|
Force RS - Frequently Asked Questions What is a "sure fire" driver installation procedure? None of the LEDS on the front of the Force RS light up - is this normal? In the "test input" section of the Force RS' driver applet, one of the buttons is always lit up - what is going on? Is there a "self-test" mode for the wheel? In the "Test Forces" screen only button 2 (force field) gives any response - why? Why won't my Force RS work with Microsoft Monster Truck Madness 2 or Cart Precision Racing? My Force RS shakes violently in some games, notably Codemasters' Colin McRea Rally and TOCA2 - why? Does the USB Engine Cartridge work with both USB and standard serial ports, or just USB? What is a USB port and how do I check if I have one? What advantages does USB provide over the serial port? What is the password for the I-Force Studio software included on the Force RS driver cd? Do I need to install the I-Force Studio software to use my Force RS? My Force RS Driver CD is defective - what do I do? Can I use an adapter to connect the Force RS serial port to my game port? Can I use the Force RS with the PDPI L4? What is a serial port and how do I check if I have one? How can I check my serial port to see if it is working OK? How big is the Force RS, and will it fit my desk? I have Windows 95 and DirectX 7, and I cannot install the new force RS drivers - what do I do? I loaded the Force RS Drivers and my system crashes - what do I do? Can I use the Force RS with older DOS-mode games such as Nascar 2, Burnout, and Grand Prix 2? I have Sierra's Nascar 99 and it supports DirectX, why can't I use the Force RS? My brand-new Force RS feels very stiff and "notchy" - is this normal? The force feedback in Nascar 3 when using the Force RS feels a bit weak with no feel - why is that?
What is a "sure fire" driver installation procedure? First, if you have DirectX 7.0, make sure to upgrade to DirectX 7.0a, available here. Do
the following with the wheel conncted to the serial or USB port (not both!)
and powered on. 2. Download and save the new self-installing driver file to your hard drive (make note of where). Run the self-installing driver file to (re)install the drivers. 3. Depending on the connection method used, do one of the following: For USB, simply unplug and re-insert the USB connector from the Force RS. The system should say "new hardware found" and then "ACT LABS Force RS (USB)" For SERIAL, re-boot the PC. Hopefully, Windows will say "new hardware found" and directly install the "ACT LABS Force RS (serial)" drivers and ask for a re-boot. In either case, if Windows instead asks for the location of the driver for "Force RS", select "search for best driver" and then uncheck all the boxes and specify the location "c:\windows\inf". Re-boot if/when prompted. 4. Finally, go to the "game controllers" applet, which should be empty (or remove whatever is there) and then click on "add", then pick "ACT LABS Force RS" from the list, then click OK.top None of the LEDS on the front of the Force RS light up - is this normal? Yes. The LEDs are there for when the wheel is used with one of the console cartridges, such as for the PlayStation or N64. They are not used with the Force RS engine cartridge. The test for if the wheel is getting power is the "virtual spring" effect, which should be present when the wheel is powered on but **not** connected to the PC. Turn the wheel left and right to test for the virtual spring - if it comes back to approximate center, it is working. top In the Windows "Game Controllers" applet, the Force RS status is OK, but when I click on "Properties" I get a "contact with device has been lost" error message - what gives? The problem is related
to DirectX 7.0, which had some bugs. The solution is to update to DirectX
7.0a or later (available here)
and then re-install the Force RS driver using the "sure
fire install method" outlined above. In the "test input" section of the Force RS' driver applet, one of the buttons is always lit up - what is going on? The later drivers enable the 3 dashboard buttons as well. The button on the lower right is actually a push-on, push off switch - you must make sure to keep this in the "off" position, which is "up". In some games, having a button always pressed will interfere with assigning the controls or even lock up the controller setup screen. With DirectX 7.0 or later, it will make the controller properties page keep popping up whenever the "game controllers" applet is open. Keeping the switch in the "off" position will prevent this. The same thing holds true for the the RS Shifter - be sure to leave it in neutral when you are not actually driving in a game. top Is there a "self-test" mode for the wheel? Why yes, there is! Disconnect the wheel from the PC and power. Simultaneously pull the right shifter paddle while holding the left middle spoke button down, and then plug the power supply back into the cartridge. Keep holding the buttons for 5 to 10 seconds after applying power and then operate either shifter lever and the buttons - you will feel some different effects. top Problem: In the "Test Forces" screen only button 2 (force field) gives any response. Solution: The problem relates to the incomplete removal of the old drivers before installing the new ones. Following the sure fire driver installation procedure should solve this problem. If you want to install an older set of drivers, use the Force RS driver removal utility. If not, the "readme.txt" file that comes with the drivers contains detailed instructions on uninstalling the drivers and starting fresh. If you did in fact follow the instructions, I suspect you missed the part about removing the Force RS entries from the list of devices that pops up in game controllers when you click on "add" on the general page. Read the instructions carefully and note that you are supposed to bring up the device list by clicking on "add", highlight the Force RS entry (of which there are likely two) and then press the delete key ***on the keyboard*** to remove it. Repeat steps until all Force RS entries are gone. (Note: If you have DirectX 7, you will need to edit the registry - this is also covered in the readme.txt