Best Joystick layout?

[Clavius0712]

Hi,

I got my new Saitek Cyborg X joystick a day or two ago and have installed the "FlyByWire" addon. I am now trying to configure the joystick for optimum performance in Orbiter. I have several questions.

1. Using FBW, I have all the ROT thruster buttons assigned to the stick (6 axes - pitch, roll, yaw). However, I'd like to also be able to do the LIN thruster buttons with the stick (6 axes - up-down, left-right, forward-back). I was hoping I could hold a button such as button two down and use this as a shift for LIN control. Is this possible?

2. Also using FBW, I have assigned main engine throttle to joypad throttle 0 and retro engine throttle to joypad throttle 0 with button 2 as a shift control. I have also assigned hover throttle to joypad throttle 1. However, when I start the game, sometimes my main engine throttle is already on about half way. Can this be prevented?

3. Does anyone have an already done profile for a Saitek Cyborg X that does all this and more to save me the trouble? If so, maybe they could email it to me?

 

[Tommy]

It may help to enable "ignore throttle setting on launch" on the joystick tab of the Launchpad.

 

[EliNaut]

I personally am not a fan of FBW. I set up controls for RCS & LIN thrusters and it works.. but it fires both RCS and LIN at the same time if you have it on the same axis. Better off going with the hats for that if you insist on using FBW. If I were you, I'd look up a decent external (from orbiter) mapping program. I use the SST software (by Saitek) that came with it(err it gave me the link for the download) and it works beautifly. Plus you can save and call up multiple profiles with it

 

[dutchpirate]

I agree with EliNaut. I use the mapping software for all my thruster assignments. I do use FBW to set my second throttle, but that's all I use if for. For thruster control, I mapped the covered 'missile' button as the </> to toggle between ROT and LIN modes, then mapped two other buttons on the head of the stick for fwd/rev LIN thrust, the stick handles all the other axes. Yaw is twisting the stick in ROT, and twisting the stick in LIN gives me left/right translation. Left/right stick does nothing in LIN, and I use fwd stick for Translation down, and back stick for up. (Saitek AV8TR)

 

[-Pv-]

I agree with the general theme here. I use the mapping program that came with my Thrustmaster for every sim I play. One stop shop for all my program configurations. I've not found a practical solution to switching between ROT and LIN with some kind of command.
-Pv-

 

[Clavius0712]

Hey, I tried assigning the LIN/ROT switch and LIN-Fwd/Rev RCS controls in the Saitek profile editor and disabling FBW and it works beautifully. I don't know why I had such trouble at first. Thanks for your help.

So now I have:

Main Trigger Button: Kill ROT (numpad 5)
Top-Right Joystick Head Button: Switch LIN/ROT (numpad /)
Bottom-Left Joystick Head Button: LIN-Fwd (numpad 6)
Top-Left Joystick Head Button: LIN-Rev (numpad 9)

I will have to see if it works for all ships as I normally use the DGIV but have just tried out the XR2 and am loving it.

Thanks once again. This is such a great community!

 

[slicpilot]

I've not found a practical solution to switching between ROT and LIN with some kind of command.

What I do with my Saitek X52 is map the throttle hat switch to act as a THC using an advanced macro. If you have the SST program you select advanced command, you then can assign key presses for initially pressing the button, holding the button, and releasing the button. You assign the RCS ROT/LIN switch to the first, the thruster you want to fire to the second, and the RCS switch again to the release. So what this does is when you push the hat switch down it switches from ROT to LIN and fires the thrusters for as long as you hold it, when you release the hat it switches back to ROT. The only thing is you cannot fire both rot and lin at the same time and occasionally (rarely) it will get "stuck" in LIN, so I also mapped the second trigger detent as just the ROT/LIN switch to put it back in ROT on those occasions (I have the first detent set to killrot).

So the throttle hat controls trans. up, down, left, and right. Trans. fore and aft are mapped to the upper hat on the stick. All key presses are quantized to .03 seconds with no delay, both macro check boxes are checked. I use the clutch button (the one with an i on it) as a mode switch to enable 10% RCS thrusting. Just input an ALT key press (delete the key release) in the button press box after the RCS switch and an ALT key release (delete the key press) in the button release box before the RCS switch.

Hope I explained it well enough, it's actually easier to do than it may appear.

Later!

Oops! just noticed you said you had a thrustmaster. I don't know if it handles things the same way, but maybe this will help someone else.