Button Panel use in AC?

El-ahrairah · Apr 9, 2015

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to AC and have been trying to figure out ways I can make use of the switch panel in my home sim. There doesn't appear to be many options in terms of what I can actually bind. I would love to be able to adjust things like differential, which you can do in PCars. I only see options for Brake Bias and driver gestures (lol). I cant even make use of all the buttons on my Ferrari F1 T500rs wheel let alone the panel.

My questions is does anybody else have button panels in their setups use them for anything in AC? And if so, what and how?

William Wester · Apr 9, 2015

I don't use this paticular Power Grid but I don't remember where I found the one I'm using. AC is very limited, but I have a couple of very good grids for pCARS and R3E.

http://power-grid.roccat.org/en/Store/Games/Games/Sports/404/

vee10 · Apr 9, 2015

I have a Derek Speare Designs button box and it is a waste of time in AC. Maybe switch the lights on and off once in a while. Don't bother unless you are driving other sims as well as AC. I could not do without it in RF2 for instance.

Radu Oros · Apr 9, 2015

If run out of (useful) things to bind from the controls page - Secondary buttons. Then try to bind shortcuts with some program for the button box you have.

Here is a list for the AC shortcuts, which aren't available in the Controls page. http://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?faq/keyboard-shortcuts.18/

There is one which isn't listed. Ctrl+J shows the current damage of the car (used to be ctrl+D). While "CTRL+Q : disable damage displayer", ctrl+j makes it appear or disappear while displayer is set to on. Although when you get too high damage, the indicator image will stay up and won't disappear, here you can use the ctrl+q toggle to turn off and on.

El-ahrairah · Apr 10, 2015

Radu Oros said:
Here is a list for the AC shortcuts, which aren't available in the Controls page. http://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?faq/keyboard-shortcuts.18/

Good stuff. Thanks for that. Not many very useful things though. I guess TC & ABS could be handy as well as boost management.

Peter Klawitter · Oct 28, 2015

so button boxes are not supported in AC at all?

Stereo · Oct 28, 2015

If they show up as standard controllers you can map them to anything a standard controller button works on, there's just not that much in AC that needs buttons. I only have the shift paddles on my wheel mapped, there's really nothing else useful.

Peter Klawitter · Oct 28, 2015

Stereo said:
If they show up as standard controllers you can map them to anything a standard controller button works on, there's just not that much in AC that needs buttons. I only have the shift paddles on my wheel mapped, there's really nothing else useful.

thank you for your reply, i have not tried anything, but am building a DIY button box and am going to test it out this weekend, just just curious if AC is at all possible. (i do like to have brake bias on rotary switch/ turning knob for certain turns various tracks)

Tommi Saari · Oct 28, 2015

I use DSD box and use Xpadder software to map shortcut functions to it. Most sims use same or similar functions so I just map each game to same labeled buttons. AC is the only one that needs xpadder profile.

Peter Klawitter · Oct 28, 2015

is this the one @Tommi Saari ? http://www.xpadder.com
could you share screenshot how it works or is there a file you could share? or little guide/ what are first steps for xpadder?

Tommi Saari · Oct 28, 2015

Sure, give me a few hours tho

.

Peter Klawitter · Oct 28, 2015

Tommi Saari said:
Sure, give me a few hours tho .

thank you Tommi!

Tommi Saari · Oct 28, 2015

Go to xpadder and buy the software. I tried those free ones but some of them made no sense to me at all.

First up, you need to make a layout of you button box/controller (could be even an gamepad or steering wheel). On the left you see different options, dpads, buttons...on DSD I have toggle switches, buttons and rotary dials. Each click of the switch or dial equals one button. so I roughly laid out my box. On the right you can name your buttons, it will help later when you assign fucntions to them.

Saved layout can be opened in xpadder from the left column meny with the wrench picture. on the tight you have you file where each button is assigned a key or combination of keys (ctrl+a, +, and so on)

When you press a button on your lay out you'll get a keyboard where to choose functions from. used keys are marked blue and empty ones yellow (when you click sand choose). The empty one are those I map in-game. Though there are buttons that have multiple functions or different ones depending on the game. The green 1 at the bottom of the app is this function assignment. You can have 8 different assignment for each layout.

You have to lauch xpadder before the game and load you button layout and then you assignments. As you can see my assignments do no go with the labels, will change those soon!

William Wester · Oct 29, 2015

Yeah, AC doesn't have a lot of map-able functions. I use an electronic button box (PowerGrid) and this grid someone made for AC (made to resemble a hardware box):

This one I prefer and use for rFactor2, SCE, pCARS, and R3E. The screen can also scroll left/right for more buttons if needed:

Peter Klawitter · Oct 29, 2015

nice write up Tommi!!! great and will check it out! also @William Wester, great info and absolute new stuff to me!!! wow! thank you! will test and check this weekend.

ouvert · Nov 2, 2015

yep, AC is no joy with button panels .. I could easily fit everything on wheel but I moved light to btn box just cause I`m use to have it ... I would guess once we will be closer to final stadium of developement we will have engine stall and startup button will be usefull again, hopefully pit request and pit control, ARB adjustment, who knows ..