DiRT 3 configuration

Posted by on May 24, 2011 in Game Macros and Configurations |

For the next installment of our series on Fragpedal configurations built especially for new games, we’re looking at DiRT 3. In commemoration of its release today, we thought it a great time to spotlight how you can optimize your controls in DiRT 3 with the Fragpedal. As a racing game after all, DiRT 3 gives us the opportunity to use the Fragpedal in a similar function as driving pedals.

Dirt 3’s controls are pretty basic, as are most driving games’ — Stop, go, turn, shift, emergency brake, headlights, horn, etc. The hard part is staying on the road, or in some cases, the terrain.

Configuration: Basic

Basic Controls and custom background in the IDI Configurator

Basic Controls and custom background in the IDI Configurator

I’ve found it most convenient to throw “up shift” and “down shift” to the buttons on the left foot, and “gas” and “brake” to the buttons on the right foot. Just like a manual transmission car, the left foot shifts gears and the right foot controls speed.

 

Configuration: Authentic Gear Shifting

To more closely imitate real shifting, more advanced users might be interested in configuring a button on the left food to an advanced macro, which while pressed would listen for particular keyboard presses, in preparation for another command. Let’s call this button the clutch. On my configuration, holding the clutch button listens to ‘q’ and ‘e’. If ‘e’ is pressed with the clutch down, the macro assigned to the clutch fires off ‘a’, the default command for “up shift.” Similarly, if I press my clutch button on my FragPedal and press ‘q’, the FragPedal will send to the game ‘z’, the default command for “down shift.” So, with this macro, I’ve actually made the game slightly harder: in order to shift gears I’ve got to be holding down the clutch while I press the shift buttons. It makes me feel the way when I’m really driving rally cars — scared shitless.

 

Configuration: Camera Controls

Camera controls configuration and custom DiRT 3 background

Camera controls configuration and custom DiRT 3 background

Users who think they can’t drive with their feet might be interested in assigning the FragPedal buttons to camera commands. In this configuration, I tap my foot left or right to look in those directions. To look back, I tap the button to the right of my right foot, and to the left to change camera angles. Isolating the camera controls allows the hands to focus on the driving and retain our ability to change camera angles even when we’re in the middle of a tough turn:

Button layout for the Camera controls config

Button layout for the Camera controls config

This post used the DiRT 3 configuration pack available on our files page. The content pack includes three background images (two seen above), and support to view in-game commands for DiRT 3 in the Configurator while you program your Fragpedal!

Download the DiRT 3 starter pack used in this post!