Hate to be a sourpuss

[leitmotiv]

I have finally been able to take my sim computer out of its storage box, and long after all the old hares I am airborne with "Dover".

I went from initial delight to total disgust. The problem is almost everything.

My faithful Microsoft force feedback stick, which has performed sterling work in every flight sim since "Il-2", goes limp in "Dover" like a broken arm. Every now and then it kicks into life, but most of the time it is AWOL.

I use CH pedals and a CH throttle. Both work fine with the sim after they gave me a bit of logging grief. When I tried to use my CH throttle quadrant---total failure. I was able to get it recognized by the game, and I was able to check the features to see that they worked on the D performance displays---everything looked A-OK. When I tried to use them, only some of the engine controls moved a bit in the cockpits. My aircraft stalled and crashed. To have a great throttle quadrant, and not be able to use it with all the twins is a major bummer.

The Blenheim IV, one of my favorites, cannot be made to bomb ships---even bona fide Axis ships! I built a "Channel Stop" (the infamous Blenheim massacre of 1941-42 when they were used to try to interdict Axis shipping in the Channel) mission with Axis tankers with quad 20s, armed fishing boats, and fruitlessly tried to get the German minesweeper to be an escort---my computer crashed each time I selected it! I used the pseudo corvette of the mods. With such an array of Axis shipping one would think the Blenny would be raring to go. No dice. It bombed the hell out of empty Calais (where is the shipping?!), or any land target, but when I hit release at point-blank range from a fat tanker, nothing happened! The blasted thing dropped tools on me, and refused to play the game. I tried and tried (most of the time I was blown out of the sky, as was fitting, because Channel Stop was a massacre), but I was never able to get a piece of a tanker. My wing .303 refused to spit AP, DeWilde, and red tracer---I could only get it to shoot the default ammunition. I was able to fit up a Ju 88 with the bombs of my choice. I could not modify the fuel tankage of any aircraft or the fuze settings of any bomb. Now, to add more insult to injury, the Blenheim won't even drop bombs on land.

This has driven me around the bend, and I have belabored my friends who use D for information until they probably hate me.

At first, I suspected the Team Fusion mods so I purged 'em and reinstalled D, to no avail. I have done at least half a dozen reinstalls, and have hunted for every D file, and purged them to try to get the cleanest install.

My suspicion is that this is a classic case of something in the innards of my computer sending D into a tizzy. This once happened with "Il-2" a couple years ago. I upgraded my computer, and "Il-2" quit working until a patch was released which cured everything.

Here are the specs of my computer:

GPU: GeForce GTX 660 Ti
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 920 @ 2.67GHz
RAM: 11.99 GB
Windows 7

Contrary to the disaster D has been, ROF plays flawlessly and beautifully. Were this not the case, I'd suspect that it was critical failure in my computer.

[ATAG_Dutch]

Woah. That's way too many different issues in one post. As you've seen from Frey's vid, everything functions fine once you're set up.

My advice would to sign up here;

http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/forum.php

Then ask first about your controls setup, and we can take it from there. I have a G940, so have no knowledge of of multiple control setups.

[bolox]

CoD's GUI for controls isn't the most intuitive, but it does work well when setup properly- and it can utilize more controllers than IL2.

FFB is not something I use, so I will let others comment on this, but IIRC there is a 'trick' involving full movement of stick that cures this.

Setup:-
starting with the basics- you are assigning the axes properly?
http://www.justflight.com/supportfaq/il2-cliffs-of-dover
also when you have them assigned you are hitting APPLY? not hitting 'back' which will revert any changes you have made.

http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showpost.php?p=500331&postcount=3
might help re sensitivity etc.

Your CH controls- are they setup as a combined device through CH manager, or are they being seen as separate devices?
Also you mention using a CH throttle aswell as a quadrant- I suspect when you tried to assign the quadrant after assigning throttle you are going to have a conflict.
Throttle axis controls all throttles, throttle#1 only controls #1, if both are assigned confusion may result with the last signal overiding.
Use the CLEAR button to clear throttle axis if you wish to use quadrant.

I can also see a potential problem or 2 in your channel stop mission - ie you have used a mod ship then removed mods-This might be a problem

conf ini for mods is also kept in a separate location so changes made to one will not affect the other. In Documents/1C SoftClub folder there are 2 subfolders if you have applied the TF mod:
the original 'il-2 sturmovic cliffs of dover' which affects the original game, and one with '-MOD' suffix for TF version of the game.
(When you get setup with the original setup and you wish in the future to reapply TF mod the copy the ini files into the MOD folder.)

But that's running ahead, let's get controls working properly before looking at the other issues you are having

[hugso]

Do you have the setting turned off that only enables you to operate two controls at one time? I think it is called anthropomorphic settings, or similar. I mention it because I had problems with controls not responding and gins not firing and thought it was a fault, but turning off this annoying feature did the trick. I haven't flown CoD since last year, but since recently coming across Team Fusion's mod I will give it a go when Have a spare moment. Looks as if we might be able to use the DeviceLink mod too, which would be very helpful.

