'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.

 

[=Andre=]

Flying Aerofly FS2 is better with SimShaker - Wings software.

 

[Bluerider221]

Hello,
I've read most of this thread and will be purchasing the software soon. I plan to setup a 2 channel system and most Simvibe users recommend mounting one shaker on the pedals and the other on the seat to feel front and rear suspension effects individually. Do you think this would be best? Any special ssw setup needed for this? Seems this would give more feel than a left/right setup? Or should I save up for a 4 channel setup, is it worth it? Thanks!

 

[serugiran1992]

Good night,

I set up today my cockpit with 2 bodyshakers along with the SMSL SA-98E Stereo Amp 160W x 2 (maybe in the future I will another 2 in the back of my seat). I've been testing SSW 2.32 and it's just sublime. But in order to acquire the license I'd like to know if there is a way to run at the same time SimHub and SSW. In PC2 the settings are different for those programs Shared Memory as PC2 in SimHUb while Share Memory as PC1 in SSW. In F12017 SSW crashes immediately after starting the game. On the contrary, in DIRT4 both programs run just fine. I also have to say that the feelings in PC2 are way much better than in F12107 specially while passing over curbs.

Great job Andre, kind regards from Spain.

 

[=Andre=]

Hi serugiran1992,
since version 2.35 SimShaker - Wheels can read both types of Project CARS 2 shared memory. Please update SimShaker - Wheels (launch it 2 times, the first to detect that the update is available and the second to start the update) and mark Read Shared Memory 2 checkbox in Project CARS1/2 options at Game Specific Settings tab.
Regarding F12017 SSW crash I need more details. Please look for .Net Runtime errors (as on the picture below) in Windows Event Viewer and PM me or create a support ticket.

 

[serugiran1992]

Hi serugiran1992,
since version 2.35 SimShaker - Wheels can read both types of Project CARS 2 shared memory. Please update SimShaker - Wheels (launch it 2 times, the first to detect that the update is available and the second to start the update) and mark Read Shared Memory 2 checkbox in Project CARS1/2 options at Game Specific Settings tab.
Regarding F12017 SSW crash I need more details. Please look for .Net Runtime errors (as on the picture below) in Windows Event Viewer and PM me or create a support ticket.

Thank you Andre. This evening I'll try this. Best Regards.

 

[serugiran1992]

Dear Andre,
Now PC2 woks fine running SSW 2.35 and SimHub 6.2.2 at the same time.
Nevertheless that's not the case for F12017. SSW 2.35 crashes after starting F12017.
I've PM you with the error extracted from Windows Event Viewer.

 

[Mr Latte]

Issue:
Loading / Saving Profiles

Setting slider positions, used with "Car 1-10" chosen folder is very handy to have.
However....

1. Save SSW slider positions and options as a "Profile"
2. Load a saved "Profile" to get previously saved settings

3. If we make changes to a loaded profile it seems to automatically replace the original saved "Profile" settings with new slider positions.

4. We lose the saved settings of the original created "Profile".

 

[=Andre=]

Yes, that's the way it works and I consider it to be handy. If you make desirable changes in settings why it should not be stored?
The original profile may be safely stored in some other folder from where you make initial "Load".

 

[signman]

Andre could you please explain why sometimes I sit in a car at idle and my tactile has a gentle rumble, usually sat in the pit's waiting to go on track.

Then another time I find there is nothing just a very feint tingle can be felt if I place my hand on
the Buttkicker Advance.

If I drive out onto the track and crash the car hard into a wall ( Damage off ) after the crash the tactile begins to rumble again as if the car is idling.

I am running 6 channel.
Both Beta and normal SSW the same happens.

Having some energy at idle is very nice as like sitting in a real race car but the effect is not always present.


Assetto Corsa
Porsche 962

Engine Beat 55%
Start Effect 35%

Signman

 

[Mr Latte]

Yes, that's the way it works and I consider it to be handy. If you make desirable changes in settings why it should not be stored?
The original profile may be safely stored in some other folder from where you make initial "Load".

It's not good this way....
As the point of saving a preset is because it may work/feel good to users preference.

Yet they may load a profile and want to just TRY additional slider settings WITHOUT these overwriting the settings saved in the profile.

If the user wanted to save additional/multiple "Profiles" with different slider positions they could do such manually. The Auto save overwriting is really annoying.

Will try saving/loading from different folder
It just seems odd to have casual altering of sliders then force itself as that profile.

 

[Zoof2]

Since update 2.35 all SSW not been working in RRRE . Am I missing something ?

 

[Zoof2]

Since update 2.35 all SSW not been working in RRRE . Am I missing something ?[/QUO
Apologies now working after a restart

 

[Mr Latte]

Andre could you please explain why sometimes I sit in a car at idle and my tactile has a gentle rumble, usually sat in the pit's waiting to go on track.
Then another time I find there is nothing just a very feint tingle can be felt if I place my hand on
the Buttkicker Advance.

Andre, I'm sure can give more detailed response than my own but thought I'd try to help understand ...

