DCS Controls Guide

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Bounder
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DCS Controls Guide

Post by Bounder » Sat Sep 14, 2013 2:12 pm

The biggest ball ache in DCS is setting the controls up for the first time. The intention of this thread is to help make this a less painful experience. Please share your tips and I'll try and keep the thread updated.

(1) The control menu
From the main menu, go to options -> controls.
- Select "P-51D SIM" on the upper left drop down menu.
- Then go through the 2 controls in the second box to the right: Axis commands for joystick, rudder pedals, throttle levers etc; All commands for buttons

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(2) Clearing all default HOTAS controls
DCS should recognise all your controllers and list them as columns. However, it seems to assign axis to all controls connected (or it did for me). The Simplest thing to do is to highlight at the top each controller and clear all commands (clear category) (NOTE: only controllers - do not delete the keyboard shortcuts);
Example image of clearing all commands (Click me)

(3) Assigning new controls:
To assign a button select all controls from the drop down menu at the top; for axis comnmands, select axis from the drop down menu (see above). DCS lists each control in the left column followed by column(s) to the right for each controller (e.g. Joystick, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals). Find the control to be set in the left column and double click in the column to the right for the desired controller you want to set up. Be sure to select the correct column for your desired controller, especially if you have numerous HOTAS devices! Upon double clicking, a Window should open and you can set your button/axis by simply pressing the button / move the axis back and forth to get it to register. example:
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Here is a short video by Vlerkies that shows some examples of setting controls and clearing axis. Here Vlerkies is using the [P51 Game] control list as an example, but the process is the same. You don't need to mess with the settings under [Game] unless you set the sim on easy - game mode.



(4) Which controls should I set?
Since DCS has a fully clickable cockpit, you don't have to set that many controls to your HOTAS setup. However, here are a couple I'd recommend:

(i) mixture full rich and starter shortcuts. Not essential but for helps during fiddly engine start procedure.
(ii) Flaps shortcut (button or axis) - 10 degrees (1 notch) of flaps can be very handy in a fight, especially for low speed sustained turns.
(iii) WEP - war emergency power - self explanatory - use with some caution

Below are lists of all commands as they appear ingame that can be used as a guide for setting your controls:
Example list of axis controls(click me)
Example list of all commands(click me)
Example schematic of joystick shortcuts (click me)

(5) Rudder - curves and deadzones
Very advisable to add a deadzone and/or curvature to the rudder axis. The DCS P51 rudder is very sensitive to small control movements around the centre and is regarded in some circles to be inaccurately too sensitive. Added to this, gaming rudder pedals have a "centre detend" which reduces fine control near the centre compared to the real pedals the DCS P51 are modelled from. Thus many PC pilots add a curvature and/or deadzone to their rudder axis:
Example image of setting a curve to rudder axis (Click me)

Stick travel and joystick sensitivity - saturation x & y
You may wish to adjust joystick/rudder sensitivity. Caution should be taken as while it may make the P51 easier to handle at some speeds, you may loose full control surface deflection and limit manoeuvrability at other speeds.
If you wish to adjust joystick sensitivity, go to axis commands, hightlight the setting you wish to adjust, and click on Axis Tune from the bottom panel. A box will open where you can decrease joystick sensitivity (decrease saturation Y) or increase sensitivity (saturation x).
Example image of adjusting joystick sensitivity (Click me)

Here is a video by Midnabreu (posted here by Chief - thanks) discussing control axis settings:


(6) Inverting axis commands
For certain axis commands you may need to invert the direction of control e.g. for the left and right wheel brakes, I found I had to invert the axis of my toebrakes on my rudder pedals otherwise they were on when I wasn't pushing them/ off when I applied pressure. To invert an axis, go to axis tune and click the "invert" box.
Example image of inverting axis (Click me)
Last edited by Bounder on Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:31 am, edited 33 times in total.
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My PC specs: Win10 64 Pro, CPU i7-3820 4.4GHz, 16GB RAM, GPU Nvidia 1070 (8gb vram).
Controls: Microsoft FFB2, Thrustmaster Warthog Throttle, MFG Crosswind Pedals, TrackIR5, & a bottle of Scotch.

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Black
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Black » Sat Sep 14, 2013 2:27 pm

Something I have been fighting with in DCS A10 is the brake of my rudder pedals. In the settings they are saved as brakes for left and right but when I am airborne the left brake gives me full left aileron and the right brake is full negative elevator. I have no clue why because those controls have not been saved anywhere and don't show in the settings either.

