For joystick adjustments you can follow the old video, nothing change in this matter.
Deadzone, only use this if your joystick pot is in fault, or you have a poor fine aim control.
"Sensitivity" this adjust is the "S" courve, allow reduce, moving slider for right - in direction of 1 - that in reality is 100, an "It' CloD!" cut the last two digits, the joystick input send for game.
So, slider for left (0) joystick input is send for game 1:1, slider for right (1 or 100) joystick input are reducing before send send for game, but only in middle or axis response, hence the "S" curve, near the end of axis movement the input is always 1:1.
For more fine adjustments nee use 3rd party tool like "Joy Curves" or "Joystick Gremlin", that allow adjusts like in DCS controls. Both need "vJoy" installed, what can be PITA in Win10.
About plane nose up - what plane? Each have their own characteristics... Have in mind that WW2 era planes only fly - more or less, leveled in cruise flight, at given RPM and speed, not at full throttle. Is possible trim a Hurricane for almost "hands off' flight, but even so he will crab a little.