There is a wealth of well written documentation included by the team, but what I really need is a written, step by step, key by key thing to learn all the systems. It doesn't help that there two different keyboard options. And what does "OTW, AF, SIM" mean in front of the characters?

Best way to learn is just a few posts in this forum.

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3409580/Krause_s_BMS_4_32_Tutorial_Vid#Post3409580

Don't think anyone's made a comprehensive step by step written tutorial.

This is too broad of a topic, you must be more specific which system you want to learn, because you can't learn them all at once.

Documentation, yes, there a lots. Well written? Some of them. Still relevant? Not all the sections are. That's the problem with BMS. The information is scattered on so many different documents, but to narrow it down, I would start off with the original Falcon 4.0 or Allied Force manual, then the BMS manual, and the Dash-1 manual by Red Dog. The original manual is for you to learn the theories and concepts of fighting in the F-16, so you'll learn things like corner speed, bombing modes, etc. BMS manual will show you what is new in BMS, and the Dash-1 is a more comprehensive manual of the F-16 systems currently implemented.

Hope that helps!

I have the 700 page book from FAlcon 4.0,i have AF on my iphone and i start reading the bms on my pc at first it was alot but now i am in the groove and go fron one to the other with no problem

AF, OTW, and SIM are prefixes applied to the callbacks (real 'nuts and bolts' things). I think they stand for "air frame" "of the world" and "simulator." Views will be OTW, landing gear would be AF, and an OSB would sim if you get the pattern. It's not too important to understand this and just X callback does Y action is more than enough knowledge. The callbacks should have plain English descriptions associated with them.

As for a cover-to-cover textbook "learn BMS" where you pick it up knowing nothing and put it down knowing everything, it doesn't exist. It's been discussed quite a bit but no one has volunteered to construct such a thing. As for knowing all the systems, my suggestion is to start on the left side the cockpit with a magnifying glass and study each one in depth until you get to the right side. Eat the elephant in spoonfuls. Fly the training TEs in order and read the original F4 manual descriptions for the ones that have them. Ask lots of questions. Do searches. You'll know a lot more after doing all the training TEs to a high level of proficiency.

Thanks for the tips, advice, and information! I was pretty good at Falcon 4 & AF, and playing around with it yesterday, it seems the systems are *kinda(?)* the same, albeit more detailed, and the keys aren't quite the same. It's frustrating when I was looking for the BMS keyboard command for TMS, only to realize apparently they aren't any. I learned F4 by using the freeze and reading the manual at the same time, like everyone else probably. I like taints(?) youtube tutorials, but they are way too long (and long winded too, but great works still). I mean, I know what a maverick is, how it works, and roughly it's capabilities, I'm just at the level where I just need to know the procedure. Not a 38 minute class on everything, LoL.

Yep, everything still "roughly" works like they used to, but more detail is added where possible. With a fully-working 3D pit, it's easier to work the Viper now. All you really need should be mapped to your HOTAS, everything else is just a mouse-click away. For instance, there is no need to memorize what the key combination is for Master Arm or Master Safe or Laser Arm. If you know where the switch is, click, done! Same for MFD modes.

That's the trouble with learning BMS is that the whole F4.0 to BMS evolution has meant an evolution in features and the documentaion is likewise piecemeal. Learning it from scratch is hard because the reading is a breadcrumb trail of upgrades and learning it having prior experience is problematic because you might think you know things that are no longer up to date (countermeasure system, for example).

As for controls I strongly suggest to everyone to map the HOTAS to their keyboard/controller themselves in a manner that is the most natural of the individual. Memorizing defaults is hard and unnatural. When the user chooses their keybinds familiarity and memorization are greatly enhanced. Often the trick (as when moving into a new house) is to reach for a desired item as if it was there already and then make that instinct a reality. Go to where you think the forks and spoons as if getting one out of the drawer should be and that's where you should unpack your forks and spoons. The sooner the user thinks in terms of DMS, TMS, uncage, etc. instead of backspace, ctrl-arrow, numpad_*, etc. the better. For everything other than HOTAS the cockpit is clickable.

I learnt loads from Youtube vids, trying it, re-watching and then looking at manuals or posting questions for extra clarification.