mazex

Ok, you and Top Jockey have convinced me and I just bought the F14 from my phone even though I am on vacation in the US, and my hangar is full of unflown aircraft ;) You are now both on my wife's virtual black list (virtual as in she will not know I just bought a virtual plane for 79 USD because of you ;))

Nope, I realized that I have too many "unflown" planes at the moment ;) Decided to learn the F-18, Viggen and AV-8B before going to the F-14. And then I have the A-10, KA-50, Huey and all of the WWII accept the A8 gathering dust in a corner of my hangar :) And a shiny new Mig-15 on the back yard with the FC3 lot ;)

Regarding the "Cadillac of the sky", Cadillac themselves obviously thought it was the P-38 in the October 1943 edition of Life Magazine at least ;) Found a bunch of old Life magazines in our hip Airbnb place in Chicago...

I saw Vera fly yesterday (the Lancaster flying in Canada). I was really surprised about the takeoff distance... Sure - it only had a bunch of happy passengers and the crew to lift but it felt like she just rolled a couple of hundred meters before she was airborne. And what a magnificent sound when starting all four Merlins and doing full power tests outside the hangar :) I would pay quite a lot for a Lancaster with a fully simulated Vickers type 464 (the bouncing bomb). A B-17 to compliment it for daytime bombing would be nice as well ;) Too bad the 4-engine babies are so much work to implement in a simulator.

I sign that one. I just love the sleek looks of it and it would be possible to use for Korea and Vietnam as well if we ever get maps for them... Not many planes that where used in WWII, Korea and Vietnam out there.

Signing this as well. It was your guides that made me "get over the top" to really appreciate study sims. I've never quite gotten to the point where I know enough to want to want to know the rest if you know what I mean ;)

As there is a sale coming up today I plan to get the Mig-15 that seems well liked but lacks content and a playground... Then the fact that we do not have a Korea map really popped up on me again... It really would make so much sense. * You can fly virtually all our planes on that map - and it would make sense from a historical perspective. * There are no issues with real world politics. Come on - any North Korean supporters here that would be offended by them painted as the bad guys? Raise your hands please? Not? * We get the F16 now. For sim historical reasons we NEED the Korea map for that one - right? ;)

Good that work is proceeding. Note: The only thing that will happen if people whine about promises being broken regarding release dates and features is that ED will stop giving any information about planned upcoming features in the next Beta... Or any dates for that matter until they have a complete build that is tested and works.

The developers have bought a "sighting container" that can be used to see all the way to their favourite lunch restaurant. They bought it and thought they would be able to start using it straight away, but it has been a lot of work to get it ready the way they envisioned it. That included nice decorations on the sides and bookshelfs for their manuals... With that done they happily started work on version 5.5.5.32173 Below is an image of the development team today celebrating their new sighting container:

It's past 20.00 in Moscow. Tell the guys to go home and do it tomorrow instead...

You can find a lot of keymaps on the net - but they are images of someones setup. I want a file that I can edit and save in different versions when I change them. So here is my button layout for F18 in DCS for the G13 keypad. And if you ask why TDC push is not on the ministick push it's because you hold it all the time while slewing the mav, so it decreases your stick precision if you don't have it on a separate button... BUT - the link below is to the Libre Office Draw (open source office) odg-file so you can change it yourself and print your version. Download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hdh6_4aNivdCWgKoYmN2S75TJAC4QYVW/view?usp=drive_web Screenshot: And my setup that works really well for VR - it actually feels like it's a "part of the throttle" this way. And the mini stick is really good for slew control.

