Is arcade ffb different to what you get from a Logitech wheel?

[Zebra]

What's the deal with the ffb plugins discussed here? With my Logitech wheel, ffb just works where it is supported by the emulator (assuming correct drivers are installed).

Is there a difference in how ffb works if you use a real arcade ffb motor with a PAC drive (or equivalent)?

[Howard_Casto]

No.  I'll try to explain. 

Force feedback has to be programmed for each game, as in converted from whatever data that was sent to the real arcade hardware into the Microsoft force-feedback protocol so it can be sent to supported windows devices.  Note that force-feedback refers to this software protocol only... it's a windows only thing... part of DirectInput.  Arcade games technically just have haptic feedback, which is just a fancy way of saying it doesn't use the Microsoft force-feedback protocol.  The various wrappers and plugins on the site convert arcade haptic feedback data into force-feedback and they are required to get any kind of force feedback for some of these emulated games in windows even if the emulator in question supports force feedback for other games.  Of course the exception is SailorSat's Arduino firmware... that's a hardware interface to real arcade hardware and she could probably explain that better than me. 

[Zebra]

Thanks.

Given that the original arcade used a different protocol, is the actual force feedback experience different after the protocol has been converted for a Windows compatible device?

I.e. Will the wheel start spinning and vibration at the same points in the game and for the same length of time etc?

[Howard_Casto]

It depends who wrote the software that converts the data.  Typically once you get to the actual data, removing any formatting or what have you an arcade game just tells the motor on the wheel to turn left or right at a specific power level.  If that's mapped to a constant force effect in direct input what you get is going to be darn close to what is in the arcade.  Sometimes that just isn't possible though, like my fxt hack where I am crafting the data from various variables in the game that aren't really meant to be ff data. 

[Zebra]

It depends who wrote the software that converts the data.  Typically once you get to the actual data, removing any formatting or what have you an arcade game just tells the motor on the wheel to turn left or right at a specific power level.  If that's mapped to a constant force effect in direct input what you get is going to be darn close to what is in the arcade.  Sometimes that just isn't possible though, like my fxt hack where I am crafting the data from various variables in the game that aren't really meant to be ff data.

Thanks.

Messing around the ffb settings and plugins is one of the reasons why I prefer using my PS3 for driving games. There are better versions of Daytona and Sega Ralley than you get with model 2 pc emulation. Plus there is a whole load of original driving games and ffb just works. No extra drivers or plugins to think about.

I was using my Logitech wheel with my son on the PS3 last week. I was impressed by the feedback as it combines vibration with a regular force feedback motor. The combo seems to add a little something to the experience.

Not sure it makes it more realistic though. Imagine if the wheel on your real car started wildly spinning left and right every time you went over a bump. You'd send it back.