Newbie to BMS can't get Warthog going
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Well, I installed 4.32 a few months ago and I am just now trying to get it up and running. I purchased the TM Warthog and have been using it in DCS with good success. So, I open up 4.32 and I go to start mapping the Hotas and Saitek Pro Rudder pedals.
I assumed I must map each device separately on the Advanced page up of the setup screen. So, I got the rudder pedals to work. Went back to the throttle and got it to work. Double checked the rudders. Not working. Then checked the throttles. Not working. Took a look at button number one. First detent. Guns Okay! Second detent. Zoom in!!! Can’t change it!!!
I walked away at that point and went on the forums and found the Warthog Sub forum. Read through that. TARGET? Scripts? Write protect? Really? So please, would someone just tell me if one is able to plug in the ol’ joystick, assign functions and go flying (just like in DCS) or, must I spend hours in programming software to play this game? I love the F-16 but not that much.
Just frustrated.
Many thanks. -
Classic new user mistake. The drop down list selects the primary flight controller so set it to whatever has the pitch/bank axes and don’t touch it after that. You don’t change it to controller 1, configure it, controller 2, configure it, etc… That’s what you don’t do. Assigning axes is done in the advanced section.
I’ve got one and I recommend a TARGET script (and am happy to supply) but it should be perfectly reasonable to fly around the block without it.
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Classic new user mistake. The drop down list selects the primary flight controller so set it to whatever has the pitch/bank axes and don’t touch it after that. You don’t change it to controller 1, configure it, controller 2, configure it, etc… That’s what you don’t do. Assigning axes is done in the advanced section.
I’ve got one and I recommend a TARGET script (and am happy to supply) but it should be perfectly reasonable to fly around the block without it.
Sir, thank you for your response. I guess that I am still a bit unlearned as I tried to do what I thought your we advising me to do but with out success. I really want to avoid TARGET as I just do not have the free time to dedicate myself to learning it. I have scare little time form just simple simming around. I trust you know what I mean.
So, without wanting to take advantage of your free time, I do ask that perhaps you could be more specific with your instructions. Again, if you haven’t the time, I for one, do understand. Meanwhile, I will keep flopping around in the setup and maybe I can learn it that way. Been frustrating so far. Best to you.
Kerfuffle (aka Steve) -
Making a TARGET script requires some programming acumen but using one is quite simple. One runs the program “TARGET Script Editor”, loads the .tmc file (if it’s not the last opened file already), and presses the play shaped button. Since you’re so early in the setup process there isn’t much reason not to embrace what TARGET scripting can do considering that my TARGET script is already made and IMHO quite usable.
Of course using a TARGET script simply reshapes what the controller outputs and just like not using a script there is still the task of binding these controller outputs to game inputs. The two files that define these bindings are Kerfuffle.key (it can have any name .key file but I suggest having a personal one) and axismapping.dat. As the names imply the .key file handles any binary type input and axismapping.dat handles all things axis.
I’m happy to share my .key file as a basis which God willing will correspond exactly to my TARGET script output for a minimal work solution. Failing that or if you want to configure your own .key file the process is a few minutes of finding the callback (command) in the setup list, clicking it once, and then pressing the button to associate it. Then repeat for the other 30-40 buttons and of course saving at the end. I find always saving to a new filename Kerfuffle1.key Kerfuffle2.key etc. with every change is a safe practice that allows any mistake to just back up one .key file version easily.
Axis mapping is not something I’ve ever heard anyone share and I wouldn’t. Even with my fancy-pants TARGET script and separate a pedal controller with toe brakes that’s 12 axes maximum. One thing to remember is that if you run Falcon after controller setup without the same controllers plugged in (that includes forgetting to run the TARGET script) as they were the game will happily forget your axis setup (but not your .key file). This is why people suggest read-only-ing the axismapping.dat file but I think it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Just go set up the dozen or so axes if it gets broken and be more careful next time.
OK now for the step-by-step part. I’m going to assume you’re using my provided TARGET script and .key file for the most part.
1. Place the downloaded .key file into BMS\User\Config folder and the TARGET script anywhere that pleases you. Make a copy of Duck13.key and name it Kerfuffle1.key for example. You probably want to keep \BMS\User\Config\ open throughout as most of the action happens there.2. Run the program TARGET Script Editor, click menu, open, and find the script file .tmc where you put it. Press the Run button and shortly the script will “plug in” the virtual joystick, mouse, and keyboard.
