Game Help/GameHelpVolume1_1994/GAMEHELP.ISO/thrust/faqs/faqs.txt

Text File | 1994-04-27 | 20.5 KB | 440 lines

Flight Control System/Pro Flight Control System

    Problem:  My joystick won't act normally no matter which game I'm
                  in or how many times I calibrate it.

    Solution:  This is common when using a sound card game port or
                   system game port on machines such as a 486, and even
                   some of the faster 386's.  This also can happen if
                   there are two active game cards.  The solution is to
                   make sure there is only one active game card.  If there
                   is only one card active, you will need a dedicated,
                   dual port, speed adjustable game card, such as the
                   ThrustMaster ACM.

    Problem:  My joystick worked fine for a couple of months, but now
                  I can't calibrate it no matter what I do.

    Solution:  You are experiencing 'heat drift' problems with the
                   potentiometers.  They will need to be replaced.  You
                   can take the unit back to where you bought it or
                   call [phone] and ask for service.

    Problem:  The HAT switch/buttons on my FCS/PFCS work
                  intermittently, or don't work at all.

    Solution:  This normally happens on faster machines, such as a 486,
                   when the Flight Control System is plugged into a sound
                   card's game port or the game port that came with the
                   computer system.  The solution is to use a dedicated
                   dual port, speed adjustable game card, such as the
                   ThrustMaster ACM card.

    Problem:  Something popped inside my FCS/PFCS, and now it is loose
                  on one side.

    Solution:  This is caused by a spring that has either broken or
                   popped off inside the unit.  You can take the unit back
                   to where you bought  it or call [phone] and ask
                   for service.

    Problem:  The hat switch won't function in Falcon 3.0.

    Solution:  For versions of Falcon earlier than 3.02, you will need
                   a TSR program to run the cooley hat, such as The Pilot's
                   Edge by Dwight Ennis or a shareware program called
                   F3cooley.zip.  This is because the earlier versions of
                   Falcon do not use the hat switch.  If you have
                   Falcon 3.02 or later versions, the hat is supported in
                   the game.  This shareware program is available on many
                   bulletin board systems nationwide, or directly from
                   ThrustMaster.

    Problem:  When I installed the joystick, it made the game lock up
                  and act "weird".

    Solution:  A joystick is not capable of doing this.  The only thing
                   a joystick does is change an analog signal that the game
                   card reads.  The problem may lie in the hardware setup
                   of the computer.

Mark II

    Problem:  When I download/calibrate my Mark II nothing happens.
                  The line that says "put the switch into calibrate"
                  doesn't change, even when I put the switch in calibrate.

    Solution:  Try rocking the red switch back to analog, then forward
                   to calibrate.  This will reset the Mark II for
                   downloading.

    Problem:  I have rocked the base switch back to analog and then
                  forward to calibrate a number of times, and it still does
                  not do anything.

    Solution:  This is a keyboard BIOS problem.  Refer to the section
                   on Keyboard Bios for a detailed solution.

    Problem:  I used to be able to move the base switch into calibrate,
                  and it would download.  Now nothing happens when the
                  screen says "put the red switch into calibrate".

    Solution:  This may be a bad three way switch.
                   Call [phone] and ask for service/repairs.

    Problem:  In order to download, I need to rock the red switch back
                  and forth a number of times (or hit the enter key on the
                  keyboard a number of times) to get it to 100%.

    Solution:  This is symptomatic of a keyboard bios/controller
                   problem.  The Mark II has a difficult time communicating
                   with a few keyboard bios controllers.  You will need to
                   have a wire modification, and upgrade chip installed.
                   Call [phone] and ask for service/repairs.
                   Note:  refer to keyboard bios section for more
                   information.

    Problem:  When I calibrate the unit, I get to the point where the
                  program says to pull it back to cutoff (all the way
                  back) and when I do press button one on the WCS, nothing
                  happens.  To continue I press the enter key on the
                  keyboard to exit.

    Solution:  If you can get through the calibration routine and get
                   stuck at that point, you may hit the enter key on the
                   keyboard to finish the calibration program.

