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[SAS~Bombsaway]

I was just given BOS Deluxe and BOM Standard along with the P-40 as an early birthday gift. My graphics card will run it but I've been told by Mike I need a better one. It will run it but I'm sure it could look better.

I have a few questions since now after all these years of IL2 1946 modded, now I'm a noob again.  Talk about feeling strange. 

How do I set up my HOTAS? Saitek X52.

How can I take a screen shot?

how can I remove the hud and other on screen things in order to have a good screen shot?

How do I shoot in the tank? I can start the engine and move around but don't know how to fire.

I didn't see the A-20. Do I need to buy it or did I just not see it?

Is there a tutorial or a controls pdf?

These are just a few questions I have as I get my feet wet in this new game.





Thank you for any help. 

[SAS~Storebror]

Hi Mark and welcome to the brighter side of IL-2
What you tell - "I'm a noob again!" - is exactly what we all thought when we first met BoS. And it's exactly what makes this so fascinating. It's a brand new thing to learn, and the deeper you dive into it, the more you figure that it precisely fills the gaps where 1946 just didn't feel right yet.

How do I set up my HOTAS? Saitek X52.

It's a matter of taste.
I for one have left all the X-52 buttons default (read: Don't use the Saitek Software to change their meaning) and configured everything from inside IL-2.
The good think is that in the BoS key settings (which includes all joystick settings too), any function can have several keyboard/joystick commands attached to it - 3 in total - which makes it easy to use multiple devices like keyboard, joystick and in my case an additional switchbox for the same thing.
In my case, a few relevant settings are these:
POV1 (lower POV on main stick) is elevator and aileron trim for me.
POV2 (upper POV on main stick) toggles reticle aim view (up/down) and is for rudder trim (right/left) for me.
POV3 (throttle upfront) is diff. brakes left/right. Up/down I don't remember from my head right now.
Main trigger 1st stage trigger main guns, 2nd stage secondary (cannons). If it's pressed together with the pinkie switch (the switch below the main trigger), 1st stage will trigger secondary guns (cannons) instead.
Rockets are on the "Fire" trigger (the one beneath the "SAFE" switch on main stick). Bombs are same trigger together with pinkie switch.
On the throttle, the upper clutch controls the prop RPM and the side clutch controls mixture.
The throttle slider is for wheel brakes (synchroneously).
Buttons on throttle I use for dive breaks, supercharger toggle and WEP toggle.
Here is some discussion about the matter: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/19737-saitek-x52-pro-setup/

How can I take a screen shot?

PrintScreen key.
But I see you've figured it out already
Note that the screenshots are stored to your IL-2 BoS game folder in a subfolder "screenshots" and they ship in BMP format with alpha channel.
Before you can post such screenshots here, they need to be converted to jpg or png format using some tool like e.g. Gimp, otherwise people will see weird black/white surfaces on your screenshots.

how can I remove the hud and other on screen things in order to have a good screen shot?

"H" toggles the whole HUD.
"I" toggles the so called "tech chat", e.g. the icons on the right.
"M" toggles the minimap - an FPS hog which is mostly useless.
"O" toggles a fullscreen map. Takes time to get used to it, but that's the map to use in BoS.

How do I shoot in the tank? I can start the engine and move around but don't know how to fire.

"E" - Start engine
"Cursor Keys" - Movement (the game automatically translates these simple direction commands to pushing pedals, switching friction clutches and changing gears).
"RAlt-C" - Close/open hatch (riding with open hatches is obviously more dangerous).
"LCtrl-C" - Switch to gunner and back to driver seat.
"RAlt-G" - Switch ammunition: Armour Piercing / High Explosive / Machine Gun.
"Ralt ;" "Ralt ." - Adjust gunsight verticaly (range)
"Ralt ," "Ralt /" - Adjust gunsight horizontaly vertical (only on T-34)
"Mouse Wheel" or "LShift - Mouse Wheel" - Zoom in or out
"T" - Set turret to stowed position / Take control over the turret
In gunner position, use the mouse aim, and the left mouse button to fire
And don't forget to close the driver hatch on T-34 or a near explosion or HE shell will kill him.

I didn't see the A-20. Do I need to buy it or did I just not see it?

The A-20 is part of Battle of Kuban (not available on Steam yet, you have to buy it from the IL-2 Web Store).
You should be able to select it as AI plane in quick missions.
You definitely see it's availability when you join our server, but in order to fly the plane yourself, you need to own BoK.

Is there a tutorial or a controls pdf?

