Adjusting Steering Rate for Keyboard User?

Hello Everyone!!! (First time poster)

I just got the game, and the physics are awesome, but the steering feels sloppy with a keyboard, and I would prefer to play this game using my keyboard.

Anyways, I found an article about how to increase the steering rate in the "input.lua" file, but I searched the document in a rich text editor and did not find the lines of code they are saying to change. I can't seem to find the correct value to edit, or the value the author of the guide has a different file/value than the one in mine.

TLDR: How to increase the steering rate (default speed at which the wheel moves from full lock to center and vice-versa) for keyboard user???? Right now the steering wheel moves too slowly after I press the left/right key, and it causes very sloppy handling of any vehicle.

Thanks!

 

BUMP. Please, can somebody help me with this?

 

1 day isnt a bump

why?

 

Since I was a small child, I have always played PC racing games using a keyboard. It's how I was raised, it's what I believe in. I don't want to start a huge debate about why a Keyboard is my preferred method of steering a vehicle in-game. It has worked better for me more than any other device for most games. Just because a game has realistic physics and is considered a "simulation" doesn't mean I should go a drop $800 bucks on a top of the line steering wheel and pedal set. That is a whole 'nother ball game that I just don't want to get into. Most gaming "wheels" that I have tried are garbage (They don't turn enough degrees, do not replicate a real steering wheel response of a car whatsoever, and don't even add much precision/realism to the driving experience. Not to mention the added expense, use of space, and having to re-bind all those other functions to some button on the wheel (handbrake, gears, etc.). I am at my best driving in-game using a keyboard, so that's what I prefer. Maybe you aren't, and I'm not going to knock you for that. To each their own, and that's that.

If you want to argue that having more "precise" user input with an analogue wheel and pedals really matters, I'd like to politely remind you that in a video game, one's perception of vehicle speed, physics, and overall dynamism is limited to audiovisual feedback from a monitor and speakers - having extra peripherals doesn't make you feel G forces, tire vibration, aerodynamics, or even accurate steering feedback... most of these accessories don't enhance anything except raw user input, and in that case, I prefer using a keyboard layout.

A simple binary/digital input can make for very precise driving, as long as the rates/game responds adequately to it, which this game does not, out-of-the box. All I am asking is for is an option to adjust these very simple values so that Keyboard users can enhance their game-play experience. It's a very simple request. Please don't try and de-rail the discussion.

 

I mean an xbox controller isn't that much.

I totally understand. the steering is probably because a keyboard won't detect pressure, like a controller or wheel can. It's all or nothing with a keyboard

 

Exactly... thanks for backing me up. With a binary input like a keyboard, having a "smoothing" effect between full lock and center of wheel doesn't help... it may make the car feel more stable at high speed when slight/precise input is required, but for an experienced keyboard user, a quick/controlled series of taps on the keys is all that is needed. Not to mention, having the delayed steering/smoothing makes it extremely difficult (nearly impossible) to control over steer or drift in any situation requiring extremely quick steering input.

IRL, when a rally driver has their hands on the wheel, they can turn it a few degrees within a small fraction of a second, and they can turn in many degrees fast or slow at any degree angles and back to center again -- I guarantee you I can accomplish this using a Keyboard in many games. However, in BeamNG.Drive, I can accomplish neither of these actions, due to games general slow steering rate/smoothing effect, which creates a huge handicap/obstacle for keyboard users.

Basically, I would prefer the game to leave these finer aspects of steering control to the user and have a "raw input" mode for keyboard users, rather than having the code manage the steering motion to make the game look/feel smoother to the novice user.

If it was an aspect of the vehicle itself/gameplay, I could understand (such as making a 18-Wheeler's steering slow, just because that's how it would be...) but, since it seems to be just a general feature of the game overall regardless of vehicle, I think it would be much better to do without it, or at least make it a toggle-able/adjustable feature in the game's settings/options.

Also, let me ask you this... if I were to plug an Xbox controller into my PC, would I encounter the same issue? Or will my front wheels go from full left lock to full right lock in a split second, as long as that is where I place the joystick? Seeing as this is a pretty common problem for most PC driving games, I might as well just invest in that, at least... however, I just don't understand why it is such an inconsistency in PC games to have sufficient Keyboard support. Most of the time you just have to be lucky... games like Grand Theft Auto have always had great keyboard optimization... some like the Need for Speed series, on the other hand, have notoriously terrible handling, even when using peripherals... I feel like BeamNG should be in the better category, is all I'm saying...