[leitmotiv]

No, I never have the two throttles installed at the same time. I intended to do what I used to do in FSX: use my single throttle for single-engine aircraft and the quadrant for twins.

Maybe I have to delete the settings for the single throttle? I am surprised these would be a problem without the single throttle being installed.

I have used the CH Manager for years. I frequently unplug, replug, and calibrate my CH pedals and stick just to keep them honest. I have had no trouble with them in Dover. I installed all peripherals exactly as per instructions. The only CH product which will not work is the quadrant. It had been run through the Manager and calibrated.

The curious matter about the CH quadrant is that it is recognized by Dover in the Controls Axis, and I am able to test them for functionality using the gauges in Controls Axis. It checks out 100%, yet does not work at all in play.

As for the corvette, I purged all Mod files, and I did not use it in the most recent attempts to get the Blenheim to bomb over water. Now it won't even bomb over land. I saw on the Team Fusion a thread about bombing. One poster claimed the changes for fuel, bullets, bombs, and fuzes do not work well offline, but work perfectly online. Yeaggghhhhhhh.

[leitmotiv]

OK, I deleted the control axis for the single throttle. It was, of course, unplugged as well. I had calibrated my throttle quadrant. I tried it against the test gauges in Controls with my previous settings for it---all were a big 0.

I attempted to re-log the levers into Control Axis, and the setting for the single CH throttle immediately popped into the window before I could move a throttle lever. I finally was able to move a lever quicker, was able to get the proper info into the window, but when I tested the throttle it was showing only a partial movement on the test gauges. Logging the levers properly proved impossible.

So much for a throttle quadrant. I am curious, has anybody been able to get a throttle quadrant, CH or other, to work in this game?

There is still the matter of the game losing force-feedback on my Microsoft stick. In nine years of flight simming with every one available in that period, I have never lost force-feedback in a stick. This is definitely new.

I suspect there is some arcane techno conflict here. ROF and the Third Wire flight sim I currently have installed both work perfectly, and ROF is certainly a complex monster. Clearly, my equipment is working.

[Continu0]

So much for a throttle quadrant. I am curious, has anybody been able to get a throttle quadrant, CH or other, to work in this game?

There is still the matter of the game losing force-feedback on my Microsoft stick. In nine years of flight simming with every one available in that period, I have never lost force-feedback in a stick. This is definitely new.



Hey

I use the Saitek throttle quadrant and it works perfectly. I do not have a Force Feedback Joystick, but as far as I remember it, that was a major problem from the very beginning of the game. I hope, someone with a Force-Feedback Joystick may help you here.

As for the throttle-Quadrant: Have you tried to put ALL other axis to 0% or 100% when you set up an axis?
Because if you (e.g.) want to set up axis y but you have axis x ond 56%, it may select axis x instead of axis y you want, because axis x is flimmering and flickering a bit ond 56% what the game recognises as movement...

As for the rest, i can very much understand your frustration. Getting trough the GUI (and its bugs...) and understand it is a very enerving issue, but at least for me it was worth the time...

This might as well help you with bombs on your bombers: http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4625

[arthursmedley]

Hello Leit. Nice to see you up and running again. 'Fraid I can't give you much help on setting up your controls, though I know several people with set ups similar to your own who have made it work. Some good links given here though and your best source of info is probably the ATAG forums these days.

Can't tell you much about bombing in a Blenheim either. I appear to have become attached to the rotol Hurricane - it's the aeroplane of a gentleman!

However, I do use a MSFFB2 stick and I'm afraid to say force-feedback only works properly for card carrying Democrats in this sim. For the rest of us mere mortals it's a rather hit and miss affair. Some claim ffb works for them if they fire a few rounds before take off. Others that ffb cuts in whilst flying slowly. For me ffb starts to work when the airspeed exceeds @300kph in single seaters. Once it's working it stays working until reduced to landing/approach speeds when it disappears again. This makes take offs and landings doubly exciting!

Good luck with it.

[bolox]

OK, I deleted the control axis for the single throttle. It was, of course, unplugged as well. I had calibrated my throttle quadrant. I tried it against the test gauges in Controls with my previous settings for it---all were a big 0.

well of course they would be if you have assigned controls with one set of controls plugged in, then unplug /replug another controller in the 'numbering of joysticks can/will be altered and thus you may/will get zero response.
See my post #6 here
http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4635
This could also explain the lack of bomb dropping- you assign a DX button, not a keyboard emulation key through CH manager? - if the joystick numbering changes and bomb drop is a DX key this would explain the 'no bomb drop'

I attempted to re-log the levers into Control Axis, and the setting for the single CH throttle immediately popped into the window before I could move a throttle lever. .


this indicates (to me at least) that there is some 'noise' on the CH throttle axis that is picked up when you try to assign axes.
Can you please confirm that Anthropomorphic Control is NOT ticked in the realism settings as Hugso suggests- this really can screw things up particularly with any noisy controllers.

