Flight stick not as responsive as I'd like...

[ravenmorpheus 1]

Hey there

I'm trying to use my Thrustmaster T Flight Hotas X in ToH, whilst it's fine for the most part it doesn't seem as responsive as I'd like.

I've loosened the tensioner at the bottom of the stick so it's as loose as possible, but I still get what seems like a deadzone.

I've tried setting the curves to default in the controller options (I'm not entirely sure I understand that screen), and I've also tried increasing the axis sensitivities but increasing the sensitivity just makes it more twitchy and doesn't really help with the deadzone issue.

As it is currently I can fly a Heli OK in forward flight, but when it comes to things like landing I spend ages trying to do it because the stick causes me to over-do the movements and instead of hovering in place I end up drifting sideways or backwards. I actually find using an Xbox 360 gamepad with XBCD360 drivers installed a whole lot easier (I still take ages to land and I over adjust, causing me to drift sideways/backwards when I don't want to, but it's no where near as bad as with the T Flight HOTAS).

Is there anyway within the game to get the Thrustmaster T Flight Hotas X to be more accurate in it's control of the Heli's or should I invest in a better stick for ToH (I've been eyeing up seconds hand Saitek X45's)?

Many thanks in advance for any help on this.

[JohnKalo 657]

Well to start with I must say that I had also got these issues on my joystick when I first started playing this game. I use Logitech Attack 3 which is not expensive and gets the job done pretty good. You mentioned in your thread that you tried adjusting the different axis options on your controller. Sorry if my question is kind of out of bounds but there is an ability to adjust, by increasing or decreasing three horizontal columns next to the ones altering the sensitivity of your controller, the dead zone of your controller directly. Have you tried it? Because you don't mention it.

Another issue is the way that your controllers change the throttle. As far as I am concerned having the throttle separate, like in a plane, can make your flight extremely hard. But that is just a personal opinion. Never mind that, if you can control the throttle separately I congratulate you.

Hope this helped. If not, I would be more than willing to assist.

[ravenmorpheus 1]

Thanks. I've tried adjusting those horizontal columns to alter sensitivity. It doesn't help, reducing them makes the stick even less responsive and increasing them makes the stick too twitchy but still with what seems to be a deadzone.

I've no problem with the throttle, apart from it's stiffness around the middle, but that's a design flaw with the TM T Flight Hotas X, just the stick seeming to have a deadzone and being rather inaccurate - I have to push it further than I want to get any movement (even on default sensitivity/curves) and that then causes me to over correct.

I think I'm probably better off sticking with my Xbox 360 gamepad until I can get hold of a better HOTAS, although I don't recall having similar problems when I've played games such as IL2 1946.

[beepee 10]

There is also a deadzone setting for all axis. Put them all to 0. The sensitivity sliders change the curve, so if you set in the middle then the rosponse is the same in joystich neutral position as at the end. If you set it all the way right then the joystick will be much more responsive near neutral position but less at the max. You can see those curves at the top in controller settings window. There are comboboxes at the right of deadzone sliders. First hit the "show" button at the bottom and they will apear. There you can set sensitivity multiplier. Below you can see my settings with multipliers visible. But remember the most important thing is all deadzones to 0! (I have one set to max because I don't use this axis)

[JohnKalo 657]

Just to add, on some controllers using the dead zones is very helpful if for example increasing the throttle fully takes a lot of valuable time. I would also send a picture of my controller settings but I do not know how to insert an image. What is this URL? I even posted a thread yesterday but not one has replied. Sorry if I am going off topic on this one but BeePee I would really appreciate your help even in the other thread(in take on helicopters questions and answers) on this one.

P.S Nice helo.

[ravenmorpheus 1]

Thanks BeePee. My deadzones are all at 0, and that's the first thing I checked.

I've tried the values in the combo boxes, and 1.2 seems to be the best, or least twitchy, at least when combined with least tension on the stick the deadzone feeling isn't so great. But the stick still seems like rubbish.

I have no problems taking off, or achieving forward flight and generally flying around in the air at speed, but when it comes to hovering and then landing I spend more time flying sideways, backwards, or forwards (quite often at speeds like 20mph or more) away from where I want to land. I have to engage auto hover most of the time to achieve a decent landing. And I'm only playing the game on Trainee difficulty.

I'm guessing it's either me just being a bad pilot or the stick isn't suited to ToH or it's caused by input lag caused by low frame rates (I get on average 25fps over Seattle, often as low as 15fps). I've played games like IL2 with the same stick and I don't recall any problems with it, but I'm not all that good at that either.

I think I'll just buy a second hand Saitek X45, they're fairly cheap now (£35 on ebay), and see if I get on any better with that.

[beepee 10]

Try expert difficulty. Stable hover is one of the hardest manouvers in heli so keep practicing. And if your joystick isn't perfect trying different one won't hurt I think. But maybe borrow one first to check if it changes anything.