Gamepad Support - Analysis, Suggestions, Wishes

[GTAce]

I have to use this awesome feature and quote myself from Reiza's forums:

Disclaimer: I know that sims are played best with a good wheel/pedal set-up.
There are people, like me, who cannot use a steering wheel because of a disability.
We still enjoy simracing a lot, even with a gamepad.
This thread's purpose has accessibility in mind too, so please refrain from shaming pad users, stop calling us "kiddos", and let us enjoy this hobby too.
Before I start with the topic itself I'd like to share something about my person (if you don't care just skip to the next, bold part). My name's Maurice, I'm 30 years old and drive hardcore sims on PC since GTL days. Because of a muscular disease I always had to use PlayStation controllers. The list of (PC) sims I have experience with:
GTL, GTR2, Race 07/GTR Evolution, RaceRoom, rFactor, NetKar Pro, Assetto Corsa & Competizione, pCARS 1 & 2, R3E, iRacing, DiRT Rally & 2.0 and more.

All of them are good with a gamepad, with my benchmark being AC, except for pCARS 1 & 2.
Both games suffer from big issues which stem from weird decisions made by SMS.
I was a part of pCARS 1's backing campaign back then and very vocal about that, especially because the game felt much better once than at release...

AMS2:
AMS2 actually does feel better already, I don't know what changes were actually done, but it is better. You do notice similar issues though, which is natural with it being in the same engine and the understandable lack of focus on it (at least I assume that).

Flaws in the gamepad input:
Let's start off with some of the bigger flaws, deadzones and speed sensitivity.
The game still has a noticable deadzone even if you turn it off in the setting. This seems to be an issue with the Madness Engine but I know you can get rid of it with some tweaking, the engine is capable of it. Another problem is how the speed sensitivity is set up. You need to use 85+ to be able to catch slides without ending in a tank slapper, but that limits the steering lock too harsh at lower speeds. You have to take hairpins so slow, that you lose seconds just from that. It also makes the racing trucks undrivable.

Visual feedback:
Another problem at least I have is the lack of full-lock-animation on the virtual steering wheels.
I know that animating this stuff is difficult, so I thought a compromise could be to have a setting that removes the virtual driver, but lets the wheel turn 360°. When you steer with a stick, this actually gives you a nice, visual cue.

Bugs:
This is maybe better suited for another thread, but there are some bugs too, like not being able to get out of a replay, or scrolling through the car class selection.

More in-depth testing needed:
This is actually also directed at myself. I'd love to do more in-depth testing, but it's hard alone and doesn't help anyone if the developers don't get to see it....

I do love the game, the variety of cars and tracks you don't see in any other sim, coupled with Madness' weather and physics features is amazing. It is hard to fully appreciate it though, if it doesn't feel right. So... I hope someone actually listens and cares.

 

[daveytabisz]

Improvements were made since the first build but yes, still a long way from AMS 1 gamepad capabilities. When you have a steering range/angle that could tackle low speed corners you're simply incapable of maintain the same car at high speeds.

My steering wheel range was 270º with 27% of steering rate and variables of 13º to 16º on steering lock on the first title. Analog sensivity set to 5%. That was the most precise feel I ever had on a gamepad, even better than the sim-cade titles.

Honestly, that feel aren't even close on AMS 2. Either you have a twitchy car that actually makes through corners or a brick that is precise in high speeds and goes right off track on corners.

One thing that I noticed that is DirectInput related is that on these types of devices the rumble function isn't avaible through the game code BUT, when I select steering wheel and "calibrate" the gamepad, I do have the rumble function working on the gamepad. Is there a way to implement the function on DirectInput hardware? Anyway, the left analog must be prioritized by all means.

I can tweak everything I want and still, I felt a massive downgrade from the last title. It just doesn't feel fun messing up with the settings and testing for 2 hours just to get a underperformed 30min race.

Wish I could adress better the flaws and suggest improvements in a aproppiate fashion but I guess the devs could take the same car/track in both titles and see for themselves the massive differences in both titles.