If you want to master the newly released Unreal Engine 5 simulation, nailing your force feedback settings City Car Driving 2.0 requires more than just plugging in your wheel. The default setup leaves brakes feeling weak, steering overly dampened, and throttle deadzones completely misaligned. To get true 1:1 road feel, you must set your wheel rotation to 900 degrees, expand your throttle deadzone to 30%, and drop your FFB interpolation to zero. This guide provides the definitive, hardware-specific configurations to transform your Early Access experience from a numb arcade game into a rigorous, true-to-life driving simulator.
Why Default Force Feedback Settings City Car Driving 2.0 Uses Fall Short
When Forward Development launched City Car Driving 2.0 into Early Access on June 16, 2026, the studio made an ambitious leap to Unreal Engine 5. This engine upgrade overhauled the physics, tire dynamics, and suspension telemetry. However, the default force feedback (FFB) calibration shipped in a messy state.
Sim racers who load into the game with standard profiles are immediately met with mushy steering and erratic pedal behavior. The root of the problem lies in how the game handles raw telemetry. Instead of feeding direct suspension data to your wheelbase, the default settings apply a heavy layer of artificial dampening. This is intended to stop entry-level gear-driven wheels from rattling, but it actively punishes players using belt-driven or Direct Drive (DD) hardware by muting the road texture.
Furthermore, street driving requires a fundamentally different FFB approach than track racing. In a GT3 sim like Assetto Corsa Competizione, you rely on FFB to feel the limit of grip and aerodynamic load. In City Car Driving 2.0, you rely on FFB to feel the sheer weight of a stationary vehicle, the resistance of power steering during a parallel park, and the subtle pull of a crowned city road. The default force feedback settings City Car Driving 2.0 uses fail to differentiate between high-speed aerodynamic stiffness and low-speed mechanical friction.
The transition to Unreal Engine 5 completely overhauled the FFB Telemetry Flow in UE5. The In-Game Physics Engine now calculates Suspension Data and Tire Friction dynamically. However, to get a True 1:1 Road Feel at the Wheel Base Output, you must bypass the game's artificial smoothing. This means applying a 30% Throttle Deadzone Fix and ensuring your FFB Interpolation (Set to 0).
Universal Baseline Force Feedback Settings City Car Driving 2.0 Players Need
Before diving into the specific software for Logitech, Thrustmaster, or Moza, you must establish a universal baseline within the game's options menu. These core settings dictate how the game translates its physics engine into mechanical torque.
1. Rotation and Linearity (900 Degrees) Most modern road cars feature a steering rack that requires 2.5 to 3 full turns lock-to-lock. To replicate this, your wheel rotation must be locked at exactly 900 degrees. Anything less will result in twitchy, hyper-sensitive steering that makes smooth lane changes impossible. Set your steering linearity strictly to 1:1. Do not use curved linearity, as it will destroy your muscle memory when attempting three-point turns.
2. Stationary Friction This is the most critical setting for a city driving simulator. Stationary Friction dictates how heavy the wheel feels when the car is stopped at a red light. Without aerodynamic downforce, a real car's steering is heaviest at 0 km/h. Increase this slider until turning the wheel while parked requires genuine physical effort, but ensure it tapers off naturally as you accelerate past 15 km/h.
3. Minimum Force If you are using an entry-level wheel with an internal deadzone (where the center of the wheel feels loose and empty), you must increase the Minimum Force setting. This artificially boosts the weakest FFB signals so they can overcome the internal mechanical friction of your wheelbase. Direct Drive users should leave this at 0%.
Hardware-Specific Force Feedback Settings: City Car Driving 2.0 Configurations
Direct drive wheelbases like Moza & Fanatec require drastically different calibration than gear-driven entry-level wheels like the Logitech G29 or belt-driven Thrustmaster T300. Regardless of your hardware, your baseline Rotation must be set to 900 Degrees Locked, and your Linearity should reflect a 1:1 Steering Ratio. For high-end setups, Moza Pit House users must set Interpolation: 0. For entry-level users, a Logitech G29 needs Damper: 20% to simulate tire friction, while a Thrustmaster T300 requires Spring: 0% to avoid fighting the belt motor.
Logitech G29 / G920 / G923
Gear-driven wheels are notorious for "clipping" (maxing out their torque output and losing detail) and rattling loudly over virtual potholes.
- FFB Strength: 70% (Do not max this out, or the gears will clip during tight parking maneuvers).
- Damper: 20% (Crucial for adding artificial weight to the lightweight Logitech rim).
- Minimum Force: 12% (Required to eliminate the notorious "dead center" gap in Logitech's dual-motor design).
Thrustmaster T300 / T248
Belt-driven wheels offer smoother rotation but can overheat if forced to output maximum torque constantly during slow-speed city driving.
- FFB Strength: 85%.
