Set axis to use only half its range

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sihmm
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Set axis to use only half its range

Postby sihmm » Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:26

In Elite: Dangerous, binding vertical thruster control to an axis results in opposite thruster movements depending on whether the axis is moved up or down from its centre point. For my Gladiator NXT's Z-axis this would mean that 0 position on the axis is full up thruster and 65535 position is full down thruster, with no thruster input at the centre i.e. 32767 position.

I would like to set the axis so that 0 position is full up thruster but 65535 position is considered "centred", i.e. no thruster input. This way the axis cannot be used for downward thrust, only upward thrust. I've previously done this using the dial on my old TWCS and a third-party app called JoystickCurves by setting axis trim to 100%, but the software is buggy and I have to run it every time I run the game so would rather use VKBDevCfg and the Z-axis on my new Gladiator NXT.

Is there any way to do this using VKBDevCfg? Thanks!

Crosius
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Re: Set axis to use only half its range

Postby Crosius » Thu Feb 03, 2022 3:00

In Elite:Dangerous there is an option on the Throttle binds to set the Throttle Range to "Throttle Forward Only" which will already do this.

E:D allows you to also choose a keybind for "reverse" when you do want to use your throttle axis for backing up.

rtrski
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Re: Set axis to use only half its range

Postby rtrski » Fri Feb 04, 2022 15:51

sihmm wrote:In Elite: Dangerous, binding vertical thruster control to an axis results in opposite thruster movements depending on whether the axis is moved up or down from its centre point. For my Gladiator NXT's Z-axis this would mean that 0 position on the axis is full up thruster and 65535 position is full down thruster, with no thruster input at the centre i.e. 32767 position.

I would like to set the axis so that 0 position is full up thruster but 65535 position is considered "centred", i.e. no thruster input. This way the axis cannot be used for downward thrust, only upward thrust. I've previously done this using the dial on my old TWCS and a third-party app called JoystickCurves by setting axis trim to 100%, but the software is buggy and I have to run it every time I run the game so would rather use VKBDevCfg and the Z-axis on my new Gladiator NXT.

Is there any way to do this using VKBDevCfg? Thanks!

I don't think what you've said makes sense. I use a joystick axis (in my case, Gunfighter gimbal, left hand Kosmosima Premium) as vertical (Z) axis thrusters in Elite and don't have that problem. The middle of the 0-64k range is always axis center, and interpreted as no input.[1]
Are you sure you're binding the chosen axis you are moving to the Analog Axis in the Elite bindings, not the digital 'up' or 'down' thruster input?
You can also expand the axis binding once assigned and toggle between Normal and Inverse to reverse the end of the 0-64k range that's considered up.

[1] Footnote edit - the one exclusion I can think of to this rule is a brake lever like on the Modern Combat Grip, that does sit at one end of the range, not the middle value....
RH VKB GF Mk III + Modern Combat Grip *ULTIMATE* (12/17 GFII , upgraded), _powered_ deploy!
LH VKB GF Mk III + Kosmosima Prem (02/19 GFII, upgraded), *lateral* mounted
Feet: Slaw Viper RX Pedals [Sorry, VKB, too gorgeous]

sihmm
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Re: Set axis to use only half its range

Postby sihmm » Wed Feb 23, 2022 12:50

Crosius wrote:In Elite:Dangerous there is an option on the Throttle binds to set the Throttle Range to "Throttle Forward Only" which will already do this.

E:D allows you to also choose a keybind for "reverse" when you do want to use your throttle axis for backing up.


This works for forward/backward but there's no similar option for up/down, sadly.

The axis works fine, but I wanted to limit it so that it only thrusts upwards. If you assign an axis to vertical thrusters, the midpoint is zero thrust, the bottom of the axis is full downward thrust, and the top of the axis is full upward thrust. I wanted to edit the axis in VKBDevCfg so that the bottom of the axis was zero thrust and the top is full upward thrust with no downward thrust input occurring at any point in the axis.

rtrski
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Re: Set axis to use only half its range

Postby rtrski » Wed Feb 23, 2022 20:43

If you do that, while the stick is in the middle of the range you're always thrusting up 'halfway'...but OK.

I don't know if one of these settings would work. At first I thought unchecking 'Cn' (Center) would do it but the manual says an analog axis MUST have a center.

The description of Direction sounds kind of like what you want, and / or the dropdown under trimmer lets you Trim+ or Trim- , which might mean remove that half of the data (?)

Just spitballing. Be sure to SAVE your settings before messing around here so you can always get back, just in case:
Image

Sorry I chopped that screenshot too much probably. That's Logical Axes on the top, Physical Axes on the bottom.
RH VKB GF Mk III + Modern Combat Grip *ULTIMATE* (12/17 GFII , upgraded), _powered_ deploy!
LH VKB GF Mk III + Kosmosima Prem (02/19 GFII, upgraded), *lateral* mounted
Feet: Slaw Viper RX Pedals [Sorry, VKB, too gorgeous]

faybs
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Re: Set axis to use only half its range

Postby faybs » Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:21

I've been using the same technique that rtrski metions (unchecking the Cn column for the axis) for months now for the analog space brake in Star Citizen, and it works great. It's on one of the analog thumbsticks on a Kosmosima, but it probably works on any analog axis. What it does is to report 0 is when the thumbstick is centered and 65535 when it's fully pushed forward. When you pull back, it still reports 0. That way I can "feather the brakes" with my thumb and have a lot of control over how I slow down. Note that you have to recalibrate the thumbstick normally (ie the entire range of motion) after you do this, otherwise it will behave strangely.

Image

rtrski
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Re: Set axis to use only half its range

Postby rtrski » Sun Mar 06, 2022 21:04

So that does work?? Thanks very much for the response (should make the OP happier too)!

I wonder why the manual is so particular that you MUST have Cn checked for analog axes.
RH VKB GF Mk III + Modern Combat Grip *ULTIMATE* (12/17 GFII , upgraded), _powered_ deploy!
LH VKB GF Mk III + Kosmosima Prem (02/19 GFII, upgraded), *lateral* mounted
Feet: Slaw Viper RX Pedals [Sorry, VKB, too gorgeous]


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