H pattern shifter for Driving Force Pro?

  • Thread starter Shure
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Shure

35
Ive just been over at the Frex website, looking at the shifter upgrades they do for different wheels.

They do a sequential shifter which can be used on the Driving Force Pro for sure, and there's an H pattern shifter (like a real manual gear box) they do, but it doesn't if it can be used on the DFP or not, just that it a stand-alone USB device. But after watching a video of it in use, I'm sure its connected upto a DFP?!

Does anyone know anything about this? I'd love to have an H pattern shifter for Granny Rismo 👍

And what game is that he's playing? You can only hear it but the car he's driving sounds awesome! :D

Here's a link to the video....Click me crazy fool!
 
Sorry, my computer is playing up at the moment. It kept shutting the window down when I clicked on 'submit'.

Sorry I made a blank post and edited it.

Damn PC!! :banghead:
 
I'm not sure, but I'll look into this.

EDIT: Ok, the car sounds very similiar to the Lister Storm on GTR.
 
Shure
Anyone know?

I want that H pattern shifter!! :scared: :drool:
Click to expand...

Hi Shure,

I do have the Frex mods on my DFP (wheel adaptor, Momo wheel and sequential shifter).

The H-gate shifter you mentioned is not comptible with PS2. It is used together with the DFP, but only for PC games (which require special drivers).

I believe that the game must be either GPL or any of the mods for the F1 2002. Those are pro sim drivers favorites!!

You can see attached a photo of my setup.

Cheers!
 

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Nice setup Martinmaxx.

As for the H-Shifter, well i doubt it'd work on PS2. AFAIK each input on the DFP is just emulating a button on the controller. eg turning left = left on the pad, gear up = R2.
So for a PS2 game to support a H-Shifter it would need 7 buttons configurable to the 7 different gears (not including reverse).

Example, a game where the shoulder buttons = 1-4, Triangle = 5, Circle = 6. Then the H-Shifter would need to be able to emulate those buttons when you change gears.

This is if the PS2 doesn't have the ability to use controllers with more buttons that the DS2.

Hope that made sense.
 
Martinmaxx
Hi Shure,

I do have the Frex mods on my DFP (wheel adaptor, Momo wheel and sequential shifter).

The H-gate shifter you mentioned is not comptible with PS2. It is used together with the DFP, but only for PC games (which require special drivers).

I believe that the game must be either GPL or any of the mods for the F1 2002. Those are pro sim drivers favorites!!

You can see attached a photo of my setup.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
And GTR 2002 featured the Lister Storm not to mention GTR 2002 was a mod for F1 2002. So basically, that car was most likely the Storm. Like you said, it is a favprite for any of the mods for the game, and GTR 2002 being a mod, well...you get the picture.
 
Very nice Martinmaxx 👍

A few questions;

Was is easy to fit the mods?

How do you move around the menu screens, as I can't see a D-Pad? Or do you just have to pick up the dualshock for that?

Do you have the E-Brake mod too? Not much use for track racing, but maybe for Rally,drifting and messing around, which is all part of the Gran Turismo fun for me :dopey:

Thanks
 
I am sure it could be done, if the correct drivers were made. I bought a DVD thing for my ps2 to play all regions, and it just saves its info on my memory card, the same with the ps2 IR remote, it updates the version of the DVD player in the ps2, but it is saved to the memory card. I doubt we would see anything like this soon though unfortunately.

I reckon that thing is absolutely sick, would make the driving experience sooooo much better.
 
