Basic Training - Workarounds to button issues with Xbox HOTAS and Controller

User Support Hub Aircraft & Systems
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This workaround is intended to give alternative buttons that work in default settings when attempting to complete Basic Training and when using the T.Flight HOTAS One and Xbox Controller.

Some buttons suggested by the Basic Training tutorial do not work.

Here’s a mapping of what the buttons actually do and this is what the control instructions should say.

BASIC HANDLING - INTRODUCTION

You are asked ti switch to ‘Cockpit View’ with the (B) button. Instead try the (View) button (two little squares) to go to ‘Cockpit Mode’.

Next after entering Camera Mode (holding left bumper (LB) and (X), you are prompted to go back to the original Pilot View. (B4) as suggested won’t work, but pressing down the Xbox Controller Right Stick (R) does the job.

BASIC TRAINING - AIRCRAFT ESSENTIALS

In this lesson, when being asked to adjust the throttle when looking at it, it will only recognise the Controller Right stick (R) being used (not the HOTAS throttle) so just use the Controller even if you have the HOTAS (which seems to work fine the rest of the time).

BASIC TRAINING - FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT

The first issue here is when you are asked to look around “Quickview” with (NEXT) button or the (Menu) button. Neither work. But moving the HOTAS (Hat Switch), the HOTAS’ “D-Pad” switch, left/right’/forward/down looks around the cockpit.

When looking right to ‘Sedona Airport’, you are asked to use (A) to set the SmartCam. That’s a no, but you can use the HOTAS stick trigger (F1) to set the SmartCam instead.

BASIC TRAINING - STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT

It’s worth mentioning if you aren’t familiar with it, the ‘Axix-5’ required to adjust trim is the horizontal rocker switch behind the throttle. Holding it down at either end will adjust the trim.

TAKE-OFF AND LANDING - TAXIING

This was a mess. I have Rudder Pedals (and they usually work) but the tutorial didn’t recognise them. On a HOTAS twisting the stick should turn instead (and that usually works for me) but in this case that didn’t work either. Amusingly left and right stick roll did work, but the control was so hideous I switched the HOTAS off. With only a Controller it’s still hard to do but at least the buttons are as marked.

  • ok, that’s where I’m up to. I’ll press on an add further workarounds as I find them.
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Will they not just release a patch to fix this ???

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Sure, but

  1. Will the descriptions be changed?
  2. Will be active keys be changed? (so I have to learn new keys)
  3. When will that happen, can I not do the most basic things while waiting e.g. learning to fly the plane? If I can’t even learn the basics then this is an utterly broken experience. I’m trying to find a way past this nonsense, not wait a month before some solution wanders by.
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I appreciate what you are doing, it’s just that it frustrates me that we shouldn’t have to do this… They should have made sure this was working before shipping.

This stick is listed as compatible…

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You’re not wrong. I’m trying to drive any frustration I may feel into a temporary solution that allows me to enjoy the experience. :thinking:

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I appreciate your post including screenshots as well, but the basic training is just a hot mess with the hotas at the moment. I think I’ll try again tomorrow with the controller.

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@NickRamCTID it’s a hot mess with controller too. Iv’e been have a problem where objectives bug out and I can’t advance.

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Greats tips. I’ve found all this out the hard way though such a disappointment day one. I managed to bind the rudders to twist on stick though. Has everyone else? I looked at what axis the controller was using for LT And RT and used that for twisting the actual stick to bind left and right.

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Thanks for the clear explanation of what is going on. My Hotas was delivered today and is waiting on me at the house. I’ve spent the last 2 days struggling thru the training lessons with only the elite series 2 controller for my Series X.

I’m assuming, after reading this, to maybe NOT frustrate myself by attempting these lessons with the Hotas. I AM looking forward to trying out the flight stick, however, after attempting to fly with that confounded controller…

Seems to be a ton of info on this site… Thanks everyone.

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I still prefer the stick to the controller. It was only really the taxiing lesson that did my head in. :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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My t flight hotas one is quite useless atm. It works fine with ace combat but on msfs, even though it’s registered I don’t seem to be able to control the aircraft. I’ve just started the game again and for the first time under the controller name it shows T.FLIGHT HOTAS ONE PROFILE. Before it just said default. I have noticed also, under the sensitivity settings and even though I’m not moving the joystick, the Joystick L-Axis 2 bar is jumping around quite a bit and I can’t get it to stay still, (you can see that the door is above the centre line). Unsure if that will have any bearing on game play though.

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Here’s hoping. I fail to understand how all the reviewers on YouTube are using their T. Flight joysticks seemingly without any issues whatsoever. Are the problems we’re having not typical of everyone’s experience I wonder?

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Put some dead zone 5 to 10% on your axis and that should stop your jumping around issue.
When you start flight Sim again check your settings are still there.

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Actually I have increased the dead zones to the control surfaces but my issue with the rudder constantly moving was due to the potentiometer. I had to take it out and give it a bit of a twist and luuuube. Working perfectly now, apart from the button assignments not registering

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Just curious what the best tension setting should be on the thrustmaster hotas as I am still trying to find the right tension, and just curious what the majority of users have theirs set to.

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To be honest I didn’t know you could set the tension (or how).

Mine feels good so I’ve never looked. :thinking:

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Yeah there is a small tension dial on the bottom of the joy stick side to either tighten or loosen the tension.

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Thanks SofaJockey for sharing. It’s too bad the quality control is not keeping up with the Sim’s popularity., especially since the developers have had a year with the PC platform. Some of these problems are ‘basic’!

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I am having lots of similar issues with the Thrustmaster TCA Officer Pack stick/throttle. The peripherals look hella sweet sitting on the desk, but I can’t complete the tutorials due to crazy bugs like the throttle not working while taxiing, etc. I wish MS would fix this, or at least that I could find a writeup like this for my stick/throttle combo. I nearly bought the T.Flight HOTAS but opted for the cool blue retro Airbus style instead.

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