Microsoft KB Archive/38348

Using the MAXX Control Yoke with Flight Simulator PSS ID Number: Q38348 Article last modified on 04-02-1991 PSS database name: D_FltSim

3.00 4.00

MS-DOS

Summary:

The MAXX Control Yoke works well with Flight Simulator versions 3.00 and 4.00. An application note titled “MAXX Yoke” is available that outlines the necessary steps to create a start-up mode that allows the MAXX Control Yoke to function in all areas of Flight Simulator. The application note can be obtained by calling Microsoft Product Support Services at (206) 454-2030.

The contents of the application note are outlined below.

More Information:

  Secure the MAXX Control Yoke to the edge of your desk in front of your monitor, and connect the cable to the IBM-compatible game card that you should have acquired and installed in your machine. If you have purchased a game card with a two- or three-position switch that will allow the selection of various ranges, you may need to experiment with the settings to find the optimal results. For example, setting the switch to the LOWER (minimal) setting on the Gamecard III by CH Products appears to work well with Microsoft Flight Simulator versions 3.00 and 4.00. Consult your game-card documentation for information on how to modify these settings.   Type “fs” (without the quotation marks) at the DOS prompt and go through the start-up menus as described in the “Answering the Startup Questions” section of the manual (Page xiv for version 3.00 or Page xi for version 4.00) to configure your system.   When Flight Simulator appears on your screen, you will be positioned at Meigs Field in Chicago. To calibrate the joystick, do the following:   Press “4” to select the SIM menu.   Select “E” to display the JOYSTICK menu. 

  Select Options 1 and 2, then press “4” to calibrate. (A plus sign (+) indicates that an option is selected.)   Press the SPACEBAR to exit the menu. </li></ol>

Note: To achieve optimal results with the MAXX, you may need to adjust some of the sensitivities in the JOYSTICK menu. Don’t set them now. Wait until you fly with the default settings and adjust the sensitivities later if you prefer to fine-tune the control responses. If you do reset them later, or change any other mode parameter that is saved in the mode, save the mode again with the SAME name. For more information on saving user modes for Version 3.00, see Pages 61-63 of the Flight Simulator manual; for Version 4.00, see Pages 58-62 of the Flight Simulator manual. For a list of the information that is saved in modes, see the MODE REPORT screen (Option 8 of the MODE LIBRARY). Hint: To reduce the need to recalibrate the MAXX (required after a crash), consider setting CRASH=Off in the SIM menu at this time. </li>  Press the SEMICOLON key to display the SAVE FLIGHT MODE menu. Press “1” and type a name for the mode, such as “MAXX Chicago Meigs Field”. If you are using Flight Simulator version 3.00, press “3” to save the mode to disk. For Flight Simulator version 4.00, press “4” to save the mode to disk. </li>  Select the MODE LIBRARY from the MODE menu, and press “B” to deselect Option B, “Use mode control sensitivities.” Note: You need to deselect Option B each time you start the Flight Simulator program, so that the mode control sensitivities associated with any mode you request will be ignored, and the specific MAXX instructions will prevail. Next, press “7” to see more modes until the name of the mode that you created appears on the list. Press the number that is adjacent to the mode name. If you are using Flight Simulator version 3.00, then press “D” to save the start-up mode to disk. For Flight Simulator version 4.00, press “E” to save the mode to disk. Press the SPACEBAR to exit the menu. </li>  You are now looking down Runway 36 at Meigs Field and are almost ready to fly. Position the MAXX yoke so that it is centered – the yoke is “pushed-in” so that approximately 1.25 inches of aluminum is visible on the elevator slide, and the yoke handles are level. Push the throttle slide to the bottom of its scale, and press “K” to calibrate the MAXX. Note: Each time you change modes or reset a mode because of a crash or requesting the Mode-Reset option (by pressing the PRINT SCREEN key), you need to recalibrate the MAXX. This is a simple task, and only takes a few seconds. To recalibrate, do the following:   Slide the throttle to the bottom of the scale. </li>  Center the MAXX yoke. </li>  Press “K” to calibrate. </li></ol> </li></ol>

When you have answered the start-up menu questions once, and have created a start-up mode for the MAXX, to start Flight Simulator and use MAXX in the future, do the following:


 * 1) Start Flight Simulator by typing “fs” at the DOS prompt.
 * 2) Deselect Option B, “Use mode control sensitivities” from the Mode Library.
 * 3) Calibrate the MAXX as described in Step 6 above.

Mouse
Flight Simulator will work correctly with the mouse and MAXX activated at the same time, so feel free to select the mouse during the start-up menus. However, Flight Simulator performance is generally enhanced if the mouse and joystick systems are not activated at the same time, especially when using slower megahertz machines. Because one of the greatest advantages of the mouse is its ability to easily move and size windows, an optimal solution is to create a series of “favorite” modes with the mouse enabled, then go through the start-up menus again and not select the mouse option.

Crash Setting
You greatly reduce the need to recalibrate the MAXX if the CRASH option of the SIM menu is set to Off. Any mode that currently has CRASH set to anything other than Off can be changed; simply set CRASH to Off (and make any other desired changes) and save the mode with the SAME name.

Using Floppy Disks
If you are running Flight Simulator version 3.00 from floppy disk, the Scenery disk of Flight Simulator resides in the disk drive while you use the product. Any modes that you create are stored here when they are saved. Keep in mind that the Scenery disk has only enough space for three user-created modes, so you may be unable to save the MAXX start-up mode that this document refers to if you have already saved three user modes to this disk.

Technical Support
For information and technical support regarding the MAXX yoke, contact the Maxximum Company at (208) 465-4613.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1991.