[KB-016] What are the recommended audio and haptics settings for the X-Force Haptics Kit?

Product: X-Force Haptics Kit | Platform: VR (Quest) | Confidence: High

Answer:

Both the 24V power adapter and the USB-C port must be connected to wall power for the vibration motors in the X-Force Haptics Kit to function. To engage the solenoids in the X-Force Haptics Kit, the SOL button on the haptics control panel must be physically pressed in to the 'on' position, which is confirmed by a green light.

Answer:

The haptics kit is audio-driven, requiring a 3.5mm audio cable from the haptics panel to the Quest 3. The 3.5mm audio cable included with the X-Force Haptics Kit is longer than standard audio cables. For Meta Quest 3, the setup for the X-Arcade dongle and audio cable is plug-and-play: plug the dongle into the USB-C port and the audio cable directly into the headset's built-in 3.5mm audio jack. For the Meta Quest 3S, the USB-C hub should be plugged into the headset, the X-Arcade wireless dongle should be connected to a USB-A port on the hub to ensure the headset recognizes the device, and a 3.5mm audio cable run from the hub's audio jack to the haptics kit input. A specific USB-C hub (https://a.co/d/0i2uWdd4) has been tested and confirmed to work for the Meta Quest 3S, allowing the Gen 2 wireless dongle and the 3.5mm haptics audio cable to be used simultaneously. For the best setup with the X-Force Haptics Kit, the 3.5mm audio cable should be routed underneath the controller. USB-C to 3.5mm adapters used with the Meta Quest 3S must explicitly support analog audio pass-through or sound capture to be compatible with the X-Force Haptics Kit. The X-Force Haptics Kit processes the incoming audio signal from the VR headset by splitting it into two distinct outputs: one signal for the speakers and a separate signal to drive the four internal haptic vibration exciters. The X-Force Haptics Kit is audio-driven, utilizing haptic motors that act as specialized vibration audio speakers to convert game audio into physical feedback. It is normal to hear audible sound coming from these internal motors, especially at higher vibration (VIB) settings, as this is the mechanism by which the system produces mechanical pinball-style feedback. This allows users to feel the nuances of the ball rolling across the pinball table. The X-Force Haptics Kit is designed to be entirely audio-driven, using internal haptic exciters to convert game audio into physical feedback throughout the cabinet. It cannot send vibrations directly to Meta Quest controllers, as these controllers are used solely for the physical-to-virtual mapping process. The Pinball Haptics Kit utilizes SSF (Surround Sound Feedback) technology and is currently limited to 2.1 audio support to maintain compatibility with the Meta Quest's stereo output. Bluetooth audio is not recommended for use with the X-Force Haptics Kit because the resulting latency and audio delay disrupt the timing of haptic feedback and break immersion during pinball gameplay. To use wired earbuds or headphones with a Meta Quest headset while using the X-Force Haptics Kit, a 3.5mm audio splitter cable is required to divide the audio signal between the headphones and the haptics unit. This is the only reliable solution for using headphones with the haptics kit to avoid the latency issues inherent in Bluetooth connections. The USB-C port on the Gen 2 wireless dongle is strictly for charging and does not support audio or data passthrough. Official optimization guidance for the X-Force Haptics Kit covers Pinball FX VR, Pinball Classics VR, and Star Wars Pinball VR. Xgaming utilizes a Google Doc created by an active Pinball FX VR user from the Blahcade podcast as a guide for table-specific audio and haptics optimization for the X-Force Haptics Kit, which was used extensively during development and testing. Quest / Game Audio: The shaker/rumble feature in the X-Force Haptics Kit is driven entirely by audio signals. To ensure the shaker functions correctly, the headset volume must be set to maximum before the headset is connected to the haptics kit; users can then decrease the speaker volume on the haptics control panel while maintaining high vibration levels. This recommended haptics optimization approach—using in-game audio settings for the primary signal and physical control panel knobs for fine-tuning—applies to both VR and non-VR pinball gameplay. Haptics Control Panel:

