ManyButtons

As those who fly in VR know well, the feeling of immersion in flight is incredible. Once experienced, few go back the 2D world.

But there are challenges to flight in VR; the principal one being access to enough controls. We don’t have an interactive cockpit in Condor and must use keyboard functions - mapped as needed to joystick hardware. Frequently the challenge is to have enough buttons to control everything that you want to control.

Clearly one solution is to use controllers with multitudinous buttons and switches - there are some very sophisticated HOTAS controls available which enable this approach.

Otherwise, most of us are left with a ‘normal’ joystick and the keyboard. Some keyboard buttons are easy to locate tactilely; most are not.

The solution presented here actually enables control of a complete flight in Condor, using all desired* control functions and including full control of XCoar, using only one 12 button joystick (regardless of whether you use separate rudder pedals).

There’s a bit of setup to do, but once completed, and familiar with the control combinations, you can fly as you wish without being troubled by needing the keyboard.

With the exception of typed chat - which necessarily requires the keyboard - it's possible to complete an entire flight in Condor using only your joystick for control. You can even refer to other running windows.

This solution clearly is based on one preferred set of key assignments - and the script is obviously easier to use that way. But there is nothing stopping people adapting it as required to suit different preferences (though this may involve some coding adjustments also).

And for many there may just be code fragments that may add a useful function to existing solutions.

Most likely this will be of greatest benefit to those who are just taking the step into Condor in VR.

Refer to Autohotkey and Antimicro for details of how to utilise the files below.

*What is ‘desired’ or not is very much individual preference, however it is straightforward in most cases to modify assignments to your own preference.

Code for 8 Button Joystick (MSFF2)

AHK script: ManyButtons8.ahk (1.4)

Controls guide: ManyButtons8.txt (1.4)

Antimicro settings: 8B.joystick.amgp

Code for 12 Button Joystick (Logitech Extreme 3D Pro)

AHK script: ManyButtons12.ahk (1.4)

Control guide: ManyButtons12.txt (1.4)

Antimicro settings: 12B.joystick.amgp