Tons of: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/forum/82-manuals-tutorials-guides-and-tips/
For controls I recommend reading this (slightly outdated): https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/27994-key-command-list-updated-and-current/
An update is available here: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/36660-updated-and-current-default-key-mapping-listing/
Then I strongly recommend this: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/30773-bom-cockpits-and-operation-quick-guide/
Some like this one: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/31606-realistic-flight-manuals-for-the-game/
I rather find this one helpful: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/23922-bom-bos-aircraft-operation-tables/
And finally, this is my mostly used one. I have it printed out, lying in front of me when I fly BoS, and I always have the page open with the plane I'm actually sitting in: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/32596-quick-reference-printout-engine-settings-limits-temps/


Mike

[SAS~Bombsaway]

Thanks Mike. I'm plugging along. More like stumbling down a dark hallway stubbing my toe on something and tripping over the cat but I'm making small progress.  My X52 stick works right but my throttle and mouse are inverted.  It's difficult to get a good scrennshot trying to relearn the mouse movements.  So far though I love it. I plan on getting a better card but mine is actually doing ok for now.

[SAS~Bombsaway]

Also, how do you add mods to a steam version?

[SAS~Storebror]

Steam Version differs from web version only in the installation path and the login procedure.
The game itself is the same.
On Steam, your game per default installs to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad"
The game features a "mods on" mode (just enable mods in the settings).
With that mode turned on, you can put files in the "data" folder which replace the ones loaded from "GTP" archives (these are like our 1946's SFS archives) per default.
The files from GTP archives can be extracted: https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,58547.0.html

Then you put a replacement file to the same subfolder inside the "data" folder like it would have had inside the GTP archive, and the game will read your file instead.
An example is this mod of mine: https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,58338.0.html

The biggest caveat probably is that "mods on" and "mods off" modes are strictly separated.
This means, with "mods on" you won't see "mods off" servers online and vice versa.
Therefore, "mods on" is mostly offline only and when you want to fly online, you have to switch mods off and restart your game.


Mike

[SAS~Bombsaway]

I'm making some progress but still have a few questions.

Does the game see my rudder peddles? If so, how do I set them up? I have tried but no luck.

The mouse is inverted, how do I change that?

The throttle is inverted and I tried to reset it. I thought I had it but it's still inverted.

[SAS~Storebror]

Does the game see my rudder peddles? If so, how do I set them up? I have tried but no luck.

The rudder pedals are analog inputs like any other joystick, there's no reason BoS shouldn't see it.
Actually BoS can handle up to 64 Joysticks.
If Windows sees your pedals, so should BoS.

The mouse is inverted, how do I change that?

Sounds odd.
When and where is that?
In the menues already? Or on the map? Or where else?

The throttle is inverted and I tried to reset it. I thought I had it but it's still inverted.

Reassign the throttle input in "Key" Settings (the analog input is in there too).
When you clicked on the input field for the all-engine throttle, move your throttle forward.


Mike

[SAS~Bombsaway]

I got the throttle to work correctly.

Maybe the mouse is correct but I'm used to it being different in 1946. It just seems backward. I'll get used to it.

When I go to input devices in game it only shows the mouse and stick options or is it in key mapping?

[SAS~Storebror]

The mouse acts opposite to what we've been used to in 1946 when you are in external view mode.
If this is what you mean, it's normal.

In the input devices setting you can only choose your main input device type. It's Joystick usually.
The different devices are assigned in the "KEY MAPPING" setting.
You have rows on the left showing the different type of control you have, and 3 columns each where you can assign keys and/or sometimes axis to it.
Just left-click on a field to add or change the setting, then press the regarding key or move the axis.
Will work with your rudder pedals too, trust me.
See here for instance how I have 3 different devices attached in parallel (index 0, 5 and 6):


Index 0 is my X-52 Pro, Index 5 and 6 are my custom-built switchbox potentiometers.
IL-2 BoS will automatically assign new indices when it "sees" new input devices being used for the first time.
Changing device order is no issue in BoS anymore (it was in 1946) because BoS identifies input devices by their HID GUID which is genuine for each device, therefore you can have as many input devices as you want and plug/unplug them at will.


Mike

[SAS~Bombsaway]

Thanks Mike. I'll try it.

[SAS~Bombsaway]

I've been watching video tutorials about take off . In those videos it looks as if the cockpit instruments are  " Clickable "  or are they just using keys and the knobs and levers are doing their animations?

[SAS~Storebror]

It's the latter.
The cockpits are all animated but not clickable.
In order to start up your engine, all you do is hit the "E" key and watch things going their way until the engine is up and running.
Actually even a tad longer... it's not like your plane is necessarily ready to go when the prop turns. On russian kites it mostly is, on germans it takes another 3 or 4 seconds until all systems are up, on a P-39 or P-40 it can easily be another 30 seconds
I recommend to turn on the "tech chat" ("I" key) if difficulty settings permit, so you can watch what's going on in the startup process and you know when it's really finished.


Mike