WheelMates Launch Options: Settings, Keybinds & DLSS

Understanding WheelMates Launch Options Before September 1

Firevolt Studio's WheelMates drops on Steam on September 1, 2026, and the demo that ran through August 8 has already given the 3,327+ Discord members a taste of Professor Bloom's chaotic laboratory. But here's the thing—launch options aren't just about typing -fullscreen into Steam properties. They're a layered system that determines how your RC car handles the Rope-Swing, Magnetic Wheels, and Magnet Grab gadgets, how the game renders on your specific GPU, and how the Friend's Pass co-op syncs between split-screen and online sessions.

Quick Key Takeaways

Co-op coordination is essential — communicate before each puzzle attempt — Practicing this approach in the demo build helps you master the timing before the September 1, 2026 launch and avoids the most common frustrations new players face. This tip is essential for smoother co-op sessions across all modes.

Camera reset prevents misaligned swings and platforming attempts — Coordinating with your partner using either the Friend's Pass or Remote Play Together unlocks the full potential of this mechanic and lets you tackle harder puzzles together. The launch build supports all these modes including split-screen.

The demo build had a simplified settings menu. The full release expands that into a proper configuration suite. If you're coming from games like Rocket League or Trackmania, you'll find familiar concepts here, but WheelMates has its own quirks—especially around the physics tick rate and the asynchronous co-op state management. Let's break down every launch option, setting, and keybind you'll need before that September 1 launch date.

The Three-Tier Settings Architecture

WheelMates uses a three-tier system for launch options: Steam-level launch parameters, in-game graphics presets, and per-session control mappings. Each tier interacts with the others. For example, forcing -dx12 in Steam properties will unlock the DLSS toggle in the graphics menu, but it also disables the Vulkan fallback for older GPUs. Understanding this hierarchy prevents frustration when a setting appears grayed out.

The Steam-level parameters are straightforward: -fullscreen, -windowed, -borderless, -vsync, -fpscap [number], and -high for process priority. But the real magic happens in the in-game config file, located at %LOCALAPPDATA%\WheelMates\Settings.ini after the first boot. That file contains hidden values like bUseAsyncPhysics, fRopeTensionScale, and iMaxMagnetContacts that aren't exposed in the UI. The demo community discovered these through reverse engineering, and Firevolt has confirmed they'll remain accessible in the full release.

For the graphics presets, you get four tiers: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. The demo's Medium preset ran at 60 FPS on a GTX 1660 Super at 1080p, but the full game's physics-heavy gadget interactions—especially when two RC cars use Magnetic Wheels simultaneously—demand more headroom. The Ultra preset adds screen-space reflections on the lab's polished floors and volumetric lighting through the test tubes, which can tank performance on mid-range cards.

Graphics Settings and DLSS Implementation

WheelMates ships with NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 support, including frame generation. This is significant because the game's visual style—bright, cluttered laboratory environments with glassware, cables, and moving machinery—creates aliasing nightmares on thin geometry. The Rope-Swing gadget alone spawns dozens of dynamic rope segments that need temporal stability.

Here's the DLSS breakdown across quality modes: Whether you're playing split-screen, online co-op, or via Steam Remote Play, the underlying physics behave the same way once you understand the timing window. The 3,327+ member Discord community actively discusses this. Practicing this in the demo helps prepare for launch.

Frame generation is a separate toggle. It's off by default because it introduces input latency that can throw off your Rope-Swing timing. The demo's leaderboard players universally disabled it. If you're on a 120Hz+ display and want to use it, pair it with NVIDIA Reflex (which is also included) to mitigate the latency penalty.

DLSS vs. Native Resolution Trade-offs

The game's art direction uses a lot of fine text—labels on chemical bottles, chalkboard equations, Professor Bloom's scribbled notes. At native resolution with TAA, that text stays crisp but the motion blur on the RC cars' wheels gets smeary. DLSS Quality mode actually improves this because the temporal upscaling reconstructs the text more consistently across frames.

However, the Magnet Grab gadget creates a unique problem. When you lock onto a metal object and pull it toward your car, the game spawns a particle trail that DLSS sometimes interprets as ghosting. The workaround is to enable the "Particle Clarity" option under Advanced Graphics—it's hidden by default and only appears after you toggle DLSS on. Set it to High if you're using Magnet Grab frequently in co-op puzzle sections.

For AMD and Intel users, FSR 3.1 and XeSS are also available. They don't include frame generation (that's exclusive to DLSS 3.5), but they handle the Rope-Swing physics better than DLSS in some edge cases because they use motion vector data differently. Test both on your hardware—the difference is noticeable in the lab's vertical sections where you swing between platforms.

Controls and Keybinds for Co-op Play

WheelMates is a two-player co-op game at heart, and the control scheme reflects that. Each RC car has independent throttle, steering, and gadget activation. The default keybinds on keyboard are:. Coordinate with your partner to maximize success. Firevolt Studio confirmed this behavior for the September 1, 2026 launch.

The split-screen mode uses the same keybinds, which means two players on one keyboard need to coordinate. The demo's most common complaint was that Player 2's keybinds are awkwardly placed. Firevolt has confirmed that the full release includes a Custom Keybinds menu, accessible from the main menu under Settings > Controls. You can remap every action individually, including the gadget-specific sub-actions like "Rope-Swing release" and "Magnet Grab toggle."

