Increase /Decrease keys for radiator - Request for 4.11.1 or 4.12

[Syrius]

Hi Artist,

I'm using the X52Pro HOTAS, and the Saitek profile software allows quite complex programming of macros for the joystick/HOTAS buttons; I use those macros for other functions, like continuous zoom in/out and others. I also tried to use a macro for the radiator settings long time ago, but there is a particular problem with the radiator control for different planes. A few plane types, like the the late Spitfires, simply don't have manual control of radiator, the radiator is always automatic in these planes, so they are of no concern here. But most aicraft types fall in one of the following two categories:

- Planes with automatic radiator setting: the radiator key (I use 'R' as well) cycles through
Closed/Auto (default position at start) -> Closed -> 2 -> 4 -> 6 -> 8 -> Open -> Closed/Auto, etc. That makes 7 different positions and then repeat.

- Planes with no automatic radiator setting: the radiator key cycles through
Closed (default position at start) -> 2 -> 4 -> 6 -> 8 -> Open -> Closed, etc. That makes 6 different positions and then repeat.

In other words, Closed/Auto is an additional position that only some planes have. One group of planes have an even number of radiator steps, the other has an odd number of steps. Some aircraft types (for instance Fw190, Yak and possibly others) go from one group to the other as they evolve throughout the years and models. As an example, the macro for 'RadiatorClose' you showed in your post, with 5 key presses of 'R', will work as intended in the FW190-A types (no Auto/Close setting), but won't work well in the FW190-D9 which does have an Auto/Close setting. Same thing happens when going from an early Yak to the Yak3P or when switching from P51 (has auto) to a Zero (no auto) in the next sortie or mission and then to a Bf109 (has auto) in the next. One macro does not rule them all!

Of course, one could use two different macros for decreasing radiator setting in planes with/without auto radiator, but that would still make things complicated. If it is at all possible (programming-wise) for the developers to add the two incremental keys as explained in the first post, that would be a much simpler solution that would work in all cases.

Cheers,
S.

Originally Posted by Artist

I use Autohotkey for all key-mappings and I solved that for myself in the following way:

In IL-2 I mapped the 'r' to the radiator, so pressing 'r' repeatedly will cycle radiator through 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 0...

In Autohotkey I defined the following two functions:

MapCommand_RadiatorOpen:
    Send r
    return
MapCommand_RadiatorClose:
    Send rrrrr
    return

and map two keys or buttons to them respectively:

Hotkey, %iIdSelfMade1%Joy32, MapCommand_RadiatorOpen, On
Hotkey, %iIdSelfMade1%Joy17, MapCommand_RadiatorClose, On

Now one key/botton will open the radiator by one step and the other will close the radiator by one step.

Not perfect, but useful.

Artist

[Artist]

Hi Syrius,

Originally Posted by Syrius

a particular problem with the radiator control for different planes.

you're quite right: that's one of the reasons I concluded my post with "Not perfect, but useful." Naturally a solution by TD would be the optimum, I agree. My proposition was more of a "in the mean time" type

And "in this mean time" I use different Autohotkey-files for different planes.

Cheers,
Artist

[TheGrunch]

I would appreciate this too as I'd love to use the throttle mousewheel on my X-52 for radiator settings.

[WTE_Galway]

The axis mapping is a great improvement but not everyone has a spare control axis.


The current problem is this ...

Very few aircraft have a visual indication of radiator settings. yes, the Hurri does on the floor and in early 109s you can look at the wing and see the radiator opening and closing - but most IL2 aircraft provide no way of telling radiator position from the cockpit just by looking.

Hence if you are limited to keyboard controls only for the radiator and turn HUD messages off you have no way from cockpit view to tell the current radiator position once you forget what you last set it to.

[EJGr.Ost_Caspar]

The wish for +/- keys for radiators is acknowlegded. Personally I would find such step just logical in face of the latest radiator changings.

[Jumoschwanz]

Any bell or whistle that adds to realism is always welcome and applauded.

I never use intermediate radiator settings in fighters though. I am either cruising along with the radiator closed trying to save fuel while on patrol to or from a target or the front, or I have it wide open and am fighting or climbing to the altitude I want to cruise at, so the lack of radiator control never was an issue for me.

Didn't some famous fighter pilot talk about how his missions were long hours of tedium interrupted by second of terror and adrenaline? It is the same for my engine....

[jameson]

Originally Posted by WTE_Galway

The axis mapping is a great improvement but not everyone has a spare control axis.


The current problem is this ...

Very few aircraft have a visual indication of radiator settings. yes, the Hurri does on the floor and in early 109s you can look at the wing and see the radiator opening and closing - but most IL2 aircraft provide no way of telling radiator position from the cockpit just by looking.

Hence if you are limited to keyboard controls only for the radiator and turn HUD messages off you have no way from cockpit view to tell the current radiator position once you forget what you last set it to.

You could use the temperature guage, if you're not looking at it, why would you want to change the radiator position?

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by jameson

You could use the temperature guage, if you're not looking at it, why would you want to change the radiator position?

It would be simpler (and historically more accurate) to just know your radiator is fully open rather than fly around watching the gauge trying to work out what it is set too.

[jameson]

Originally Posted by WTE_Galway

It would be simpler (and historically more accurate) to just know your radiator is fully open rather than fly around watching the gauge trying to work out what it is set too.

WTE not having a pop at you btw! It seems that the solution to this problem is for the lever, or whatever's responsible, to be animated in the cockpit, (Open or Closed, kind of thing). This would then permit 'flying by the book', and implementing the +/- keys for control would then be logical and whether the rad is open or shut would be apparent. But it would be some work, given the number of aircraft in the game, for TD to do this. Although the bonus of flying with increased historical accuracy, might tempt them to make the effort. Allied pilots might not appreciate the added workload though!
Are there penalties in game from flying around with rads open aside from drag, like having water and oil too cold fed into a hot engine? The reverse of overheating? I have no idea.