throttle woes

[draeath 10]

So, it appears the throttle problem is still present. I don't fly planes, so I don't know about that, all I know is helicopters.

On my stick (Saitek x52) ArmA2 and AO see the throttle as two separate axis ranges (X- and X+) like all the other axes.

I can assign Increase Thrust and Decrease Thrust, but they behave like Q and Z, and not like a proper throttle does. I can set the analog ones, but it doesn't seem to work correctly at all.

Is there some way to get a "normal" throttle behavior, where full X+ is 0% input, full X- is 100% input, and neither (neutral position) is 50% input?

(this is not possible with the programming software either. I can map it to key emulation, but Q/Z is hardly fitting either!)

EDIT: nevermind, I'm a tool. My deadzone was too high.

For anyone searching: mapping the X-/X+ to "Increase Thrust" and "Decrease Thrust" (these default to Q/Z) does NOT do what you would expect (behave like buttons) and, in fact, does behave as you would want an axis to behave.

Edited July 4, 2010 by draeath

[Iscariott 10]

Thanks was about to post this same problem. Analog not working like analog is very counter-intuitive.

[j9890 10]

I have same problem too... :( the throttle works only half range on analog)

[draeath 10]

Don't use the analog. Set your stick to halfway, select "increase throttle" and slide it forward.

Do the reverse for the "decrease throttle"

The nomenclature doesn't quite explain what is going on. It seems to work as a normal throttle in this case.

[EDcase 87]

Don't use the analog. Set your stick to halfway, select "increase throttle" and slide it forward.

Do the reverse for the "decrease throttle"

I use the X52 and just did it ^ that way too. I'm not sure how analogue would differ...?

Edited July 9, 2010 by EDcase

[frederf 0]

I've got analog to work fine for my X-45. I only bound the increase direction on the axis to thrust. I bound the brake pedals one direction only to my pedal axes.

[EDcase 87]

Whats the difference with analogue Frederf?

I have full range of power with the X52 throttle movement and if I put in the middle I will hover (in a helicopter). So I have constant thrust at any level.

How is analogue supposed to work?

[frederf 0]

I don't exactly know. I'll do some testing.

Ok testing reveals what I thought. The non-analogue controls are boolean on/off like pressing a keyboard key. The threshold is around 70% displacement from center. So it's nothing, nothing, nothing, full, full. The analog controls allow inputs other than nothing or full. People complain because the analog throttle is speed-based instead of thrust-based but that's a separate issue. The analog thrust axis is the best that ArmA can provide at this time. Assigning an "axis half" to a command means that only half of the axis affects the controls. So "Z+" means that the 50-100% of your Z axis will matter. There's nothing you can do about it though unless you can get an entire axis to report as a "half axis" through some clever trick of joystick profiler software or something.

Personally I think I'm going to set my throttle slider (later half) to thrust and keep brake on my CH pedals. I'm trying to determine if "Brake (Analogue)" and "Decrease thrust" are different apart from the analog/boolean fact. I swear that I brake faster (wheelbrakes + speedbrake) in the A-10 with full "Brake (Analogue)" than with full "Decrease thrust" (speedbrake only) but it might all be in my mind. In fact it's probably in my mind as BIS wouldn't get that niggling in detail.

Edited July 10, 2010 by Frederf