Reverting to Keyboard?

[Plumbersmack]

Hey all.

So I apologize in advance, I am very new at flight sims and using joysticks. So bear with me.  I have disabled the options advised under the steam controller section.  I have used the joystick wizard.  I have searched the manual.

Cliffs of Dover does not want to recognize my joystick, even if I go into options and input them manually. It keeps reverting to my keyboard. I have tried the joystick wizard half a dozen times, I have manually assigned all keybindings in game... but it always just seems to clear almost immediately (even though it still shows as saved)

Example, I am doing the trainings, and one mission the throttle is working, but the next it is not. Or I try the cliffs of dover mission and the plane wont even respond to the controls (even though it just had in training).  The trigger won't shoot, only space bar will... and there seems to be many controls not actually listed under options??

Anyway - point is, what am I doing wrong, and how do I get my joystick to work?

 

Thanks!

[343KKT_Kintaro]

9 hours ago, Plumbersmack said:

Anyway - point is, what am I doing wrong, and how do I get my joystick to work?

 

 

Maybe you simply don't plug your joystick at the very same USB port you used when you recorded your settings.

 

At any rate, please read the following instructions I usually give to pilots in distress like you. If none of the below advice was useful, then read the "Getting Started And Troubleshooting Guide".

 

First of all, set your bindings. Launch your game and, on the main menu, click on "Options". Then, when you are in the "Options" page, click on "Controls". Once you are in the "Controls" page (see the below images), choose, out of two, the type of controls you want to set first, if axes controls (mainly with your HOTAS, your HOTAS is your joystick and your throttle lever) or key controls (mainly with your keyboard, but plenty of buttons are in modern HOTAS).

 

My advice is you set first all the axes controls, this way:

 

 

 

And then, the key controls... this way:

 

 

 

 

In my case, examples of axes controls are the stick, the throttle and one small wheel that is located on top of the throttle lever in my HOTAS and that I use as the propeller pitch. Examples of key controls are the letter G in my keyboard, which in my case is destined to toggle the undercarriage down and up, or the War Emergency Power toggle key (WEP), which in my case is a button on the throttle lever in my HOTAS. So, in my case, the undercarriage and the WEP are one in the keyboard, the other one in my HOTAS, but both are key controls as they are not axes.

 

Now, if you want to set the specific settings for a specific aircraft, please know that there are no specific settings for specific types, variants or subvariants in this game... if not explicitly notified as such in the very same lists of controls (the lists are partially visible on the two above screenshots).

 

So, as a conclusion, first of all go to the flashcards that correspond to the planes whose engine controls you want to set. It is reading the specific flashcard of one specific aircraft that you'll learn the specific controls you need to set in the lists of controls. Start first with the axes controls: a double click on the name of one control line in the list will display the pop-up window that awaits your click or axe's use so that a control is assigned on your HOTAS or keyboard. As I said, start first with the axes controls. Then, when you are running out of axes controls in your HOTAS, start setting the key controls (again, following the flashcards as this is your first contact with the simulator and the flashcards instruct on the basic controls you need, the bare bones!). As the flashcards only give instructions for takeoff, cruise flight and landing, you'll need to learn what other controls you need to set, but this will come with time, with experience, and simply exploring the lists of controls.

 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE 1: before you plug your HOTAS, choose carefully the USB port in your computer as you'll need the very same plug every time you'll play your Cliffs of Dover simulator.

 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE 2: every time you set controls in your game, go to the lower right corner and click on "Apply"... you'll be immediately kicked off the Controls page so you'll need to go back to the Controls Options page and, this time, click on "Save As...", which will open a window in your PC hardrive where you'll name and save your controls file... if you do not do so, your updated controls will not be kept the next time you'll play the game.

 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE 3: every time you save your controls file, you need to overwrite the same file with the same name.

 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE 4: in your Steam library, go to your Cliffs of Dover Blitz section, go the parameters (the toothed weel icon) and untick two boxes, the Steam overlay and the Steam downloads.

 

 

[9./JG52_J-HAT]

Hi Plumbersmack,

 

after you try Kintaro‘s suggestion and if it still doesn‘t work, could do a quick test?

 

Go into the control options like Kintaro showed, bind something simple that you can find again to another key on your keyboard. Apply and go fly and see if it works. 
 

If it doesn‘t, then go in the control option again and bind the same command again to the same key you did in the previous step and „save as“ in another folder outside of your /Documents folder (which is where cliffs config files are located, under 1c Softclub/cliffs of dover). Hit apply, come back to the control options and select the file you saved as for your control scheme. Then apply. Try to fly and see if the keybind now works.

- if this is the case, you need to allow the game to make changes to your Documents folder. Usually it‘s windows ransomware protection protecting it or lacking permissions from the windows user logged in (that you are using).

 

 

If it does work with the keyboard binding (new key has been assigned), then Kintaro‘s steps should have covered it for the Joystick too and you wouldn’t need to test it. So this shouldn‘t be a possibility. Then make sure your joystick is working in Windows (under Devices) just in case. 