Next problem is I can assign a key for centre view on my Joystick, if I press the key for centre view on my keyboard it works but when I press the joystick button nothing happens. I checked if there is any other function for that key but there is none.

Does anyone have a clue whats wrong there? As I wrote above the problems occurs in A10 but maybe someone has a solution nevertheless since its the DCS universe :?

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Gromic
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Gromic » Sat Sep 14, 2013 3:54 pm

I've stickyed (stickied ?!?) this.

Awesome contribution Bounder <thumbsup smiley>
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ChiefRedCloud
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by ChiefRedCloud » Sun Sep 15, 2013 3:10 am

Thank you thank you thank you ........ I appreciate this since I too just purchased the DCS Mustang.
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Vlerkies
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Vlerkies » Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:12 am

Yeah good post Bounder

If I can add to it, make sure you clean out all the conflicts in the settings that map themselves when hardware is detected the first time.
For instance in the A-10 you have game and sim control options, same list, but you need to map the one you play or both.

A short video I did to help out some mate over here.


HansWind
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by HansWind » Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:54 pm

Thanks guys. Great posts.

I wish I had read this forum before I fired up the P-51 for the first time on Saturday. Sticky toe brakes, uber-sensitive rudder, inverted axis... :evil:

It'll take a while until I'm comfortable with the settings and all the key-mapping. Dogfighting practice must simply wait until I master the aircraft.

Awaiting for the WWII: Europe 1944 :roll:
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Bounder
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Bounder » Tue Sep 17, 2013 4:26 pm

Vlerkies wrote:Yeah good post Bounder

If I can add to it, make sure you clean out all the conflicts in the settings that map themselves when hardware is detected the first time.
For instance in the A-10 you have game and sim control options, same list, but you need to map the one you play or both.
Thanks Vlerkies, nice video to show how controls setup works in DCS. I'll pop it in the guide up the top - question though... if you aren't playing the game in "game mode" but only in "sim mode", do you need to mess with the controls under "game" at all?
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My PC specs: Win10 64 Pro, CPU i7-3820 4.4GHz, 16GB RAM, GPU Nvidia 1070 (8gb vram).
Controls: Microsoft FFB2, Thrustmaster Warthog Throttle, MFG Crosswind Pedals, TrackIR5, & a bottle of Scotch.

Kristorf
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Kristorf » Tue Sep 17, 2013 4:58 pm

What's the difference betwix 'game' and 'sim' mode??
Regards

Chris

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Vlerkies
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Vlerkies » Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:30 pm

Bounder wrote:
Thanks Vlerkies, nice video to show how controls setup works in DCS. I'll pop it in the guide up the top - question though... if you aren't playing the game in "game mode" but only in "sim mode", do you need to mess with the controls under "game" at all?
Its not necessary, I used the game mode in that vid as it was still messy purely for illustration purposes. My A-10 sim mode was already setup and cleaned out.
You just need to configure the specific mode for the airframe you are planning to fly.

DCS does some weird stuff when it detects controllers, and maps stuff all over the show, its just a bit of spring cleaning that is required to ensure there are no conflicts in the mode you are flying.

As an example look at my UH-1H Huey setup
Game mode (with conflicts across multiple controllers as the DCS software mapped it when it first detected the hardware)
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Sim mode cleaned
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Its always does it with view settings, but there are others so best to check.
;)

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Vlerkies
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Re: DCS Controls Guide

Post by Vlerkies » Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:07 pm

Kristorf wrote:What's the difference betwix 'game' and 'sim' mode??
There are a lot more control mapping options in the sim menu.

Essentially in your 'gameplay options splash screen' you would have 2 buttons you can turn on to enable 'game type mode. (See attached screeny)

What this does is water down the avionics quite a lot and also makes the flight model easier. At least thats the way I understand it.
From the GUI manual
Game Flight Mode. Game Flight Mode greatly reduces the complexity and challenge of flying an aircraft. When not selected, aircraft will use a more advanced flight model system that is more authentic, but can be a challenge to first-time-fliers. The Game Flight Mode however makes flying the aircraft much easier and care-free.
Game Avionics Mode. We have also included gameplay mechanics for the avionics that make the game more accessible to the casual gamer.
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