TMSA Diagnostic Utility

    Problem:  I am using the MARK II WCS, and when I try to calibrate
                  my FCS/PFCS all I get is 830 under the HAT column.

    Solution:  This is normal when entering TMSA if both the red switch
                   and the black switch are in the digital position.
                   Change the black switch to analog, then you will be able
                   to adjust the hat value.If you have set the switches
                   correctly on the WCS, this may be a sign of a bad hat
                   switch on the FCS/PFCS.  You can take the unit back to
                   where you bought it, or call [phone] and ask for
                   service.

    Question:  How do I adjust the HAT value to 82?

    Answer:  You need a manually, speed adjustable game card.

    Problem:  I get no number underneath the HAT column.

    Solution:  This is typical when there is more than one active game
                   port on a system.  The other game port needs to be
                   disabled. .  This also can happen on some game cards
                   that come with a computer system.  This is because many
                   of these game cards are designed to only read a single
                   joystick.  The hat uses the y-axis on the second
                   joystick.  This will cause the value to be missing under
                   the hat column

    Problem:  I have put my black switch on the Mark II WCS in analog
                  and I still get a value of 830.

    Solution:  Try rocking the switch again.  Make sure the red switch
                   is in digital.  If it still does not change, it may be
                   a bad switch.  Call [phone] and ask for
                   service/repairs.

    Question:  How do I make sure the analog throttle is working
                   correctly?

    Answer:  When in TMSA, put the red switch in analog, the black
                 switch in digital.  Underneath the HAT column you will see
                 the value change, depending on where the throttle is.
                 When the throttle is forward, you should see a value
                 around 5 to 15.  All the way back the value should be
                 approximately 70 to 100.

    Question:  How can I check to see if my buttons on my FCS/PFCS are
                   working in TMSA?

    Answer:  Look above the right box.  You will see a row of zeros.
                 When you press a button, the zero will be replaced by a
                 one.  If your joystick is plugged into the Mark II, you
                 will need to place the red switch into calibrate to see
                 the button presses register.

Game Cards

    Question:  Why shouldn't I plug my ThrustMaster hardware into my
                   sound card's game port or the game port that came with
                   my computer system?

    Answer:  On faster speed machines, the joystick routine in the
                 software does not read the joystick signal properly.
                 This is referred to as timing problems.

    Question:  How can I tell if I have another game port on my system?

    Answer:  Any 15-pin connector on the back of your computer is
                 another game port.

    Question:  How do I disable the other game ports on my system?

    Answer:  Refer to the documentation that came with your computer
                 system or your sound card to see how this is done.

    Question:  What makes a speed adjustable game card better than a
                   sound card game port, or one that came with the computer
                   system?

    Answer:  They are designed to vary the joystick signal so that the
                 software can read the full joystick signal, and properly
                 process the data.

    Question:  Do I need a speed adjustable game card?

    Answer:  Yes, if you are using a high speed computer such as a 486.

    Question:  Why do I need a "dual-port" game card?

    Answer:  Because software reads the ThrustMaster products as a TWO
                 joystick input.

    Question:  What is a 'timing problem'?

    Answer:  This is caused when the joystick value that is sent to the
                 CPU from a sound card game port and/or a game port that
                 came with a computer system is too high for the software
                 to read.

    Question:  What causes the timing problem?

    Answer:  This is caused by the fact that these cards cannot adjust
                 the length of the joystick signal to the CPU speed.

Keyboard Bios

    Question:  What is a keyboard bios problem?

    Answer:  Microcode problems within the keyboard bios chip which
                 causes communication problems with the Mark II.  There are
                 known microcode problems with a few of keyboard
                 bios/controller chips on the market.  These include AMI
                 versions D, B, 8, 0.  Acer and Phoenix are some other
                 known problematic bios chips.  There are also 'clone'
                 versions of the AMI bios that say F version or later, but
                 do not work.  The reason is that they are 'clones' and
                 are stamped with the AMI seal, but are not true AMI chips.

    Question:  Are there some systems that the Mark II WCS will not
                   work with?

