Selecting engines: new keyboard command

[deSelys]

Right now, there are 5 different keyboard commands allowing to select the engines:

Engine Start/Stop All Engines    KEY_E,SHIFT
Engine 1 Select                            KEY_1,SHIFT
Engine 2 Select                            KEY_2,SHIFT
Engine 3 Select                            KEY_3,SHIFT
Engine 4 Select                            KEY_4,SHIFT

To use those commands with a HOTAS, you need to dedicate multiple buttons (up to 5, although this number can be reduced by using gizmos like scripts and modes for the CH products).

To reduce the # of buttons needed to 1 whilie keeping your config simple, I suggest to add a single new keyboard command allowing you to cycle through all your plane's engines (same principle as the fuel tank select keyboard command):

 - twin: all engines -> engine 1 -> engine 2
 - 4 engines:  all engines -> engine 1 -> engine 2 -> engine 3 -> engine 4
 - single engine: no effect

The selected engine indication could appear in the text buffer to avoid the need to add a new gauge in the cockpits.


Your inputs and ideas are welcome.

[BowHTR]

Interesting idea. +1

[Randy1]

The only problem I see is the need for an indication of which engine is selected to add to your wish of which engine is selected same as the fuel selection.

Before your wish is granted.
With Thrustmaster TARGET software, you can use one button to cycle through engine selection using the sequence command.  Without indication though you would get confused.

A Thrustmaster MFD panel is another way to go.  With all those buttons and rocker switches, you can assign a button for each engine.  I use mine to select my most common salvo setting as another example.   

I might add too, in AH III beta, the integration of the new Oculus like devices will require a mouse click system to select engine so you might get your wish in AHIII. 

[guncrasher]

send me a pm I have a box I dont use that has additional 17 buttons you can connect as an additional joystick controller.  you can have it for free if you pay shipment.  you can even use it to jump from  airplane to airplane just by pushing 1 button.


semp