Microsoft KB Archive/257513

= Combat Flight Simulator: Rudder Control Does Not Function Properly =

Article ID: 257513

Article Last Modified on 1/21/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator: WWII Europe Series
 * Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater

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This article was previously published under Q257513



SYMPTOMS
When you use the rudder control on your game controller in Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator, it may not function properly.

This behavior can occur even if the rudder control functions properly when you calibrate and test the game controller in the Game Controllers tool in Control Panel.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented.

Disable Auto-Coordination
The Auto-Coordination feature in Combat Flight Simulator disables the rudder control. If the game does not respond when you use the rudder control on your game controller, Auto-Coordination may be enabled.

To disable Auto-Coordination:
 * 1) Start a new flight in Combat Flight Simulator.
 * 2) On the Options menu, click Settings.
 * 3) Under Controls, click to clear the Enable auto rudder check box.
 * 4) Click OK.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Reset the Default Game Controller Actions
To reset the default actions assigned to the game controller:  Start a new flight in Combat Flight Simulator or Combat Flight Simulator 2. On the Options menu, click Settings. Under Controls, click Customize Controls or Customize Assignments. Click the Assignments or the Joystick Axes tab. Click any action in the Axis or the Device column, and then click Reset Defaults. When you are prompted to reset your device assignments, click Yes. Click OK.</li> To make sure that the default actions are selected for your 4-axis game controller, verify that the Action settings for each Device match the settings that are listed in the following table. </li></ol>

If the default actions are not selected, assign the default actions manually:
 * 1) Repeat steps 1 through 4 in the above procedure.
 * 2) In the Axis or the Device column, click an action that you want to assign to a button or an axis on the game controller, and then click Assign or Change assignments.
 * 3) On the game controller, press the button or move the axis that you want to use for the selected action.

If you receive a warning message that a different action is already assigned to the game controller button or axis, click Clear, and then click Assign or Change assignment to assign the action to a different button or axis.

NOTE: When you click Assign or Change assignment, you must press the button or move the axis that you want to use for the selected action within five seconds.
 * 1) When you are finished manually assigning actions to the buttons and axes on the game controller, click OK.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Calibrate the Game Controller in Combat Flight Simulator
NOTE: Digital game controllers are calibrated automatically by the game controller software. This method applies to analog game controllers only.

To calibrate the game controller in Combat Flight Simulator or Combat Flight Simulator 2:
 * 1) Start a new flight in Combat Flight Simulator or Combat Flight Simulator 2.
 * 2) On the Options menu, point to Settings, and then click Game Controllers or Calibrate joystick.

NOTE: If the option to calibrate the game controller is not available in the Game Controllers dialog box, then the game controller may be a digital device that is calibrated automatically by the game controller software.
 * 1) Follow the instructions on the screen to calibrate the game controller.
 * 2) Click OK until you return to the Settings dialog box, and then click OK again.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Disable Sound in Combat Flight Simulator
To determine if there is a problem with your sound card or the driver for your sound card, disable sound in Combat Flight Simulator. To do so, press the Q key.

If the issue is resolved when you disable sound in the game, contact your sound card manufacturer to inquire about how to obtain and install an updated driver for your sound card. For information about how to contact your sound card manufacturer, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Reduce the Sound Playback Quality
If the issue is resolved when you disable sound in the game, your sound card may be unable to properly process game port signals and high quality game sounds at the same time.

If this is the case, you may be able to work around the issue by reducing the sound playback quality in the game: <ol> Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.</li> In the Named box, type combatfs.cfg .</li> In the Look in box, click My Computer, and then click Find Now.</li> In the list of found files, double-click the Combatfs.cfg file.</li> If you are prompted to select the program that you want to use to open the file, click Notepad in the Choose the program you want to use box, and then click OK.</li> Scroll to the end of the file, press ENTER twice, and then type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you type each line:

[SOUND]

Channels=1

SamplesPerSec=11025

</li> On the File menu, click Exit. When you are prompted to save the changes, click Yes.</li> Close the Find: Files Named Combatfs.cfg window.</li></ol>

NOTE: The Cfs2.cfg file that is included with Combat Flight Simulator 2 already contains the following lines:

[SOUND]

Channels=1

SamplesPerSec=11025

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Configure the Game Controller as a Different Gaming Device
Use the Game Controllers tool in Control Panel to configure the game controller as a different gaming device.

NOTE: You cannot configure any Microsoft SideWinder game controller as a different device except for the SideWinder Standard or the SideWinder 3D Pro.

To configure a SideWinder 3D Pro joystick as a 3-axis 4-button joystick with Rudder/Pedals:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click Game Controllers, and then click Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro.
 * 3) Click Remove, and then click Yes.
 * 4) Click Add, click 3-Axis, 4-Button Joystick, and then click OK.
 * 5) Click Properties.
 * 6) On the Settings tab, click to select the Rudder/Pedals check box.
 * 7) Click Calibrate, and then follow the instructions on the screen to calibrate the game controller.

NOTE: Axis 3 is the throttle control, and Axis 4 is the rudder control.
 * 1) Click Test to verify that the game controller functions properly.
 * 2) When you finish calibrating and testing the game controller, click OK, and then click OK again.

Additional query words: 1.00 msgame combatfs cfs side winder sw joystick gamepad

Keywords: kbhardware kbenv kbprb KB257513

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