Released: Multi-Throttle Support for IL-2

[MikkOwl]

I wish there was more info that could be gotten by devicelink to be used to control the G940 leds. Most of what is allowed to be read when in multiplayer is added... but I want to add more. I have some ideas on how to figure out ways to make very accurate guesses on the state of some systems. Like nav-lights for example. There's no way to read if nav-lights are on or off. But I have found ways to check if someone is in control of an aircraft or not (already implemented), but also a check on if the plane type can be read or not. If it cannot be read, it means that the player has not even selected or loaded up a plane. Soo, using a combination of the two above, I could make it, for example, switch nav lights only when allowed to, and reset the guessed state of the navlight system to off each time it is clear the player restarted the flight. I don't know if this makes any sense to anyone, but it does to me, and it can probably add many more systems.

The current wishlist for 4.1 (definitely not adding the whole list!) is:

1. Separate engine-off button for each engine (requested by sokol - I just didn't have the time to do it and get the release out with all the other things I added)

2. Add more systems for the G940 leds, through guesstimation.

3. Make the LED assignments also trigger the function they were assigned to. For example, WEP button triggers WEP, gear triggers gear. Now they only assign the lights inside the buttons, not the function itself. It could save time if people can just assign the function directly through multi-throttle (quick to change between planes, just alt-tab, close M-T, run setup, etc).

4. I would like to have separate trim tweak profiles for different planes available. This is planned for Storm of War, but I already have some neat trim tweaks implemented - just need to add the (quite large and complicated) infrastructure for loading them in multi-throttle, the setup program, and editing them, and saving them. I think that limiting the amount of profiles and all the variants of the planes can be done by reading keywords of the aircraft's name. Like one profile can be 'spitfire', and includes all spitfire models. Another is 109, another is 110, another B-17, another P-51, P-47, P-38, LAGG, Pe-2, Fw-190, Ju-88 and so on. That will allow us to have our trims tweaked just right for different planes.

5. If I add profiles for aircraft, then maybe also be able to add LED button assignments saved in the profiles. Means the buttons could change their LED light display, as well as their function, depending on the type of aircraft.

6. Perhaps integrate some of my previous work. For example:

I made a music player that allows you to play pre-defined tunes for what is going on around you (to match the setting) by the use of one top hat. I tried this myself, thinking it would be cool. It was cool. But I am already too nervous online and this made it crazy nervous. Need all my concentration just on flying.

A smooth fov switcher that can use a single button to zoom in and out between wide and realistic fov, and if held for just a moment it zooms in maximum (and also makes TrackIR go into super smoothing mode, making the view very stable). This function was quite useful, as it takes up only my S4 (middle left) thumb button on the G940 and controls all my viewing and does it in a logical, fast and easy to control way. I had many different versions for viewing in the past until I arrived at this configuration. Before I had smooth fov switching, I would lose sight of enemy aircraft when zooming in maximum, because the zoom is the 'middle' of the screen and sometimes I was not centering the enemy aircraft in the middle properly. Zoom being instant, I saw an empty sky and could not determine where the enemy was. With smooth zooming it was easy to see where I was looking.

Made a stay-in-cockpit-view-when-bailing-out, with a sound effect of trying to jettison the canopy and loud wind noise. In fact, I also flew online with this and added the feature of muting teamspeak completely as soon as I bailed out. This meant no one could hear me after I bailed, and I could not hear them either.

Safety switch for weapons. Can be a master-arm button for all weapons, or individual (it's not complicated). In this way, a single joystick button (the trigger) can be made to fire MGs or cannons, or both, by arming and disarming the weapon systems individually.

Scroll in-game map by using a top-hat. I made it and it works, but only on my monitor display resolution. Uses mouse emulation to click drag the map around. And I don't think it was practical. Reaching for the mouse was much faster and better, sadly.

Function not yet made, but possible to do: Read the log file generated by IL-2 (in real time when flying). And using that data, I can make the rear gunner in planes like the Bf 110 and bombers speak a little bit in multiplayer. Only some of the things they can say in single player.. But even that is better than complete silence. They can scream if wounded or killed, and they can comment on when targets are destroyed or aircraft was shot down "Target destroyed, great hit!". And only if they are still alive. Not really anything else. I most of all wish that they could speak if they see an enemy plane but that's not possible to do.

[Qpassa]

I have tested it ,it's great also is easier to configure.
I would like that you show(in the throttle) when you have the acrobatic gas,the prop pitch of all the engines,manual pitch.
Thanks!

[MikkOwl]

Originally Posted by Qpassa

I have tested it ,it's great also is easier to configure.
I would like that you show(in the throttle) when you have the acrobatic gas,the prop pitch of all the engines,manual pitch.
Thanks!

Good to hear!

