Introducing the VKB-Sim ‘Modern Combat Grip’ (MCG)

A very popular mistake but still a mistake. :noexpression:

Well if you are designing your base to be 10mm thick I guess it is...

I just want to point out that it is really trivial for an engineer to design the throttle to use the same mounting holes as another device like the tmwh. You only need to make holes with the proper internal support in the right locations, the holes don't need to be at the extremities of the device. This is even easier if it bolts on from the bottom only as it doesn't affect the appearance.

 

Standardizing attachment methods and dimensions is never a bad thing, and makes life much easier for the end user. I've got a mount for the x-55 and while if/when I get a VKB I will drill the required holes in the plate, it would be much less hassle if it were just a simple swap.

 

It is the same principle as the development of their new sticks which are intended to swap out of all bases. It's even the same principle as DCS World in so far as all modules and aircraft are intended to work within the same framework so that netcode, graphics updates, weapon changes and multiplayer communities are all tied together regardless of which product you buy (if they ever merge the damn version). Imagine if the A-10 guys couldn't play with the su-27 guys or the upcoming f-18 as they were all different games. Compatibility makes purchases more likely.

 

I could rant for hours about lack of standardization.

If we want to go for an standard when we don't have any, we should adapt a Saitek throttle base size as Saitek X65 etc has definitely been sold more than Thrusmaster line in total.

The thing is that to make a two (no more needed) holes for mounting is trivial.

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I usually post from my phone so please excuse any typos, inappropriate punctuation and capitalization, missing words and general lack of cohesion and sense in my posts.....

Fair.

 

Opera resume: everyone want a throttle/joy/pedal.. that fit "PnP" in their actual personal "cockpit", not adapt their "cockpit" for new hardware design's. :D

I modify the cockpit if needed, but to limit throttle function so I don't need to modify cockpit is just wrong.

If someone makes such cockpit that doesn't allow modifications and locks himself to proprietary style by decision, then that is it....

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I usually post from my phone so please excuse any typos, inappropriate punctuation and capitalization, missing words and general lack of cohesion and sense in my posts.....

I could rant for hours about lack of standardization.

Rant on.

But here is no reason for TMWH to set the standard.

As opposed to CH Pro, Logitech, Saitek, Microsoft, or any other gazillion controllers that people might have, or even the TM TWCS?? Except that this happens to be a historical baggage that some might want to see personally supported because? Which is great, but, honestly, who cares?

And as we are all expressing personal idiosyncratic needs as industry standards demands ...

(a) I don't give a rat's butt about meeting some arbitrary (from my POV) criteria as contrived universal standard .

(b) Standards are great, but in places where they are not needed they become a stupid constraint. And I don't give a crap about controller base dimension standards any more than we care about having standardized keyboard dimensions or standardized cereal bowl size or standardized beer label colors or standardized thickness of butter on toast in the morning.

© I think VKB should let form follow function in the design/dimensions

(d) The TMWH (which, incidentally, I own, use, and love, and is my current throttle) can be relegated to the quaint historical curiosity pile and never more considered as a useful guide for any other future throttles (frankly. the Saitek X-55/56, which I also used to have, is a much better design, just a poor/cheap/crappy implementation).

And now this: obligatory XKCD on standards ...

But here is no reason for TMWH to set the standard.

Oh don't get me wrong. I by no means think that Thrustmaster is the standard. But the TMWH has been out for years and as such there are some products that already use it's dimensions for mounting which allows a greater range of compatibility for a new product if it uses said dimensions. I think the high end sim community is probably very small and there is no sense in making the amount of choices for the consumer even smaller. And I don't think there are as many people with Logitech 3d pros and X-52s that intend to mount them.

As far as sim cockpits go... I mean, you built a cockpit. I don't think a single one of those people care if they have to drill new holes. It's about the other 90% that can't build a cockpit or don't have the time/resources to do so.

And really, mounting holes don't have to have any impact at all on the button placement or aesthetics of the top. Like not whatsoever.

Things still on track for a december release?

Things still on track for a december release?

So far, yes. (fingers cross)

No, seriously.

All orders for all parts are sent to factories.

The final assembly and checking will be done by ourselves on our own premises, which is swept clean, washed and dried, and is now frighteningly quiet and empty.

Everyone is waiting :)

So far, yes. (fingers cross)

No, seriously.

All orders for all parts are sent to factories.

The final assembly and checking will be done by ourselves on our own premises, which is swept clean, washed and dried, and is now frighteningly quiet and empty.

