Noob questions

[Gunfreak]

Right now I have an X52 Pro.

I wouldn't call myself a true flight simulator enthuast yet.  But I find I  more and more just wanna jump in the cockpit.

 

I'm curious why does this have such a smaller "box" under the throttle.

https://www.wwsimstore.com/p/324.html than this?

 

https://www.wwsimstore.com/p/304.html

 

Also I play exclusively in VR, meaning keyboard is a pain in the ass.

 

So I'm curious if the full package gives enough buttons for general flight and game control. 

Alternatively I've thought about just buying a separate control panel.  But a separate panel and separate desk mounts for my X52 hotas is almost as expensive as the full package. Also how complicated is the software part? How easy is it to get all the parts to work in DCS or IL2 or MSFS for that matter. 

[silverdevil]

all "controllers" with buttons / switches / sliders can be mapped to controls in the sim. if you are already doing VR, maybe you should be doing the virtual finger pointing. that way you can just pick the buttons in VR. i do not have VR and i have just throttle, stick, mfds, and a wireless track pad. i map important buttons on them with a modifier button effectively doubling my button count.

[Oozler]

I use a Warthog throttle and stick, 2 MFD's, the WinWing Take-off and Combat panels and I still use a mini key board for some functions. I play in VR. Of course, with more complex programming of the Warthog I could likely add other layers of functions - but I do not.

The difference between those two WinWing throttles is essentially the larger one is made to emulate the switches in the area of the throttle of the actual F-18 whereas the smaller WinWing throttle is made to apply more generally to any aircraft even though the current hand grip(s) are modelled on an F-18 . The new smaller one from WinWing will also allow you to swap out the throttle for other aircraft (ie) F-16 once they become available. This is supposed to also apply to the stick in the future.

So - short answer - I have many peripherals and I still need to use a keyboard for some things.

Everything is easily assigned right in DCS from the controls management screen.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Oozler

[Gunfreak]

Thanks for the answers, which keyboard do you use?

[rob10]

I don't use VR (which certainly could change things) but I went with the Orion (small) throttle mainly for way the buttons were laid out.  The Taurus has more buttons, but really, most of them are marked for things that might get used once or maybe never on most flights.  There are a lot of them and could be used for different things than marked, but then it's probably going to be tough to find them in VR.  The buttons/switches on the Orion are more "relevant" to what I want to use.  I actually bought it mostly for the detents, but the switches/knobs are nice.  It's also a lot for flexible for mounting (in my case it sides on a side table next to my desk) due to the size.

Because I don't use VR, I have a pair of programmable "keyboard" that I use for a lot of the needed button presses that saves me having to remember keys.  I use autohotkey to send keystrokes from it and therefore I can use it for work or other games just by loading a different AHK file and swapping out the paper label pages.  Not cheap, but 1st one was an easy purchase because I use it for work stuff as well, and 2nd one was easy because I knew how useful it was.

 

[silverdevil]

@Gunfreak if you are using VR, i have seen lots of people that get some abbreviated keyboard (more of a button box) that you can assign keys to. DCS  will allow anything that is recognized. i personally have a logitech G910. it has 9 "G" keys. there are also three M keys (M1, M2, M3). the M keys when pressed give the 9 G keys another set of functions. so another 27 assignments. (just think of that awesome screenshot or a kill or landing or AAR you could get) the idea is these buttons are easy to use without seeing them. since you said you are new, keep in mind that the only controls you need to have on HOTAS (or anywhere else) are those that you can use without taking your eyes away from flying. a few seconds of not paying attention could mean a welcoming party with the earth or an unfriendly target. things like gear, flaps, etc can be clickable when not in battle.

[Gunfreak]

15 minutes ago, silverdevil said:

@Gunfreak if you are using VR, i have seen lots of people that get some abbreviated keyboard (more of a button box) that you can assign keys to. DCS  will allow anything that is recognized. i personally have a logitech G910. it has 9 "G" keys. there are also three M keys (M1, M2, M3). the M keys when pressed give the 9 G keys another set of functions. so another 27 assignments. (just think of that awesome screenshot or a kill or landing or AAR you could get) the idea is these buttons are easy to use without seeing them. since you said you are new, keep in mind that the only controls you need to have on HOTAS (or anywhere else) are those that you can use without taking your eyes away from flying. a few seconds of not paying attention could mean a welcoming party with the earth or an unfriendly target. things like gear, flaps, etc can be clickable when not in battle.

 

My X52 is good enough for warbirds. But i find I'm lacking buttons on F16 etc. Using the mouse is fine for start up etc. But I'm running out of HOATS buttons for the operation in-flight. 

So I'm considering a mini keyboard for the F buttons dealing with camera and map etc. And mabye a control panel, for in-flight stuff.

The x52 does have a "mouse" stick on the throttle,  but find it very hard to get used to.

[silverdevil]

@Gunfreak do you have a modifier set in DCS? i have a button on my throttle that is operable using pinky. when that is pressed it is sort of a shift key that makes other buttons have 2 sets of presses? the mouse stick will be an axis. make sure you modify the curves so it does not move so fast. you really need that to slew targeting pod.

[Gunfreak]

9 minutes ago, silverdevil said:

@Gunfreak do you have a modifier set in DCS? i have a button on my throttle that is operable using pinky. when that is pressed it is sort of a shift key that makes other buttons have 2 sets of presses? the mouse stick will be an axis. make sure you modify the curves so it does not move so fast. you really need that to slew targeting pod.

 

No I haven't used the modifier yet 

[Oozler]

I just bought whatever little mini keyboard I found on amazon for a few bucks to check out and get going in a pinch. The thing to consider, or keep in mind, with the mini keyboard solution vs a button box of some sort is that the mini keyboard will be recognized in DCS as a keyboard - the same as your main keyboard. It is not it's own separate device. On the other hand, an independent button box type of peripheral will be entirely recognized as it's own device. Just thought I would point out the subtlety that DCS doesn't see 2 keyboard devices with what I am doing. 

[silverdevil]

+1 @Oozler on keyboard. my wireless keypad is not recognized as a separate pointing device either. buy something that gets identified as an HID compliant device. in device manager on my computer, none of the controllers show by name. 

[Simm0]

7 hours ago, Oozler said:

The difference between those two WinWing throttles is essentially the larger one is made to emulate the switches in the area of the throttle of the actual F-18 whereas the smaller WinWing throttle is made to apply more generally to any aircraft even though the current hand grip(s) are modelled on an F-18 . The new smaller one from WinWing will also allow you to swap out the throttle for other aircraft (ie) F-16 once they become available. This is supposed to also apply to the stick in the future.

 

 

Couple of things here, I believe the new throttle handles are compatible with both throttles, it's just the collective that is not.

The other key difference in the throttles is the throw and therefore the precision of the movements, it's much easier to do small adjustments on the taurus, although everything really is about getting the muscle memory for your setup.

 

The switches on the taurus map pretty well to other aircraft, everything is functions that most aircraft have anyway so it's not too hard to map them out.

[Gunfreak]

Thanks for more answers,  I watched a review,  and I see the taurus was quite a bit larger than I imagined.  Not sure I can even fit that one, into the little corner my PC lives. 

 

I have considered just getting desk mountings fo my x52, and mabye some panels, but good mountings that fit the x52 are expensive. 

 

So I'm leaning towards getting the orion, with mountings and 1 or 2 panels.