I am curious, has anybody been able to get a throttle quadrant, CH or other, to work in this game?
I do not own any CH gear, but I'm pretty certain that people have used these with CoD, and I know several people use Saitek throttle quadrants (3 axis) with no problems.
I also did a test last night using one of my custom controllers, assigning 2 axes as throttles#1, & #2 and they worked fine ingame.

Again can I remind you that you MUST hit APPLY for any assignments to work ingame. They will work perfectly in the bars in the assignment screen but if you hit BACK they will revert to the previous setup and thus NOT work ingame.

Can I suggest this as a plan of attack:-
1) make a backup of all the ini files in 'Docs/il2 sturmovic cliffs of dover' in particular ConfUser.ini (a very apt name:-P). MAKE SURE ANTHROPOMOPHIC CONTROLS is NOT ticked in realism settings.
2)start with one fixed joystick setup (no plugging/unplugging until you get one plane/setup working right)
3) go to controls section and click 'SAVE AS' and save your current setup as say 'start1' - then if it all goes wrong you can LOAD this back and hit APPLY.
4)clear all axis controls and start from scratch assigning them.
5)SAVE AS say 'TEST1' and APPLY
6) test ingame.
7)If/when you have axes working properly, only then do the same for any key/button assignments.
8) when you have this setup to your liking, only then think about saving it as something meaningful (eg Blenheim) and think about repeating the process for your other controller setup, saving this as say 'single engine'- I use separate profiles for nearly every AC;)

Boring I know , but a logical approach works best to isolate and solve issues, CoD is complicated, often counterintuitive(most 'issues' make perfect sense to a coder - but not to the average user imho).

Good luck

[planespotter]

i never had any trouble getting bombers, blenheims or anything other, to hit ships. set discipline high though or they will take the near target rather than the ships if there is one which is what it sounds like happened. ai settings matter.

also it sounds to me like you jumped right in and expected to work everything out straight away which is a little unrealistic, there is a learning curve with any sim

[Artist]

Concerning ForceFeedback, there's a long known bug (see here (http://tfbt.nuvturais.de/issues/191) and here (http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=31308)) and a workaround.

Description Bug 191:

If player spawns on ground and starts normal, there's force feedback from the control surfaces (aileron, elevator) relative to speed and flight situation (plus force feedback from ground, engine, guns, etc).

If player spawns in mid-air there's force feedback from engine and guns but possibly not from the control surfaces (aileron, elevator).
Steps to reproduce:

Start Computer
Start CloD
Go into Single Player, Quick missions, start any (i.e. "Free Flight - Channel")
Hit "Fly"

Now, there is either force feedback from the control surfaces or ther is not.
(A) If there is no force feedback

Take up speed and make a looping
force feedback from the control surfaces kicks in halfway through it

Force feedback from the control surfaces will then always be present in airspawns, unless:
(B) If there is force feedback

Hit <Esc>
Exit back to Quick Missions
Exit CloD (Main Menu, Exit)
Restart CloD
Go into Single Player, Quick missions, start any (i.e. "Free Flight - Channel")
Hit "Fly"
There's no force feedback from the control surfaces

[Bearcat]

Hey leit.. How have you been? I feel your pain on the FFB.. I use the same stick you do and so far for me it still comes and goes.. but you will find that it (CoD) is better than it was ... at least to me. I am sure that part of that has more to do with my rig which is much better now but I noticed that even after the last official patch and the last ATAG patch it runs better than it did on the same PC when I initially fired it up after upgrading.. The FFB thing is a downer for me though because it is so inconsistent.

[leitmotiv]

Hey arthursmedley and Bearcat---good to be back with the old crowd! Life has been bleak without flight sims and the good companionship.

I just reinstalled Windows 7 because it was acting squirrelly. I am not sure how much was real game trouble and how much was the op system not working right. Add to this a Rosewill headphone set did not agree with my computer, and KOed every other USB device as well as not working itself.

I see from a lot of posts FF can be troublesome. At times I can get it to kick in by wobbling my stick. The bummer is that FF failure can occur at awkward moments like when you are in a tight bank with a 109 on your tail---wobbling is not an option. I'll do that loop, Artist.

The weird business with the bombers was that they were not arming with bombs---how did I know? I selected the Ju 88 and tried to arm it with external bombs. This worked for awhile and then I ceased to get external or internal bombs. I made presets of various bombers but they stopped working. When your 88 did not have its requested external bombs, you can be fairly certain the problem is that the bombers are not loading bombs. Somebody posted on the Team Fusion site choosing alternate bomb loads is often difficult offline but works all the time online.

