In general, the feedback for the effects I have been working on seems to be very positive based on private DM coms.
Some people have perhaps not the best-suited amplifiers for their used hardware or their installations are not ideal. Often we see people are tempted to just crank the volumes which is never a solution.
By creating effects in the manner I have with multiple layers for specific elements for the generation of the whole effect. We can achieve sometimes better sensations than what basic effects using single tones will generate. What is also important is using frequencies that can work better together when we start to apply additional effects.
In this example, I have opted to apply frequencies that most budget hardware will generate well but also that works superbly on the recommended exciters.
The user can alter and modify the output of several effect layers to help change the output sensation that suits different users. Of course, much more advanced effects are also possible but my focus is on seeking solutions for entry-level, advanced, and pro-level installations of hardware.
*I can compare how/what my own effects approach generates to others, including options like SRS / SSW / Simvibe. It's clear we can go beyond and improve the immersion that most people experience with tactile or motion systems deliver.
Building More Immersive Effects That Combine Together
I've shared some rather good-feeling suspension effects for budget hardware that can offer stereo sensations and with this also offered additional road texture sensations to combine with the suspension. GT7 does not support "Road Rumble" from Simhub so I needed to make a set of "Road Textures" that helped improve the vertical surges from suspension with additional tyre/surface sensations.
Within the road textures, I applied a different feel for slow-speed and high-speed scenarios. For this I wanted an impression of depth/weight for deceleration and low-speed corners but to feel a sensation that may represent the combination of wind noise/road surface under the chassis increase with speed. This way high-speed tracks build up in felt sensation as we hear the wind noise audio from GT7 which I think adds a nice touch.
Limitations / Drawbacks
Simhub does let us achieve some rather amazing potential when it comes to tactile effects.
Yet while in this example I have tried to offer sensations people can enjoy, I know based on testing already that I can take things much further with the recommended hardware I have mentioned and how we can combine the usage of multiple channels of exciters, to apply specific felt sensations to particular body regions. This is something we cannot achieve with traditional approaches with hardware or basic effects creation.
Even with my approach in effects, someone trying to apply multiple effects and these all generated via the same units will reach a point that they then lose the definition of the individual effects. The immersion or enjoyment it offers becomes more of a tactile mush. This is one of the reasons even 4-way installations are prone to only working well with a few effects at at time.
Being more creative in this pursuit with a different approach gives me much more ability in creative expression to build effects that are not restricted and generated on just a single unit or pair of units like the typical methods use. The more control we have over the sensations going into our bodies, then the more potential we have in bringing a more enjoyable, more immersive but also more adaptable felt character to different effects. This also greatly improves how we can apply multiple different types of effects at once over traditional approaches....
Unfair Or Competitive Advantage?
GT7 does, have some limitations with not all the typical tactile effects supported. We are discovering that effects that could aid someones driving ability, or could give an advantage do seem to be limited in their operation that they won't give an advantage.
It appears Wheelslip / Braking as examples have limited/restricted input from the early look with those effects I have tried thus far.
We can still achieve some immersion from them but not apply them in the same way as possible on PC based sims.
Additional Effects & Experiencing Multichannel Feedback
I will continue to finish a range of effects for the budget hardware, including some rpm/engine options, via the PM and group of members here that took part in helping and testing. It will still be fascinating to see and discover from people what their impressions are that begin to try how tactile with multiple exciters can be in offering better effects separation but also improved detailing and wider frequency response.
Thanks again to those that are taking part and showing an interest