I am not 100% sure I understand what you are asking for. "Acrobatic gas"... funny. Do you mean 100% throttle? If so, what is the use of that? I think we can already see and feel easily on the G940 dual throttle handles (and the RPM gauge, manifold gauge and the throttle levers, in the game cockpit).

The prop pitch of all engines.. This you can also see on the RPM gauge in the aircraft. But yes, many of us don't have the extra levers to watch. If using the G940 trim wheels to set prop pitch for different engines, it is not as easy.

Button to show if we have manual or auto pitch? There is no such function in IL-2 to find out if it is automatic or manual. Buuut, I might be able to make the program look at what plane we are flying, if the plane is just starting fresh (refly etc) and then make a button show if we have manual pitch or not (and make it toggle manual/auto). I already had this idea on my to-do list for future versions, because I think it would be useful.

[Qpassa]

Well ,let's train to explain XD
In my throttle I have set this configuration:

1 toogle wingtip smoke
2 Wing fold (OK in the program)
3 Feather Prop
4 Manual Pitch

5 Tail wheel lock
6 Select Engine #1
7 Select Engine #2
8 All Engines




Acrobatic Gas=Wigtip Smoke ,sorry for the translation XD
In Spain we are playing a competition where if you want to make a Supply you have to use them over the cities(And you really need to know if they are ON/OFF,they also penalize.)

Wingfold OK

Feather Prop. Aww dude,its complicated to use your program when you have problems.

In my opinion would be great if you create some Turn ON/OFF of twin engine control

I just want to disable it and control the Engines individually,that' s why I also set the
#Engine1 #Engine2. I think I have to change #All Engines,here it 's useless.

Also the individually Pitch,let me a better control over my airplane.
I hope you have undertood it

[MikkOwl]

Originally Posted by Qpassa

Acrobatic Gas=Wigtip Smoke ,sorry for the translation XD
In Spain we are playing a competition where if you want to make a Supply you have to use them over the cities(And you really need to know if they are ON/OFF,they also penalize.)

heheh, funny. I understand. I think I can add this, even if it has a very very small chance of getting out of sync with the game. A general tip: The smoke can be seen from inside the cockpit easily - just look out the window to the left or right and watch behind the wings. The smoke will be there if it is on. Maybe this is practical for you already.

Originally Posted by Qpassa

Feather Prop. Aww dude,its complicated to use your program when you have problems.

Does it not work properly? You should only need to open setup.exe, click "assign feather prop. 1", click OK, then hold the button you want to assign it to. Then, in the game, each time you press it, it will feather or unfeather the prop of the engine. So far it worked 100% reliable for myself, never any problems.

Originally Posted by Qpassa

In my opinion would be great if you create some Turn ON/OFF of twin engine control.
I just want to disable it and control the Engines individually,that' s why I also set the #Engine1 #Engine2. I think I have to change #All Engines,here it 's useless. Also the individually Pitch,let me a better control over my airplane. I hope you have undertood it

I am trying to understand One thing that I especially do not understand is the last part about "individual pitch".

What part is it you want to disable exactly? The G940 throttles controlling the left/right engines? That is possible to disable. You can edit the mikkonfig.ini and put "no" for throttle 1 and 2 (but you have to do this each time you have used setup.exe, it automatically puts in the correct G940 throttles there). And also unassign prop pitch axis 1 and 2. Then you assign one of the G940 throttles in IL-2 under "HOTAS" to "power" and one to "prop pitch". You will have the reversal bug, but you can fly IL-2 and control the engines like as if you were not using Multi-Throttle 4.0. Meaning you have to select each engines with buttons and move them with the controller assigned to "power". You can still use the individual engine control buttons I think.

If you want to have the dual throttles control the power on left/right engine, but use 1 controller to control the pitch for both engines but individually, this is not possible. Because Multi-Throttle has to use the IL-2 regular control system. To move engine 1, it will check the G940 left throttle, assign it to 'power', then send a command to IL-2 to select the left engine, then send the new 'power' setting. Same for individual prop pitch and any other engines. Each time a new engine is selected, it will recieve the settings that the other engine is using. It cannot remember the setting the engine had from before. To get a feeling for how this feels like, just turn off multi-throttle and set things up without it.

Of course you may already know all these things, and maybe you want it. I explained just in case. I am pretty good with coming up with control solutions/setups by the way. If I understand better exactly what you want to do, I might be able to come up with solutions.

[Qpassa]

heheh, funny. I understand. I think I can add this, even if it has a very very small chance of getting out of sync with the game. A general tip: The smoke can be seen from inside the cockpit easily - just look out the window to the left or right and watch behind the wings. The smoke will be there if it is on. Maybe this is practical for you already.

