I had to get used to the hat switches too, my thumb would often slip and I'd loose the view, but now I manage fine (I never grip my stick too tightly).
I'm not using the stick's pinkie switch for views myself. I prefer to use it for toggling zoom. I can't get used to a modifier key that changes views to an "up mode" then changes it back, and the pinkie switch is in too an awkward position for me to have to press and hold to get up views. Besides, I needed a down view modifier as well, and zoom in/zoom out.
So I'm using the "mouse cursor hat switch" on the throttle as a press-and-hold up/down view modifier (i.e. it sends keypad_5 and keypad_0), and zoom in/zoom out (right/left sides of the switch sending ] and [). I was already used to that kind of setup on my old MS SideWinder 3D Pro (had programmed one of its base buttons as press-and-hold Up view modifier).
(Actually I programmed the "mouse cursor hat view" as an 8-positions hat switch, for two reasons:
- when configured as 4-views sometimes I fell in a corner position (e.g. top-left), which doesn't translate in a valid position
- in bombsight mode, I wanted to be able to look down while zooming at the same time, so I configured lower-right to down-view-and-zoom-in and lower-left to down-view-and-zoom-out)
Also I programmed hat switch #1 on the stick as a true view switch in SGE, and deleted the view commands RangerBob programmed for views. Finally I made sure all the 8 level views were programmed in AH stick mapping setup (usually only 4 are programmed, front/rear/left/right).
This works a lot better for me. When I press my hat switch forward, I want the forward view, not the forward/up view.
Because for some planes I programmed a different head position with the forward view: e.g. with buffs, to have better view of the runway when taking off or landing, and in gunner positions too, to have a better view without the gun obscuring my field of view.
The X36U combo is really a great setup, at a darn good price. For that price you only have a CH stick without the throttle (and besides we've been waiting for the USB throttle for ages).
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DrSoya
308 (Polish) Squadron "City of Cracow" RAF
Part of the
Northolt Wing (First Polish Fighter Wing)[This message has been edited by DrSoya (edited 12-09-2000).]
