morning I tried Monaco with old F1 cars and could not get past the slow corners without massive increasing stearing lock.

 

Controller support feels the same to me but some cars feel better after updates.

 

You are right. I came from consoles and directly to AMS2. I read about it months before I switched and was amazed by the Reiza and the whole concept. ME input is not unplayable at all but the comparison is the culprit.

I have the same experience. The physics is improved over time. For instance, 1973 911 is much better now than at release to me.

 

Do you think ISIMotor has some always on helper/aid? Because it feels so good and easy. But everything looks configurable.

 

I don´t think so. My assumption is, that the secret is giving controller the same environment as the wheel. Maybe they were just too lazy to do extra work. Which lead to an unintentional win win situation.
The whole physics were not as complex as in today sims. So that might be the reason, that it feels smooth and easy to drive this ISI games.
In my eyes it is a good example, that more math and realism do not automatically lead to more fun or a better experience. If you play really old games from the 90s you can realize, that even with from todays point of view dumb down physics they can provide challenge and fun. Back then they were game designer and engineer , today too often they seem to be just engineers.

 

Hmmm, I hope so because I don't want to enjoy some fake controls Because I am not able to configure any Assetto Corsa for the same feeling. AC/ACC is just nothing special but from physics perspective it makes sense. I know many people like AC/ACC but maybe they are wrong. It's not bad but very far from rF2/AMS1 "perfection".

What I can feel in ISIMotor games is great precision. It's so great and physics is somehow soft and it's cool on a gamepad. I love rF2/AMS1 feeling. For instance, GTR2 is good but it looks like lower frequency for input. The worst is ME It's bad or you can tune it to have it less bad. Currently I play Community events on Xbox in PC1 and it's like playing some ancient cars, you can't control the car properly because of lack of sensitivity.

 

Regarding gamepad imposed settings from the game, I am battling
- forced dead zones
- forced input curves even on 50 sensitivity setting (different curves on custom wheel than custom gamepad)
As I am using gyro tilt input to drive I absolutely do not want the curves designed for little thumb sticks , so I tried my best with adjusting a custom curve and anti deadzones to get as much to linear input as possible, still not perfect but much better.

Did find out the values by calibrating the max wheel for 180 degr (90deg l/r) and also using the full gyro movement of a steam controller, it would match an 90deg , but anything in between was clearly still not linear movement until I adjusted a custom curve in steams controller mappings.
Basically any controller supported by steam that creates a virtual xbox controller will hit the same issues.

Other games like many of you mentioned do not have that sort of problem and are super easy to set up (RF2, ancient simbin race wtcc, assetto corsa) and steering inputs feel incredibly direct compared to ams2.

Input lag and filtering are horrible compared to those other titles too, I really hope for a "raw input" setting that bypasses all of that.

 

I feel you can get lost by altering too many settings. One change conflicts with another and you end up in a dead end.

I want something that feels like GT Sport. That’s the most natural gamepad control I’ve experienced. I feel pretty happy with Deadzone: 0 and Steering Sensitivity 80. No other changes other than button configurations that replicate GT Sport.

PS, anymore info on the ‘Render Frames Ahead’ suggestion of 1. I’m new to (modern) PC gaming so unsure if this is needed. I noticed the setting in the Battlefield 2042 beta too.

 

It's a framebuffer. If you get no frameskips then leave at 1. Higher numbers increase frame output stability but induce frame output lag, which we perceive as input lag.
If you want to be extreme about it you can manually configure the graphics driver to disable the frame buffer and release the frame directly, however any and all delays in frame output will be noticed.

 

Don't mix arcade controls with a simulator ones. We want raw input with settings, assisted controls are complete opposite way. GT even has stabilization

Other assisted games without direct car control: GT, F1, Forza, Grid, PC3, ACC (with helper enabled), etc.

ME has broken math for sensitivity curve (it's linearity) and what is more interesting sens. curve affects deadzone size.

It needs serious overhaul but even SMS couldn't do it so it won't probably happen and nobody will care about AMS2 anymore I don't know...