Meh, the gear shift in that movie looks pretty cruddy to me. Sure, it'd be great to have a H-gate, but look at the thing! I'd break that in a matter of days, guaranteed. Also note that the gear in-game didn't actually change until the gear shift motion has finished, so while the gear stick was in neutral mid-change, the game was still in third gear because it's not going to know you're changing until the change is complete. I don't see the point in having a H-gate pattern if it doesn't exhibit the physics of a real H-gate. I think it's only worth it if it has a clutch, like F355 Challenge in the arcades. I'll be the first to admit that I'm absolutely **** at the full simulation mode (for those who haven't played it- working clutch, 6-shift H-gate, no assists), but I still have a ball playing. :D It's almost certain that if GT4 had a similar control setup I'd be **** at that too, but I'd pick it up eventually. It's the same reason why I detest driving with an auto- the fact that you're removing one of the driving controls and making the game easier. More controls means a harder game, but it also means more of a thrill when you can pull it off. :) [/rant]
 
Ive been interested in an H shifter for GT4 as well and I have come to the conclusion that the only way to do it is to build your own or adapt a shifter like the Act Labs RS shifter. The catch is building a logic box to take the signals from the 8 or so buttons used for the individual gears and converting it to 2 useable signals that the PS2 can accept namely the R1, L1 or whatever buttons the DFP uses for the shifter. Basically its still a sequential shifter only that the logic box does the math for you and shifts you to the gear you selected.

Ive been talking to some of the electronic engineers at my school and they say its not really all that difficult to do so that will be my next project as soon as I finish my cockpit. Im also considering using my laptop as my logic box to test it out before I build a hardwired box.
 
Cheshyrkat
Ive been interested in an H shifter for GT4 as well and I have come to the conclusion that the only way to do it is to build your own or adapt a shifter like the Act Labs RS shifter. The catch is building a logic box to take the signals from the 8 or so buttons used for the individual gears and converting it to 2 useable signals that the PS2 can accept namely the R1, L1 or whatever buttons the DFP uses for the shifter. Basically its still a sequential shifter only that the logic box does the math for you and shifts you to the gear you selected.

Ive been talking to some of the electronic engineers at my school and they say its not really all that difficult to do so that will be my next project as soon as I finish my cockpit. Im also considering using my laptop as my logic box to test it out before I build a hardwired box.
Click to expand...

Let's hope it works out...then you can sell it for cash. lol, j/p.
 
A straight forward up and down shifter isnt toooo bad, like what we get standard with wheels, but they should supply a seperate box with it that can be plugged into the wheel itself but be away from it, reaching back behind the wheel to shift is not normal, i want the shifter on my left (im in australia) and it should be in line with my left knee, it annoys me that i have to reach back.

F1 paddles arent tooo bad either but once again, you drive GT for realism, you dont use F1 shifters on a bloody S13 Silvia, the wheel from what i have heard for GT4 is excellent but its the shifter thats going to hold it back.
 
McLaren F1GTR
I want a shifter like that. And by the way, alot of other road cars have F1 Padels shifters.
Click to expand...


Yup i knew that, but about 95% of the cars in GT4 are cars that were not released with paddles. I drive excellent with my right hand, or with both hands, but i hate using my right hand to change gears, and reaching that far back is annoying so i stick with auto, or use paddles, but on the wheel i got now i cant use paddles, its a mad catz 2 wheel, and i mean i cant use them in prologue. Hmm, i might have a little play around and see if i can build something that allows me to have a shifter on the left beside me.
 
I think the Evo VII Rally Car and the Newest Subaru Impreza WRX STi Rally Car have those paddles as well in the WRC. I'm not sure about the Ford Focus RS.
 
Wouldn't a H gear setup only serve to hurt your lap times? It seems a sequential gearbox would make upshifting and especially downshifting much quicker and smoother.
 
well its more realistic as 'normal' car goes. Even bit supercars like Lambo, ferrari or Koniegg have normal shifters.

I think that's part of what good drivers are... their skill at shifting.
 
I think that it would be fairly easy to make a H shifter... However you'd have to make sure that there was 7 slots... you could even also add a reverse gear that just presses the Triangle button for you... (I.e. you hold the gear stick in the reverse slot for as long as you want to reverse then change back into your other gears (Not ideal but better than having to find triangle on yer wheel))

However I have to say a H shifter would be fairly lame as someone pointed out... it's only as you finish the gear movement that the gear changing would take place... so you would have to pre-empt your gear changing by a fraction of a second for it to be really effective...

