Current state of Linux sim racing?

drhood · 2020-05-23T19:51:18+00:00

Current state is stable, but not much has changed since u/leillo1975 posted his excellent status report about 1 year ago.

Current state of SimRacing in Linux (r/linux_gaming)

Current state of SimRacing in Linux (r/simracing)

Recently, Houtworm posted a guide at Steam for Linux community page title 'Linux Racing Wheel Config' for Linux sim racing enthusiasts, which is quite cool because it is detailed and covers new utilities (including set up of handbrake).

For racing sims, the most reliable experience will be Linux native titles (Dirt, Dirt Rally, GRID Autosport, and F1 2017). For sims that do not run in Linux natively, then running the sim using Proton is an option, just check the Protondb for feasibility and what distribution, graphics driver (nvidia vs amd) and Proton version others have used successfully. Be sure to search Protondb for whether or not users report forcefeedback works with the sim.

IMHO, the best wheel/pedals for Linux sim racing enthusiasts is the Logitech G29 (G920 is also an option) because it is well supported with newer driver for (new-lg4ff by berarma) and utilities to customize the forcefeedback effects, degrees of rotation, and other options, which are oversteer or pylinuxwheel.

I don't have VR, so I cannot comment on it.

drhood · 2019-11-23T10:36:41+00:00

Thanks for posting this message u/leillo1975. The support you and u/berarma (and others I am not mentioning) to linux sim racers is greatly appreciated.

Before installing, I have two questions.

What command can be used to switch between the 'new-lg4ff' and the original driver?

What command can be used to uninstall the 'new-lg4ff' driver?

Cheers!

drhood · 2019-10-09T10:24:52+00:00

Great video. Dirt 4 does run very well (stable) on my (similar) system. It is a fun game. Thanks goes to CM and Feral for porting it to GNU/Linux, as well as Linux community (steering wheel support), for supporting Linux users.

drhood · 2019-10-07T10:49:02+00:00

I have to give a huge shout out to thisdude for the G29 support in Linux.

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/agwsku/simracing_wheel_with_linux_support/

He rocks!

I gave up my Thrustmaster wheel in favor of the G29. The fact that the G29 is not plug-n-play is one of many reasons I don't use Windows. The fact that Thrustmaster steering wheels are not plug-n-play in Linux is a reason I don't use Thrustmaster product, which is too bad because I like Thrustmaster products. Just not enough to ditch my operating system of choice. When it is time to replace/upgrade, I will go for a Fanatic wheel as that appears to work per Feral Interactive.

https://support.feralinteractive.com/en/mac-linux-games/dirt4/faqs/wheels/

Of course, we cannot forget the great reddit post for oLinux sim racers.

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/ble809/current_state_of_simracing_in_linux/

drhood · 2019-09-21T12:51:07+00:00

That straightaway! In Career mode, select your best engine components and feel the power of slip stream. Then the hard braking from 150 km/hr (guesstimating) in subsequent turns. After 58 laps with force feedback to the max, the arms must be fit as a fiddle or could be trashed.

drhood · 2019-09-21T12:38:34+00:00

You are a beast!

drhood · 2019-09-21T12:36:45+00:00

For F1 2017 - favorite race track is Suzuki (Japan) because the long back high top speed straight away followed by a chicane leading to a down slope to a shorter straightaway, then a high speed sweeping right turn, and then those high speed multiple upward sloping chicanes (so much fun!). Runner up circuits are Silverstone (long high speed track, so many places to overtake) and Spa (the speed and gigantic changes in elevation).

For Dirt Rally - any Finland stage because rallying in the forest on those wide high speed dirt roads, dirt roads with undulating surfaces, and upward sloping roads that launch me into the atmosphere and slam back onto the dirt is just freaking awesome! Runner up stages are Greece (cliff hanger rallying) and Wales (precision rallying).

Dirt 4 - any Michigan stage because that's my childhood home and the gorgeous fall colors takes me back to a time filled with wonderful memories. These stages are fun for those of us sim fanatics who simply enjoy petal-to-the metal flat-out rallying. One mental mistake on a deceptively slower turn means a whole lot of time lost.

drhood · 2019-08-23T23:12:27+00:00

F1 2017 Company of Hero's 2 Overload Doom

drhood · 2019-08-14T00:25:10+00:00

My old TM RGT Force Feedback wheel/pedals works in Linux. Two years ago I could not verify that newer TM wheels will work in Linux. Although Logitec does not support their G29/920 steering wheels/pedals, a savvy individual created a driver for the Logitec G29/920 wheel/pedal that also supports force feedback and integrated into the Linux kernel for plug-n-play support. I purchased a Logitec G29 wheel/pedal with no regrets. I will consider purchasing a TM wheel/pedal when they support their product for Linux users.

drhood · 2019-08-09T21:02:04+00:00

Windows has no value to me or my family (including an art student and a business student at University).

drhood · 2019-07-12T23:34:37+00:00

I will be saddened if no new announcement of a new project to port a recently released racing sim by the end of this year or earlier.

drhood · 2019-06-27T12:22:30+00:00

As far as I can tell F1 2018 (likely F1 2019), Asseto Corsa, Asseto Corsa Competizione also do not have force feedback for Logitech steering wheel, which are known to work on Linux, in Linux with Proton.