Gamepad Optimization and Steam Input

The game fully supports Steam Input, which means you can create custom controller profiles that map the Rope-Swing to a shoulder button for quicker access. The demo's default gamepad layout puts Rope-Swing on X/Square, which requires you to take your thumb off the right stick—a death sentence during the lab's timed obstacle courses. The community's recommended profile moves it to LB/L1 and puts Magnetic Wheels on X/Square instead.

For the Friend's Pass co-op, both players need identical control schemes for online play. The game syncs control mappings through the session host, so if you've customized keybinds, the friend joining via Friend's Pass will see a prompt to download your control profile. This is a smart touch—it prevents the "I can't jump because my keybind is different" problem that plagues many co-op games.

If you're playing on Steam Deck, the default layout is solid, but you'll want to adjust the right trackpad to act as a mouse for the Magnet Grab targeting reticle. The demo ran at 45-60 FPS on Steam Deck with Medium settings and TAA, but dropping to Low and enabling FSR Balanced gives a locked 60 FPS. The game is verified for Steam Deck, meaning all UI elements are readable at 7-inch screen sizes.

Vsync, Frame Rate, and Input Latency

Vsync in WheelMates is a trap. The game's physics engine runs at a fixed 60 Hz tick rate, but the renderer can run at any frame rate. If you enable traditional vsync at 60 Hz, you get perfect frame pacing but add about 16ms of input latency. That's acceptable for casual play but disastrous for the Rope-Swing timing windows, which the demo showed require reaction times under 150ms.

The better approach is to use the in-game Frame Rate Limiter set to your monitor's refresh rate, with vsync disabled. The game includes a custom frame pacing algorithm that decouples physics from rendering, so you get smooth motion without the latency penalty. Here's the recommended configuration:

The one exception is if you're playing split-screen. Split-screen renders two viewports, which effectively halves your GPU's output. On a 60Hz TV, you might need to enable vsync to prevent screen tearing because the frame limiter doesn't always hold up with two viewports. Set the limiter to 60 FPS and enable vsync only if you see tearing—the input latency increase is less noticeable in local co-op since you're both on the same couch.

The Hidden Physics Tick Option

Advanced users can add -physxTick=120 to the launch options to double the physics tick rate from 60 Hz to 120 Hz. This makes the Rope-Swing feel more responsive—the rope's arc becomes smoother and the Magnetic Wheels grip better on curved surfaces. The downside is a 15-20% performance hit and potential desync in online co-op if your friend doesn't also use the same tick rate. Firevolt has said they'll add a matchmaking filter for tick rate in a post-launch patch, but for now, only use this if you're playing solo or with a friend who's also technical.

Online Co-op and Friend's Pass Configuration

The Friend's Pass system is WheelMates' standout feature. One player owns the game, and up to one friend can join for free—not just for a limited trial, but indefinitely. The launch options for this are handled automatically, but there are network settings you should tweak for the best experience.

In the Settings > Network menu, you'll find: Whether you're playing split-screen, online co-op, or via Steam Remote Play, the underlying physics behave the same way once you understand the timing window. Tracking Memory Cards adds extra context to Professor Bloom's story.

• Connection Type: Automatic, Direct IP, or Steam Relay

• Bandwidth Limit: 5 Mbps to 100 Mbps

• Physics Sync Rate: 30 Hz, 60 Hz, or 120 Hz (matches the tick rate)

• Voice Chat: Push-to-talk or open mic

For most players, Automatic with a 20 Mbps bandwidth limit works well. The game uses a client-side prediction model, so your RC car responds instantly to inputs even with high ping. The Magnet Grab gadget is the exception—it requires server-side validation to prevent both players from grabbing the same object. If you're experiencing "magnet rubber-banding," where the grabbed object snaps back, lower the Physics Sync Rate to 30 Hz and increase the Bandwidth Limit to 50 Mbps.

Split-Screen vs. Online Trade-offs

Split-screen runs at a locked 60 FPS and has zero network latency, making it the preferred mode for the game's precision platforming sections. Online co-op introduces 20-50ms of latency, which you'll feel most in the Rope-Swing. The game compensates with a "swing assist" that extends the rope's grab radius by 10% when playing online. It's a subtle buff, but it makes the online experience nearly identical to split-screen.

The Friend's Pass player gets the same settings access as the host. They can adjust their own graphics settings, keybinds, and audio independently. The only limitation is that they can't host a new session—they must join the owner's game. If the owner drops, the Friend's Pass player gets a 60-second grace period to reconnect before the session ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same launch options for both split-screen and online co-op?

Yes, but you'll likely want different vsync and frame rate settings. Split-screen benefits from a locked 60 FPS with vsync enabled to prevent tearing, while online co-op is better with the frame limiter set to your monitor's refresh rate and vsync off to minimize input latency.

Does the DLSS frame generation work in split-screen mode?

No. Frame generation is disabled automatically when split-screen is active because the two viewports don't provide enough motion vector data for the AI to generate accurate intermediate frames. You'll see the option grayed out in the menu. Save at the chapter checkpoint before attempting this tricky maneuver.

What's the best keybind setup for the Rope-Swing gadget?

The community consensus is to map Rope-Swing to a shoulder button (LB/L1 on gamepad, Shift on keyboard) and reserve the face buttons for Magnetic Wheels and Magnet Grab. This lets you swing and steer simultaneously without finger gymnastics. The 3,327+ member Discord community has cataloged this approach.

Will my demo save data and settings carry over to the full release?

Yes, but with a caveat. Your graphics settings, keybinds, and control profiles transfer automatically. Your progress in the demo's first three levels carries over, but any gadget upgrades you unlocked are reset because the full game rebalances them.m.m.m.m. The 3,327+ member Discord community has cataloged this approach.