"Omni Throttle"/angled adapter

[tomzo711]

Any news on this?

[Kike]

It seems that this adapter is creating a lot of hype

[tomzo711]

It is. I really kinda hate the radio silence on some of these things not released. I mean just give me a window so I can stop checking twice a day.

[rtrski]

We know it didn't make it out with the "4 good guys" panels, which were this holiday season's big new product release...but they were willing to tease it then at least which is a good sign. They've implied the Omnithrottles will be in the next wave (with the angled adapter for the GNX possibly being before that for the Gunfighter, but I can't imagine why those would be spaced too far apart, personally).

This is a totally separate product than the TECS throttle, so I don't see it tied to that timescale/progress at all. (On the other hand, it might further reduce demand for an eventual TECS, but I think VKB is confident enough in their products they don't worry too much about cannibalizing their own sales. They know there are customers who want HOSAS, perhaps modified-HOSAS (Omnithrottle), and those that still want a real throttle (or ideally will buy both!). They do keep saying a "space-intended" vs. terrestrial-mil-aero-like version of the TECS grip is planned further down the line, and have also proved it by indicating plans for the arc and eventually rail throttle variants. So I don't see them 'delaying' an Omni adapter to coincide with TECS for any reason, whatsoever. Also Virpil's is out, but that's not huge incentive either. With two dual-hand stick options (GNX level and Gunfighter level) they're still in good competitive running regardless.)

While any speculation on timeline is exactly that, speculation, I'd say you can stop checking safely until at least after CNY break. Late spring / early summer 2022 would be the earliest even logistically possible, is my guess. Just like my current speculation for the first TECS (arc, passive detents) is late fall / holiday 2022.

Did I highlight that this is speculation? I'm just speculating. It's a guess. I'm not Nostradamus.

[mattcaron]

I plan to buy both.

Omni throttle for space sims, TECS to replace my CH throttle for flight sims.

[tomzo711]

I'll just be using the omni throttle. I'm toying with the idea of making it a dry clutch on forward/backward movements but I'm not sure if that's possible on the nxt base.

Either way I really only play space Sims and if Battlefield 2042 ever implements hotas compatibility I'll use it for helicopter flight sense it's similar in practice.

[rtrski]

I don't think that base has dry clutches -- disclaimer, I do not own one.

Another option is making that axis 'relative'. So you're only 'altering' the throttle when deflecting, watch your in-game HUD or whatnot to see the speed indicator hit where you want, then release back to 'center', and that last value is held. Use a button to zero.

That's how I throttle, with my whole left stick mounted laterally (not an angled adapter), but using the twist as the primary throttle axis. I also put a fairly strong curve on it so if I deflect-full I ramp to max throttle almost immediately. I use the pinky button as my 'return to zero'.

[tomzo711]

How do you set a curve? I tried setting a J curve but when I press set and check it with the software tool it still seems to react as if it was the default slant.

[rtrski]

There's probably multiple ways, but here's what I did. I guess I didn't so much 'curve' the twist in my case, as just crank up the rate of change. I'm using VKBDevCfg by the way, just to be clear, in case you weren't (Wizzo still an option?)

Profile tab at bottom. In the Logical Axes page (top half), for the correct axis (in my case, twist is "RotZ" or the 5th), I changed the RMpl (Relative Mode multiplier) to 4x. I also set the Tcurve (Relative mode response curve type) to "Sqr" instead of "Lin".

For curves, if you go to the Response Curve window (bottom half), it may start out reading something like 128's across the board, or 8, 16, 24, 32, ... progression, and show you the curve. If you alter those numbers you can perhaps reduce sensitivity around the center and crank it elsewhere. For example for RotX and RotY, the analog thumb, which I like to be much less twitchy, I have values set of: 8, 16, 32, 48, 64, 96, then 128's remaining. I did it using the numerical boxes but you can also click on the little curve graphic and edit it graphically.

Make sure you 'Set' changes to the stick after making them. Probably best to 'Get' and save current settings first, then "Default", then calibrate, then load the ones you "Get"-ed, and THEN make further changes, testing with "Sets" as you make the changes. Be sure to Save the last values you Set again as a backup when you figure out what you like.

