Radar Antenna Elevation Axis Control

[Archer.xd]

I know that the control we have now is the same as the real one in the hornet, but can we get an axis control that is suitable for rotary knobs in throttles?
By this i mean, in F-16 i can use radar elevation with a rotary knob, antenna position is scaled to rotary. 

But in the F/A-18, whenever i move my rotary for even 1°, elevation control constantly goes up or down. Again ik this is similar to the IRL hornet but its harder to use with many HOTAS throttles. 2 way hats act OK but i dont want to set my 2 way to radar elevation, im using it for airbrake. 

I wish you guys can add a maybe 2nd control option to make it suitable for rotary knobs, it'd really be better for many players imo

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by vtaf_archer

[Amarok_73]

There was already thread about it, but it seems, that developers have not commented it.

Personally, I don't know any HOTAS that would offer spring loaded rotary, that would reflect the functionality from the real F/A-18, so indeed it would be nice to have it like in F-16, or Mirage.

 

@BIGNEWY

Can we ask You kindly to assume an attidude regarding this subject?

Do You know anything about plans regarding this functionality? Is it considered to provide it as special option for this airplane?

[Svend_Dellepude]

6 hours ago, Pipok said:

Personally, I don't know any HOTAS that would offer spring loaded rotary, that would reflect the functionality from the real F/A-18, so indeed it would be nice to have it like in F-16, or Mirage.

 

https://www.wwsimstore.com/p/324.html

 

This throttle and it's bigger brother has a spring loaded axis like the F-18.

On my WH throttle I just programmed a button to be an axis. Works also.

[Amarok_73]

Nah thanks, I'll stay with my G940 as it have FFB, and yes - i know there are some workarounds. I have defined quite large deadzone, and lowered down a bit staturation, but still this is not as natural in use as it is in mentioned F-16 and Mirage.

But still, this thread is not about looking for workarounds, as most of us have worked out probably it by themself, but about if we can expect change in the product that will reflect the market needs. 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Pipok

[Archer.xd]

Yeah i think the realism is not necessary in such things, we definitely should have another option to bind it to classical rotary knobs

Edited August 18, 2021 by vtaf_archer

[Svend_Dellepude]

The thing is that you also can control the elevation from the AZ/EL page, which you wouldn't be able to if you had the absolute axis option, as that axis would grab the elevation back if there is the slightest noise in the potentiometer.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Svend_Dellepude

[Archer.xd]

Since i dont use the AZ/EL pg, thats not a concern to me, i still think that they should add a 2nd option for control so we can use it with rotaries. 

 

[Brun]

An absolute axis would also conflict with zoom on the targeting pods.

 

If you were at the widest angle of the TGP and switched focus to the radar, the position of the axis would put the antenna at min/max elevation. Even if that didn't change it immediately, it would be very confusing when you did try to change elevation. As mentioned above even the slightest noise on the axis would suddenly move the antenna.

 

It's like people asking for trim on an axis but not understanding that it just isn't practical with the Hornet's systems.

[Archer.xd]

I use hornet only for A/A and im not using TGP. So thats again not my concern. I dont want an axis that would replace the current one, im asking for a 2nd option to make it suitable for everyone's play style

 

[GunSlingerAUS]

On 8/18/2021 at 4:31 PM, Pipok said:

 

Personally, I don't know any HOTAS that would offer spring loaded rotary, that would reflect the functionality from the real F/A-18, so indeed it would be nice to have it like in F-16, or Mirage.

 

 

Doesn't the Hornet grip from Thrustmaster have this exact feature? 

[rob10]

2 hours ago, GunSlingerAUS said:

 

Doesn't the Hornet grip from Thrustmaster have this exact feature? 

Yes, and the WinWing Orion (no idea about their other throttles) has it on the throttle.

Easy to say "just add it as an option" but that requires programming time and every option added is going to have at least a tiny performance hit, that on it's own isn't an issue, but cumulatively can add up.

[Brun]

6 hours ago, GunSlingerAUS said:

 

Doesn't the Hornet grip from Thrustmaster have this exact feature? 

 

It has a return-to-centre switch, but it's not an axis.

Edited August 25, 2021 by Brun

[Archer.xd]

Bump, I still think we can get an ****unrealistic**** second option for radar elevation to better suit with non-spring loaded rotaries. Realism is not a big thing in these kind of things, we got similar things in apache so why not for hornet

[Laurreth]

Yes, I'd also please like an unrealistic option. It's far more likely to have a surplus axis on a throttle than to have a centring wheel or surplus analogue centring axis.

