Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: bacon8tr on December 27, 2009, 09:18:49 PM

Title: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: bacon8tr on December 27, 2009, 09:18:49 PM
For those of you who use rudder pedals I am trying to find out what the general time frame was to where you felt "comfortable" with them?  I have ordered mine and am already getting myself ready to feel like a baby learning how to walk.  I routinely find myself in situations where I know the addition of rudder pedals would be the difference between getting splashed or being the splasher.  Ive been playing for approximately a little over a year now if memory serves correct and am ready to kick the training wheels and get away from just the 'ol twisty stick.    :salute
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Strip on December 27, 2009, 09:26:16 PM
Figure about about three to four weeks of growing pains, the first week will be hard but keep your head up.

Its worth it!

Strip
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: ImADot on December 27, 2009, 09:38:57 PM
It's not that tough.  Maybe a couple of hours as long as you pay attention to when and how much rudder you apply, and the resulting effects on your airplane.
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: rvflyer on December 27, 2009, 10:05:45 PM
For those of you who use rudder pedals I am trying to find out what the general time frame was to where you felt "comfortable" with them?  I have ordered mine and am already getting myself ready to feel like a baby learning how to walk.  I routinely find myself in situations where I know the addition of rudder pedals would be the difference between getting splashed or being the splasher.  Ive been playing for approximately a little over a year now if memory serves correct and am ready to kick the training wheels and get away from just the 'ol twisty stick.    :salute

They are pretty easy to use, just use a little rudder with your stick to keep turns coordinated. If you see the little round ball off to one side or the other
think of it as a ball you can kick, if the ball is to the left kick it back to center with the left rudder and same if ball is to the right kick it back to center with
right rudder. It takes very small rudder movements to keep the ball centered. Which type are you going to use? With brakes I hope, rudder pedals really make
taking off and landing easy, also IMO much easier to land and takeoff a turning CV.
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: bacon8tr on December 27, 2009, 10:11:53 PM
I took the plunge and purchased the CH pedals......Another question in reference to the pedals.  From what Ive read the Ch set up is pretty rugged and sturdy.  However, I am thinking of breaking out the industrial velcro and strapping it down to a piece of plywood....The reason for this is my pc is setup to where the floor is carpet  :cry.  Don't think the wife ack will be all that bad if she doesn't realize the "modification" I've made.
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: LYNX on December 27, 2009, 10:41:33 PM
You'll get into the swing of things in about 3 weeks. Don't be afraid to use opposite rudder either. You'll find you'll be kicking those pedals about so an anchor is needed.  I whacked in some nails around the base...the buggers didn't slip then  :lol

With shoes on its very difficult to get a sense of feel. Centre point is hard to define as it doesn't have a notch. Its very easy to inadvertently fly with some rudder on. You can play with rudder dead band and damping to stiffen the feel up.

Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: boxboy28 on December 27, 2009, 10:42:25 PM
Depending on how you had your twisty stick set up .....most folk use default!

but invert the axis in thats the case it worked wonders for me personally!

I read you have been using a twisty stick, so the inverted axis should feel more natural! :rock
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Shuffler on December 27, 2009, 10:44:00 PM
2 weeks
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: grizz441 on December 27, 2009, 10:49:50 PM
Took me a month.
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Bizman on December 28, 2009, 04:17:10 AM
As a former salesman for ergonomic computer accessories (many of which were differed radically from the usual gadgets) I think I can give some sort of medical/physical information. Remember, I have no medical education added to that English is not my native tongue, so the terms I use may be incorrect.

It will take a couple of weeks to make you remember that you should use pedals instead of twisty. The time needed depends much on your motivation, which I think in this case should be at a quite high level  ;) .  Including those weeks it will take about three months for your nervous system to build new routes into your brain, after which using rudders is a routine operation and needs as much thinking as walking.

BTW radically changing a routine to the level new nervous routes have been built helps postpone the symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer etc.

Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Bruv119 on December 28, 2009, 04:23:57 AM
2 weeks here.  Was on the point of giving up after ramming the 20th plane just as i was lined up for the kills  :D

a few tips.   Have fun taxiing around on the ground.  This at first brought a whole new dimension to taxiing  :).  But it will help alot in controlling the plane with the rudder only.