The log window will give you an idea...

Eg:
Porsche 911 RSR GT3 (Assetto Corsa)

Effect 7 (Engine Beat 2)
You can also look at the Asus EQ activity
With this car it is not active above Start Effect @10%
This determines when its active within the cars RPM range

This car's range (900-9000 RPM)
At idle is 900 RPM, so below 10% will be below idle RPM value, therefore, active @ 9%.
The more you have the Gain slider set the more the AD gain will be (see log)

Porsche 962
Log data:
Idle 1900 RPM Max 8400 RPM
So this car needs to be below "Start Effect 23%" to be under the 1900 RPM value.
Different cars may also generate different AD gain values based on the gain slider position.
One car at 50% slider value may not feel the same as another.

My Personal Opinion:
This is just one reason why "saved presets" using custom wav should not be automatically overwritten by casual adjustments. Additionally, loads of people will perhaps use one profile set of custom .wav with various cars but again casually just move the sliders or in this example the "Start Effect %" needing to be altered.

The "Additional Tone %" is another example, on the Porsche 911 RSR GT3 its perfect at 95% but different cars will need different values to have the tone kick in at the optimal RPM or rev counter lights.

If I drive out onto the track and crash the car hard into a wall ( Damage off ) after the crash the tactile begins to rumble again as if the car is idling.

I am running 6 channel.
Both Beta and normal SSW the same happens.

Having some energy at idle is very nice as like sitting in a real race car but the effect is not always present.


Assetto Corsa
Porsche 962

Engine Beat 55%
Start Effect 35%

Signman

The crash element could be "Wheel Slip" and if its set at a low value you can see in the log its active when in idle. Crank it to 100% Gain and you will see it active in the Asus EQ.
Various factors here, could depend on the .wav used, the Gain % and different cars if or how much this may be felt.

Wheel Slip will activate with collisions. You will find several effects do but oddly "Damage" will not.

I have had instances when I hit escape to pause AC and "Wheelslip" remains active.
Im sure others have encountered this as well.



Hope its some help....

 

[Ceolmor]

Thanks @Mr Latte for the explanation about how engine beat works. Have copied the settings for the Porsche 962c and it feels even better now. Will try to do similar calculations on my other fav cars.

Regarding auto saving, is not the easiest way to do it, if you intend to tweak a profile, to first "save as" the profile to a new separate file (say "FileName_experimental"). You then tweak that file, leaving the original in its original state.

 

[Mr Latte]

Thanks @Mr Latte for the explanation about how engine beat works. Have copied the settings for the Porsche 962c and it feels even better now. Will try to do similar calculations on my other fav cars.

Regarding auto saving, is not the easiest way to do it, if you intend to tweak a profile, to first "save as" the profile to a new separate file (say "FileName_experimental"). You then tweak that file, leaving the original in its original state.

Hey, no problems, its just one of the things needing to be considered for independent car profiles.
The log can be a lot of help at times...

I spent about an hour configuring settings for a car and saved them.
Only to then find with some casual adjusting of slider controls it overwrites the saved profile.
This is totally dumb, please someone else try as I have tried saving a profile in a separate created folder and it still overwrites the profile if you make any changes. I get the idea that SSW may remember the last used settings as being handy feature but saved profiles make more sense to remain unchanged unless re-saved manually by the user.

Another issue I am having is that I'm now down to my last activation as for some reason the software keeps losing the details for my account. Not sure if anyone else has had this issue. I've tried activating with "remember" ticked and unticked it keeps every so often losing the activation key.

 

[YerBlues68]

Hi, i just received my Gametrix and i also have two Bass shakers. I was thinking to put the two bass Shakers behind the pedals, one at the right and the other one at the left to "fell" the ground/engine/front right/left suspensions/front right/left tyres/...

Andre, What do you think is the best place to put the two Bass Shakers to get the most realistic 'feeling' (Two behind the pedals, one behind pedals one behind the seat, two behind the seat, one behind the seat and one in the back of the seat, ...? What would be the best configuration to iracing in SimShaker with two Bass Shakers and JetSeat to achieve the most realistic 'sensations'? Should i connect the the amp of my Bass Shakers to his dedicated sound card or to the jack of the jetseat?

Thank you, i must say that potencial of the JetSeat/SimShaker is immense. Continue with the great work.

 

[signman]

Andre, I'm sure can give more detailed response than my own but thought I'd try to help understand ...

The log window will give you an idea...

Eg:
Porsche 911 RSR GT3 (Assetto Corsa)

Effect 7 (Engine Beat 2)
You can also look at the Asus EQ activity
With this car it is not active above Start Effect @10%
This determines when its active within the cars RPM range

This car's range (900-9000 RPM)
At idle is 900 RPM, so below 10% will be below idle RPM value, therefore, active @ 9%.
The more you have the Gain slider set the more the AD gain will be (see log)

Porsche 962
Log data:
Idle 1900 RPM Max 8400 RPM
So this car needs to be below "Start Effect 23%" to be under the 1900 RPM value.
Different cars may also generate different AD gain values based on the gain slider position.
One car at 50% slider value may not feel the same as another.