 

this is because the wheels take time to turn.

Haven't checked myself, but I know with a wheel it would turn at the speed you rotate, so I don't see why an Xbox controller wouldn't

This idea is good, I have the same problem with keyboard so it would be nice

 

True... but that should be a feature unique to each vehicle's code/file... not the game overall...

Right now it feels like the problem persists toward every single scenario/vehicle... as if the driver themselves has a disability with their arms or something... (no offense, anyone =P)

I'm not saying the game should be totally arcade-handling for keyboard users (INSTANT wheel lock)... but it should be faster than what it is now... because I am a hobbyist race car pilot IRL, and I know for a fact that you can turn a wheel lock-to-lock MUCH faster IRL than what the game allows currently for keyed users.

If it is a "realism" feature of the game, then it needs to be more realistic. Meaning that the steering should be MUCH quicker for most vehicles overall, and ESPECIALLY quicker for sports cars, race cars, and vehicles that are upgraded with certain parts (imagine a Drift build equipped with a short-ratio rack-and-pinion steering system, small diameter steering wheel, modified steering plate/columns..)

 

TL;DR.


But i do agree that the steering inputs on driving games with keyboard should be more than "all the way".

Maybe they should give options like the way we want steering to be.

 

I don't disagree with the idea. The idea sound nice actually but I just gotta put in a few cents into the discussion.
What steering wheels have you tried if you felt that they were garbage and had a way too small steering radius? Usually a steering wheel has 1080 degrees of rotation(i think) or 900 degrees. To make a wheel work you have to download the drivers for it. There you can tweak a lot of stuff with it including stiffness, decrease the rotation needed for full lock(so you essentially can make those quick turns to one side) and so on. Beamng actually sets up controls already for you when you plug in the wheel for the first time (I did alter them myslef though). I have a logitech g29 and it's doing well. But wheels of course cost a lot.

But a controller then? It is more precise than a keyboard but you can still make those quick full locks to one side. I used a ps4 controller with beamng before and i got really good at driving with a controller after a while. In beamng you can play with a ps4 controller without any other programs needed to have downloaded with it to work. And the same thing here is that beamng automatically assigns controls to the controller when it is first plugged in.
While the controller or wheel is connected you can still use the keyboard as normal by the side if you want to do press something like ctrl+e to spawn up the vehicle list. But with a wheel the keboard steering is disabled though.

Again I wanna say that I am not disliking the idea. I do think that it sounds good. I also don't doubt that you can become good with a keyboard either. Just putting down my opinions and experiences.

 

I had a Logitec USB wheel (don't have it with me here, havent used it in a while). I'm sure it was a cheap-o one because it would only turn like 200 degrees or less in either direction from center, and the motors/steering feel was screwy. I used it to play a NASCAR sim a while back, and did not like it one bit.

Anyways I posted the same question on the Steam forums, and somebody mentioned there being a "filter" slider in the control settings? I dug through the menus and still couldn't find any option... maybe this only pops up when I have an external controller plugged into the game?

It seems that BeamNG does have in-game controls/sliders that can tune exactly the response I want with keyboard, but only shows/allows these settings if you are using a controller. So, mods/developers, if you could include this feature for keyboard users in the future, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

#MakeKeyboardsGreatAgain

 

Maybe offtopic but i just realized the devs removed any negative rating to the comments. I suppose they dislike people disagreeing with opinions.

 

Um...
There are these filters for keyboard steering.

 

Thank you Creasing Curve, and Stenyak, (and everyone else, but especially those two =) for providing the problem-solving answer(s)!

I simply didn't notice the "filter" option earlier while sifting through the settings... I was looking for a slider instead of toggle. I've tried the "Drift" and "Direct" settings, and they are exactly what I was looking for!

Also, thank you Sten for letting me know about the kdbInRate and kbdOutRate... you guys are the best! So far testing out the default setting of "drift" and direct input make me lot happier with how the game feels already... Having a slider for it would not only be "icing on the cake," but it would be a customization feature that would make this game stand above other sims.

Thanks so much for the game, and valuing the feedback from your community! I am definitely going to keep playing the game and being an active member of the community!

Peace,
--TR1PP1N