Noob to DCS-HELP

[AD1Hammerhead]

Jumped in with both feet. Now to get it working...

Have: new alienware computer (Win 11), DCS loaded, Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog stick and throttle, Thrustmaster TFRP peddals.

Never used TARGET. Old stick was HOTAS Cougar with Lock On and FOXY. Got the gear, now need help setting everything up. 

HELP Please.

[razo+r]

Target software isnt necessarily needed. You can assign all buttons ingame via settings, controls and then select your aircraft. Some aircraft come with preset bindings, so you need to check that you dont have unwanted double bindings and that everything is bound the way you want it. 

[MAXsenna]

Foxy was good back in the days playing in Dos before DX buttons were a thing in Windows games.
I never use T.A.R.G.E.T (never works on my computer anyway ), while I do understand people that do, having complicated profiles with as much as possible on the HOTAS.

Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Lange_666]

If you want to do more then just assigning a button to a function then you need more then just the ingame configuration option (hence you used Foxy before to do that).
Several option if you don't want to use T.A.R.G.E.T like Joystick Gremlin https://whitemagic.github.io/JoystickGremlin/
T.A.R.G.E.T looks difficult but really isn't, if you could do Foxy, you can do T.A.R.G.E.T also (you don't really need to know how to program even if at first it looks like you need to).
You could go the simple road and use the T.A.R.G.E.T GUI option to program your HOTAS needs.
Or you could use T.A.R.G.E.T Script, looks difficult but if you follow the manual, you'll see it's not, just go step by step, take your time to read through the manual and try the examples (both GUI and script version don't work side by side).
+ one big advantage is that there is a mod to use 120DX buttons instead the regular 32. Could come in handy.
Lots of stuff to be found here: https://forum.dcs.world/forum/336-thrustmaster/

Edited March 9, 2023 by Lange_666

[Sacarino111]

5 hours ago, AD1Hammerhead said:

Jumped in with both feet. Now to get it working...

Have: new alienware computer (Win 11), DCS loaded, Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog stick and throttle, Thrustmaster TFRP peddals.

Never used TARGET. Old stick was HOTAS Cougar with Lock On and FOXY. Got the gear, now need help setting everything up. 

HELP Please.

Hi.

I am with Razo+r; really no need to use any outside configuration tool. The DCS setup possibillities are so hight that I stoped using the Saitek Software profiler at all. As said above, most joystick have a predefined configuration, witch works ok for the most of the modules. In case you are not happy with it, check the manual and try to replicate as closer as you can the real thing. The problem with that is that for each module you will have a particular setup to remember, and this can be overwhelming. the other option is to adapt all the modules to your personal taste, so one general layout is ok for all modules (more or less). Use the built in setup of DCS, is my recomendation.

Saludos.

Saca111

[AD1Hammerhead]

Stick and Throttle seem to be OK, Rudder is identified properly but does not accept axis inputs? At least so far anyways. Work in progress. Thank you all for the pointers.

[razo+r]

Make sure there are no other axis assigned to rudder or anything else. Double axis assignements can and will interfere with each other.

[Lange_666]

46 minutes ago, razo+r said:

Make sure there are no other axis assigned to rudder or anything else. Double axis assignements can and will interfere with each other.

Good tip, it's doing so by default btw.

[HwyStar]

New user here, too. There was something I had to do on the right hand side of the "Assignment Panel" window... Click the drop-down for "Add Modifier"? I'm not at my computer, sorry.

[Eclipse]

Welcome to DCS!  The first thing I recommend that you do when setting up any new aircraft is to clear out all the default control assignments.  In my experience, they will only cause you problems.  They make little sense, and you'll have things duplicated across multiple controllers (in the case of CH gear and the Reverb VR controllers), plus you won't know what the assignments are anyway if you didn't assign them yourself.  Save yourself some headaches and clear all the defaults, then assign things as you learn them. 

To clear a controller's assignments, make sure you have the controls menu set up to see the full list of assignments, and then click the name of each controller at the top of its column in the controls menu and select "clear category".  Do this for all button assignments and axis assignments.

Once the slate is clean, then set up your axis controls (pitch, roll, yaw, throttle, etc.).  Then as you learn the aircraft add the necessary HOTAS commands.  Keep in mind you can click (via mouse or VR controller) to interact with buttons and switches in the actual cockpit (except in older, lower fidelity modules), so not everything needs to be bound to the HOTAS.  I fly in VR and I only bind things to match the actual HOTAS in the aircraft plus whatever controls I need fast and reliable access to in the heat of an intense situation, especially if they are finicky to operate with the mouse or VR controller.  

And a cheat sheet helps - I have an Excel document with a picture of my controller and blanks for the buttons and switches that I fill in as I assign or move things.  It makes coming back to some modules after a long break much easier.  Plus, I can more easily map all the functions that are common to any aircraft the same way in every module as I get new ones.

If you decide you need or want some software in between your controllers and DCS, I can't recommend Voice Attack enough.  Even if you don't use it for a single voice command, it is easily the most fully featured and capable software out there that I've used, and I've tried Joy2Key, Joystick Gremlin, and others.  It's well worth the $10, and I haven't used a single voice command yet.  I use it in Il-2 but haven't needed it in DCS thanks their more robust control mapping with assignable modifier buttons (like setting a "shift" button).

I hope this helps.  Good luck and enjoy!

[AD1Hammerhead]

No Joy. Cleared all controller assigned axis and switches. Manually assigned all axis first, then button mapping. Tested each one to be sure they all worked in controller setup. Good, right? Nope! Gave it the ok for a test flight. C##P. Got the left engine started normally, Had to use the keyboard to start the right engine. Control check went crazy.... moved the rudder, and the engines went to full power. Brakes didn't work either. Moved both throttles to cut off, no response. ESC to stop. Why is a good control system not working? the only thing good was I was able to start both engines. I am NOT going to fly with the keyboard! ARGH...  I RTFM

[AngleOff66]

I've read of people having issues and using powered usb hubs for the joysticks, throttles.

Here is a thread on reddit with a few recommendations such as Sabrent or startech

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by AngleOff66

[Lange_666]

Something else you might check:

- In the controls section on the bottom right: Disable Hot Plug (so Enable should be visible !!!)

- In the MISC. tab, be sure to deselect "Synchronize Cockpit Controls with HOTAS Controls at Mission Start"
This one can lead to some weird HOTAS inputs if ticked.

If stuff doesn't work, backup your DCS Saved Games folder (under C:Users\Your Name\...), then delete it and let the game create a new one. Then check for double entry's and remove those that you don't need, some HOTAS axis will be double with your rudder, pick only airplane and start with that, set the axis you need, pick flight where the aircraft is already started and on the runway and check axis response. Should work, if not, you have an interference somewhere else.

[AD1Hammerhead]

Thank You! You nailed it. I had everything setup correctly, disabled the "Hot Plug" and everything did what it is supposed to do. No crossovers. The stick hat does trim now. Is there a way to get the mouse to move the view camera like it does outside, but in the cockpit? Any suggestions on alternate cockpit viewing/selecting setups. My track IR was made in the last century and two moves ago, and the cat ate the sensor cord. Repaired it, packed it, haven't seen it since. OBTW... the Misc Sync was already off. So the hot plug was the whole cure. Thanks again.

[DishDoggie]

I will Say Welcome. Lots of good people here that give you help this is a good place to be. You made me laugh talking about the Cat. I would chase him around the house if I was you but I'm a Bad Dog.