    Answer:  The Mark II is designed to work with the 100% IBM PC AT
                 standard.  There are a number of computer manufacturers
                 who design their computers with proprietary technology
                 which does not conform to the true IBM standards.  This
                 causes the Mark II to have trouble communicating with the
                 computer system.  The Gateway 2000, and its' programmable
                 keyboard are a good example of this.

    Question:  If I have a keyboard bios problem, how do I fix it?

    Answer:  Try using a different brand keyboard (try a friend's).

    Question:  What if I don't have access to another keyboard, or a
                   different keyboard does not work?

    Answer:  There is a wire modification that can be done on the
                 circuit board of the Mark II (NOTE: This is only for
                 models that use the DOS prompt command download.exe to
                 download).  Once the unit is open (screws taken out and
                 circuit board visible), look for two connection points
                 J43 and J42 on the side towards the cable connectors.
                 The keyboard cable has two wires that connect here, a red
                 one and a black one.  You will need to reverse and
                 resolder these so that the RED is connected to J43, and
                 the BLACK to J42.  Note:  Do NOT attempt if you are not
                 comfortable with this kind of work.

    Question:  What if I can't do this modification, or it does not
                   work?

    Answer:  You can replace the chip inside the Mark II.  This chip
                 is NOT a fix, but rather an upgrade.  It incorporates new
                 features such as a menu driven download interface, allows
                 a continuous keypress, and extra programming features.
                 Because of the known microcode bugs in some of the
                 keyboard bios controllers, we have attempted to address a
                 problem that does not exist within our product, and to
                 help those who have this trouble.  We do not provide this
                 upgrade chip free of charge.

Miscellaneous

    Question:  What are the analog and digital modes?

    Answer:  Analog is the signal that is sent through the game card.
                 Digital is when the signal is sent through the keyboard
                 port.  (I.E., when using digital, the device will act
                 just like a keyboard.)

    Question:  Can I use TMSA without using ThrustMaster equipment?

    Answer:  Yes.  It can be used to check equipment not manufactured
                 by ThrustMaster. In general, the ACM adjustment procedure
                 can be done with most adjustable game cards. If you're
                 using a non-adjustable card or built-in game port, then
                 you will not be able to set the range of values that TMSA
                 will display, but the tests for general operation,
                 symmetry, and minimum value can still be performed in
                 essentially the manner described.

    Question:  Why should I not select the ThrustMaster option within
                   a game when using the Mark II WCS?

    Answer:  Because the support for the WCS was written for the
                 original Mark 1 WCS, and will not work with the
                 Mark II WCS.  When using the Mark II, you can run a
                 digital hat, thus eliminating the need for FCS game
                 software support.

Common Game Calibration Routines

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster FCS/PFCS in
                   Spectrum Holobyte's Falcon 3.0, OFT, MiG-29 & Hornet?

    Answer:  If using just the FCS/PFCS and you have the MiG-29 or
                 Hornet add-on's, select "ThrustMaster" in the war-room.
                 If you do not have MIG-29 or Hornet, you need a third
                 party TSR such as the Pilot's Edge to allow the hat to
                 function as views.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster WCS Mark II and
                   FCS/PFCS in Spectrum Holobyte's Falcon 3.0, OFT,
                   MiG-29 & Hornet?

    Answer:  Prior to entering the game make sure your red switch is
                 set to Analog and the black switch to Digital. This
                 provides for much smoother throttle control.  Select
                 "Joystick" in the system setup.  Once in a mission press
                 ESC.  Then go to control.  Select joystick, then
                 recalibrate.  Follow the directions for calibrating the
                 joystick and throttle.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster WCS Mark II and
                   Rudder Control System in MicroProse's F15 Strike
                   Eagle III?

    Answer: Select "Joystick" in the Hardware options menu or Options
                menu within the game.  Have both your red and black switch
                set to Digital.  To use the RCS or to run the game with
                Analog throttle you'll need a software patch from
                MicroProse to update the calibration routine.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster FCS/PFCS in
                   MicroProse's F15 Strike Eagle III?

