Helicopter Joystick Throttle Issues (X-55)

[Airwolf 50]

First - Yes I have researched this topic extensively, I know what the official recommendation from BI is. I believe I have a unique issue as I have not been able to find a solution.

 

As you know the Analog throttle in ARMA 3 does not work correctly. BI recommends that you map both up and down to the analog (raise) mapping.

OR - If you map RAISE and LOWER separately, you only get 50% of the throttle. This is all common knowledge.

 

Now, I have been using an old thrustmaster top gun joystick, and I got used to flying with 50% of the throttle. In that mode, you push the throttle forward you get 100% raise, you go below 50% and you get nothing, the chopper just drops like a rock. I got used to this, and got pretty good flying this way.

 

However, I recently got the Saitek X55 as a replacement HOTAS unit, and have been unable to make it work properly.

 

It seems that no matter how I set the throttle, I am not getting 0%. I can set up and down to the Analog Raise mapping, and it raises up and goes down, but it goes down very slowly. If i hit the Z key on the keyboard it will fall faster. I would like my throttle to respond with the same speed and force as the Q and Z keys so I can raise and lower quickly. I became very used to flying this way and I depend on it reliably working like this. I have confirmed these findings by looking at the torque gauge on the MH-6 dashboard. If I drop the throttle all the way down to 0, the gauge goes down, but I can hit Z and it goes down further, and the helicopter falls faster.

 

Help?

 

Thanks.

 

 

[KeyCat 131]

I know what you mean Airwolf and I experiencing the same, for some reason the keyboard keys makes the heli descend faster than when using the collective on the joystick. Have you tweaked the curve for the Z axis like me? It's possible to increase the descent rate by using a more aggresive curve but doing so it's very hard to make smooth landings and thats why I've use a logarithmic curve, maybe it's all about finding that sweetspot?

A few other things noticed since 1.48 (hoped the where fixed in 1.50 but looks like they still are there)..

1. Heli doesn't stay at ground after landing - even if you have 0 collective - and switching to the map. This results in the heli lifts a bit above the ground and flies/slides into whatever is around if you don't jump back regulary and press the descend key.

Due to this new bug/behavior I've made lots of people angry in MP when trying to look at the map for a safe LZ and drifted into something and then kabooom :/
 

Fixed in today's dev-build.

 

2. The numbers you could show in the joystick customization screen by pressing the "Show" button is gone...

And of course the very old problem...

The heli drops like a stone if you try to chat while flying with joystick.

Made a new ticket so vote if you want to...

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=25303

While at it also vote on this one ;)

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=22295

/KC

[KeyCat 131]

Looks like BIS are on top of it ;)
 

From today's changelog on dev branch...

 

Fixed: Helicopters would start hovering even without applying throttle

 

 

If there will be a hotfix for 1.50 lets hope this makes it in as well.

 

/KC

[reggaeman007jah 31]

Hi - sorry to drag up an old post, but I was wondering if anyone has any more advice on this problem? I have just bought an X55, but cannot get more that half of the throttle range (top and bottom ends are unavailable).

[EDcase 87]

Hi - sorry to drag up an old post, but I was wondering if anyone has any more advice on this problem? I have just bought an X55, but cannot get more that half of the throttle range (top and bottom ends are unavailable).

Select 'Collecive Raise' and move the throttle in the direction you want for power. 

Do the opposite for 'Collective Lower'

If it records a direction movement you don't want then just delete it after moving in the correct direction.

 

...and you're not getting 0-100% ?

[reggaeman007jah 31]

Hi

 

The video shows the issue I was having (a bit unclearly, sorry about that):

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7DS88FlqDs

 

However, I believe I have fixed this now. When I was originally configuring the HOTAS split throttle, binding to the analogue heli settings in arma, I was moving the right half up and down to match the collective up and down. While I was doing this, the left half was pushed all the way up, out of the way. I just tried this again, but with the left half set in the center of the range. For some reason, it now works fine... 

[ironhawx 15]

Ok i'm having major issue w/ my x-55 when configuring it in the controller options its showing the throttles axis going from -100 to +100 so at least here its recognizing its full range, however once i set my collective for up and down on y- and y+ axis, only getting 50% usage (25% on either end of spectrum) down still throttles down and up still throttles up (using afm) so on the gauge i'm getting ~25% up and ~25% negative throttle.  This is super annoying didn't have this issue in past, but suddenly today when I decide to hook up hotas its not working as it should.  As mentioned didnt have this issue in the past (probably was 1.56 or earlier was last time I used hotas) seems they broke something which is really annoying, as I got this thing for elite, arma, and dcs.  Got it for arma when they put int he afm for helos, but sadly from everything I searched the damn engine doesn't play nicely w/ hotas so why bother w/ an afm for helos :/  Idk just frustrated that its not working as it should and has in the past.

 

Edit: Also not working w/ x1 or x360 controllers either, only getting 25% on either spectrum of throttle :/

 

Edit2:  Upon further investigation seems arma is having issues w/ any kind of analogue input even with stick i'm only getting ~50% when rolling left/right or pitching forward, tested this w/ other controllers same issue, wtf did they do to Arma?