I bought one ages ago and quite fast it ended up in a storage box... Recently I got myself a Virpil T50 Throttle and started flying DCS again. Rather quickly I realized that I really wanted an analog ministick for TDC control in F18. I remembered that the small stick on the G13 actually was rather good. So at first I put in in front of the throttle mount (Virpil deskmount V2). I tried it out and the ministick on the G13 worked great for DCS. And then I realized that it would be nice to map F1-F12 to the top row as radio comms is the worst part of VR where you fumble for the keyboard and then need to find the correct F-key. And that really works good as well. So the top middle button is F4 and you have F11 beneath that. It's really easy to reach all F-buttons and quickly press F5, F2 and then F12 etc. And for the two buttons next to the stick I have TDC depress on the left and MDI15 on the bottom one (FOV for Mavericks on the F18). Then cage on the press stick button and VR zoom on G22. I have G20 (in the bottom left corner) as Escape and active pause at G21. Really nice to just reach up with your finger to press escape to change some settings etc. I actually don't use the real keyboard at all now, before it was for escape and the F-keys for comms. As the G13 has multiple configs have mapped the UFC keypad for "mode 2". Really helps while in VR. The G13 mini stick is surprisingly good for slew and I compared to using an XBOX One controller. I have more precision with the G13 stick which surprised me. It's easier to move precisely with the tip of you index finger, the XBOX is better being moved with your thump that is the intended use for that. Now I have monted it on the Virpil mount to be able to reach it easily "while blind". I put an extra plate attached with straps on top of the mount. Then some 3M Dual Lock velcro on the plate / bottom of G13. So it's really easy to reach from the throttle. Awesome! It looks a bit weird but that does not matter in VR where the important thing is to "find" everything gwithout lifting your hand while "blind". So for the ones of you that have one gathering dust - try it out! It feels like it's almost meant to be mounted this way ;)

Imperialist lies! ;) Well, what I mean is that they fixed a bunch of performance related stuff for 2.5.5 that in the end led to the famous "50% increase for VR hysteria". We got a bunch of those in 2.5.5 but not the "only affecting VR performance fix" they have been testing. But I am pretty sure that we already got ~25 of the 50% - at least I feels that way for me, being a glass half full placebo guy ;) I am VERY happy with the stuff we already got in 2.5.5. The annoying micro stuttering when looking to the sides are almost gone. Feels silk smooth with 45+ all the time now so any improvements are just icing on the cake for me...

Me having ordered and payed in April for the "May batch" got the email below today. Interesting maths where a delay of one month means end of July for the "May batch"... These former east guys make great products but sure have a different way of thinking regarding delays and customer "promises" :) Anyone want to bet if it will be shipped before the last of July? ;) As some of you may know, the latest production run of the Realteus ForceFeel has been delayed because of an issue with disconnecting the pad. In order to correct this issue, and to address some of the other issues brought to our attention by customer feedback, we’ve gone back to our manufacturer with some changes to the wiring of the controller. Unfortunately, this means that production will be delayed a month. As of now, the rough estimated date of the dispatch of the products from our warehouse in the Czech Republic (Central Europe) to customers is by the end of July. The photo of the ForceFeel electronics board, where the wiring is attached to the connectors. We know that this update comes as a disappointment for many of our customers, which is why we’re offering all of you, who have preordered for the May 2019, a free gift: the 4.9 ft. (1.5 m) Extension Power Cable for Realteus ForceFeel. As soon as the products arrive, we will be shipping them out to each of you. Of course, if you’ve already purchased this accessory, we will provide you with a refund within 7 days so that you can still enjoy our free gift. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to our team. Thank you in advance for understanding! Sincerely, The Realteus Team

Well - for me at least the VR performance is dramatically smoother. FPS never drop below 45 and most importantly the microstutters are almost gone. So I think the VR patch is in - or at least a big chunk of it... If we get even better performance later they really have outdone themselves.

Well - trees naturally have a massive impact on performance and I understand that the old ones where not performing well. So - when I tried 2.5.5 in VR it is way more stable and has higher FPS than before. And yes - I know that the VR-performance patch is supposedly not in and I'm a glass half full guy ;) Try flying in VR and look 90 degrees left or right. Before there where microstutters when doing that. They are gone now... The trees? Well, that is for sure one part of the explanation. And I actually like the new ones. After they straighten some branches and fix some distant LODS they will be great I think.

I did post a configuration guide for the software: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=242447 Following that you will be able to do the configration needed to use my last F18 template.