Everyone is waiting :)

Awesome! :D

Deep in the secluded Russian wilderness at the VKB "Factory of Make Assembly for Controls of Flight" (loose translation) employees pass the time waiting for parts...

Newsflash: VKB is listening, and after some back and forth with Ilya he agrees now to include that pinky switch that we all (including me) want for the MCG.

 

Due to the design of the MCG, it might have to move up and to the side, but you will get that extra button on the grip!

 

Stay tuned for some updated renders soon !

Who is Ilya?

Deep in the secluded Russian wilderness

Nah, it is in Chinese wilderness, and it looks like this (Ilya is the one with the biggest balalaika):

Who is Ilya?

Is it the same guy

who took $100 000 for DCS WWII: Europe 1944: Kickstarter & disappeared ???

Ilya (forum name UIV) is owner and chief engineer of VKB.

Heyo VKB yah gonna make an F18 grip? There’s a gap in the market that needs to be filled. ; )

So far, yes. (fingers cross)

No, seriously.

All orders for all parts are sent to factories.

The final assembly and checking will be done by ourselves on our own premises, which is swept clean, washed and dried, and is now frighteningly quiet and empty.

Everyone is waiting :)

Is there gonna be more stock for us that didn’t preorder and just want to order one post production?

Is it the same guy

who took $100 000 for DCS WWII: Europe 1944: Kickstarter & disappeared ???

Well geeze, I wasn't going to put it that way. Now probably no answer to my discreet question.

More can be gained from moderation.

Notwithstanding the methodology of the follow up question, I am wondering if the Ilya mentioned is in fact Ilya Shevchenko (Luthier) from the very excellent IL2 series.

Heyo VKB yah gonna make an F18 grip?.......... didn’t preorder

F14 yes, F18 not planned. TM are going to make F18, no need to repeat what others do.

Preorder - if you didn't preorder, you might get the grip from the 2nd shipment rather than 1st. But it is shipment, not batch. We will make enough MCGs to stock up our dealerships, so you will not have to wait for months till the 2nd batch rolls out. At most it will be a week or two till the 2nd shipment arrives. I said might because maybe you will be able to get it right away, it depends.

Notwithstanding the methodology of the follow up question, I am wondering if the Ilya mentioned is in fact Ilya Shevchenko (Luthier) from the very excellent IL2 series.

Nope.

Nope.

Hi rrohde,

Thanks for your response to my question.

Very much appreciated.

Cats . . . .

Have you guys thought about making a mirage 2000 C stick grip?

Does anyone know what brand or type of analogue hat they are using in the DCG pro? Are they magnetic or hall effect devices or simple potentiometers?

Does anyone know what brand or type of analogue hat they are using in the DCG pro? Are they magnetic or hall effect devices or simple potentiometers?

VKB uses MaRS (Magnetic Resonance Sensors) for all axes in the MCG/MCG PRO; for buttons and switches they use ALPS and OMRON.

All axes? So the analogue hats are MaRS, too?

All axes? So the analogue hats are MaRS, too?

Yep.

Refer to this diagram for the features (the images are outdated, but the feature list is still current); everything referred to as 'contactless' is MaRS: https://vkbcontrollers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MCG-Announce-Final-1.jpg

(Note: the TM variant does not use analog axes, as the Thrustmaster base does not support analog axes)

VKB uses MaRS (Magnetic Resonance Sensors) for all axes in the MCG/MCG PRO; for buttons and switches they use ALPS and OMRON.

(Note: the TM variant does not use analog axes, as the Thrustmaster base does not support analog axes)

So, you're saying that the MCG-TM doesn't have MaRS sensors, but uses simple buttons instead? That would go against the very VKB statements on this forum where (as far as I understood) it was said that the MCG-TM can be converted to an MCG-Pro (with what I presume is a PCB upgrade plus the mount).

I would thus presume that the sticks are the same, but the TM one has an adapter board which converts the analogue axis readings into the TM shift-register format.

So, you're saying that the MCG-TM doesn't have MaRS sensors, but uses simple buttons instead? That would go against the very VKB statements on this forum where (as far as I understood) it was said that the MCG-TM can be converted to an MCG-Pro (with what I presume is a PCB upgrade plus the mount).

 

I would thus presume that the sticks are the same, but the TM one has an adapter board which converts the analogue axis readings into the TM shift-register format.

I don't remember seeing them saying the MCG-TM could be made into an MCG-Pro... the limit as far as I understand it is the amount of buttons that the warthog base can handle.