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I have always dreamed of using differential braking in a flight sim. Unfortunately
most game port rudders don't feature toe brakes and as we know it, the USB rudders
won't be "totally" compatible with the Cougar. As I wasn't ready to
accept the fact that I couldn't use differential braking until the Cougar rudders
hit the market, I started working on the Cougar programming to eventually implement
virtual toe brakes on my elite rudder.
I was surprised how easy it is to implement such a function with the new digital
axis programming. Let's examine what we need:
- Obviously, it's the rudder axis that will be programmed digitally to implement
the toe brakes.
- As the rudder is normally calibrated as an analogue axis, we need to find
a way to disable the analogue value for the time that the toe brakes are implemented.
- Most of the toe brakes shortcuts are "holding down keys". So we
would need a Type3 axis (held character generation) with a null character at
the center position.
My first try was for FS2002. The following macros were created:
Brake_left = F11
Brake_right = F12
From what we have previously analyzed, we know we need to use the LOCK, UNLOCK
function of the Cougar Programming.
This function needs two states to work properly. A lock state and an unlock state.
This suits perfectly the /I /O method.
Let's assume we want the rudder functioning as an analogue Z axis when S3 is
not used and implement the toe brakes only when the rudder is depressed in conjunction
with the S3in. It means we need to assign the LOCK state in a /I string while
the /O string would unlock the analogue value.
We also need to set the Z axis analogue value that will be locked. For Flight
simulator, a value of 50% is fine as we want the rudder centered for the time
we use the toe brakes. Here is the resulting command:
RDDR /I LOCK
(RDDR,50%)
3 Brake_left ^ Brake_right
/O UNLOCK (RDDR)
The "3 Brake_left ^ Brake_right" is a simple type 3 digital axis statement.
As explained in the manual, it will generate and hold the macro "brake_left"
(F11) when the left rudder pedal is depressed. Generate a null character when
the rudder is centered and will generate and hold the "brake_right"
(F12) macro as long as the right pedal is depressed.
So basically, what does it mean in the sim?
When you want to use the differential braking, you need to depress S3 then use
your rudder pedal to apply the relevant toe brake. As soon as you release the
S", the rudder will go back to analogue Z axis value and will start to
implement the rudder axis again.
The only drawback is that you cannot depress both the pedals at the same time
with the Elite rudder (they are mechanically linked) So main braking still has
to be performed by other means. Unless if you are ready to toggle between right
and left braking :)
Convinced by the programming, I wanted to try the same thing for IL2 Sturmovik.
As I started, I realized that IL2 was implementing differential braking in an
innovative way. At first, I though it was going to be complicated to implement
my programming but I ended up realizing that it worked even better with this
way.
There is no toe brake shortcut for IL-2 but only a main brake key. So the macro
would look like this:
main_brake = b
Now what's interesting is that if you depress a rudder pedal when the main brake
is applied, the main brake is transformed to the relevant toe brake. Imagine
you want to turn left while taxiing at 10 km/h. You need to depress the left
rudder pedal and apply main brake while adding a little power. In this particular
case, the main brake shortcut behaves as a left toe brake (While the macro stays
the same) Needless to stay that if you want to turn right, the same thing happens
but you actually apply right toe brake.
So how this could help? Well, we are not forced to lock the rudder analogue
value at a given value but we could use the LASTVALUE parameter.
This would ensure that while having only a "main_brake" macro, depressing
the rudder then applying brake will act as the toe brake in the correct direction.
The good thing about this system is that if you start braking when your rudder
pedals are centered the main brakes (left and right simultaneously) will be
implemented - and this wil occur whichever way you depress the pedals.
You lost? Let's try this:
RDDR /I LOCK
(RDDR,LASTVALUE)
3 main_brake ^ main_brake
/O UNLOCK (RDDR)
The only difference with the FS2002 programming
is the LASTVALUE setting instead of a set value of 50%. And in this case, it's
what does the trick.
Comment on this article in the forum.
Olivier "Red Dog" Beaumont
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