file). Next, you remove any Force RS entries from the device manager. Then, remove the "immersioncorporationACT?????.inf" files from the "c:\windows\inf\other" folder. Finally, re-boot the PC and re-install the drivers when windows re-detects the wheel (wheel must be connected and powered on, of course). top I experience a lag in response to steering inputs with my Force RS connected to the serial port - how can I fix this? You may need to disable usage of the FIFO data buffers for the serial port the Force RS is connected to. In the Windows Device Manager, go to the properties of the serial port in question (under "Ports"), click on the "Port Settings" tab, then click on "advanced" and uncheck the box for "use FIFO buffers". top Why won't my Force RS work with Microsoft Monster Truck Madness 2 or Cart Precision Racing? Download and install the newest drivers for the Force RS from our website. Follow the driver installation instructions carefully. top My Force RS shakes violently in some games, notably Codemasters' Colin McRea Rally and TOCA2 - why? Download and install the newest drivers for the Force RS from our website. Follow the driver installation instructions carefully. top With the new drivers for the Force RS there is a slider for Default Spring in Gain Settings. What does the check box that says "Always On" do? The "Always On" option solves a problem with some non-FF games that would cause the wheel to ignore the default spring setting. In GPL (pre FF patch), for example, the default spring would stop working as soon as the game started. The drawback is that in a FF game, the other FF commands are listened to but the default spring setting is always there and may drown out the other sensations. The lower the setting, the less sensations you would lose, though. It is usually best to leave "Always On" unchecked unless you have a particular non-FF game that needs to have some centering spring action, or possibly even a FF game where you would like more centering (at the cost of losing some of the other FF sensations). top Does the USB Engine Cartridge work with both USB and standard serial ports, or just USB? It supports serial and USB. There is "Y" on the end of the cable with a 9-pin serial plug and a USB plug. (You should only use one at a time!) top What is a USB port and how do I check if I have one? A USB port is a small rectangular opening (often in pairs), usually indicated by the trident-like USB logo. They should be visible next to the other ports on the back of the PC. Most PCs made in the last year will have them. You will need to be running Windows 98 or later to be able to use your USB ports. Add-in USB port cards are available from most PC shops. top What advantages does USB provide over the serial port? Though some users report significant performance improvements when using USB, there is generally no major advantage over a serial connection, assuming the PC is properly configured with no serial port IRQ conflicts or other odd problems caused by other devices such as internal modems, Palm-pilots, etc. USB has the main advantages of convenience and easy installation. In the real world many systems have serial port setup problems and the USB port on the PC usually just works, right out of the box (as long as you have Windows 98). top What is the password for the I-Force Studio software included on the Force RS driver cd? The password is right in front of you on the screen. ;-) top Do I need to install the I-Force Studio software to use my Force RS? No. It is only for designing your own force feedback effects and experimentation. Only the Force RS drivers need be installed for the wheel to work in games. top My Force RS Driver CD is defective - what do I do? You really do not need the CD to set up the wheel. In fact, it is preferable to use the newest drivers that are always on our website. Please carefully follow the instructions that come with the drivers. They are in the "readme.txt" file that comes with them. top Can I use an adapter to connect the Force RS serial port to my game port? No. The serial port and gameport are totally different. Even if you could find a physical adapter they would still not be compatible electronically. top Can I use the Force RS with the PDPI L4? No, you cannot use the L4 to connect the Force RS - it is completely incompatible. Besides, the serial or USB connection used by the Force RS engine is already a digital one. The CPU in the Force RS Engine cartridge already does analog to digital conversion and is very lag and jitter free. top What is a serial port and how do I check if I have one? The serial port is a 9-pin D shaped connector, similar to the video connector except with less pins. Usually, there are two on a PC. One may possibly be in use by the mouse (mainly on older machines). They are also referred to as Com ports or Communications ports. They are identified in Windows as Com1, Com2 etc. Look in the device manager under "ports" and you will see if you have any set up - if not, you may have to enable them in you motherboard's bios via the CMOS setup utility. You may have to get a computer nerd friend over to help if all this seems like Greek - they will usually work for pizza and coke. top How can I check my serial port to see if it is working OK? The Windows "device manager" is not a conclusive check on the function of any device, especially serial ports. The best test is to power down the PC, unplug your regular mouse and plug a serial mouse into the port you intend to use with the wheel. When you re-boot, Windows should find a mouse. If not, you know the port is not working properly. You will probably need to consult your motherboard's manual to determine if the serial ports are indeed enabled in the motherboard's BIOS setup. In general, look for "serial ports" somewhere under an "integrated peripherals" or similar menu option in the motherboards SETUP utility. Usually, this utility is accessed by pressing a specific key during the initial boot-up sequence. Be careful, since changing the wrong settings can cause your PC not to boot properly. top How big is the Force RS, and will it fit my desk? The key measurements are (RS and Force RS): Top of front of housing
