Setting up joystick / Hotas controls

[Skuz]

So far the experience has been frustrating. 3 hrs logged and none of it is actually playing the game. I get they want to make this a realistic flight sim. Great. However setting up the very basic controls should not be this complicated or problematic.
You have to setup a profile and then activate that profile every time you load the game.
make some changes and maybe it will remember all of them, maybe not.
Then make sure the profile is assigned to the correct plane you are using.
Try to set up the throttle slider and exactly where you start it and which way you slide it can completely muck up the setup. And no matter what it always ends up backward anyway when you go to try a quick mission.
Rudder always inverts no matter how you set it or that it shows its good in settings. And even with a dead zone the plane wanders all over the place.
Setting up the most basic of controls is more complicated and hit and miss than any game or flight sim I've ever seen in a lifetime. Heck its more complicated than playing any game.
I would really like to enjoy this game however if I can't even get past key settings the game is useless to me.
Looking for advice because I'm ready to ask for a refund otherwise.
Please and thank you.

[bycomet]

1. make sure you click accept when you are done setting up, not press esc. otherwise the settings will not be saved.
2. it is not recommended for new players to set too many detailed controls. Pitch, roll, yaw, throttle, prop pitch, mixture, flap, and landing gear, these eight should be enough for your first flight, and they are basically common in different planes.
3. after setting an axis, a backward arrow icon will appear, click to invert this axis.
4. what do you mean by "plane wanders"? If in a small range, it may be turbulence or lacking of trim adjustment, but in any case, WWII planes are not stable.
5. this game is really not so difficult, I can use xbox controller to take off and land, just be patient to practice, you will surely enjoy it and spend hundreds of hours in this game.

[Skuz]

I appreciate your input bycomet:
1. Clicked accept multiple times, even everytime I made one change
2. Thats all I'm trying to do is set up the main things. I cant even get pitch, yaw, roll, and throttle to work never mind anything else
3. I've clicked the invert button so, so, so many times. The invert button even changes however it always reverts back
4. As soon as I start on the ground the plane is going in circles and I havent touched anything yet or it doesn't do anything even with full throttle
5. I would love to practice but without controls that cant happen.
I've played flight sims before, this isn't a new thing. Any other flight sim took minutes to set up the basic controls and start flying.

[bycomet]

Seems like device incompatibility issue. The game always recognises full throttle when you start a flight so the propeller torque makes you spin and you were not using rudder to mitigate this momentum. I would suggest you to control variables to figure out the issue, such as:
1. put your throttle at the maximum position and start a flight
2. use keyboard to control throttle and joystick to control pitch/roll/yaw
3. use keyboard to control throttle/yaw and mouse to control pitch/roll
4. use the same device in other games

You will identify the issue occurs at which step. If it is the device incompatibility only in this game, you may report it to the official forum and the developer will fix it.

[Skuz]

Hotas is a Thrustmaster T.16000 which sounds like some people have been able to get it to work.
It works great in other games with no issues.
The game is recognizing it however it wont set the axis's correctly.
So far the pitch is the only one that seems like it works although I havent been able to confirm that.
Throttle is either backwards or only goes 50%.
Roll is backwards, rudder is also backwards.
If I really work at it adapting for the reverse rudder it sometimes will go straight but its super touchy and other times its even worse and just touching it the plane spins around and flips over. And thats adjusting the sensitivity down.
I've put in a support request so we'll see where that goes.

[Shawn]

Check the sticky about the game not recognizing controllers.

[Skuz]

The intro to that post.
"Joystick not recognized in game possible solution
This issue is about the joystick not being seen at all in the game. None of the buttons or stick works, not even when mapping in game.

If your Joystick is recognized, but the axis doesn't work, this topic is not for you."

[Skuz]

I've spent almost 3 hours in game and about 10 hours going through the FAQ's, discussions, forums etc. and asking around about a possible solution. No luck so far.

[Skuz]

So tried things from a different approach. Reset everything in the game including key mapping and then restarted the game. The pitch and roll now work and the yaw also works although not where i want it to. The problem now is the throttle, the only that works now is with the mouse scroll wheel.

[Art]

Yeah the invert button is a bit odd, it kinda works sometimes, but if you read the instructions very carefully when binding the device it tells you how to move the device in a certain way EG full right then full left then full right again etc. I had some issues but only took me a while to get it all done

[Skuz]

I've tried them so many different ways and if I try to set it its glitched. If I leave the setup as it comes it kinda works so basically customizing my setup isn't an option. No reason for this to be so complicated when games could manage a custom setup with no issues 25 years ago.

[Art]

Originally posted by Skuz:

I've tried them so many different ways and if I try to set it its glitched. If I leave the setup as it comes it kinda works so basically customizing my setup isn't an option. No reason for this to be so complicated when games could manage a custom setup with no issues 25 years ago.

sounds like a hardware issue if no one else is having any other issues, maybe your hardware just isn't supported or is running the wrong firmware. Try verifying the games files too

[Skuz]

I have heard of other people getting the same setup working however I've yet to stumble on what was done if anything. Hardware is up to date. Verified files as you suggested.
Appreciate the suggestions.

[Phantomox]

how many devices do you have listed in game controller properties?

i had all sorts of drama getting my controllers to function,it turns out IL2 can only handle 8 listed devices.
i have wheels pedals rudders joysticks,virtual controllers,well over 8 devices,etc etc
i had to use a device lister and action mapper to get IL2 to recognise certain controllers and ignore others,so that when the game boots it loads only the devices i assigned up to a max of 8,its a small app that has to reside in the games data folder
i doubt this is your issue but its worth noting here.

[Skuz]

Catweazle, appreciate the suggestion. I only have the joystick and matching throttle setup.
I've kindof got it working however its nowhere near how I'd like it and unfortunately the whole experience has deflated my interest in the game. I'm not sure if I'll ever put any more time into setting it up or even play the game.