Keyboard Throttle Control Precision

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by ennoborg, Aug 30, 2020.

  1. ennoborg

    ennoborg New Member

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    From BVE and Microsoft Train Simulator, I remember that a single keypress would increase or decrease the throttle lever a single notch, so that I could always count on 3 keypresses changing the throttle from off to full, and any keypress making a real change.

    In TSW, this is not the case, so that I never know what the effect of a single keypress will be, or how long I have to press it to get the proper effect, and IMO that's a step back compared to BVE and MSTS.

    Is there a way to get the precision I need? Would things work better with a controller?
     
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  2. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    I guess I am confused, but a single press increases or decreases 1 notch. Holding the key will continually increase or decrease accordingly Are you not wanting the keys to auto-repeat when held?
     
  3. jackthom

    jackthom Active Member

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    I’ve often found that a definite quick press moves the throttle lever but it doesn’t necessarily latch into the new position. A longer press seems to be required and it can be hard to judge just how long to hold the key down without overdoing it and jumping an additional notch. Support for a controller with definite positions would be great but I’m not sure such a beast exists.
     
  4. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    On Run8 and TS2020 I use the RailDriver. It does add a new level of realism and overcomes the key press problem somewhat.
     
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  5. Sharon E

    Sharon E Well-Known Member

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    I have also noted that a single press of the 'A' key can sometimes get you 2 notch change in throttle, especially when first starting from idle.
     
  6. Nick_Brad

    Nick_Brad Member

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    I personally use a mix of xbox1 controller and keyboard/mouse to play as movement is too sensitive with the controller, yet the buttons give the right amount of feedback, so one click, (most of the time,) equates to one notch. I cannot move the controls accurately with any degree of confidence with a mouse and the keystrokes can be hit and miss sometimes. I await raildriver support so I can finally go ahead and purchase one after all these years of waiting, but I hope that it is fully functional before I make the plunge.
     
  7. ennoborg

    ennoborg New Member

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    I see the same as jackthom and others, that one press does not equal one notch, unlike in the sims that I mentioned, and in Open Rails. In that, for levers with notches, one keypress is always one notch, without repeat, and for 'analog' levers it's about 1 %, with repeat.

    In TSW, it looks like levers are always treated as 'analog', so that you never know how much it needs to reach the next notch, and as a software engineer, I'm a bit surprised by that.

    I must add that a cheap PS3/PC controller makes life much easier, for only € 7,95.
     
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  8. davidh0501

    davidh0501 Well-Known Member

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    Hopefully the forthcoming drivers, for controllers such as raildriver, will give more precise control.
     
  9. Dinosbacsi

    Dinosbacsi Well-Known Member

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    Yeah it is pretty annoying. I press the key to increase/decrease throttle, it even makes the sound, only for it to jump back to it's original position.
     
  10. davidh0501

    davidh0501 Well-Known Member

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    Agreed. I’m currently using the keyboard until raildriver support.
    The lack of precision is most frustrating when you are trying to keep your speed close to the maximum whilst making subtle adjustments for gradient changes
    You give a single tap to adjust for an increased gradient and it jumps two notches. Or you try to increase the brakes gently by one and the blasted thing jumps two. It’s the randomness of this occurring thats annoying as it needs constant monitoring and readjustment.
     
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