Can you also confirm that if you change resolution in game (video options) that after restarting the game the resolution has indeed chnaged?
 

Since you have SteamCloud off it isn‘t Steam resetting your keys.

May be of interest:

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/programs-cant-save-to-documents-folder-briefly-worked-but-then.3461264/

 

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by 9./JG52_J-HAT

[zzzxxxxzzz]

3 hours ago, 343KKT_Kintaro said:

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE 3: every time you save your controls file, you need to overwrite the same file with the same name.

This is not correct, you can use whatever name you want and then load the file you want to use, you can have multiple configuration files

[Plumbersmack]

Thank you all for your replies. When kids go to bed tonight, I will try them, and if I have further problems I will respond. Thank you in advance!

[Plumbersmack]

Thanks all. Aside from me being a very poor pilot - which leads to awkward take off, landings, and stability (always leaning left...) in the air issues. All problems are resolved. Thanks.

[Buzzsaw]

1 hour ago, Plumbersmack said:

Thanks all. Aside from me being a very poor pilot - which leads to awkward take off, landings, and stability (always leaning left...) in the air issues. All problems are resolved. Thanks.

Are you trimming your aircraft?  Rudder trim is important to keep the aircraft flying straight.

 

However, because these are prop aircraft as speed/engine rpm/prop pitch changes, the trim will change... so requires continual adjustment.

 

When taking off, a key is to not slam the throttle to full.... always gradually roll on the throttle, you should not use more than 80% until you are rolling straight.  And you will need to use your rudder to keep from veering to one side.

 

In landing, the key is to slow down, deploy flaps, deploy undercarriage, and then come in a lower speed, roughly 20kmh over stall speed and at a low angle... avoid steep fast descents to the runway.  Requires patience, but with practice can pull off those perfect 'kiss the runway without a bump' landings.  ?

[Guest deleted@7076]

-Deleted-

Edited September 12, 2022 by Varrattu

[jollyjack]

USB blues ....

 

every time you plug in an USBdevice windows searches for (new) drivers. You can delete al obsolete left over ones with USBdeview.

 

More than one flightsim usb device? some times the ID numbers get messed up; JoyID is a nice tool for resetting that.

[Plumbersmack]

21 hours ago, Buzzsaw said:

Are you trimming your aircraft?  Rudder trim is important to keep the aircraft flying straight.

 

However, because these are prop aircraft as speed/engine rpm/prop pitch changes, the trim will change... so requires continual adjustment.

 

When taking off, a key is to not slam the throttle to full.... always gradually roll on the throttle, you should not use more than 80% until you are rolling straight.  And you will need to use your rudder to keep from veering to one side.

 

In landing, the key is to slow down, deploy flaps, deploy undercarriage, and then come in a lower speed, roughly 20kmh over stall speed and at a low angle... avoid steep fast descents to the runway.  Requires patience, but with practice can pull off those perfect 'kiss the runway without a bump' landings.  ?

I think I need to rebind my trim keys.  I have mostly just been getting used to flying and the boom and zoom tactics.  Thankfully, I can hit a target (sometimes).  So far only used the hurricane. Been doing the Dover campaign.

I've actually gotten halfway decent with landings, after crashing at least a dozen times.  Take off is still rough, I use my joystick for rudder - sometimes it isn't responsive enough, and sometimes it is too responsive...

16 hours ago, jollyjack said:

USB blues ....

 

every time you plug in an USBdevice windows searches for (new) drivers. You can delete al obsolete left over ones with USBdeview.

 

More than one flightsim usb device? some times the ID numbers get messed up; JoyID is a nice tool for resetting that.

Thanks - I will have to look into that program. I used to have a different joystick installed.

[Buzzsaw]

On 7/26/2021 at 7:46 PM, Plumbersmack said:

I think I need to rebind my trim keys.  I have mostly just been getting used to flying and the boom and zoom tactics.  Thankfully, I can hit a target (sometimes).  So far only used the hurricane. Been doing the Dover campaign.

I've actually gotten halfway decent with landings, after crashing at least a dozen times.  Take off is still rough, I use my joystick for rudder - sometimes it isn't responsive enough, and sometimes it is too responsive...

Thanks - I will have to look into that program. I used to have a different joystick installed.

Did you calibrate your joystick in windows?

 

If you haven't, you should do so... the joystick could be incorrectly calibrated and this will give you abrupt responses and jerky application.

 

Please see the 'Getting Started... Guide' in the manuals folder for instructions on how to do this.  ?

[Plumbersmack]

On 7/29/2021 at 2:47 PM, Buzzsaw said:

Did you calibrate your joystick in windows?

 

If you haven't, you should do so... the joystick could be incorrectly calibrated and this will give you abrupt responses and jerky application.

 

Please see the 'Getting Started... Guide' in the manuals folder for instructions on how to do this.  ?

Yes - I did do that when I first got the joystick. Thank you

[Buzzsaw]

On 7/31/2021 at 3:21 PM, Plumbersmack said:

Yes - I did do that when I first got the joystick. Thank you

I would recommend calibrating your joystick regularly... they have a tendency to get out of true.