pbsmgm

Ok, thanks. I just made a run with the cheat start, my first cheat start because I have forced myself to learn it all by memory thus far, and the light came on. So I am going back now to start a manual start and verify the WCS switch. Yes Master Arm and Laser on first...Master Arm, Laser Standby, Outside [Y], then I press Ground Moving Targets or [N] in that order. BTW..That cheat start is too convenient. I'm glad I haven't used it. Thanks.

I can complete a full startup perfectly, taxi, takeoff, get to a point of attack and hover with almost zero movement. However, I cannot get the Ground Moving Target or the Auto Turn buttons to light up green when I press them, so I do think they are not actually on because I cannot get any weapons to fire. I have tried many times now and have thoroughly covered the startup to make sure I am not missing anything. And I am following the training video on ATGMs being deployed in automatic ingress mode using the helmet word for word. So why aren't the Ground Moving Target or the Auto Turn buttons lighting up Green when I press them manually or even with the [N] and [Q] keys?

Somehow...Someway, I got it to work while in the beginning of a Startup just down to turning on the INU Power. But since I was playing around with a few key strokes..not too many, it started working. Then of course, I tested it by leaving and coming back into the mission and it does not work anymore. I would really like to like to figure this out. I do believe there is a keyboard toggle to turn it on now.

ok, thanks. I am also using Vista64 Ultimate. But I don't think it is an OS or hardware problem since it works perfectly fine when I take control in training mode.

I think you'll find an "intermediate" mode simply by going to Options, Gameplay, and choose GAME at the bottom. Then uncheck easy flight for sure. And uncheck any other features that you want to be more real. I think DCS has already implemented the tools necessary for an intermediate mode. Initially, I thought that if I had the easy avionics checked then I would lose my cockpit controls in the GAME/easy mode. Not true...you can use Alt-C to activate controls in the cockpit even though easy avionics is on. So the point is that GAME mode is very easy to increase difficulty and SIM mode is very easy to decrease difficulty via those options and additional switches maybe with the keyboard. That's all we need for a very user customized intermediate mode.

Everything per my install is pretty much English. However, when I start the campaign, and even though all of the text at the top right of the screen is in English, the guy is talking in another language. Should it be this way?

I appreciate the response. And just as a note, I don't seem to have the issue of the default mode being GAME. My default has always been REAL/SIM. But I took your advice and actually went back into Options, Gameplay and reset SIM and made sure 3 times. Then I go back to a mission and the only option I can use is Alt-C for mouse/cockpit mode, which does not provide functionality to the switches. The zoom and panning with the mouse in the cockpit works fine all the time.

Thank you very much. Yes, this gives me the zoom and navigation in the cockpit with the mouse, but I then lose the cursor and don't have the ability to activate controls while I am using the mouse/cockpit mode to navigate the cockpit. So is there another toggle that activates this functionatlity at the same time that I am in the mouse/cockpit mode? As an example, if you just take control of any training mode, you'll get zoom, cockpit navigation, and the ablility to activate switches all at the same time with the mouse. Thanks again.

When I am in the training mode and take control, I can zoom in and out with the roll button on my mouse and click to activate switches in the cockpit, which is probably the best way to control the cockpit. However, when I am in any other mode like mission or campaign, I cannot get the mouse to function like that. The mouse settings are from the default install and work fine in training mode like I said; therefore, the mouse is probably set up correctly with zoom and control. But I cannot use it at all in the cockpit to look around, zoom in/out and activate switches in any mode except training. Does anybody know how to activate these functions on the mouse in real mode?

I tried drilling a few tech people at Saitek very tactfully in order to trick them into disclosing any plans. I could not get even the slightest hint about a FF X52.