Yeah ,but sometimes bandits start to attack you near the city and you can't evade and look to the wings

Does it not work properly? You should only need to open setup.exe, click "assign feather prop. 1", click OK, then hold the button you want to assign it to. Then, in the game, each time you press it, it will feather or unfeather the prop of the engine. So far it worked 100% reliable for myself, never any problems.

The Feather Prop. If I want to select Engine 2 to do it ,how should I do? I just have one key configured for Feather Prop #1

I am trying to understand One thing that I especially do not understand is the last part about "individual pitch".

What part is it you want to disable exactly? The G940 throttles controlling the left/right engines? That is possible to disable. You can edit the mikkonfig.ini and put "no" for throttle 1 and 2 (but you have to do this each time you have used setup.exe, it automatically puts in the correct G940 throttles there). And also unassign prop pitch axis 1 and 2. Then you assign one of the G940 throttles in IL-2 under "HOTAS" to "power" and one to "prop pitch". You will have the reversal bug, but you can fly IL-2 and control the engines like as if you were not using Multi-Throttle 4.0. Meaning you have to select each engines with buttons and move them with the controller assigned to "power". You can still use the individual engine control buttons I think.

If you want to have the dual throttles control the power on left/right engine, but use 1 controller to control the pitch for both engines but individually, this is not possible. Because Multi-Throttle has to use the IL-2 regular control system. To move engine 1, it will check the G940 left throttle, assign it to 'power', then send a command to IL-2 to select the left engine, then send the new 'power' setting. Same for individual prop pitch and any other engines. Each time a new engine is selected, it will recieve the settings that the other engine is using. It cannot remember the setting the engine had from before. To get a feeling for how this feels like, just turn off multi-throttle and set things up without it.

Of course you may already know all these things, and maybe you want it. I explained just in case. I am pretty good with coming up with control solutions/setups by the way. If I understand better exactly what you want to do, I might be able to come up with solutions.

Individually Pitch,select each engine Pitch.
Disable your program when I'm on flight is what I want to disable . (For the Feather Prop,Pitch etc for EACH engine)


Another question: Have you done this with sockets?
Thanks

[MikkOwl]

Originally Posted by Qpassa

Yeah ,but sometimes bandits start to attack you near the city and you can't evade and look to the wings

If you have time to look on the G940 and press a button, maybe you have time to look out the window? Either way, you need to look around to see what the enemy is doing.

The Feather Prop. If I want to select Engine 2 to do it ,how should I do? I just have one key configured for Feather Prop #1

If you are using IL-2's "feather prop" and want to use only one button:

1. Move a controller on the engine you want to select (for example, right throttle for the right engine on a twin engined plane). That engine will be selected.

2. Press the feather prop button.

________

If you want to directly control the feather prop function of individual engines, with a unique button for each:

1. Assign the buttons for "Feather Prop. 1" and "Feather Prop. 2" (etc) in the Setup program. You can assign them to any controller button.

2. To feather or unfeather when flying, press the button you assigned for that engine. No need to move a throttle to select an engine.

You can use the mode 1, 2 and 3 on the G940 in creative ways to fit many more functions too.

Individually Pitch,select each engine Pitch.
Disable your program when I'm on flight is what I want to disable . (For the Feather Prop,Pitch etc for EACH engine)

You can do it. But you will have problems controlling each engine, because that is how IL-2 works. I don't think you will find it practical or useful to try.

1. Do not assign anything to "Prop. Pitch Axis 1" (and 2) in Setup.exe. Unassign it if you assigned something there before.

2. Unassign the "Feather Prop. 1", 2 3 4 etc in Setup.exe.

3. In IL-2, assign "Feather prop" to the button you want. Then assign a controller axis to "Prop. Pitch" in the HOTAS section at the bottom.

4. When flying, it is just like default IL-2. You can select engines manually. Each time you move a throttle on the G940, it selects the engine it controls. If you select an engine manually with buttons, the engine will get the power & prop pitch of the other engine. Example:

Your left engine is a bit damaged. You want to be careful with it. You move the left throttle down a bit to power down, and move the right one up to give more power. Then, you try to select the left engine with a button (to put in lower prop pitch), but it jumps the power up high. The same power as the right engine. Despite your left throttle is set to low power. The same thing happens with prop pitch too, and Magneto, and fuel mixture.

This is how the Il-2 engine control works. When another engine is selected, it will copy the power, prop pitch, magneto, radiator and fuel mixture from the old engine. It is difficult to handle. The only way you will be able to control pitch individually without 2 axis in a reliable way, is to not use multi-throttle. Because each time you move a different throttle, it selects that engine and copies the settings from the old engine.

If you assign two axis to "Prop. Pitch Axis 1" and 2 in Setup.exe you can control them individually however.

Another question: Have you done this with sockets?
Thanks

Sockets? Like, network connection? It uses UDP networking to connect the programs to IL-2.