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VKB Gladiator NXT EVO SCE R HOTAS

Mostly preferred over Microsoft SideWinder Precision 2 for use as SteamVR controller by XInput emulation
NXT EVO SCE has more buttons and can be configured to approximate XInput trigger axes.
- I wish analog mini and 8-way hat controls were separate;
  in VR, no way to tell which is toggled.
- unlike analog mini stick, grip centering cam action still applies when away from center
- single action button for pinky finger is IMO too low
- center 5-way hat button (6-10) IMO is the only one with helpful shape;
  upper right hat (11-15) shape is nearly so poor as lower left.
- lower left 5-way hat button for thumb (16-20) is IMO too close; ridged cup shape is clumsy;
  too easily pressed down when wanting other direction
Downloads, including Software user guide
VideosQuick Guide

Not great onboarding
Much essential information is by crappy YouTube videos.
- Gladiator NXT EVO Quick Guide 2024 screen view is too low resolution
- plugging the grip connector into the base at 3:00/9:42 is very unclear
- pausing and resuming Gladiator NXT and NXT EVO flashing and calibrating video
  is a lousy way to follow that convoluted procedure

NJoy32 Family Controllers Configuration Utility User guide
- mostly a poorly organized specification, sometimes unreadable and oftem inscruitable.
- rarely does it actually guide readers to accomplish anything useful.
- "Logical", "physical" and "virtual" terms are sprinkled thru the PDF without ever being defined,
  much less how elements with those attributes interact.
- floundering in horrid VKBDevCfg Device Configurator app occastionally provokes RTFM dialog box,
  so VKB is at least aware that theirs is just another FM, not really user guide...
- Example of useless specification:   Page 102 Access from Physical layer tab
   In order to apply logical function click logical function sign as shown on a picture.
  No idea what a "logical function sign" looks like...
- Example of doomed specification:  firmware upgrade (2.2, pages 20-22)
  failed, leaving HOTAS not updated and unuseable until unplugging and replugging its USB

simulate XInput analog triggers
by so-called trim switches...
Trimming is fine tuning a rotation axis without using the joystick.
It's used to adjust pitch, yaw or/and roll
so during flight you could just release the joystick (or hold it at rest)
and maintain course (or climb, descent, turn etc) by trimming.
"physical" axes 7 and 8 are not associated with physical controls, so Virtual (not logical?) inputs
Trimmer must be enabled to control them from buttons...
Trimmer by buttons is at 4.3.19 (pg 84) in PDF
Button to axis (VKB forum)
TRIMMER SET 2 in Button Mapping Wizard may be necessary, but does not suffice;
perhaps something involving logical is wantedr?
logical axis
Single physical axis can bind to several logical axes.
Axes trimming
VKB video
DCS trimmer discussion
VKB forum - How to Use Trimmer Buttons to Reset Axis?
DCS video - Understanding Helicopter Trim
r/hotas - VKB Software tutorials - Axes trimming
Technically, the trimmer reset function works exactly that way
...just sets the axis value to 0 (50%) instead of any other value.
Trimmer Set and Set2 will trim the center to an arbitrary value
Fix Axes > FA3 will freeze the (logical I believe) axis in  place
at an arbitrary value set on the profile > axes page
Trigger has 2 switches
full squeeze turns on both
for trim use, probably want second switch to disable first

maintained by blekenbleu