Sim Controls

[zswobbie1]

Hi there,

Thanks of a wonderful interface. We are building a Shackleton simulator (FS9) at our VA club and are trying to use the keyboard as little as possible & as cheaply as possible. So we are using a 6 input controller board for the real yoke, rudder and 1 of the four throttles as well as prop pitch . All OK. BTW, the cockpit sits on a trailer that we take to shows & is about 90% lifesize. We have the actual seats, canopy glass, yoke, throttle quadrant & peddles.

We are using the circuit board of a joystick and have mapped the buttons from that for gears, flaps and 7 other sim functions. So, on the silkscreened dash,we have a 17" screen for the guages, 2x buttons for gears up & down, and a centre off sprung toggle for flaps. On the overhead, we have 10 buttons for the sim commands - engines on, off, reset flight etc. 7 buttons are functional as we have used all the inputs fron the joystick board. So, correct me if I am wrong, We just add another joystick board and remap to whatever we want? We use a projector for scenery views.

As far as throttle & pitch controlls goes, can we build a slider type ( as we have for the 1x throttle we are using) and remap to the pots axis on the joystick board?

We basically need to map another 6x axis onto pots. (3x throttles, 3x pitch)

This thing also has it's mechanical trim wheel. So we are thinking of mapping that to a pot, or even using FSUIPC's mouse trim wheel and somehow mounting a mouse so the mechanical trim wheel action turns the mouse wheel. (just an idea!)

If it was not for FSUIPC, we would never be able to put this lot all together.

We are going for emmersion as apposed to realism and the thing actually works.

Once again, thanks.

[Pete Dowson]

So, correct me if I am wrong, We just add another joystick board and remap to whatever we want?

Providing each joystick connection is recognised by Windows as such, and you don't exceed the FSUIPC limit of 16 joystick devices in total (with Windows assigned ID's 0 to 15), each with up to 32 buttons, then, yes, just add another.

As far as throttle & pitch controlls goes, can we build a slider type ( as we have for the 1x throttle we are using) and remap to the pots axis on the joystick board?

Again, provided whatever you connect by way of a joystick axis is recognised by Windows as such, and is one of the basic 6 axes (XYZRUV) and not the two extra slider axes added by DirectX, then they will be seen and assignable in FSUIPC. If you were using FSX and FSUIPC4 all 8 axes would be available.

Regards

Pete

[zswobbie1]

Thanks, Pete. Will roll up the sleeves and get soldering/ assigning keys etc. & keep you posted.