Stick control question

[MK-84]

If anyone watched the film from the "hey Midway" post...I have a question

I have a very hard time fine tuning m y aiming, even at ground targets.  I'm using a MS Sidewinder Precision pro that I bought in maybe...1998?  It has been my only flightstick.

My question is when you watch the film, do my control inputs seem jerky? uncontrolled, silly etc..
And the second part, is what type of combination of skill, or lack thereof causes that?

Basically what I am getting at is, would I benefit from a better stick?  Should I consider tweaking the settings, or am I just a spastic pilot, and I need to work on control?

Flame away on skill, thats ok, I'd like to hear about areas of opporunity, but please leave the silly pink skirt comments out of it, I really cant use that to get better

I'm curious because I see pilots like grzz and snail (and alot of others) being able to get a kill with the shortest of bursts from ranges I would not even fire at.

[Bizman]

From what I've heard and read, your stick is still among the best available 

You could and should look in the calibration section both in Windows and AH to see, if it does things by it's own. I mean, if you let the stick loose, it shouldn't wander around. If it does, add some damping and dead band (in the game options) to see, if it gets stable. Also look for the graph and values while moving the stick to see, if it jumps or gets stuck at some point.

Disassembling the stick and using good electronics cleaner spray for the pots wouldn't hurt. Just make sure you know how to put all the parts back  .

If and when your stick seems to work as it should, you can enable scaling in AH preferences. Thus you can make the stick less sensitive in the middle, which can help stabilizing your aiming. Another way is to deliberately try to keep your stick movements as small as possible. I once read a military fighter pilot's manual from early 50's, when they still used many of the warbirds. There were actual size pictures of the stick movements in different maneuvers, each one small enough to fit on a matchbox label!

[Changeup]

Google clear calibration and download the software.  It clears the prior sets of joystick calibration in windows

http://www.wingmanteam.com/latest_software/gadgets.htm#Clear Calibration Utility:

restart

recalibrate ONCE in windows

Go into the game and use the general calibration feature

Calibrate each axis AFTER you have set your scaling..I recommend the default scaling until you test your inputs in the TA and decide what sensitivity you like (Use ACK ACK's scaling first..its a good start)

Do NOT disconnect your joystick and plug it back in while the rig is turned on....per Skuzzy....stick must be plugged in during reboot or powering it up.  I have no idea why because I don't understand stuff like that and don't care to but it works.

[FLS]

How much deadband do you have and do you use combat trim? If you are trimmed for your current speed you have to move the stick to overcome the deadband before there is input. If you trim nose down a little for your speed you take the play out of the stick, whether it's mechanical play or deadband, because you're holding the stick back a little so it's more responsive and accurate.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I'm curious because I see pilots like grzz and snail (and alot of others) being able to get a kill with the shortest of bursts from ranges I would not even fire at.

This has nothing to do with joysticks. It's a combination of skill, network lag and sometimes something else.

If your network connection is problematic you will experience rubber bullets and the other guys packets may hit you in one delayed burst.

[Changeup]

How much deadband do you have and do you use combat trim? If you are trimmed for your current speed you have to move the stick to overcome the deadband before there is input. If you trim nose down a little for your speed you take the play out of the stick, whether it's mechanical play or deadband, because you're holding the stick back a little so it's more responsive and accurate.

Good call....its like the secret of flying aircraft low and slow...you can get 5 more knots slower with control if you drop the boards and trim the nose down level...try it.  Responsiveness is excellent with 3 notches of flaps in the blue planes, full throttle, trimmed down.  Its like flying a helicopter, lol...dash 4 will fly straight and level, no bounce at 95 kts for about 2K without adjustment.  Spits too....on the one level of flaps they have.  JunkyII and Squat2 did some runs with me in K4's and it performed pretty much the same.

My point?  We all had dead band in our scaling and trimming it down necessitated more aggressive stick-handling...not a lot but noticably more.

[Changeup]

This has nothing to do with joysticks. It's a combination of skill, network lag and sometimes something else.

If your network connection is problematic you will experience rubber bullets and the other guys packets may hit you in one delayed burst.

This is a huge exception...a rarity in the arenas and keeping the nose settled can be accomplished with scaling by trial and error and buying a better stick.  I have never seen in film or in game what is being described above.

[715]

I am curious as to why you don't just set deadband to zero?

[Changeup]

I am curious as to why you don't just set deadband to zero?