As for the CH gear. I tried eliminating all settings for the single throttle before setting up the CH quadrant. Did not work. Also got rid of Anthro. Made no diff. Was easier to just stick with the CH single throttle, CH pedals, and Microsoft FF stick because they all worked (except for FF denial).

I will be interested to see if the reinstall of Windows kicked the gremlins out of Clod. Was odd ROF ran fine except often denying me an external view.

[SlipBall]

Hey arthursmedley and Bearcat---good to be back with the old crowd! Life has been bleak without flight sims and the good companionship.

I just reinstalled Windows 7 because it was acting squirrelly. I am not sure how much was real game trouble and how much was the op system not working right. Add to this a Rosewill headphone set did not agree with my computer, and KOed every other USB device as well as not working itself.

I see from a lot of posts FF can be troublesome. At times I can get it to kick in by wobbling my stick. The bummer is that FF failure can occur at awkward moments like when you are in a tight bank with a 109 on your tail---wobbling is not an option. I'll do that loop, Artist.

The weird business with the bombers was that they were not arming with bombs---how did I know? I selected the Ju 88 and tried to arm it with external bombs. This worked for awhile and then I ceased to get external or internal bombs. I made presets of various bombers but they stopped working. When your 88 did not have its requested external bombs, you can be fairly certain the problem is that the bombers are not loading bombs. Somebody posted on the Team Fusion site choosing alternate bomb loads is often difficult offline but works all the time online.

As for the CH gear. I tried eliminating all settings for the single throttle before setting up the CH quadrant. Did not work. Also got rid of Anthro. Made no diff. Was easier to just stick with the CH single throttle, CH pedals, and Microsoft FF stick because they all worked (except for FF denial).

I will be interested to see if the reinstall of Windows kicked the gremlins out of Clod. Was odd ROF ran fine except often denying me an external view.


Load and save the bombs in fmb...use CH software for the quadrant set up, then download it...if I had a FF here I would explain how to get it working :lol:

[leitmotiv]

I always use the CH Manager. I'll see how everything works after the reinstall. A guy on the Clod Mods forum claimed the trouble is in the code used by 1C for devices in IL-2 and Dover. He came up with a fix. Bit out of my skill sets.

[Sokol1]

I built a "Channel Stop" (the infamous Blenheim massacre of 1941-42 when they were used to try to interdict Axis shipping in the Channel) mission with Axis tankers with quad 20s, armed fishing boats,...

This mission seems interesting, you can share the .mis file?

...
Blenny would be raring to go. No dice. It bombed the hell out of empty Calais (where is the shipping?!), or any land target, but when I hit release at point-blank range from a fat tanker, nothing happened!


Perhaps using high altitude bombs fuse?

Sokol1

[Skoshi Tiger]

In the Blenheim I regulary bomb shipping.

My favourate loadout is the "4XGP Bomb, 250lb., MKIV."

If you are bombing from low level make sure you set the fuse to the "No28. IIx Pistol Everready". Remember to set it to 11 seconds or you will have a hard time. :)

If you are skip bombing get as close to 90 degrees to the side of the ship as posible, otherwise the bombs can (and will) ricochett of the side of the ship.

Against tankers it is not uncommon to get 4 ships out of 4 bombs.

In the Geman bombers, make sure you arm the bombs before dropping them otherwise they will not go off.

If you're into multiplayer get on to ATAG with teamspeak, It's a hoot when you can get a flight of bombers together!

One of my gripes about bombing in CoD is that there is no sound or other indication that it has left the plane when you press the tit.
Cheers!

[Osprey]

1. Have you bound the quadrant axis to controls which the aircraft actually uses in game? There are loads of redundant controls. Just try it by binding to roll/pitch/yaw.
2. FFB does come and go, it always goes if you alt+tab to desktop and back. You can 'restore' it with a hi yo-yo since it kicks in again once you've slowed down. OK, it's a silly move for no reason but take the chance to check your 6 ;)

[MD_Titus]

Do you have the setting turned off that only enables you to operate two controls at one time? I think it is called anthropomorphic settings, or similar. I mention it because I had problems with controls not responding and gins not firing and thought it was a fault, but turning off this annoying feature did the trick. I haven't flown CoD since last year, but since recently coming across Team Fusion's mod I will give it a go when Have a spare moment. Looks as if we might be able to use the DeviceLink mod too, which would be very helpful.

look for thjis, it essentially models only having two hands and a far less ergonomic lay out. could well cause the control issues you're having.

[displayorder]

I suspected the Team Fusion mods so I purged 'em and reinstalled D, to no avail. I have done at least half a dozen reinstalls, and have hunted for every D file, and purged them to try to get the cleanest install.