I'm using the slider on a Virpil CM50 with a very strong in-game curve which sort of works because it comes stock with a huge deadzone and a tactile centre, but it's still not great.

[Razor18]

Hope it is not trolling, but if ED would make any modul specific axis function matching one hardver type, owner of other hardvare type would complain for the other version, as DCS is a multi modul game, and most people own one type of control hardver. Or if they have more, I don't think they would swap it every time they change modul to play.

On the other hand, there is always a workaround. I wish this would be the biggest compromise in the sim...

[Laurreth]

2 hours ago, Razor18 said:

Hope it is not trolling, but if ED would make any modul specific axis function matching one hardver type, owner of other hardvare type would complain for the other version, as DCS is a multi modul game, and most people own one type of control hardver. Or if they have more, I don't think they would swap it every time they change modul to play.

The thing is that a lot of the controls are already heavy compromises. I doubt that most people are running around with all the little things that various manufacturers have put into their real birds, e.g., locking 3-position switches, spring-loaded wheel inputs (like is the case here or on the F-16), 4-position toggles in a star pattern (yes, those happen), or MFD frames with 30+ functions on each. Most people will have a number of 4-way hats, maybe some 2-ways, simple buttons, momentary on-off-on switches, axes that don't return to centre (as turning knobs, sliders, or levers in varying forms), or rotary encoders, and IMO it just makes sense to cater what a lot of people have.

There's also the other side: many input devices will have a bunch of locking on-on toggle switches that would be perfect to map to stuff in the cockpit, and ED is on average surprisingly bad at supporting those.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Laurreth

[Archer.xd]

It's a sincere request, I don't have any time to sit here and do trolling over a simple input problem. And I don't want them to change it to only the way I want. Many modules have special options tab where you can customise them to better suit your gameplay. Like AH-64 trimmer, trigger guard. F/A-18's realistic TDC slew etc.

And theres not many people out there have spring loaded rotaries on their throttles. I don't want to upgrade my hotas just to have it working better for literally a single thing. If there was an option for that to better suit classical rotaries, I'd be happy about it. Meantime, I'm having to use one of my 4-way hats as a 2-way, up/down radar antenna. It's slow, hard to adjust, and definitely not as comfortable as it'd in a rotary. (I use that for F-16's controls. Works perfect.)

[Razor18]

I did not mean your request being trolling, I meant my opinion hopefully not seeming trolling.

[Archer.xd]

Ah alright, np either way just to make myself clear. Sometimes some people get it the wrong way around

[Razor18]

Hence my previous...

[Archer.xd]

1 hour ago, Schlingel mit Kringel said:

Hey Archer. Just had a look and i got a "Radar Elevation Control" option in the axis tab. If this isn't from the base game itself, it probably came with Munkwolfs Community Keybinds i got installed. Might be a good option until ED puts this into the base game themselves.

Hey mate, the control exists originally. My topic was more about the logic of it, F-16C has absolute axis control, and F/A-18C has relative (better suited for spring loaded rotaries that return to center)
Could be nice to have it as an alternative option but I don't need it anymore.

[_UnknownCheater_]

ED won't add custom settings like Jf-17,they only wanna what they wanna do.Likes they really own a real plane.Of couse not need player's toy HOTAS.Just use key to control the radar elevation better than elevation axis.I own WingWin F15EX include a small axis with auto center,but not easy to use bcz it 's position.Key control better.

[dresoccer4]

i just ran into this issue on my setup. when rotating the radar control axis the radar control constantly moves up or down. it's almost impossible to get it to stay centered with a normal joystick that most of us have. has anyone found a fix for this? it's a big bummer that it doesn't work easily with normal setups

Edited June 17, 2024 by dresoccer4

[Archer.xd]

4 minutes ago, dresoccer4 said:

i just ran into this issue on my setup. when rotating the radar control axis the radar control constantly moves up or down. it's almost impossible to get it to star centered with a normal joystick that most of us have. has anyone found a fix for this? it's a big bummer that it doesn't work easily without setups

Outside of using normal buttons, sadly no.

[dresoccer4]

1 hour ago, Archer.xd said:

Outside of using normal buttons, sadly no.

ah thanks for the reply. was hoping they'd had added an additional axis command or something