Recent version updates, any subtle changes to tank drive controls?

[stupor-mundi]

For ages, I've been using a usb midi device (X-Touch), with VJoy and FreePIE. FreePIE does the job of mapping the buttons, dials, and slider of the midi device onto such same controls of a joystick (just a virtual joystick in this case). I've been using the same FreePIE script for this for ages.

 

Recently, Tank Crew behaves in unpleasant ways which it didn't used to. I have a slider for tank speed, but additionally a 'stop' button which when pressed sets the tank speed to zero, even though the slider is in the position (usually some forward speed) it was before. It used to work fine, the stop command was respected and the slider only started to override that when I physically moved it again. Now, since some weeks, the slider, after a few seconds (or less than a second), often overrides the stop, and the tank randomly starts to drive. It's maddening.

 

Of course there can be loads of reasons for this. The hardware might have a usb issue and disconnect/reconnect. Or a recent Windows update could have changed something usb wise or midi wise.

 

Or it could have been a controls change in IL-2 tank crew. Hence this question-- it might be easier to fix my FreePIE script if I know what's changed ...

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by stupor-mundi

[MajorMagee]

I have my speed tied to my throttle handle with the mid-point (with a dead zone) being 0 speed . More throttle goes forward, and less throttle goes in reverse. There is no stop for me other than moving the throttle handle back to the mid-point. It seems quite natural and intuitive, and avoids any conflicts with other commands trying to do something different at the same time. Well, I suppose there is killing the engine, but then I really should expect the throttle position to no longer be relevant until the engine restarts.

[stupor-mundi]

I've debugged it a little with the VJoy monitor, and could see that whatever weirdness was happening, it happened before getting to VJoy, i.e. the VJoy monitor was showing it. That also means that no IL-2 update can be the culprit.
If it's not a Windows issue, it's probably just hardware oldness. Could be the midi device itself, but maybe another usb device, like my keyboard, could be flaky and maybe resetting things.

I've improved my FreePIE script and made the control more explicit, with hysteresis, but the problem still happens sometimes. That just supports my impression that it's my hardware's fault. I'll swap my keyboard, and maybe get a new midi device.