    Answer:  Just select "ThrustMaster" from the Hardware options in
                 the install menu or the Control menu in the game.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster WCS Mark II in
                   Microsoft's Flight Simulator 5?

    Answer:  Put the red switch to analog and your black switch to
                 digital prior to entering the game.  For "Joystick One"
                 select Aileron and Elevator.  For "Joystick Two", select
                 "Throttle" only or "Throttle and Rudders" if you are using
                 Rudder pedals.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster FCS/PFCS in
                   Microsoft's Flight Simulator 5?

    Answer:  Get into the game's preference's menu and select Aileron
                 and Elevator for "Joystick One".

    Question:  I'm trying to fly Aces of the Pacific/Aces over Europe
                   with my FCS/PFCS and my hat won't work, what should I
                   do?

    Answer:  Select "ThrustMaster" for flight under the Preferences
                 menu and calibrate the FCS/PFCS.  Note:  Aces of the
                 Pacific Mission Builder 1946 has better FCS/PFCS support
                 than the original release.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster WCS Mark II in
                   Dynamix's Aces series?

    Answer:  AOE came with an .adv file that you can use.  Copy that
                 .adv file into the Mark II directory and download it.
                 You can play either game in either Analog or Digital
                 throttle.  If you decide to play in analog throttle select
                 "Joystick" for flight and "Slider on Joystick 1" for the
                 throttle in the Preferences menu.  If you decide to run in
                 Digital throttle select "Keyboard" for throttle and
                 "Joystick" for flight

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster WCS Mark II in
                   Nova Logic's Comanche?

    Answer:  Select "Normal Joystick" in the Control menu.   Have the
                 red switch set to Digital and the hat mode set to Analog
                 just for calibrating the FCS/PFCS.  Center the FCS/PFCS
                 and squeeze the trigger.  Swirl the FCS/PFCS AND swirl
                 the hat.  Squeeze the trigger a second time.
                 After calibrating, place the hat mode switch to Digital.

    Question:  How do I configure the ThrustMaster FCS/PFCS in
                   Nova Logic's Comanche?

    Answer:  Select "ThrustMaster" in the preferences menu.

    Question:  I have Strike Commander and I'm using the FCS/PFCS and
                   your RCS.  Why can't I get the hat or rudders to work?

    Answer:  We couldn't either until the Tactical Operations add on
                disk came out and we installed it.

    Problem:  I'm using the Mark II WCS with the FCS/PFCS and I can't
                  get the calibration sequence to recognize button 2 in
                  Microprose's F117 Stealth Fighter.

    Answer:  When in the calibration sequence, put the red switch on
                 the Mark II into calibrate.  This will allow the game to
                 recognize button 2.  After calibration, flip the red
                 switch back to the original position it was in.

Additional Notes

    (  If your ThrustMaster hardware is working in one simulator and
           not in another, then the problem you are having is in the
           software, not the hardware.  When the hardware is broken, it
           doesn't work in ANY simulator.  )

    (  As a general rule of thumb, do not select any option for
           ThrustMaster when using the Mark II WCS and the FCS/PFCS.  )

    (  You cannot use both red and black Mark II WCS switches in
           analog.  )

    (  If you have doubts about the FCS/PFCS performance, run the
           TMSA.EXE file.  This comes with the Mark II and ACM card.  If
           you don't have either of these, you can download this file from
           our various BBSs'.  )

    (  After downloading an .adv file to your Mark II WCS, run KEYTEST
           prior to entering your simulation.  This will show you what
           each button outputs when pressed.  )

    (  Use the trigger any time a game calibration routine asks for a
           button press.  )

Customer Support

    If this manual does not answer your questions, you may call
        ThrustMaster technical support at [phone] from 8:00 am
        to 5:00 pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

    ThrustMaster also monitors these On-line services:
    (  Compuserve        -  Go FS Forum, 72662,2334
    (  America Online    -  ThrustMast
    (  GEnie        -  Thrust.dude
    (  Prodigy        -  GVRR37A