VKB Gladiator joystick project.


http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/14343-vkb-gladiator-joystick-project/#entry227060

Since the target is a "budget" (80-90$) joystick is not HOTAS, but all in one piece. The HOTAS format will double the price. This don't pretend compete in "high end" HOTAS market (Warthog, X55...)

8 axis
1 HAT
39 buttons - include 5 Encoders*
MaRS digital sensor in X,Y, rudder (twist) axis.
Potentiometer on other 5 axis (throttle, mixture, flaps...).
USB controller Njoy32 - able to handle more than 100 virtual buttons and use virtual axis with mode switch.

* Rotaries with encoder allow "trim on wheels" in certain WWII Combat Flight Game.
Or can be used to set DI, Course Setter, Bombsight, gunsight... in games like CLoD.

"Why WWII piston propeller plane style?
1) The market is already full of joysticks from leading brands, stylized as modern combat aircraft.
2) Most of virtual pilots to fly it on the pistons propeller planes.
3) I love piston aircraft of that era, and since the final decision to launch the project to take me, I quickly and without a doubt chose piston design and ergonomics. Here and so took office."

The grip with 3 buttons and HAT is based on Luftwaffe KG12 grip with some concessions, the pinkie button is located more high/accessible and the B-Knopf button is a HAT switch.

Sokol1

Interesting, and maybe a very good solution for some, especially if it has a decent set of gimbals.

A few more buttons on the stick and I just might buy that for a friend!

That looks just what I need! I don't play modern sims anymore.

Thats a very interesting concept. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Despite only 3 physical buttons on stick, the VKB controller allow 3 modes and thus more 6 virtual buttons, (IMO) sufficient for WWII planes.

maybe, but it still needs a POV hat switch, IMO. If someone is shopping the mid-tier joystick market, they likely don't have trackIR. I think that also gets to the heart of why we have more modern combat sticks; you can always not use buttons you don't have, but trying to go the other direction and using a WWII type stick in a modern military aircraft gets clunky real fast. Yes, it sacrifices immersion to an extent, but at this price range you're targeting people who need function first. Plus, you've already thrown immersion out the window by not allowing folks to split out the throttle and stick.

that said, I might buy one just for the throttle alone. Mated next to my warthog throttle, I'd have an axis for everything!

Surprised that splitting the throttle out HOTAS style would "double" the price though. We really need to see more throttles on the market.

The "B-Knopf" (left side) is a HAT with concave button.

Most of entry-level sticks has HAT + 4 buttons on grip. This has HAT + 3 buttons in 3 modes.
The question is the design chosen - the KG-12 - will be difficult add more buttons without ruin the design...

Other question is, they need find a way to easy sold outside of Russia, their previous products - done for 3rd part hardware distributtors - the Defender Cobra M5 Joystick and Gametrix ECS Throttle, was limited to the local market.

Why don't more manufacturers choose to add an alternate yaw control like the TM HOTAS X?
It is much better than stick twist yaw since it is impossible to accidentally use it during quick/ hard maneuvers. Also, your wrist isn't subjected to such weird poses when using a lot of rudder in a maneuver.Besides that, applying rudder will never accidentally "wiggle" the stick since it is separate.

Sure these are by no means big problems, but dual throttle really isn't necessary for WWII fightersim anyway. (as opposed to modern flight sim's warthog popularity)

Pictures of pre-production prototype.

Super Cool, too bad throttle cannot be detached.

Looks very good to me. If it has magnetic hall gimbols (or whatever they call them) I would look at getting one.

Cheers MarkL

Looks good. Wonder what the price point is at.
I suppose it would depend on what VKD consider budget

This was posted in the il2 fourms (linked in first post)




Personally, I'll buy one, maybe 2, at the price point of $70 to use in other projects. Even if they aren't easily split-able, a hack saw and a soldering iron can likely fix that issue.

That's just the kind of stick I'm looking for! Sokol,do you know when we might see it over here? I realise it's still in development.

Attention, this drawings is only a study of "virpilov's" (Russian) feedback/wishes about Gladiator project, not confirmed changes in the design!

Gladiator STANDARD



Gladiator PRO



Gladiator EXPERT



Someone already suggest provide a support for 7" Tablet bellow this center panel.

Sokol1, where is he asking us to leave this feedback?

In any event, my thoughts:

-Stick only has no draw for me personally. Lots of sticks like that out there already.

-Might as well make the throttle detachable for pics 2. I suspect that won't make it any more expensive to produce at that point. It owuld make sense to connect the 2 with a cable instead of the posts. I'd certainly buy that design

-Third design is intriguing, but I suspect it would blow costs out a bit more. If he can bring it to market, I'd be in all in. Would love to see some rotaries on the panel box as opposed to what appear to be 3 scroll wheels. The roataries would be better for adjusting things like radios and AP heading in FSX/DCS, where as the scroll wheels seem redundant to several of the controls below.

Overall, I'd move the small lever on the stick base to the throttle side, and frankly do away with buttons on the base (either remove them alltogether to save cost, or redesign the throttle base to house more buttons.. Maybe it's just me, but I never use buttons on the stick base, as that hand is busy controlling the plane, while the left hand is better suited to manage systems.

VKB have a section in the Russian forum o IL-2 BoS:

http://forum.il2sturmovik.ru/topic/2579-gladiator-novyj-byudzhetnyj-dzhoj-ot-vkb/



I agree whit you, in the old joystick that I re-wire fore USB (Suncom, CH) I erase button and throttle on joystick base, funcions only in the grip.

Buttons in stick base is for "3in1" joysticks.

IMHO buttons on base are ok in case they are accessible for right hand - eg there is always something to click before takeoff. Lot of joysticks are designed like you mentioned "3in1" so the base buttons are accessible only with left hand what in reality makes them not useful. As mentioned left hand is busy with systems (chips, beer, etc.)

Nice "teaser", clear oriented to IL-2 BoS/BoM:

http://www.asian-games.com.tw/2015/JS-3601V/images/PaceWheel-140314.mp4

http://www.asian-games.com.tw/2015/JS-3601V/