3. Flick the pinky switch on the throttle and the back lighting should cycle from off to dim to bright. If it does that everything is working OK.
4. Press the Device Analyzer button to bring up that tool. This is to help us turn off all switches so the controller isn’t outputting any permanent button-held-down signals which might complicate setup. Flip some switches and move some axes around to see the correlation between the input (left pane) and output (right pane). Find a switch state where none of the 32 output buttons are highlighted red (held).
5. Close the device analyzer and now we enable the axis based idle cutoff function so we can turn the engine on and off using the gate at the bottom of the throttle’s travel. We can do this by running the BMS Launcher, selecting Configuration, Settings Hardware, adding a checkbox to “Idle Cutoff”, and Apply Changes. Alternatively we could open BMS\User\Config\falcon bms.cfg in Notepad and edit the line set g_bUseAnalogIdleCutoff 0 to set g_bUseAnalogIdleCutoff 1. They are both the same action as the configuration program is simply text editing this file for you. Exit the configuration program and/or close Notepad when done. Additionally you need to change the line “set g_bHotasDgftSelfCancel 0” to “set g_bHotasDgftSelfCancel 1” with my TARGET script otherwise you’ll find you can enter these override modes but never leave.
6. Launch the game.
7. Confirm that your player character is set in Logbook. Controls are saved per logbook entry.
8. Select SETUP, confirm under SIMULATION that flight model and avionics are set to their maximum real setting and note that Invulnerability is available here. We might want to turn this on during Instant Action testing later.
9. Select CONTROLLERS. Confirm settings for: your logbook name. In CONTROLLER drop down menu select “Joystick - HOTAS Warthog” as this is our pitch and bank controller. Ignore if any buttons or axes aren’t working at this time.
10. Press the LOAD button and select your key file (e.g. Kerfuffle1). Press the trigger on the joystick and the INPUT readout below should say “Trigger 1/2” and when pressing the red left throttle button “Slap Switch.” If it does a significant amount of effort is shortcut. If not we have a small task ahead.
11. Press ADVANCED and FLIGHT CONTROL. Pitch Axis Deadzone and Roll Axis Deadzone should show Y Axis - Joystick - HOTAS Warthog (#) and not be changeable despite other entries in the dropdown menu (it’s forced to be what we picked in step 9). But we can set the deadzone. If your joystick is brand new you might get away with “none” but mine needs to be set to “small.”
12. Throttle Axis should be set to “Throttle - Thrustmaster Combined (#)”. The # in this case is the numbered order of your controllers. I have three, labeled 0 1 and 2. The dark blue bar should respond to moving the (left) throttle lever back and forth.
13. The other assignments for this page are: Right Engine Throttle Axis = Z Axis (if you want to fly twin engine planes someday), and Rudder/(Left) Brake/Right Brake to your pedal controller axes if you have one.
14. Avionics control. Radar Antenna Elevation = Z Rotation. It’s controlled by the red “china hat” on the right throttle handle, deadzone large. Cursor X & Y = X Axis & Y Axis and controlled by the slewable cursor nub on the forward side of the right throttle handle, deadzone small. Range Knob = Y Rotation, deadzone none. This is controlled by the vertical direction of the 4-way black microphone hat on the edge of the right throttle handle.
15. View control. Field of View = X Rotation. It’s also the microphone hat but pushing laterally. The rest of the options on this page are pretty self explanatory. “Roll linked NWS” is for people with a rudder controller that want the bank axis to be the rudder axis when taxiing.
16. Press OK. In the Main SETUP>CONTROLLERS page the gray dot should respond to joystick movement. The center button calibrates the joystick and rudder. The throttle(s) should go up and down in bar graph style. Left clicking the SET AB button sets the current throttle level as the threshold for when to transition to the afterburner zone. Increase the throttles against the mechanical stop (assume you installed it) in the throttle level motion and left click. The green line should be about where the “H” is in “THROTTLE.” Filling the bar fully should require lifting over the mechanical stop and pushing fully forward.