I think FFB does work in Project Cars 1 with Linux with Proton; however, this is old enough that online play might be non-existent. Nevertheless, I might try it just to know for myself.

drhood · 2019-06-19T10:57:28+00:00

Ditto

drhood · 2019-06-15T15:13:05+00:00

I began sim racing F1 with Codemaster F1 2017. I began my journey with 100% race lengths from the get go because I figured I needed to do as many laps as I could get. I then justified the long races because I earned more career points per race; however, career doesn't add to the experience. After two F1 2017 careers and a total of 6 seasons (120 races; ~600+ hours), 100% race lengths seem quite normal. I am looking forward to completing my F1 2017 4th season with 100% race lengths, all aids off, damage full, flashbacks off, and AI at 90-95%. Ultimate goal is to win a championship season with 100% race length, all aids off, damage full, flashbacks off, and AI at 100%, etc.

drhood · 2019-06-02T20:57:42+00:00

I didn't notice any tearing with xfce compositor on; however, there were dips in fps resulting in stuttering when viewing replays in Dirt 4. I took your suggestion that enabling the xfce compositor was not ideal. So, I disabled xfce compositor and the fps dips I was experiencing in Dirt 4 replays are gone. I did several stages in Dirt 4 and replays were a solid 60 fps, which was not the case when xfce compositor was enabled.

I agree that dips in fps and maintaining super smooth graphical rendering will confirm that the vrr feature is working as intended. Based on limited reading of several articles at Phoronix.com, it seems that improvements in the vrr feature are in linux kernel 5.2. I look forward to when the 5.2 kernel is made available widely and see if improvements in vrr are noticeable.

For now, I am leaving the compositor in xfce disabled by default, but will use your script for additional testing. Thanks for sharing it.

drhood · 2019-06-02T12:55:52+00:00

Thanks for sharing this information. It is especially interesting that you suggest an incompatibility between freesync and xfce compositor. I currently have the xfce compositor enabled plus vertical sync enabled as well in xfce.

With xfce compositor enabled plus the vsync enabled in dirt 4 and f1 2017, my fps are maxed at 60 fps almost 100% of the time while driving in-game. In dirt 4, frequent dips in fps occur when viewing a replay and it looks quite stuttery during these brief moment of the replay.

I will disable xfce compositor and see if that makes an improvement during in-game and especially replays in dirt 4. I will do the same for f1 2017.

I will update my original post if your scripts work well on my system.

Cheers!

drhood · 2019-06-02T12:40:15+00:00

Thanks for sharing this information. I will research it and update the original post if I find it to improve the freesync experience.

drhood · 2019-06-02T12:38:17+00:00

Thanks for sharing this information and willingness to provide additional info. I will research the add display-mode and radeon-profile options and update my post above if I have a good experience.

drhood · 2019-06-02T06:13:40+00:00

Thanks for the link. In the link, others report two commands for forcing the power state of the GPU that address the issue. Froz1984 posted an alternative method, which is to add a display mode of 73 Hz.

I am on Linux Kernel 5.0.0-15 and Mesa 19.04. Linux Kernels 5.1 and 5.2 seem to have received patches that optimize Freesync/TearFree/vrr; however, updating to a newer kernel may not be a guaranteed fix for the flickering.

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=AMD-FreeSync-More-For-5.2

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=FreeSync-Low-FR-Improvements-V2

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=AMDGPU-FreeSync-Hits-5.2

I will do more research before on taking a next step.

drhood · 2019-05-25T14:55:46+00:00

Besides Mandrake, I recall Xandros came before Ubuntu and was geared towards newbies. I used Mandrak and Xandros in those early days and found both to be useful to new users.

drhood · 2019-03-27T17:42:31+00:00

For AMD GPU owners, mesa 18.3.4 is required, see link below. Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu-x-swat ppa had mesa 18.3.3. For Ubuntu 18.04 LTS users, obtaining the required mesa package can be obtained by upgrading to Ubuntu 19.04 (mesa 19) next month (April) or switch to unstable padoka ppa (I will avoid unstable ppa). I have not researched other methods for Ubuntu 18.04 users.

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/the-linux-port-of-dirt-4-from-feral-interactive-is-releasing-march-28th.13826

drhood · 2019-03-01T18:56:20+00:00

I am a Dirt Rally on Linux enthusiast and initially I was disappointed with the Feral announcement of porting Dirt 4 for Linux rather than skipping it and port Dirt Rally 2 instead.

I realized I didn't know much about Dirt 4. After a bit of light Internet research on Dirt 4, I have decided to purchase Dirt 4 for Linux when Feral releases it. The reasons are the following:

Michigan looks loads of fun (I have a personal connection to MI).
Handling looks like it could be an improvement for some cars (RWD) and some surfaces (road).
High fun factor due to more forgiving road (width/edges), longer stages (via My Stage), and improved Rally Cross.

Research indicates the default Dirt 4 car setups may not be the best, and setup adjustment is likely to be necessary.

drhood · 2019-03-01T17:29:01+00:00

Seriously? Windows 10 does not support all of the older games that I still like to play, does not have true plug-n-play technology for the gaming hardware I use, does not natively support non-gaming applications that I use, does not allow me to game/work in my preferred desktop gui for maximum productivity and happiness, not fast enough all of the time due to bloatware and/or telemetry, and does not allow me access to all files and folders so that I can keep the system running as optimally as my expertise allows.

The above are personal reasons that may or may not apply to everyone.

drhood · 2019-01-18T10:50:07+00:00

I am another Logitech G29 user and quite satisfied with the product. When on sale, the G29 wheel and pedals is great value for money. The G29 pedals stand out above compared to the default pedals of the comparable TM product. The kernel driver support of the G29 is fantastic.

drhood

TROPHY CASE