====================================================================== = TM-STICK = = Version 2.0 = = Read Me File 2/10/94 = ====================================================================== TM-STICK Features ----------------- This utility program gives you more flexible control of the joystick routines in Falcon 3.04, MiG-29 1.03 and Hornet 1.01 (and earlier versions of these games). TM-STICK works with any joystick, particularly the FCS from ThrustMaster. Although the joystick routines from TM-STICK version 1.0 have been incorporated into the latest versions of Falcon 3.0, MiG-29 and Hornet, TM-STICK version 2.0 will work with the latest versions of these games and will not interfere with the new built-in joystick routines. TM-STICK version 2.0 will also add the new joystick routines to any earlier versions of Falcon 3.0 and MiG-29 (in addition to fixing a problem with the rudders when using an analog throttle). TM-STICK allows you to set the null zone for each axis of two joysticks independently of one another. You can make the null zones wider or narrower on each joystick axis. If, for example, your F-16 starts rolling right or left immediately when you first move the joystick just a small amount, you can delay the start of the roll by simply increasing the width of the null zone on the X-axis of Joystick 1. This patch is also a very useful tool to use if you find that your aircraft is "drifting" to one side or the other. By increasing the null zone, you can avoid this "drift." If you have a ThrustMaster Mark II Weapons Control System, TM-STICK also allows you to set the position of the AB (afterburner) detent on your Mark II WCS when using analog throttle. If you find that your AB detent is not setting your throttle to (or very close to) 100% Military Power, then use this patch to force it to do so. The AB detent should actually be set so that your Mark II WCS's throttle handle in ANALOG will produce as close to 100% Military Power as possible without actually entering afterburner stage 1. As you move forward out of the AB detent, your afterburners will kick in. TM-STICK also removes the ILS view shift. Now when the ILS mode is turned on, your view will no longer shift down. It will remain like a normal view and the ILS view shift up/down will be disabled. TM-STICK Loading Instructions ----------------------------- You will need approximately 2K more of conventional RAM to load the TM-STICK TSR. Hornet, for example, will need a total of 606K RAM. You can check how much free conventional memory you have by typing "MEM/C" at the DOS prompt. Of course, you can load TM-STICK high in order to reduce the amount of conventional RAM needed. To load TM-STICK, just type "TM-STICK x1 y1 x2 y2 Th" or "loadhigh TM-STICK x1 y1 x2 y2 Th." x1 = Joystick 1 - X-axis (null zone for the roll axis) y1 = Joystick 1 - Y-axis (null zone for the pitch axis) x2 = Joystick 2 - X-axis (null zone for the rudder pedals) y2 = Joystick 2 - Y-axis (null zone for the ANALOG throttle) Th = percent of throttle travel where 100% (+/- 3%) Military Power should occur - also referred to as the AB detent (ANALOG THROTTLE ONLY! - not needed for digital throttle) The default null zones in Falcon 3.0/MiG-29/Hornet are 0%. The default AB detent position is set at 72% of minimum to maximum throttle travel. If your AB detent, for example, is causing the afterburner stages to kick in as you move _into_ the AB detent, then set the "Th" setting to something _more_ than 72%. If it is is less than 100% Military Power, then set it to _less_ than 72%. If it is already close enough using the default 72% that running TM-STICK sets it to, just don't enter anything in the fifth position and it will be set to 72% automatically. If a value is not specified for any axis, then Falcon 3.0 will use its default setting of 0% null zone. But you cannot skip over an axis. If you want to set the null zone on only the X-axis of Joystick 1, you can do that by entering: c:\>TM-STICK 15 But if you want to set the null zone on the Y-axis of Joystick 1, you will also have to enter a number for the X-axis of Joystick 1 and so forth. For example: c:\>TM-STICK 0 15 will use the same null zone (0%) that is the Falcon 3.0 default null zone on the X-axis of Joystick 1, but set the Y-axis of Joystick 1 to 15% so that the pitch up and down of your F-16 does not occur as rapidly as with the game's default null zone of 0%. For example: c:\>TM-STICK 15 15 30 0 75 This would set the null zones and AB detent as follows: Joystick 1 - X-axis - (roll) - set 15% null zone Joystick 1 - Y-axis - (pitch) - set 15% null zone Joystick 2 - X-axis - (rudders) - set 30% null zone Joystick 2 - Y-axis - (ANALOG throttle) - set 0% null zone AB detent - set to 75 % of throttle handle travel If, for example, you use DIGITAL throttle instead of ANALOG throttle, you would enter the above settings leaving out the values for the Joystick 2 - Y-axis and the throttle. c:\>TM-STICK 15 15 30 This would set the null zones as follows: Joystick 1 - X-axis - (roll) - set 15% null zone Joystick 1 - Y-axis - (pitch) - set 15% null zone Joystick 2 - X-axis - (rudders) - set 30% null zone Since the Joystick 2 Y-axis and Th positions deal only with ANALOG throttle, they are not needed with a digital throttle and will be ignored if you set them. What Is a "Null Zone"? ---------------------- The joystick routine in Falcon 3.0/MiG-29/Hornet reads the stick value in a range of -1000 to +1000. The default null zone in the joystick routine is 0%. This produces a stick value reading on each axis that can be represented by this: Null Zone -1000---------------------------0--------------------------+1000 If you apply the above patch and select a null zone of 15%, you will have a stick value reading that can then be represented by this: -1000-----------------------|Null Zone|--------------------+1000 This means that you will get the same total stick read values, but they will be pushed out towards the two ends and this will cause a small area of no movement in the middle and an sharper increase in response of the stick as you move it to each side (or up and down depending on which joystick axis you set the null zone for). TM-STICK Unloading Instructions ------------------------------- To unload the TM-STICK TSR after you finish flying and exit the simulator, just type "TM-STICK" and press the Enter key. You will see a message that tells you the TSR has been unloaded. ====================================================================== This utility was jointly developed by ThrustMaster, Inc. and Spectrum HoloByte, Inc. and was written by Ken "Stinger" Richardson. Copyright 1994 ThrustMaster, Inc. All rights reserved.