Released: Multi-Throttle Support for IL-2

[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.

[Qpassa]

Well I will try today,yesterday was impossible to take off with Multi Throttle, the throttle doesnt take same power to both engines. Just training
Thanks for all!
Will you include change of the colours in the throttle despite of Off Lights? For example: I want to configure when an option is ON,Colour will be Red,if it is OFF it will be Orange

[MikkOwl]

"Despite of off lights"? You will need to rephrase that.

If the throttles do not show the same position, you can tweak it. I made a function for it. DATA folder, mikkonfig.ini, and go down to "LEFT_THROTTLE_LAG=". It has instructions on how to use it. My G940 throttles are not syncronized normally either, so this function allowed me to put them very close.

[Qpassa]

Originally Posted by MikkOwl

"Despite of off lights"? You will need to rephrase that.

If the throttles do not show the same position, you can tweak it. I made a function for it. DATA folder, mikkonfig.ini, and go down to "LEFT_THROTTLE_LAG=". It has instructions on how to use it. My G940 throttles are not syncronized normally either, so this function allowed me to put them very close.

Ok.
When ,for example I fold the wings the light will be OFF(No light) and when I de-fold (don't know how to say ) it turns RED.Could be changed OFF colour for ORANGE for example?

Its like a switch

ON=RED=No fold
OFF = No light= The wings are "folded"

[MikkOwl]

It is not possible for users to change it in the current version. It was set by me manually to whatever seemed most logical. In general, they are organized according to this system:

1. Borrow most of the colors and behaviour from the Junkers 88. It is logical for the most part. Indicators for systems are green when set properly for landing and taking off. Red when not proper for landing/take-off. Yellow if in between.

2. The red color is supposed to warn that the system is not set properly - so it includes the air brake and WEP/Boost. But on the G940 the lights are very close to each other and it is not obvious which one is what system. Mixing red for landing gear up together with WEP and other things is contradicting, because then the lights mean completely different things. RED for gear would be normal, while red for air brake and WEP would mean a big warning. This is why the 'off', or 'normal' flight color, is off instead of red or yellow. Wing fold is red only when the wings are folded, because that is very dangerous in any situation except parked on the carrier.

3. Green is used for systems that are not dangerous, or to show that a system is set properly for landing/take-off. Level stabilizer for example. Or flaps in landing position, landing gear down, and arrestor hook down.

4. Another reason for 'off' instead of other colors is because IL-2 keeps saying that things are not activated in planes that don't even have the system. If flying planes without wing-fold, the button would be yellow all the time.