C.

PS 355 in full sim mode is rock solid... but brilliant fun!!!
 
Shure
Very nice Martinmaxx 👍

A few questions;

Was is easy to fit the mods?

How do you move around the menu screens, as I can't see a D-Pad? Or do you just have to pick up the dualshock for that?

Do you have the E-Brake mod too? Not much use for track racing, but maybe for Rally,drifting and messing around, which is all part of the Gran Turismo fun for me :dopey:

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi Shure,

Concerning fitting of mods, the most complicated part was the wheel adapter, eventhough it does not require opening of the DFP main unit. It came completely disasembled from Frex. There were many cables and switches, which had to be placed correctly in a very small space to make it fit. Also, the shift paddles had to be adjusted carefully to allow enough movement to perform the shift, without making the wheel and adpater loose (as they are all connected by the same screws). The shifter is the easiest to fit. You connect the Frex shifter by a "Logi wheel out cable" to the DFP. This time you do have to open the DFP main unit, but it is extremely simple (voids the warranty tho). All the Frex mod cables are connected by plastic connectors, identical to those on the DFP (no need to cut any wire). The guys at Frex are real pros!!

As the 6 "Frex" buttons are not enough to move around menus, you do have to use the DS2.

I really don´t remember if the E-brake is compatible with PS2. I didn´t get it for my cockpit. As you say, it is not very usefull for normal driving. In rally mode, you can make the car oversteer just by normal braking at corner entrance. Maybe it would be of better use in the GT4 drift mode. Who knows....

I recommend the Frex mods to anyone setting up a cockpit or looking for the best possible driving feeling for GT4. The mods are of great quality and function. Materials are top notch (billet alluminum, carbon fiber, etc).

The feeling of the DFP with a real MOMO wheel is unique!!
 
yeti
However I have to say a H shifter would be fairly lame as someone pointed out... it's only as you finish the gear movement that the gear changing would take place... so you would have to pre-empt your gear changing by a fraction of a second for it to be really effective...

C.

PS 355 in full sim mode is rock solid... but brilliant fun!!!
Click to expand...

If sony was to create a H Shifter for a upcoming wheel, i am sure they would add a Clutch, well i would if i was going through all the trouble, but unfortunately GT4 wouldnt be compatible.

Even without it would still make playing the game excellent.
 
What would really seperate an H shifter from a sequential/paddle setup is if the game supports mechanical failures like lost gears.

Say the player is consistently changing into a wrong gear, that gear would be harder and harder to engage untill eventually it would be unuseable and the H shifter would not allow that gear position to be accesible.

This may sound a bit far fetched but Ball Racing Development who produce sim cockpits were reported to be making such a device for the PC.
 
Martinmaxx
Hi Shure,

I do have the Frex mods on my DFP (wheel adaptor, Momo wheel and sequential shifter).

The H-gate shifter you mentioned is not comptible with PS2. It is used together with the DFP, but only for PC games (which require special drivers).

I believe that the game must be either GPL or any of the mods for the F1 2002. Those are pro sim drivers favorites!!

You can see attached a photo of my setup.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
:D :P did u nick that from an arcade lol
 
In the video with the H shifter, aren't they also using a clutch pedal? So you would see a delay in the actual change and finishing the stick movement. I agree that it shouldn't be too hard to build an H shifter for the DF Pro. The only problem you have is that when you move from 5th to 2nd it has to produce three quick clicks, but it has to know that if you're moving from 4th to 2nd you only need two quick clicks. Building in that bit of calculation is the only hard part of the whole thing, I think.

But I don't think it is worth it while GT doesn't support neutral, clutch and so on. I'd love to have it, but it will be a while before we'll see that on a console. I might try the PC setup for GTR 2003 or a similar game some time, but the downside of the PC world is that there isn't really a decent simulation that does regular cars, which I really enjoy racing with. GTR's sim of racing cars is awesome though, and I'm sure that I'm going to try that someday (when I get my PC in order again)
 

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