HOTAS controls in Tank Crew

[Rustedgun]

I play Great Battles in VR (planes and tanks) and have a Warthog HOTAS and pedals. 
1) VR means a keyboard and mouse only solution for tank controls does not make sense for me
2) Given that the planes in Great Battles all share one input file (there are not separate inputs for individual planes) my HOTAS controls are basically all used by by plane settings
3) Given that single input file is now used for all tanks, as well as all planes, I have tried to dance around to get proper tank settings but I keep getting conflicts with my plane settings (even when sharing control inputs).

 

This has become more than awkward and has certainly been frustrating and time consuming. So am I correct in assuming that there is no real solution for this problem 
other than to go to third party software as Thad has been so kind to discuss in other threads? Also, I have not seen any discussion of separating the input files from the developer, so I am also assuming that this will be an on-going issue even when Tank Crew leaves early access. Thanks for any input.

Edited August 29, 2020 by Rustedgun

[RedeyeStorm]

Agree, it is a pain in the ***. I hope also that they give us turret control through a joystick and separate the keybindings. Other then the solution you found there is none that Imam aware of.

[Thad]

On 8/29/2020 at 5:01 PM, Rustedgun said:

2) Given that the planes in Great Battles all share one input file (there are not separate inputs for individual planes) my HOTAS controls are basically all used by by plane settings
3) Given that single input file is now used for all tanks, as well as all planes, I have tried to dance around to get proper tank settings but I keep getting conflicts with my plane settings (even when sharing control inputs). Thanks for any input.

 

Salutations,

 

There doesn't have to be just one input file. ?

 

I made one for Single Engine craft, Dual Engine craft and another for tanking. After keymapping each vehicle classification to my satisfaction... I copy it into its special folder and set them up as it's own mod using JSGME.

 

I can then activate the craft input mod I want to fly or drive before starting the game. Unfortunately, if I desire to change  vehicle categories I'm flying or driving I have to exit the game... deactivate and activate the one I want. But that doesn't really take that much time.

 

I know, I know.... it is a bit clunky. But it works for me. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rustedgun]

Thanks Thad,

Do you mind if I ask a few dumb questions regarding your reply? I would probably not go the JSGME/mod route (not fully comfortable with that) but would it be possible to:
a) Copy the existing data/input folder to a temporary location called "planeinput" (or do I just need to copy out one specific file from the input directory rather than the whole directory?)
b) Delete the input directory so the game creates a new input directory with the necessary new files
c) Go into the game and create new settings for tanks and then copy the input directory to a location called "tankinput" 
d) Then...when I play with planes I copy the "planeinput" files to the input directory and when I play Tank Crew I copy the "tankinput" files to input.

 

Would this work? I am afraid if I delete the whole input directory I am probably deleting more than just the key bindings but I am not sure what else is in there. This is why I wish the game would do this rather than me :>) 

[Thad]

Unfortunately, the game will currently only allow assess to one 'input' folder.

 

I know of no way to direct it to another input folder other than the mod activate route. ?

 

When one deletes the 'input' folder, all of your chosen key bindings are lost unless you saved a copy.

 

As you can see, there in only one input folder. That is the one the game goes to.

[LukeFF]

On 8/30/2020 at 2:16 AM, [Pb]RedeyeStorm said:

Agree, it is a pain in the ***. I hope also that they give us turret control through a joystick and separate the keybindings. Other then the solution you found there is none that Imam aware of.

 

As Jason mentioned today in the General Discussion forum, joystick turret controls are coming soon: 

 

 

[FTC_Zero]

5 hours ago, LukeFF said:

 

As Jason mentioned today in the General Discussion forum, joystick turret controls are coming soon: 

 

 

I am looking forward for that. Not able to use joystick for turret control was my first and biggest complain with TC.

[DD_Crash]

Joystick control in the next update

[Thad]

39 minutes ago, DD_Crash said:

Joystick control in the next update

 

Oh, the joy.... the rapture! 

Now let's arrange selectable aircraft input folders. ?

[[KG]Destaex]

That is all gentlemen. Good to see some progress. Although I am pretty happy with the mouse controlled turret.

[Goosevich]

It will be way more ergonomic to use those shortcuts in red tanks, that have view ports all over the place(best example being KV-1S that i hate commanding 'cos of those viewports and rearward DT mg). So that's a plus i guess.

[Field-Ops]

I cant wait for this, joystick or arrow keys are better for tank aiming in a sim IMO. Competitive scenes where mouse aim is used just doesnt account for machinery and gunnery limits IRL like those other tank games. 

[Enzo38]

if you're using a HOTAS do you still need the keyboard or mouse to control anything or is everything controlled with the grip and the throttle ?

also not clear how do you define turn left/right assuming the stick is used for the turret.