17. Reducing the throttle down to the idle stop should still have some blue bar showing. Right click the SET AB button to set the red line. The engine will shut off if you reduce the throttle below this red line. Lift the throttle(s) over the idle mechanical stop and see the blue bar fully vanishes.
18. In my setup my Thrustmaster Combined was controller #0 and Joystick - HOTAS Warhog was controller #1. If that’s the same for you then everything should work smoothly regarding the key file. Falcon associates buttons 0 through 31 with controller 0 and 32 through 63 with controller 1 and so on. If they are reversed for example then Joystick’s button 33 for “Trigger 1/2” will be button 1 and Throttle’s button 1 “Cursor Enable” will be button 33. Hopefully that doesn’t happen but there might be an easy fix to use a small utility to change the order.
19. Press the various buttons on the joystick and throttle and read the text readout to familiarize and confirm as necessary. Not everything does something and I have one guilty TARGET keyboard mapping of the “Landing Gear Warning Horn Silence” as keyboard “H”.
20. Test out function using Instant Action with or without invulnerability on.
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After trying so many different ways I did setup my whole system with Kolbe’s Keyfiles and after some time will probably stick to it. I had some difficulties with the ID of my devices and whenever Target software would start the new combined device got a new ID that messed up my keyfiles. Im not to sad about not using Target though. It feels like I already have so many programs up and running before starting BMS. But after all thanks for your answer to the above question Frederf I kept me trying when I was almost giving up because it got me into solving the whole win 8 ID problem. Currently using the Warthog Hotas with two MFD’s and a G13 together with TrackIR. Its amazing what you can get out of BMS when it works!
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If it works, it works. Spank 'dem MiGs.
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Is it normal that I can’t reassign key commands when I have a the tm joystick selected as my main device?
If not, then my changes don’t update into the key command list.
Hotas tms up for instance says unassigned, yet it works with my joystick. Also, real keyboard commands, say gears down, is assigned to g, but reassigning them doesn’t change anything in the list.
Is this normal? -
Key list is only for keyboard. The DirectX binds are not shown on that table.
The inability to bind keyboard keys on that table might be related to joystick input or TARGET behavior. If you hold down “button 1” while clicking on the table it instantly binds that button 1 to that function. There are 0.0 seconds of time spent waiting for a keyboard press. What you might be unaware of is that many of your switches on your throttle or joystick may be holding down a button despite not physically touching the joystick with your hands.
Control panel> Devices and Printers> Game Controllers> “Throttle - HOTAS Warthog”>Properties
See those 32 red circles? Are any of them lighted?
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Yikes! what a lot of effort you put into helping me! I have been out of town for a few days so a little slow in getting back to you. I will endeavor to follow your instructions. Many thanks.
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Frederf - I’m a new guy to Falcom BMS but experienced FSX Hornet driver with experience using the Warthog joystick. I’ve downloaded your TARGET profile and I’ll use it as I get started - thanks for the assistance.
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After trying so many different ways I did setup my whole system with Kolbe’s Keyfiles and after some time will probably stick to it. I had some difficulties with the ID of my devices and whenever Target software would start the new combined device got a new ID that messed up my keyfiles. Im not to sad about not using Target though. It feels like I already have so many programs up and running before starting BMS. But after all thanks for your answer to the above question Frederf I kept me trying when I was almost giving up because it got me into solving the whole win 8 ID problem. Currently using the Warthog Hotas with two MFD’s and a G13 together with TrackIR. Its amazing what you can get out of BMS when it works!
Backing up what Frederf said. If you had set up a TARGET script then you should have been working off of keyboard assignments. At that point whatever Windows decides to do with the ID number is irrelevant as TARGET is just spitting out keyboard commands and BMS uses those based on the keyfile. It isn’t possible for TARGET to mess up the keyfile. What you are describing is a DX assigned setup. Blame Windows for that mess of ID numbers. That is why I have my TARGET script set up and the relevant files set to read only after the config is set so it cannot be changed without manually removing the read only flag.
P.S. I am using a config very similar to yours but add in Saitek Combat Pedals. I’ve flown for awhile now and I never have any problems with BMS or TARGET working fine.
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I downloaded Frederf’s Warthog profile but I notice the extensions do not have the .fcf extension. Does anyone know if these profiles will work with the current Thrustmaster software?
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Frederf answered my question -they will work.