It takes however long for your brain to remember to kick your feet when you want rudder.  Soon as that is implanted in your brain it becomes much more natural just like riding a bike or driving a car.   You wouldn't go back to walking  ;)
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Chalenge on December 28, 2009, 04:35:40 AM
Immediately things felt to me more like they should be and shots just as quickly began to hit home where I aimed.  :)
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: JimmyC on December 28, 2009, 04:57:57 AM
3 weeks to a month and all feels fairly natural so just stick at it
its a great step up and more fun
have fun
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Ghastly on December 28, 2009, 06:34:04 AM
Make sure you check the scaling that it's in use.  You probably want it to be set to a "ramp" starting at about 30, if it isn't already.  Otherwise, you'll tend to overcorrect, and cause PIO.  Rudder input induces roll and pitch changes in most aircraft in addition to yaw, so if you are over correcting, you'll feel like you are fighting your plane more than your opponent.

It's well worth getting used to though - I can't even imagine flying without them.

<S>
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: MrRiplEy[H] on December 28, 2009, 06:53:49 AM
If you've flown years with a twisty it will be an extremely hard transition to pedals. I tried and got frustrated. Then I thought hey I'm landing kills with the twisty why bother with the rudder setup. Afterall a twisty stick takes a heck of a less space than a full rudder setup.

I find dogfighting with a B25H more fun to learn :) Especially fun to try to pick running people with the 75mm long distance.
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: Flench on December 28, 2009, 06:58:31 AM
I too am going to make this step . Been using my FF2 for 6 year's , so I know it's not going to be a joy walk .
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: TequilaChaser on December 28, 2009, 08:15:24 AM
They are pretty easy to use, just use a little rudder with your stick to keep turns coordinated. If you see the little round ball off to one side or the other
think of it as a ball you can kick, if the ball is to the left kick it back to center with the left rudder and same if ball is to the right kick it back to center with
right rudder. It takes very small rudder movements to keep the ball centered.

For the most part, doing your flying to and from the fight, I would not put much worrying into "keeping the ball centered"........ "coordinated turns"

it will not affect you all that much, and even with most turns you will not need to use hardly any Rudder Input, if any at all

Also, when in a DogFight you will find times where opposite Rudder ( or Uncoordinated flight ), will help you just as much at times....... I am not saying using Coordinated Rudder does not help, it does.........

just a little self test you can do and see for yourself....... load up Aces high in the offline mode. go pick yourself the P51D plane and take off.......

ok watch the Stick & Ball gauge ( is in center of gauge cluster/cockpit dash )....... now get your speed up ( you can use Combat Trim ie... Ctrl X, or you can manual Trim....doesn't matter )

now with speed up, say 250 IAS to 350 IAS  make some turns to the left... watch the ball slip toward the left side...

now do the same towards the right, make some right hand turns..... again watch the ball most times slip toward the left. only "quick, hard pulling, abrupt turns"... will you see the ball move sharply to the left and/or to the right....sometimes.....

Learning to use your Rudder ( pedals or Twisty Stick setup ) is going to help you, no doubt....... and will let you explore even more areas of the game... but unless you're flying formation, acrobatics, commercial aviation carrying passengers  :).. you do not have to keep a constant check on "Sticking the Ball"........ don't get caught with your head stuck in your cockpit    :aok

just saying

edit: for proper naming purposes ... Stick & Ball gauge I mentioned,  refers to the Slip Indicator  my apologies for using slang  :old:
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: bacon8tr on December 28, 2009, 06:32:23 PM
gentlemen, and I am using that term loosely  :aok as I recognize many of your names from my "you have been killed by........" text buffer.  I appreciate all the information, the replys I received where just what I was looking for...thanks
Title: Re: General question regarding rudder pedals
Post by: ink on December 28, 2009, 09:11:51 PM
took me a month to use them without thinking about it, it also depends on how often you play, how long you been using a twisty, you know stuff like that.

I also wanna say, don't worry about the damn ball in your Cockpit, just fly, keep your head twisting around you, the most important part of being a flier in the MA's (at least if you wanna be a shark instead of a minnow)  SA  "situational Awareness"
I have been flying almost 6 years, and I have never looked at the ball to see my position.

two things you should "watch"  inside your cockpit.
Ammo count...Fuel remaining. 

otherwise you should be a bobble head, checking your six more then your 12, then your High 6, then low 6, go inverted and fly that way looking all around below you, scan the skies,  The ONE thing Aces High has over EVERY other "fight sim" is it's views, USE them.
if you fly like this you will more often then not spot the nme first and be able to set up that first merge to kill him.

IF you are looking at a little ball inside your cockpit----- BOOM----- in the tower going "What the heck just shot me??????"

INK