For me and my stick, I only use dead band on the z-axis so I don't accidently use rudder.  It causes my nose to move left to right badly if I don't because the stick is too sensitive.  I use just a smidge on the x-axis for bounce as well.  y-axis is left alone.

[guncrasher]

I am curious as to why you don't just set deadband to zero?

just like changeup said, the deadband is available because some sticks have a tendency to "bounce"  and what that means is that controls "move by themselves" when you aren't touching them.  some others have a twist rudder and when you touch the stick also apply a small amount of rudder,  with deadband you avoid this.

also some people have a preference.  me I have just a small amount on the stick x just like changeup, it works good for me as the autopilot wont disconnect if i just tap the stick.  my rudders have a bigger amount because they're getting old and they beginning to jump around more.

when you apply too much deadband then the controls will "jump" around as you cannot do fine adjustments.


semp

[MK-84]

I am curious as to why you don't just set deadband to zero?

Setting the deadband to zero results in... asymmetric control.

For example I have a certain amount of "play" in my stick. if it is set at zero i ma "brush" the stick and immediatly roll to one side, while a similar "bruch" wouldnt do anything to the opposite side until I excert some type of force in the stick.

[MK-84]

just like changeup said, the deadband is available because some sticks have a tendency to "bounce"  and what that means is that controls "move by themselves" when you aren't touching them.  some others have a twist rudder and when you touch the stick also apply a small amount of rudder,  with deadband you avoid this.

also some people have a preference.  me I have just a small amount on the stick x just like changeup, it works good for me as the autopilot wont disconnect if i just tap the stick.  my rudders have a bigger amount because they're getting old and they beginning to jump around more.

when you apply too much deadband then the controls will "jump" around as you cannot do fine adjustments.


semp

Thats really interesting.  I have never expierenced "bounce" (which I take to mean control inputs not actually input from the pilot)

Mine is just a few mm around all axis where there is zero resistance on the stick, but in many cases this inputs a control which is undesired.

For example.  The stick is super loose for a couple or mm of travel, but it has a tendency to roll to the left..but never to the right, or a tendency to rudder to the left...but never the right, before any resistance is felt. 

And I really cant describe it, but please watch that film... After seeing it myself I am not flying as controlled as many other pilots have in other films.  I am all over the board...corrections everywhere!  That is probably me..but I think maybe...  a setup more tailored to my style would help.

[MK-84]

From what I've heard and read, your stick is still among the best available 

You could and should look in the calibration section both in Windows and AH to see, if it does things by it's own. I mean, if you let the stick loose, it shouldn't wander around. If it does, add some damping and dead band (in the game options) to see, if it gets stable. Also look for the graph and values while moving the stick to see, if it jumps or gets stuck at some point.

Disassembling the stick and using good electronics cleaner spray for the pots wouldn't hurt. Just make sure you know how to put all the parts back  .

If and when your stick seems to work as it should, you can enable scaling in AH preferences. Thus you can make the stick less sensitive in the middle, which can help stabilizing your aiming. Another way is to deliberately try to keep your stick movements as small as possible. I once read a military fighter pilot's manual from early 50's, when they still used many of the warbirds. There were actual size pictures of the stick movements in different maneuvers, each one small enough to fit on a matchbox label!

Thats very interesting to hear.

I have never heard of a sidewinder being good.  It always seems it's a battle between seitek(or however its spelled) and CH...and maybe the warthog?
The only reference I can point to is that I have owned and used this (alot) for over ten years.  But as a result I have nothing to compare it to. 

In AW3 I remeber that it was so sensitive that just a few mm of movement was all I needed, and it was perfect.  In AH I'm craking it all the way to its actual max.

Thats ok,  but at high speeds it works flawlessly.   In a lower speed dogfight, I find I am overcompensating, and having a general lack of control.

Someone please actually watch the film, because mine do not look like the others that I have seen

[Changeup]

Thats very interesting to hear.

I have never heard of a sidewinder being good.  It always seems it's a battle between seitek(or however its spelled) and CH...and maybe the warthog?
The only reference I can point to is that I have owned and used this (alot) for over ten years.  But as a result I have nothing to compare it to. 

In AW3 I remeber that it was so sensitive that just a few mm of movement was all I needed, and it was perfect.  In AH I'm craking it all the way to its actual max.

Thats ok,  but at high speeds it works flawlessly.   In a lower speed dogfight, I find I am overcompensating, and having a general lack of control.

Someone please actually watch the film, because mine do not look like the others that I have seen

Please post screen shots of your scaling/stick setup...