My Personal Opinion:
This is just one reason why "saved presets" using custom wav should not be automatically overwritten by casual adjustments. Additionally, loads of people will perhaps use one profile set of custom .wav with various cars but again casually just move the sliders or in this example the "Start Effect %" needing to be altered.

The "Additional Tone %" is another example, on the Porsche 911 RSR GT3 its perfect at 95% but different cars will need different values to have the tone kick in at the optimal RPM or rev counter lights.





The crash element could be "Wheel Slip" and if its set at a low value you can see in the log its active when in idle. Crank it to 100% Gain and you will see it active in the Asus EQ.
Various factors here, could depend on the .wav used, the Gain % and different cars if or how much this may be felt.

Wheel Slip will activate with collisions. You will find several effects do but oddly "Damage" will not.

I have had instances when I hit escape to pause AC and "Wheelslip" remains active.
Im sure others have encountered this as well.



Hope its some help....

Only just seen this ..Thank you Rod.

 

[=Andre=]

Hi, i just received my Gametrix and i also have two Bass shakers. I was thinking to put the two bass Shakers behind the pedals, one at the right and the other one at the left to "fell" the ground/engine/front right/left suspensions/front right/left tyres/...

Andre, What do you think is the best place to put the two Bass Shakers to get the most realistic 'feeling' (Two behind the pedals, one behind pedals one behind the seat, two behind the seat, one behind the seat and one in the back of the seat, ...? What would be the best configuration to iracing in SimShaker with two Bass Shakers and JetSeat to achieve the most realistic 'sensations'?

Hi YerBlues68,
as a matter of fact, SimShaker - Wheels software is built around JetSeat, which is currently my main focus. Bass-shakers effects is a kind of co-product, since I consider bass-shakers as a good addition to JetSeat and they have a lot in common. I've become an expert in JetSeats, but I'm not an expert in bass-shakers, at least, yet. I've made SimShaker - Wheels featuring plenty of customization capabilities. Hence, there is a room for experiments and creativity for everyone who would like to use SimShaker - Wheels along with bass-shakers. If I had 2 bass-shakers I would put them on the left and right side of the chair, but this is just my particular opinion.

Should i connect the the amp of my Bass Shakers to his dedicated sound card or to the jack of the jetseat?

Connect it to the dedicated sound card. There is no need to use JetSeat jacks when you play iRacing, SimShaker - Wheels controls JetSeat via USB in that case.

 

[Mr Latte]

Andre

Some feedback regards Bumps/Buffets
If anything this imho, is the biggest thing that is holding back additional immersion potential that SSW can have. If these factors are improved then I would estimate we can generate much better bump effects than what the competition currently offers.

Please if I may highlight some discoveries.....
I do not know if the below can be improved or changed, I just highlight what I think would improve things.


Testing From Assetto Corsa / Bumps Buffets

Issue 1
Low % Filtering = lots of bump detail but this can feel almost constant
This is perhaps good to represent a surface type feel.

Yet when using low % filtering settings we do not get properly working stereo.
This is something I shared with the guys testing the effects I am seeking to create.
I have been monitoring various cars and working with the filtering % slider value.

As an example:
The Porsche 911 RSR GT3 needs Bump/Filtering to be close to 65-70% to start getting proper left/right responses on the left/right based tactile. If not then both units respond.

Issue 2
Increasing the filtering % to higher values means less and less road bump effects happening.
So while we get what seems better stereo. It comes at the expense of less bump activity.

Issue 3
Even with the filtering set to high percentages many bumps will still happen on both channels.
I would expect it to require larger bumps (with higher values) to have increased activity on the opposite channel as the energy would flow from the side of contact to the other wheel.

If possible, it would be better if this required even larger bump values before having left/right activity. As this would increase what range of bumps then maintain their stereo positioning.
Currently, the sensitivity seems too high perhaps?


Recommendations
Find a way to use small bump values and have these operate like the low % value currently does.
This will give the road surface type detail. If Simvibe can do it, you can....

Improve the stereo positioning for simple on/off track events and small-medium bumps
Increase if possible what bump value is required before a left bump will also be active on the right channel.

Please split how the bumps work with a "Small" bump using its own .wav
Then for "large" bumps a separate .wav


I can only hope this gets support and feedback from others and you consider the recommendations.

If such improvements can be made I know we as the community can then greatly improve the bump sensations and have more variation in representing BOTH the feeling of "surface" sensations but no longer at the expense of excellent working "stereo" for each wheel and medium-large bumps.


We have currently good feeling bump .wav ready for release and other effects that will greatly improve over the "Default" files. However, it would be another jump forward, if like the addition of the engine effects you can come up with some solutions for the bumps....

 

[signman]

Please split how the bumps work with a "Small" bump using its own .wav
Then for "large" bumps a separate .wav

Yes this would be a very welcome addition please Andre.
I am spreading the word on other forums about SSW.