It may not be super easy to tell with VKBJoyTest, looking at the running curve as you deflect, unless you're really good at just moving linearly and seeing the non-linear response. Decreased center sensitivity is easier to see often than increased edge sensitivity, since full deflection is often just instinct to push right to the stop.

P.S. On Reddit they just teased the adapter again in their Xmas wishes picture.

[mattcaron]

Another option is making that axis 'relative'. So you're only 'altering' the throttle when deflecting, watch your in-game HUD or whatnot to see the speed indicator hit where you want, then release back to 'center', and that last value is held. Use a button to zero.

This had not occurred to me, and it is rather brilliant.

I was thinking "in a space sim / 6 degrees of freedom game, I want a throttle which is zeroed with no deflection and goes forward when pushed forward, backwards when pulled back, and always returns to center" and that means second stick or omnithrottle. Then, I was also thinking "in a flight sim I want a throttle which stays where I push it so I don't have to keep pushing it forward and my plane doesn't stall" which means a throttle. But both of these use absolute axis positioning. Even though I read the manual, I never thought of applying the relative throttle in this fashion.

And then I got to thinking that, given that my left stick is a GNX base, I should be able to use a button to toggle between relative and absolute axis modes and assign a light to indicate the current mode. Then I won't have to download a new config when changing games.

This is a really good idea, thank you for the insight.

[rtrski]

Another option is making that axis 'relative'. So you're only 'altering' the throttle when deflecting, watch your in-game HUD or whatnot to see the speed indicator hit where you want, then release back to 'center', and that last value is held. Use a button to zero.

This had not occurred to me, and it is rather brilliant.

I was thinking "in a space sim / 6 degrees of freedom game, I want a throttle which is zeroed with no deflection and goes forward when pushed forward, backwards when pulled back, and always returns to center" and that means second stick or omnithrottle. Then, I was also thinking "in a flight sim I want a throttle which stays where I push it so I don't have to keep pushing it forward and my plane doesn't stall" which means a throttle. But both of these use absolute axis positioning. Even though I read the manual, I never thought of applying the relative throttle in this fashion.

And then I got to thinking that, given that my left stick is a GNX base, I should be able to use a button to toggle between relative and absolute axis modes and assign a light to indicate the current mode. Then I won't have to download a new config when changing games.

This is a really good idea, thank you for the insight.

The only downside I've found to using twist as throttle adjust is that your hand naturally 'drops' a little when twisting toward your natural fingertip curl ("clockwise" when looking at your left hand from the side with your thumb closer to you), and lifts a little when twisting the other way ("counterclockwise"). So with my stick at an angle, with the gimbal out to the left, I end up deflecting a little bit in the "X" (now, more Z oriented) axis that I use for up/down translation, when altering throttle twist. So that needs a little deadzone. I think using the Omni-adapter to just make a "7" shape out of the stick itself, with the gimbal beneath, it might be a little bit of "Y" that naturally occurs as you twist. So either you're using the "Y" as your throtttle and the twist for up/down deflect, or vice versa, but one needs a little deadzone.

[mattcaron]

Alright. Christmas happened, I got my sticks, and now I want an omnithrottle adapter. One isn't yet available, so I will be printing one. To this end, I ordered some 200mm long wiring assemblies with the correct connectors which will take 2 weeks to get here from China.

Now, as we all know, men plan and God laughs, so I expect the official Omnithrottle to be released at the end of this week.

[AeroGator]

men plan and God laughs

Very true. So we don't say "we will roll out the Gladiator version of Omni Throttle in January", we say "we will roll out the Gladiator version of Omni Throttle in January if no shit happens". Damn I said too much...

[mattcaron]

And therefore it will be interesting to see which gets here first. After all, I won't bother to print the part if I can buy the actual part before the cabling arrives. But, if the cabling is here, and I still can't buy the official part, then I'll be warming up that printer...

Which if course means the actual part will be released about 2 days after I get it all installed.

[rtrski]

Look on the bright side - it will be practice for further modifications of your overall rig, regardless.