From there, you can fine-tune to personal preference. A cracking sound from the X-Force Haptics Kit can occur if the vibration level is set too high in games with strong or long bass effects; this can be resolved by lowering the internal dials. X-Force Haptics motors are internally set to a maximum of 70% intensity by default; adjusting internal dials to exceed this limit or removing the warranty decal will void the product warranty. Solenoids (Flipper Noise): Solenoids in the X-Force Haptics Kit are designed exclusively to provide mechanical feedback for flipper button presses and do not activate for other table events like ball hits, bumpers, or ball rolling, which are handled by the audio-driven vibration system. Variations in the sound produced by left and right flipper solenoids, such as one sounding like a 'snap' and the other a 'thunk', are normal due to slight differences in power passing through individual coils and do not indicate a hardware defect. Solenoids in the X-Force Haptics Kit currently trigger only upon button activation (press) and do not feature a secondary trigger upon button release. If solenoids in the X-Force Haptics Kit stop working, users should shut down the entire system for 90 minutes (one and a half hours) to allow the components to cool down and reset before testing functionality again. To verify haptic vibration functionality, play music with heavy bass through the connected device, turn the Audio knob on the haptics panel to minimum, and turn the VIB knob to maximum; physical vibrations should be detectable, particularly around the flipper button areas. To verify X-Force Haptics Kit functionality, users can play any stereo music or audio track through the headphone jack; with the VIB dial turned up, vibrations should be physically detectable around the flipper buttons and the front panel. It is important to note that you must not play heavy bass music for a long time with the haptic kit, particularly at high vibration settings. Doing so can cause the haptics motors to overheat or fail, as they are not designed for that specific type of load, and will likely cause the breakage of the haptic speakers inside. To diagnose X-Force Haptics Kit power issues, such as dimming lights or total failure, the required troubleshooting video must include the power connection and demonstrate the unit's behavior when the power port is adjusted or touched to determine if the fault lies with the power supply, the port, or the internal board. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Answer: The nudge system in Xgaming hardware utilizes a custom 6-DOF (six degrees of freedom) sensor paired with an in-house algorithm for analog-style nudging, converting physical motions (like slapping the controller sides or front) into D-Pad inputs (for XInput) or ASDF keys (for keyboard mode in Pinball FX VR). For the most natural pinball experience on the Arcade2TV-XR, slap nudges (left and right) are the recommended method of physical interaction, though front push nudges are also supported. On controller setups without an X-Force Haptics Kit, the left joystick is mapped to function as the nudge input for pinball games to ensure ease of use without looking at the panel. The ACC button on the haptics control panel turns off the accelerometer, thereby disabling nudging when off. The nudge sensor is intentionally disabled while the plunger is pulled to prevent the mechanical vibration of the plunger release from registering as a false nudge input. Standard X-Input Mode (indicated by a green blinking light) presents the Arcade2TV-XR as two separate controllers to the host system, which typically results in poor performance or compatibility issues with pinball software setups. The 'Xinput (Pinball)' mode provides full support for analog nudge and analog plunger functionality, enabling precise analog control features as opposed to digital slap-nudging. The X-Force Haptics Kit is an audio-driven system that is fully compatible with Pinball FX and Pinball FX3 on PC in non-VR mode; haptic feedback for specific table elements like bumpers is generated based on the balance between in-game physical/physics sounds and other audio effects. For use with VPX (Visual Pinball X), Xgaming has released a dedicated firmware version which includes three built-in modes but does not support customizable key mapping; this firmware is available on the Xgaming support site to optimize driver compatibility and nudging behavior. To cycle through the three built-in modes on the dedicated VPX firmware, users must press and hold the P1 Mode button for approximately 5 seconds until the LED blinks. The upcoming D-input mode for pinball is being developed to present the hardware as a single controller without duplicate or overlapping inputs. Xgaming does not currently provide an official step-by-step guide for Visual Pinball X (VPX) input mapping, though community-sourced mappings are available. Nudge Sensitivity: Nudge plates can optionally be installed and adjusted for sensitivity as the first step of the haptics kit setup to ensure proper physical feedback. Nudge sensitivity can be adjusted physically using the optional nudge plate (located in a small box inside the controller package), which allows users to move the pedestal feet inward or outward to adjust the amount of physical wobble translated into digital nudging. Removing the nudge plate significantly reduces sensitivity, and tightening the pedestal and the controller connection block helps minimize excess shaking when slap-nudging. Positioning the pedestal feet closer toward the left and right (inner edges) increases the unit's instability and makes the nudge feel more sensitive. For Pinball FX VR (digital nudge), positioning feet closer makes the unit more 'wobbly' and nudge-sensitive. Visual Pinball X (VPX) requires a wired USB connection to the PC for proper detection of nudge and plunger inputs, as these features will not function correctly over a wireless connection. To verify that the analog plunger and nudge sensors are functioning correctly on a PC, users can open the 'joy.cpl' (Game Controllers) utility; the analog inputs should show visible response in the properties window when the plunger is pulled or the controller unit is moved. The nudge feature can be utilized in keyboard mode on PC by remapping the pinball software's control bindings to the specific keyboard inputs generated by the controller. Finding the right combination of software sensitivity and physical foot placement is important, and flooring type (carpet vs. hard floor) can also affect how things feel. Xgaming is actively working with the VPX community to further refine controller drivers specifically for VPX usage, as well as mapping, nudging behavior, and plunger algorithms. Xgaming is investigating software-based solutions to prevent haptic feedback from false-triggering nudge sensors, including potential features like nudge sensitivity profiles, threshold sliders, and haptics filter toggles. Evidence: Support thread 2025-12, keywords: haptics, audio, vibration, solenoid, nudge, DOF