NOOB Alert… Badly need some help.
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Hi all, been a long time but now I have some time on my hands.
Install is 4.32 update 7. Thought I’d start from the begining and study Krause’ great tuts…… here is the rub. My HOTAS is CH FS/PT/PP. On watching the Controller/Data Cartridge tut, Krause says to map Drop Chaff to ckpit chaff. So I have two profiles in ‘Controllers’ / Load… BMS and Keyboard. Keyboard indeed has the ckpit chaff option, however, BMS only ref to chaff is CMDS-drop chaff = Shift O. In the folder Falcon BMS docs/ Keystrokes Keymap.pdf there is reference only to SimDropChaff = x (not shown anywhere in setup!!). I am using a CH map profile for BMS 4.32 atm and all is configured fine in the setup section, ie all flight surfaces are working fine. I’m trying to modify it to Krause recommendation of having a dump chaff command assigned to my stick, but I am totally confused as to what keypress to assign. I have three options within the default game setup and buggered as to which if any are correct or will work, bearing in mind that CH Manager sees all three devices as one…
I’m starting to fear I will run in ever decreasing circles until eventually disappearing up my own backside at this rate. Any help from you guys will most certainly be appreciated.
Very best regards.
Fubar2Niner
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Find the BMS-Dash1.pdf document in the BMS Manuals folder and have a look at pages 25 and 50. This will show you what the actual switches on the F16 are doing and the call-backs that are used in BMS to get these effects.
Your CH HOTAS should be able to get pretty close to the correct set up. In that case you want to be using the CMS cmds (SimCMSUp, SimCMSDown, SimCMSLeft, SimCMSRight) call-backs assigned to the 4-way switch by your thumb to get the full control of the Counter-measures suite. This is coupled with the CMDS panel (pg 29 of the Dash1). From this you can get 4 programmed chaff/flare patterns plus one other (and another if you have an extra switch someplace). I usually set these up to give a chaff only program, flare only program, mixed program and one other. The Slap switch uses (SimSlapSwitch).
This is just how I do it and others will have different methods. Experiment with a setup until you get one you feel comfortable with.
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Welcome aboard!
I made a HOTAS mapping on my own that is as close as possible to the real thing (as far as the X-52 can get).
You should map TMS, DMS, CMS, radar cursor, speedbrake, uncage, pickle, fire gun, missile step / nose wheel steering and the rest is up to you what buttons you have left. Pinky switch is nice to have, Comm switch should be mapped especially if you want to fly online.
I got the slap switch, A/A, A/G and NAV mode mapped as well and got the EWS program switch + roll and pitch trim on those small switches at the stick’s base. That’s it.“x” is the correct key to drop a chaff/flare sequence btw, I’m using that as well.
Things that shouldn’t be mapped on the HOTAS in my opinion: Gear, ejection seat, parking brakes and other things you touch only once, twice or even sometimes never in a flight. For me, I found mapping the commands by myself the best way of learning which key is what. You need to be able to press that key without even thinking about it when you’re in combat. You should resist the ability of many HOTAS systems to map as much functions as possible. You will mess it up when things heat up.
As for the rest, the documents Tiffy mentioned should fulfil your needs.
Join a virtual squad- most of them do have an online training. I fly falcon since 1999, but I was impressed how much you can learn in multiplayer sessions.
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Krause is going to tell you some things which are plain bananas.
The BMS F-16 has exactly 22 buttons and 2 axes on the SSC and 15 buttons and 3 axes on the throttle. For what it’s worth my personal suggestion is to bind these controls and only these controls to your joystick controller. Resist the temptation to put exotic commands on your joystick that don’t appear on the F-16’s HOTAS.
The more you are educated on the F-16’s controls the less insane you will go (less, not none
). The countermeasures in the F-16 are controlled by the Countermeasures Management Switch (CMS). This switch is a 4-way hat located on the Side Stick Controller (SSC) where the thumb would normally rest. The BMS callbacks for these four directions are (clockwise from up):SimCMSUp
SimCMSRight
SimCMSDown
SimCMSLeftAll other countermeasures controls are located elsewhere in the cockpit. These are the only four on the stick or the throttle.
As daunting as the prospect is, it is very important to “think F-16” when learning BMS. Transition your attitude away from pressing “space bar” and toward “pulling the trigger.” Ultimately all that matters is what callback (sim command) is being triggered. What keyboard key or DirectX button is associated with a callback is trivial. You should be comfortable with editing and rearranging these defaults to your personal preferences that match your needs and controller.
You have a good set of controllers where 1:1 mapping (or close to it) is possible). With some clever use of scripting and BMS’s built-in “pinky shift +256” command you can have a robust and direct mirroring of the F-16 controls. In your place I would study the F-16 controls and your own controller and make up a “wish list” of what control maps to what button and people on this forum will absolutely help you with any profile/scripting work needed to pull it off. Don’t worry about how possible your wishlist is (axis = buttons, buttons = axis). The scripting is very powerful.
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I’m trying to modify it to Krause recommendation of having a dump chaff command assigned to my stick, but I am totally confused as to what keypress to assign. I have three options within the default game setup and buggered as to which if any are correct or will work, bearing in mind that CH Manager sees all three devices as one……Fubar2Niner
Like Frederf said, study the Dash-1 and the couple of pages dedicated to how the actual F-16 HOTAS is set up and translate it as best as possible to the CH gear.
At the same time, forget the old Falcon idea of a keypress dropping a chaff or flare. The real deal using programming to drop countermeasures in preset programs.
Really, getting used to how CMS and the ECM suite works is easy compared to the radar or firing a Maverick. Don’t sweat it
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// Forget the old Falcon idea of a keypress dropping a chaff or flare. \ The real deal using programming to drop countermeasures in preset programs.
Really, getting used to how CMS and the ECM suite works is easy compared to the radar or firing a Maverick.
//Don’t sweat it :)\TMS, CMS, and DMS may all sound strange at first, but they allow you to do SO MUCH MORE than the old Falcon commands did. You will find the functionality is greatly improved once you start using them. The different modes are worth the space used on your HOTAS setup. And the videos you see, along with the documents you read, will be easier to understand and follow with your stick once learned as opposed to 5 keyboard keys at once.
-Babite -
@Tiffy, TobiasA, Frederf, WolfKeeper, and last but not least Babite.
Many, many thanks guys, after much hair pulling I at last have a working HOTAS setup. Couldn’t have done it without your invaluable help! Even got myself a hardcopy of “Red Dog’s” Dash 1 manual. Just have a question or two more which I’ll throw at the CH guys in the hardware section. Once again really appreciated all the help. :bowd:
Best regards.
Fubar2Niner