Yes, correct, and I felt the need to post this definition. HOTAS, an abbreviation for hands on throttle-and-stick, is a style of aircraft control which allows the pilot to access the cockpit functions and fly the aircraft. This design style is seen on all modern US, European, and Chinese fighter aircraft, and on some Russian aircraft, where there is no direct access to the Flight Control System (FCS). HOTAS is a shorthand term which refers to the pattern of controls in the modern fighter or interceptor cockpit. Having all switches on the stick and throttle allows the pilot to keep his "hands on throttle-and-stick", thus eliminating the need to take his eyes off the horizon and HUD. The goal is to improve the pilot's situational awareness, his ability to manipulate switch and button controls in turbulence, under stress, or during high G-force maneuvers, to improve his reaction time, and to minimize instances when he must remove his hands from one or the other of the aircraft's controls to use another aircraft system, and total time spent doing so. The concept has also been applied to the steering wheels of modern open-wheel racecars, like those used in Formula One and the Indy Racing League. The HOTAS system has also been adapted for game controllers used for flight simulators (most such controllers are based on the F-16 Fighting Falcon's which was a pioneer in the theory's application) and in cars equipped with radio controls on the steering wheel. In the modern military aircraft cockpit the HOTAS concept is sometimes enhanced by the use of Direct Voice Input to produce the so-called "V-TAS" concept, or augmented with Helmet mounted display systems such as the "Schlem" used in the MiG-29K and Su-27, which allow the pilot to control various systems using his line of sight, and to guide missiles to the target by simply looking at it.

My inquiry is not about what we have now, i.e. NO force feedback HOTAS or even about the current non-HOTAS force feedback joysticks that these threads discuss. It's an inquiry to find out if somebody might actually know of a FF HOTAS that exists over and above my extreme level of searching for one at this point.

Does a FF HOTAS exist? Yes, I have read as much as I can on this thread. But I am trying to see if anybody knows of one that exists. Thank you.

Thanks EtherealN...I didn't know the technical name for the difference between DCS: B.S. and a sim like Microsoft FSX. So that makes DCS: B.S. even more absolutely awesome.

Ok, from a little bit of google searching, AVIs are pretty much compressed already and the best I can do with AVI files is use DivX to get it compressed more. However, this will reduced the quality, which I don't want. So I am staying with this AVI format/size for a while. I can always delete them for space and re-record if necessary.

I recorded most of the training modules using FRAPS. It's incredible how much disk space FRAPS requires for recordings. One of the primary training modules like Combat and Weapon employment, which is about 10 minutes long, takes about 25GB...yes GB not MB. So to capture all the modules, which I don't have yet, will take about 250-300GB. So if you don't have the space, then you might as well forget FRAPS. But if you do, it is awesome and I have total control to back up and write down commands and listen to several points many times...so I am very happy for that because overall I am spending a lot less time learning and mastering the KA-50. One more point, I am recording Full-Size/30 FPS and 1680x1050 and that does take about 20GB per 10 minutes of recording. However, you can record at Half-Size setting in FRAPS and literally cut that size in half to 1GB per minute. But I have to say that the resolution and legibility is quite a bit better when you record at Full-Size. I would recommend keeping it at Full-Size if you have the space. Lastly, once a particular training module is mastered with about 10+ replays :), you can delete it in order to create space for another training module. In essence, there is always a backup because you can just re-record the module you want if needed.

I appreciate the information very much. Is there a schedule that DCS has created for additional aircraft in the future somewhere? Thanks.

Is there any additional aircraft built into DCS: Black Shark besides the B.S.?

ok, thanks...I think this issue is serious enough that I will get FRAPS and record the training files. Thanks.

JDski...I realize I can do those things you mentioned. But it is still impossible because of when pausing, etc. the video doesn't stay in sync in order to review things that just passed. The TRK files are generally 1-5 MB, so I am assuming there has to be a way to view them from a player. And by trying to control it with pause and taking control is still to way too unfriendly to learn the training modes.

From what I can tell, there is no way to stop, pause, replay any of the training videos, which is amazing considering the amount of information being thrown at the "trainee." And give that we have to completely exit the training program and completly reinitialize the video just to get back to the point that we need repeated is pathetic. So within the C:\eagle Dynamics\ka-50\missions\training folder, I found that all the training videos are with a .TRK extension. I have been trying desperately to find a media player for these files so that I can pause, stop and go back to replay a section. It is impossible to memorize all that training info one full pass at a time. Does anybody know of a media player for .TRK files?