Author Topic: Keep getting controls msg (Read 495 times)

RKBA · « **on:** November 23, 2003, 04:09:52 AM »

Hey guys, I'm still new here and learning, but one thing that's gettin me is that I'll be in the middle of a dogfight, and I'll get this "don't move your controls so rapidly msg". First off, where did this come from? Second, what's the best way around it? And lastly is there any plans to pull it anytime? It's really gettin on my nerves to be shot down when I can't move my controls. Who the hell ever heard of a control limiter except on a modern combat jet?

Tarmac · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2003, 04:38:58 AM »

It's a feature to keep people from stick stirring - moving the stick rapidly to take advantage of net lag. People flying near a stick stirrer see a plane flopping all over the place.

I know of two things that could be causing it. One, you are simply moving your controls too rapidly. The other possibility is that your joystick is crapping out and the signal being sent to your computer is spiking.

Try increasing the deadband in the Setup/Joystick part of the clipboard. This should work unless your joystick is spiking extremely badly or you're simply moving your controls too quickly.

Soda · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2003, 11:56:12 AM »

Tarmac is right on target, sometimes it just might be a poorly calibrated joystick (or one that is sloppy near the middle) or it could be that you are actually moving the controls all over like crazy. On the joystick calibration screen, re-calibrate, then look in the stick-position displays and move the stick around. You shouldn't see lots of spiking if you are moving it smoothly. You can increase the deadband if you want to remove small spikes from the stick (you may have noticed your autopilot kicking off which can be a symptom of stick spiking).

Stick stirring is the other option and is a style thing. Correct flying technique does not involve thrashing the stick all over the place, maneuvers tend to be more deliberate and forcefull but occur in a sequence. Just thrashing a stick around can be a successful defense but only because it abuses an inherent shortcoming in net-lag (which causes you to flip-flop around). Sure, you may succeed in a defense like this but the code realizes you are abusing the bug and locks your controls as penalty (which makes you dead meat). Not saying you are doing this, btw, just explaining the reasoning behind the reason it is the way it is.

RKBA · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2003, 04:40:43 PM »

Thanks for all the replies. I'm using a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback pro. It does have a lot of slop in the center. I've increased the dead zone to about half way up the slider last night, and it did help out a little bit, but it feels like I lost a lot of my control. I guess I'll be in the market for a new joystick in a little while. For the interm does anyone have any decent stick scalings for my said joystick?

zmeg · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2003, 04:48:57 PM »

I also have a ms force2 stick, I always kept my deadband and damper on zero, I never had any problem and never had to calibrate it even once. Unfortunately I spilled a cup of coffee in it and killed the feedback. The problem is not your stick, the problem is you are stick steering.

BigMax · « **Reply #5 on:** November 23, 2003, 05:43:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by RKBA
I'm using a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback pro.

Is what I use too... never had a problem with the stick... Hat switches fail from time-to-time. Call MS hardware, tell them you are having probelms with yours. They'll give you a number to fax an imprint of the base to, and you'll have a brand new stick within a week - usually a day-or-two... no charge. I have gotten two free ones from them.

Quote

Originally posted by RKBA
I've increased the dead zone to about half way up the slider last night, and it did help out a little bit, but it feels like I lost a lot of my control.

Dead zone settings that high are excessive.... Calibrate your stick outside the game, then load AH and calibrate it in the game... See if that diesn't fix your problem. If not, I'd call MS and complain.

Quote

Originally posted by RKBA
I guess I'll be in the market for a new joystick in a little while. For the interm does anyone have any decent stick scalings for my said joystick?

Email me at the address below, I'll take a snapper of my settings and send them to you.

I've tried other sticks and have always come back to the MS sticks... Yours is the first real complaint I've seen about the stick spiking, so it is very unusual...

RKBA · « **Reply #6 on:** November 23, 2003, 07:51:46 PM »

BigMax

Email sent. Thanks to everyone for your help.