LCC GamePad Controller

Firstly, update to the latest Beta.

Make sure all is working as normal, check your Configure and all Weather dialogs (set all defaults).

Shutdown OpusFSX and FSX.

Then plug in your controller, install the windows driver if necessary.

Start up FSX and the OpusFSX FSXSERVER program.

Edit the FSX SETTINGs and Delete all button and axes assignments (automatically made by FSX) to your new PS3 controller, save the changes.

The controller should enabled but control nothing. Similarly for FSUIPC the controller should control nothing.

Then open the Opus Spy window, you should see the controller listed there. Check your list of devices when you open Spy, it should match the list in FSX Settings.

Open the Shortcuts dialog and click on Live Camera Control (LCC).

Select the controller type from the Controller list box.

Click on Left and then operate the left-hand X axis on the controller.

Click on Up and operate the left-hand Y axis on the controller.

Repeat for Forward and Yaw Left using the right-hand axes.

Now assign your buttons. I use the left-hand buttons for motion, the right-hand for stop and resets, then central buttons for changing mode and the PS centre button for the Set Camera LCC function.

Click Save a couple of times and you are done.

Remember FSX only allows eye point (6DOF) control in VC, 2D, and the Opus 'custom' external aircraft view. The axes are read directly by the LCC software however, you can adjust the sensitivity (speed) and dead zone for the axes in the LCC dialog.

If the view drifts then calibrate your controller.

First, is your controller listed in the Spy window when you open it and is this list the same as the listed controller devices in FSX ?

Yes you should also delete the controller assignments in FSUIPC.

Just the controller you intend to use for LCC. I dont know of any quick way but it doesnt take long to select the controller and whiz down the FSX buttons and control axes lists to remove everything. You cannot really have the same button or axis controlling two things so just allocate or assign functions (FSX or LCC) as appropriate.

We have a DualShock3 which worked straight away after plugging in.Someone on AVSIM said,"the solution I found was to install the following PS3 driver: http://www.motioninjoy.com/download. It's far from ideal as I need to run the program each time I want to use the controller and "enable" the driver in order for the axis to work".

Win7 64-bit SP1. We just used the native driver.

Hi all.

Opus Software wrote: Have you got the button assigned to two separate functions?   For instance, it should be dedicated to either an LCC function or a view change, not both.   Stephen

Well, it could be. So my understanding there is no point to create cameras if using LLC gamepad function. Is that right? 

Hmm, that what I was trying to achieve. Well, will try it again. Will report  back with the details if I fail it again. 

OK. It is working but still jittering severe when change views from LCC to cameras. No key conflicts neither within Opus nor within FSX controls. May be I am missing something.

I think Dead Zone made a difference. Cameras are transitioning way better now. 

You can keep the yoke and pedal axes via FSUIPC and just add the PS3 controller for use in OpusFSX.

Good idea. I haven't implemented the axes control in Camera editing yet but it is something I may add in the future. The Camera editing movements are related to the aircraft axis wheras the LCC movements are related to the current eye point. But I will most likely be allowing the LCC movement control to be used in Camera editing as an additional feature for those using Gamepad controllers.

OK - after three weeks of trying I still cannot get the PS3 controller to load properly. I tried straight out of the box win7 64 drivers with no luck. I downloaded drivers and followed the instructions still no luck. I have installed and uninstalled the controller till I am blue in the face and still not luck.
So finally, I just put the controller on the shelf in the storeroom, a place I rarely venture these days, and will operate without LCC.
Too much time spent fiddling and not enough time using the Sim for what it is intended.
Don't know why computers have to so darn complicated - maybe we are just asking too much. One thing is for sure I will never understand how two people with the same proprietary operating system can get such different outcomes plugging in a standard controller made millions of times over and get different outcomes.

Finally, I got the PS3 controller operational.

However, after deleting all the button/key references to it in FSX I found conflicts with the yoke and pedal settings e.g. a button on the controller would apply brakes.

Outcome - PS3 controller returned to PS3 box (i.e. storeroom)

I may have another go in the future but frankly it isn't that important to me.

What is important is that I get good weather depiction - the reason I bought OPUS in the first place - and I do.

Hi

I persevered yesterday and after some fiddling around the controller connected.

However, when calibrating my x/y axes were controlled by the four direction buttons on the L side of the controller and the two joysticks were not operational. Is this normal?

Just before I shutdown for the night I went back into the controller calibration and the L joystick operated the x/y axes and the R operated as the Z axis.

I have checked FSUIPC and have made sure the controller is not conflicting.

I have the four buttons on the R side of the controller linked to four camera views.

I'm making small inroads into this process but it is proving quite frustrating. Perhaps I'm just thick but if someone could put up some screenies of what buttons do what for them it may help.

Thanks

You will find an image of my LCC Shortcuts in the OpusFSX User Guide.

My RH axes control was identified as the controller's Z and Rotation Z axes. You may need a dead zone though.

Stephen

I now have my controller working cooperatively with FSUIPC. In the end I had to disable i.e. not reference. the joysticks on the controller to prevent a clash with the pedals. In lieu of the joysticks I used the L/R direction buttons to take care of the X and Y axes and the U/D direction buttons to take care of the Z and rZ? axes.

I have used LCC to 'fix' the eye points but have noticed the panel in the T7 still moves around and the eye point references on the panel after heading changes is thrown out of kilt sometimes horizontally and at other times it appears I have moved forward (and down) in the seat.

Is this a normal outcome or should the eye point stay fixed once corrected in LCC? I ma using the FSX Axis Indicator V to demonstrate this movement.

I have used the Set camera function but it is quite noticeable that in the NGX with the HUD in place the image on it moves from side to side as the aircraft turns.

I set up the camera with a heading of 030 at Dubai and when taxiing to the active the eye point moved to the left when on a heading of 120. When I turned to a heading of 210 the image in the HUD was once again centred only to move again to the left as I turned to a heading of 300.