Bad keyboard rudder control - is there something to do?

[afterburner]

Hello!

Since the first day I own FS2004 I´ve detected a problem with rudder and aileron control in this flight simulator.

I´ve posted following in some forums, but I could not find a way to solve it so far:

"Since I´m flying with Microsoft Flight Simulator, I´m used to control rudders/bugrad by keyboard.

In previous Flight Simulator versions I´ve never had problems with it. But in FS2004 I´ve recognized a mysterious rudder/bugrad-behaviour when I control it by keyboard:

When I press "yaw right", it should be obvious that I can bring the rudder to its center position by pressing "yaw left".

Unfortunately not in FS2004: After pressing "yaw right" one time, it´s required to press "yaw left" 4 times to center the rudder. Of course, it works the other way around: When you press "yaw left" one time, "yaw right" is needed to be pressed 4 times as well to center the rudder.

You can also see this when you look at rudder from spot-plane-view and when you watch rudder deflection.

I´ve detected the same phenomene in aileron control by keyboard.

In FS2002, it´s not a problem.

I suppose it´s a FS2004-bug."

So my question is: Is there a way to solve this problem by using FSUIPC or an other module?

Or does generally a program exist that can simulate joystick movements by pressing keyboard buttons?

That could help. Unfortunately I could only find programs in the web that do it the other way round - simulating reyboard commands by moving joystick...

Many thanks to supplies!

Konstantin

[Pete Dowson]

When I press "yaw right", it should be obvious that I can bring the rudder to its center position by pressing "yaw left".

Unfortunately not in FS2004: After pressing "yaw right" one time, it´s required to press "yaw left" 4 times to center the rudder. Of course, it works the other way around: When you press "yaw left" one time, "yaw right" is needed to be pressed 4 times as well to center the rudder.

You can also see this when you look at rudder from spot-plane-view and when you watch rudder deflection.

I´ve detected the same phenomene in aileron control by keyboard.

Really? How extraordinary. It's the first I've heard of itI'll check that now!

[LATER]

Yes, you are quite right. It also applies to the elevator, in fact, so that's all three axes.

Interestingly it is only the first change -- i.e. away from zero. Otherwise the effect is certainly equal. For instance 2 presses left are cancelled by 5 presses right, not 8.

I think must be by design, but I'm really not sure why. Maybe, as in real aircraft, FS2004 is better modelling the natural return to zero which happens (because of air pressure) when you release the controls, and havong the same large reverse step would make control worse, not better. It is certainly an interesting thing they've done, and there must be a reason for it.

So my question is: Is there a way to solve this problem by using FSUIPC or an other module?

No, because it looks like the controls "Rudder Left" and "Rudder Right" (and the other four) are actually implementing this by checking whether the control is centred (zero) initially, as it should be.

I've experimented using the Trim controls instead. These are certainly equal both ways even from zero. However, zeroing them doesn't centre the actual control, so they can't be used that way.

I really would recommend using the "5" key to centre everything. If you want separate centre keys for each axis you could assign keys in FSUIPC to the "Rudder Set" and similar controls, with a parameter of 0.

Or does generally a program exist that can simulate joystick movements by pressing keyboard buttons?

I think the FS keys are supposed to do that, but not by tapping. When I fly by keyboard (which isn't often, only when stuck without other controls) my fingers rarely leave the number pad. I've not really found any adverse eeffect of your discovery in FS2004. I suppose if you fly by pressing a key then hands off it will matter more, but if you fly with a yoke or joystick you never let it go completely unless under autopilot (or in panic because you've realised you don't know what's going on! :) ).

Regards,

Pete