To be able to get my key mappings working for the setup in my editable templates here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=240782 - I wrote a small guide to the Virpil Configuration Software some years ago- mostly for myself as I want to remember how I did some stuff when I need to do it again when there is a new firmware / config tool... I have documented how I think the configuration works to be able to do my mappings This includes additional shift-modes, changing the T2/T3 switches to have two states, T1 to send a click when opening the cover instead of when closing it, changing the decoders etc. There are many Youtube videos out there but I am old school and like a document for stuff like this Link to download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v7Kd3dQHkl6FHm6OCs2o4UauW4DZD-Ks/view?usp=sharing 2025-03-04: I have updated the manual with all screenshots and updates based on the latest Virpil firmware and configuration tool from 2024-12-26, and fixed some formatting and typos (thanks Dodge). The mapping of the T1/T2/T3 switches have been changed and some new modes are added that I have incorporated. 2025-05-07: Added new chapter for how to map the T1 switch if you remove the hood. Screen shot of the TOC:

Moving this discussion to chit-chat feels a bit to much "the emperor has no clothes" for me... Just be honest and say that the patch has been postponed? I work as a development manager and have done so for 15+ years so just face it. Your users will bark and scream at you and it's your job to take it with a smile and say that it will be done in two weeks ;) Giving that new date and an explanation BEFORE the previously promised date expires will exponetially decrease the crap you get. And I actually spent this afternoon doing that for two projects :) At the other hand we delivered some nice complex stuff ahead of schedule but you don't get much credit for that. "Ohh nice - but what about project 7x? Heard that was late?" But - it's 22.00 soon in Moscow so some late pull request might be on the verge of beeing merged into the release branch as a final step before pushing it?

Word!

Thanks - really appreciate your videos that helped me get started with the fun stuff you can do in your mappings. Note to others looking for beta releases of the config software - you find them in the Virpil forum: https://forum.virpil.com/index.php?/topic/558-vpc_software-test-releases/

And then life happens when you start using stuff :) My current template for DCS F/A-18. It requires mapping the T4-T5-T6 switches to mode 1-3 (removing the B1-B9 for mode 4-5 to make room for that). Download links: Throttle map: https://sites.google.com/site/mazexx/files/mse_MongoosT-50_Throttle_V2_DCS_F18_v1.6.odg?attredirects=0&d=1 Joystick map: https://sites.google.com/site/mazexx/files/mse_MongoosT-50_Grip_CM2_F18_v1.6.odg?attredirects=0&d=1 Screens (low res) Throttle: Stick: And... If anyone looks at the mappings and can't find the TDC slew I have that on the mini stick of my G13 keyboard above the Throttle. Works great for that... Finally some use for it ;)

Interesting for us that ordered the "May Batch"... Obviously it includes some updates with new motors etc: https://eu.realteus.com/blogs/news/latest-realteus-forcefeel-updates-guided-by-customer-feedback

Even though I agree that a detent is a rather important feature for jet fighter simulation, I think we should go a bit easy on our very small company of enthusiasts in Belarus :) The Apollo project employed 400 000 people at it's peak - so if a detent problem arised they would have thrown 100 engineers at solving it ;) Without Virpil and VKB we are back to hoping for Thrustmaster to update the Warthog that has been the same for 9 years - including crappy detent that break down if I understand it correctly... They don't have any product management department doing 3 year road maps - they have sold around 1000 throttles and 2000 grips and try to adapt to what the users ask for. With the v3 they seem to have almost nailed everything we ask for - accept the detents... And yes - the configuration software is awkward and lacks documentation - I guess their software department is one guy, that also helps out with the web store, internal IT and packing joysticks :) We pay a premium price and thus "demand" that they act as a professional company - but that takes a lot of skilled professionals... I have actually been the CEO of a much larger company designing and producing complex electronic / mechanical equipment - so I have some idea of the efforts / costs of doing R&D, prototyping, product management, documentation, certification, patents, software, support, manufacturing, shipping, finance, HR etc... I am impressed with what they have managed to do so far. But naturally a detent would be nice :)