- Spring: 0% (The game engine handles wheel-return physics; adding artificial spring in the Thrustmaster Control Panel will cause the wheel to snap back unrealistically).
- Stationary Friction: 60% (The belt drive handles low-speed resistance beautifully, so lean into it).
Moza Racing (R3 / R5 / R9) & Direct Drive
Direct Drive wheels offer pure, unadulterated torque. Because UE5 outputs highly detailed road textures, you must remove all software-level smoothing to feel the road lines and tarmac imperfections.
- FFB Interpolation: 0 (In Moza Pit House, this is non-negotiable. Any interpolation will make the steering feel like it's submerged in syrup).
- Road Sensitivity: 8/10.
- Wheel Damper: 15% (A slight damper prevents the wheel from oscillating wildly when cruising hands-free on a straight highway).
Fixing the Infamous Pedal Deadzone and Brake Bugs
The most notorious Early Access bugs involve the pedal inputs. Players quickly discovered they must expand the default 15% throttle deadzone to a full 30% to prevent unwanted revving at idle. Furthermore, you must adjust brake gamma to compensate for the weak default braking physics; otherwise, you will find yourself flooring the pedal just to execute heavy 20 km/h emergency stops. If you drive a manual, ensure clutch linearity is mapped 1:1 for realistic stalling simulation. Physically, you must hard-mount the base to prevent sliding during heavy braking. Finally, check USB connections if the HORI or Logitech pedals randomly disconnect—a known issue in the current build.
The Throttle Bug: The game currently registers minor phantom inputs from many pedal sets. If you leave the deadzone at the default 15%, your car will slowly creep forward at red lights, or you will fail your driving exam for "revving the engine" while parked. Expanding the deadzone to 30% acts as a necessary hardware buffer.
The Brake Pressure Bug: The current UE5 physics model features an oddly linear brake curve, meaning light pressure does almost nothing. You must dive into the advanced control settings and adjust the Brake Gamma (or linearity curve). Setting a steeper curve ensures that the first 50% of your physical pedal travel applies 75% of the in-game braking force, saving you from having to stand on the pedal during routine stop signs.
The HORI / Disconnection Bug: Several users on the Steam Community forums have reported that pedals (specifically the HORI Force Feedback Truck Control System and some Logitech sets) are simply not detected, or FFB drops out entirely mid-drive. The current workaround is to avoid the game's auto-presets. Navigate to the controls menu, click the "+" button to create a Custom Preset, and manually bind every axis. If FFB disappears entirely, a clean reinstallation of your wheel's USB drivers is required.
The Visual-Tactile Link: FOV (Field of View) Adjustments
Force feedback does not exist in a vacuum; it is intimately tied to your visual perception of speed. Many players blame their force feedback settings City Car Driving 2.0 configurations for feeling "floaty" or "disconnected," when the actual culprit is an incorrect Field of View (FOV).
If your FOV is set too wide (the default "fisheye" effect), the environment warps around the edges of your screen. This visual distortion tricks your brain into thinking you are traveling much faster than you actually are. Consequently, when you turn the wheel, the FFB response feels sluggish and out of sync with the visual data your eyes are processing.
For standard 16:9 monitors, an FOV between 45 and 55 degrees is usually optimal. For players using ultrawide monitors (like a 5120x1440 setup), calculating your mathematically correct FOV based on your distance from the screen is mandatory. Once your FOV matches reality, your brain will perfectly sync the visual speed of the approaching corner with the mechanical resistance of the steering wheel, resulting in a profoundly realistic driving experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did my force feedback suddenly disappear in City Car Driving 2.0? This is a known Early Access bug. If your wheel suddenly goes limp, the fastest fix is to pause, unplug the wheel's USB cable, and plug it back into a direct motherboard port (avoid USB hubs). If the issue persists, completely uninstall and reinstall your wheel's drivers (e.g., Logitech G HUB or Moza Pit House).
Does City Car Driving 2.0 support Linux or Steam Deck for FFB? Currently, Linux and Proton are not officially supported. While the game may boot on a Steam Deck or Linux rig, force feedback telemetry rarely translates correctly through Proton, resulting in dead steering wheels and unrecognized pedal axes.
Can I use a custom USB shifter with my wheel? Yes. Unlike the original game which struggled with mixed-input devices, the new engine allows you to map a standalone USB H-pattern shifter alongside a different brand of wheelbase. Just ensure you build a "Custom Preset" in the controls menu rather than relying on the auto-detect feature.
Why do my brakes feel so weak? By default, the game requires you to floor the pedal even at low speeds (like 20 km/h). You need to adjust your Brake Gamma/Linearity in the advanced settings to make the initial bite of the brake pedal more aggressive.
Sources
- Forward Development Steam Community Updates (June 2026 Early Access Patch Notes)
- Moza Pit House Official Calibration Guidelines
- Brian Koponen's Sim Racing FFB Methodology
- City Car Driving 2.0 Official Steam Forums & Bug Reports