above desk surface: 7.5" I have Windows 95 and DirectX 7, and I cannot install the new force RS drivers - what do I do? Be sure to get DirectX 7.0a available here. DirectX 7.O had a few bugs... Re-install the Force RS drivers using the sure fire install procedure outlined above. Ultimately, the best solution is to upgrade to Win98, especially if you have a Pentium II class or later system. top I get an "I-Force Information: Gameport Not Detected" dialog box when my system boots, but I do have a gameport installed and the wheel works fine - how do I disable the warning? If you get a message on bootup warning that your "Gameport is not detected" or the "Microsoft Gameport Joystick" is not installed, but your Force RS is otherwise working fine, you may disable the IMMCHECK utility. To do so, simply delete the file "IMMCHECK.EXE" from either the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM or C:\WINDOWS folders. The IMMCHECK utility warns of the lack of an installed gameport driver. The gameport driver is needed because part of the Game Controllers applet's functionality depends on it, even if you do not have any gameport-connected devices. In the case of sound cards that install their own version of the gameport driver, IMMCHECK often does not recognize them and brings up the error message. If you know your Force RS is working fine, then there is no need to worry about the error message. Note: The IMMCHECK.EXE file will be re-installed if the driver is re-installed. top I loaded the Force RS Drivers and my system crashes - what do I do? If you get an error message similar to this: "RTS Access-violation in TNCLITE system manager task (hTask Oxca 8abb40) at EIP:ox13 Location:Ox4accflbd" It is due to a "Telepath"-brand modem driver file called "tela-lit.vxd". There are two options
to clear the error. Enter windows in Safe Mode to be able to delete one
of the following files: If you are using USB and do not plan to use the
serial port for connecting the Force RS, delete the Force RS serial driver
component called "immser.vxd" in the "c:\windows\system" folder. If you
are using serial to connect your Force RS and do not have the "Telepath"
internal modem any more, you can delete the file "tela-lit.vxd" in the
"c:\windows\system" folder. This will of course disable the "Telepath"
modem if it is still installed. NOTE: Editing the registry should not be done without first backing up the registry and any important data on your system. In other cases, it may be the result of a corrupted installation of the Force RS drivers. To get the system to boot up properly, you may need to enter safe mode (press the F8 key as the system is booting) and run regedit (click on "start", select "run" type in "regedit" then click on "OK") to edit the folowing registry keys: Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaProperties\PrivateProperties\Joystick\OEM You will see a large
list of controllers, remove only the keys: Also, under the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResources\joystick\ You will see a long
list of controller settings on the right side window - delete all of the
entries that have anything other than zeros for data. Mainly, you want
to delete any keys for controller 1. Finally, under the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResources\joystick you will see keys named "msjstick.drv <0001>" etc. Look for one or more that relates to the Force RS (look at the description data on the right window) and delete it. Close regedit and then open the device manager and remove any entries for the Force RS. The driver should now be removed from active duty and the system should boot (if the Force RS driver was in fact the problem). top Can I use the Force RS with older DOS-mode games such as Nascar 2, Burnout, and Grand Prix 2? The Force RS requires Windows DirectX 5 five or higher to work. Accordingly, it can not work with DOS-mode games. To be used with the Force RS, a game must also support DirectX 5 or higher. top I have Sierra's Nascar 99 and it supports DirectX, why can't I use the Force RS? Nascar 99 will only support DirectX if you install the game using the "Windows rasterizer" option. Unfortunately, Nascar 99 will not work in mutiplayer mode in the "Windows Rasterizer" mode. top My Force RS has started making a high pitched "squeak" when turned - is this a bad sign and can I lubricate it? The squeak is caused by the (carbon block) brushes of the motor vibrating against the commutator. There is no lubrication possible or desirable. It seems that almost all of the wheels do it to some degree but in some cases it goes away completely with time (as the brushes wear in). It is not a sign of impending doom, merely an annoyance. From our experience, our competitors' wheels (and FF joysticks) make similar noises, since they use similar motors. Our motor is bigger, of course. A brush-less DC motor would eliminate the noise, however, using such a motor would double the price of the wheel. top My brand-new Force RS feels very stiff and "notchy" - is this normal? The Force RS gets smoother feeling with use. Essentially, the Kevlar-reinforced drive belts need a chance to break in and become supple (they do not stretch appreciably). Turning the wheel from lock to lock (easy does it now!) for 20-50 cycles will help speed up the break-in process. top The force feedback in Nascar 3 when using the Force RS feels a bit weak with no feel - why is that? The new drivers may help a bit, especially if you check the "map y forces to x axis" option in the "gain settings" page. Be sure to first uninstall your original drivers before installing the new ones. Most important is to be sure to edit the "N3.ini" file in the game's main folder, according to the readme that comes with N3 (also in the game folder). The following settings seem to work pretty good: FORCE_SCALE_PERCENT
200 You may want to inclrease the Damping setting in increments of 20 or so until you get a feel you like. I like 0, but if you let go the wheel the car may start to oscillate back and forth - increasing damping reduces or eliminates this phenomenon but also reduces the transient response feel, IMO. top |