 

definitely new to this game

[DD_Crash]

I use rudder pedals to slew left/right and buttons on the stick for adjust sights, reload, fire, start engines etc.

[too-cool]

Anyone have a Tank Crew Profile utilizing X55 HOTAS and Rudder Peddles they don't mine sharing? Thanks  TC

[Ludwig_Gluck]

On 9/11/2020 at 4:09 PM, DD_Crash said:

Joystick control in the next update

Did this ever happen? I am trying to make it work that way and am not getting very far...

[MajorMagee]

Yes, there is a setting to turn off mouse control.

I have my HOTAS set as:

 

X Axis for rotating the turret left and right

Y Axis for gun elevation

Z Axis (rudder twist) for steering to turn left and right

Throttle for forward (>50%), reverse (<50%) and brake (50%)

 

Tank Control Key Tables

Edited April 25, 2021 by MajorMagee

[JV44HeinzBar]

On 9/3/2020 at 4:11 PM, Rustedgun said:

Would this work? I am afraid if I delete the whole input directory I am probably deleting more than just the key bindings but I am not sure what else is in there. This is why I wish the game would do this rather than me :>) 

 

S!,

I can't get the tank controls to work at all when my HOTAS is connected (Virpil stick & throttle). I have to decide ahead of time if I want to tank or fly. If my hotas is connected, I open keymapping and select "default". This, and only this, allows me to control the tank by using keyboard commands. When I decide to fly, I paste in a copy of my flight controls I keep in a separate folder.

 

If my controls start to act up again, I delete the entire Input folder and let the game rebuild from scratch. I have to say, this is very frustrating. It would be nice to have a completely separate folder for tank controls so I can actually use my hotas.

 

HB

[BP_Lizard]

I’m too dumb to figure out the Virpil’s software so I use Joytokey. One profile is for flying and the other for the tank (you can configure the turret control as well.)
It runs in the background so I can Alt Tab it on top and change profile without exiting the game.

Edited June 27, 2021 by BP_Lizard

[Thad]

 

 

15 minutes ago, Thad said:

Salutations,

 

Just a suggestion. I never needed to  use T.A.R.G.E.T.

 

I ended up developing multiple 'input' files for TC and for the aircraft.

1. I key mapped everything for Tanks and insured that everything worked as I assigned.
 

2. I then saved a copy of that 'input' folder and placed it in a newly created 'data' folder.

3. I then created a 'TankInput' folder and place my new 'data' folder into my new 'TankInput' folder.

4. I then placed the TankInput folder in my games MODS folder for activation and deactivation as a mod.

Now, whenever I want to go tanking.. I simply activate my TankInput mod.

I Deactivate it when I want to use my plane input files.
 

I did the same procedure for Single Engine Planes and Twin Engine Planes.

 
But this is just me. 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Thad

[JV44HeinzBar]

Any news on this matter?

 

HB
 

[DD_Friar]

I don't know if its stick related but I use an X52 with rudder peddles with no problem.

I use the Saitek programmer mapping software which gives me 3 modes for pretty much every button.

I have the twist enabled and use it for left right movement. Up down is controlled by forward backwards.

 

Just make sure you have enabled Joystick controls in the game settings. Members of my squad use all sorts of different sticks for tanks with no issues. 

[III/JG52_Al-Azraq]

I just got into Tank Crew (I'm enjoying the hell out of it in Finnish Server) and after trying mouse+keyboard and HOTAS, I take HOTAS every single day of the week.

 

It just not allows me to change to a plane quickly, but also aiming with my stick is much more precise than with the mouse.

 

What I have setup is:

 

1. Stick = turret aiming and fire

2. Throttle = throttle where the upper 50% of the axis is forward and the lower 50% is backwards. In orde to have a clear idle throttle zone, I setup a big deadzone at 50% of the axis within game settings. This setting is not shared with planes, I checked.

3. Pedals = turn

 

And is so so much better than mouse and keyboard. My friend who uses keyboard for movement was amazed at how I was able to do so smooth turns. Of course, I use hats in HOTAS for changing stations, binoculars, etc.

 

Yeah there are some conflicting bindings but these main ones I just explained are not. Signal flares and eject I think they are, but at least for me it is not a big deal.

[Thad]

Check my post above in reference to method used to change tank to plane etc.

 

Sorry no current method to do so from within the game. 

[LithiumR]

I seemed to have gotten this to work becuase my HOTAS (X56) has "modes". I just made a second mode where the joystick axis acts as mouse... still a pita to map the rest of the controls though and I have to invert the Y axis which means I have to come out of VR when switching from planes to tanks etc. But anyway... just a heads up that it's possible with logitech software. Hope that helps someone until this is fixed.