Steering wheel can't steer?

[Dougmeister]

Bought this steering wheel set a while back:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5119469888&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

It hooks up to the game port.  Hooked it up and couldn't get it to work in DOS Mame, so fired up Mame32 and chose "Use Joystick Input".  Then I went into Mame setup mode and re-assigned all of the inputs to the buttons, etc.  All works fine but I CAN'T STEER.

Any ideas what's going on here?

(Testing on "SpyHunter", FWIW)

[u_rebelscum]

Bought this steering wheel set a while back...

It hooks up to the game port.  Hooked it up and couldn't get it to work in DOS Mame, so fired up Mame32 and chose "Use Joystick Input".  Then I went into Mame setup mode and re-assigned all of the inputs to the buttons, etc.  All works fine but I CAN'T STEER.

Any ideas what's going on here?

(Testing on "SpyHunter", FWIW)

Before anything else, see if the wheel works in windows: test the wheel in control panel game controllers and see if the wheel is registered by windows.

Next: Did you remap the steering wheel, too?  (You mention "buttons, ect".)  Map it to standard (the analog one), NOT inc or dec (the digital ones).

Third: check if you set up a analog to digital (or joy to key) in the driver or app running in the background.  Remove if you do.

[Dougmeister]

Before anything else, see if the wheel works in windows: test the wheel in control panel game controllers and see if the wheel is registered by windows.

It worked during the "setup" portion of the install.  I will check it in Control Panel.

Next: Did you remap the steering wheel, too?  (You mention "buttons, ect".)  Map it to standard (the analog one), NOT inc or dec (the digital ones).

I re-mapped the steering wheel, but in the "This game only" portion of the setup.  I mapped "turn left" to whatever "turn left" was, and "turn right" to "right".  Wow.  That sounds really stupid now that I read it, but it is the only option I saw there.  Is that the analog you're speaking of or is that in "General Setup" (for all games)?

Third: check if you set up a analog to digital (or joy to key) in the driver or app running in the background.  Remove if you do.

Can you give me some more info here?  Not sure what you mean.

Thanks for all of your help.

[daywane]

you would NOT want to set it up in general. That would change every game to the steering wheel
 you would want to set it up in this game only. ( the driving games)
what brand of wheel do you have?
I have 2 side winder and have had little to no real problems setting them up. each game I had to play with the analog settings
speed and selectivity but I could steer some before I played with the settings
(No I do not have the 2  set up at one time. ) I just got them both cheap.  $25.00 each so I bought em

[Dougmeister]

I didn't think I wanted "General", but what I've done so far hasn't worked, so...

Anyway, the brand is "Thrustmaster NASCAR CHARGER Steering Wheel".  (Click link in 1st post to see auction where I bought it).

[daywane]

oopsy did not notice the link. a quick search and I found this
Features/Specifications
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
ThrustMaster Nascar Charger 2 Steering Wheel  


General Features:
Bungee cord resistance for that realistic feel
Stable pedals for quick acceleration and braking
Four (4) wheel-mounted programmable buttons
Two (2) steering paddle shifters
Heavy duty clamping system
15-pin standard game/midi port connector
DirectX 7.0 compatible  


Package Includes:
ThrustMaster Nascar Charger 2 refurbished steering wheel
Brake and gas pedals
Clamping system
Driver CD
Quick Install guide
 

Product Requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Microsoft Windows 95/98/2000/ME/XP
486 or faster processor
Available 15-pin standard game/midi port
 

do you have DirectX 7.0  or higher. just a stab in the dark.
$4.00??  with a shifter !!!! I fill sick  



I just reread your post.... I think I found what the problem is....
go back into mame 32 and turn on mouse...
I do not think MAME sees your steering wheel as a joystick except for the buttons

[Dougmeister]

Ah.  That may be it.  Will check it tonight.

[SteveJ34]

.....
do you have DirectX 7.0  or higher. just a stab in the dark.
$4.00??  with a shifter !!!! I fill sick  
.....

There's a surplus computer store outlet in my neck of the woods (Dallas/Fort Worth) that has about 100 of these sitting on a pallet marked at $9.99 when I was in there last week.

Locally we refer to this store as "the boneyard" where sometimes deals can be had, odd items can found, but its all "buyer beware" for items not "new in the box" as there are no cash refunds.

If someone else were interested in this specific wheel I could help you source one in the short term....when they are gone, they're gone.

[daywane]

do thay realy have a shifter? the one at the web site I was at never showed it. (the shifter) I hate shifting with the buttons.
If so count me in on 3 wheels. XMAS is just around the bend.

[Dougmeister]

The one I got has the shifters "behind" the wheel, so they wouldn't really show up in a picture.

You can pull them w/ your index/middle finger while driving.  

[u_rebelscum]

Next: Did you remap the steering wheel, too?  (You mention "buttons, ect".)  Map it to standard (the analog one), NOT inc or dec (the digital ones).

I re-mapped the steering wheel, but in the "This game only" portion of the setup.  I mapped "turn left" to whatever "turn left" was, and "turn right" to "right".  Wow.  That sounds really stupid now that I read it, but it is the only option I saw there.  Is that the analog you're speaking of or is that in "General Setup" (for all games)?

Umm, "Turn Right"?  Mame (for spy hunter) uses the paddle, and that has "Paddle Analog", "Paddle Dec", and "Paddle Inc".  Map the steering wheel to the analog one (should say something like "joy 1 X axis"), and unmap it from Inc & Dec (digital 2 analog inputs).


If you're getting a "left" (or "joy 1 left") when you remap for your wheel, either the driver is changing the input to digital, or it's a digital (3-way) wheel.

[Dougmeister]

Paddle: J1 ThrustM X-Axis - (I turned the wheel 'left')
Paddle: J1 ThrustM X-Axis + (I turned the wheel 'right')

These were in the settings for just that game.  And the steering just veers straight off to the left of the screen and crashes, no matter what I do.

I have DirectX 9.x, and the control panel applet shows it working fine...

[pocketbikez]

have you tried it with other games like outrun or weclemans?

if you still have probs try it with mame version 83 and let us know if it works. mame versions after 83 have new controller code and its still being fine tuned.

[Dougmeister]

No, but good idea.

Can't run 0.83... I have a P200 and I think it'll be too slow.

[Dougmeister]

Tried it with Pole Position, and it worked fine.

I had to enable Joystick support in Mame32 for that particular game, and re-assign the buttons/steering wheel, but then it worked fine.

I can steer in Spy Hunter now, but I have to steer very hard one way, then I crash.  Occasionally I can steer back the other way, but it never lasts long.  Does it sound like a problem w/ Spy Hunter or with one of the settings inside somewhere?

[u_rebelscum]

No, but good idea.

Can't run 0.83... I have a P200 and I think it'll be too slow.

WOW, what version are you running?  
Old, old mames didn't properly remap analog inputs; you had to have your analog device installed as joystick 1 for player 1 to use it as an analog joystick.  
The semi-old, (IIRC) ~0.65 to 0.83, could remap analog, but had to map the analog device as the first device. (which should work if mapped as you show).
I've been explaining the new and better input way.

....mame versions after 83 have new controller code and its still being fine tuned.

I guess you can still say that, but 0.87 inputs are in way better shape than the pre 0.84 inputs were (IMO).