VKB Gladiator MkII Profiles?

So, I bought the buzz that the VKB Gladiator MkII was the “Official Joystick of DCS World” and picked one up. Imagine my surprise when I fired up DCS and found very few of the buttons pre-mapped. OK, so I start to manually map the buttons, and it dawned on me that I can’t be the only person using this hardware with DCS World, right, so does anyone know of a profile for DCS that I can load? I understand these can be personal preference, but at least that would be a starting point.

I notice VKB has a bunch of profile on their web site, but they are all very cryptically named, so I have no idea what I’m getting with any of them. I’ve also found reference to a KG-12 profile, but not sure if this is what I’m looking for, either.

Thanks in advance for any help!

For VKG grips "profile" mean how their buttons will behave and not that usual "press joy button to press keyboard keys to active commands in games".

By default VKB Gladiator Mk.II ("vanilla" or PRO?) have one of their THREE :) buttons, the "pinky" set as 'shift' (not a DX button) for other TWO buttons and POV HAT and so have more 6 virtual buttons on grip when this 'shift' is pressed, plus a mode 2.

http://forum.il2sturmovik.ru/uploads/monthly_10_2015/post-979-0-43714800-1444132720.jpg

Blue column: virtual buttons under 'shift', green column: virtual buttons under mode 2.

For avoid players complaining about buttons "DOA", in default Gladiator profile this 'shift' and mode don't apply to base buttons, because if do the buttons count will surpass Windows buttons limit of 32 and the buttons above #32 buttons will do nothing in most games (not the case o DCS who see 128 buttons) and players will say that buttons are "DOA". :P

Hence in VKB FTB are other options of profiles.

http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Profiles/Gladiator/

Inside the ZIP of each profile are a readme.txt with functions enabled in that profile, ex.

GLPro_W_A7_37_HAT0.zip - Profile for Gladiator PRO (only) with 7 axis - 3 additional for support VKB T-Rudder connected direct in Gladiator base, plus 37 buttons and no POV HAT (1).

So is the 13 (on base) +7 physical buttons (on grip 3+4 of HAT) plus 17 virtual buttons under 'shift' and modes (2).

GL_A7_B17_HAT1_0.zip - Profile for Gladiator Mk.II "vanilla" (only) with 17* buttons, 4 axis and POV HAT, no 'shift' or mode 2.

* The base button used for mode 2 became a ordinary DX button, so is 14 buttons on base + 3 on grip + HAT.

(1) The "POV HAT" are a ordinary 4 switch HAT, but the firmware (or profile) create virtual buttons in diagonals when 2 near buttons is pressed, so a "POV HAT" became '8 way'. If this HAT is not set as "POV HAT" will press only 4 buttons.

Points to note: In that profiles button can be a DX button or a modifier (shift) or a mode switch. In advanced functions o DevCfg you can customize profiles (or create new) and set 'tempo' for buttons, button "alias" - press a 1 or 2 physical button will press a virtual button, and more.

Wow! That is an extremely informative post! Thank you.

I’m not sure I understand it all, but I’ll work through the information.

Thanks again.

Thank you

For VKG grips "profile" mean how their buttons will behave and not that usual "press joy button to press keyboard keys to active commands in games".

 

By default VKB Gladiator Mk.II ("vanilla" or PRO?) have one of their THREE :) buttons, the "pinky" set as 'shift' (not a DX button) for other TWO buttons and POV HAT and so have more 6 virtual buttons on grip when this 'shift' is pressed, plus a mode 2.

 

Blue column: virtual buttons under 'shift', green column: virtual buttons under mode 2.

 

For avoid players complaining about buttons "DOA", in default Gladiator profile this 'shift' and mode don't apply to base buttons, because if do the buttons count will surpass Windows buttons limit of 32 and the buttons above #32 buttons will do nothing in most games (not the case o DCS who see 128 buttons) and players will say that buttons are "DOA". :P

 

Hence in VKB FTB are other options of profiles.

 

http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Profiles/Gladiator/

 

Inside the ZIP of each profile are a readme.txt with functions enabled in that profile, ex.

 

GLPro_W_A7_37_HAT0.zip - Profile for Gladiator PRO (only) with 7 axis - 3 additional for support VKB T-Rudder connected direct in Gladiator base, plus 37 buttons and no POV HAT (1).

So is the 13 (on base) +7 physical buttons (on grip 3+4 of HAT) plus 17 virtual buttons under 'shift' and modes (2).

 

GL_A7_B17_HAT1_0.zip - Profile for Gladiator Mk.II "vanilla" (only) with 17* buttons, 4 axis and POV HAT, no 'shift' or mode 2.

 

* The base button used for mode 2 became a ordinary DX button, so is 14 buttons on base + 3 on grip + HAT.

 

(1) The "POV HAT" are a ordinary 4 switch HAT, but the firmware (or profile) create virtual buttons in diagonals when 2 near buttons is pressed, so a "POV HAT" became '8 way'. If this HAT is not set as "POV HAT" will press only 4 buttons.

 

Points to note: In that profiles button can be a DX button or a modifier (shift) or a mode switch. In advanced functions o DevCfg you can customize profiles (or create new) and set 'tempo' for buttons, button "alias" - press a 1 or 2 physical button will press a virtual button, and more.

Thank you for the information, I was wondering if anyone has setup a downloadable profile for this particular Joystick

I was wondering if anyone has setup a downloadable profile for this particular Joystick

As above VKB has 8 different profiles for Gladiator MK.II (and I) in their FTP.

http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Profiles/Gladiator/

... depends on what mean "profile" for you.

As above VKB has 8 different profiles for Gladiator MK.II (and I) in their FTP.

 

http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Profiles/Gladiator/

 

... depends on what mean "profile" for you.

The profiles listed there are a bit cryptic. I believe you’ll have to download them all, the read the ReadMe file that accompanies each. Might be better if they were labeled in a way that described what they were.

I’ll download them and report back here.

Oh, and IMO, mode buttons are bad for VR. More than once I’ve accidentally hit a mode shift button, and unknowlingly disabled and/or changed an entire set of buttons.

I have a gladiator that I made a few profiles in dcs most profiles I have seen posted are in the manufactures format and not dcs’s. I took the chucks guide layout for the thrustmaster warthog and mapped what I could for the gladiator. When vkb releses the gf2 Pro with mcg pro next month I’m jumping on one with an extension and will be looking for how the chucks guide and rl grip are mapped and will merge what I can, because we need more mapping than a rl pilot because we don’t have the actual switches.

My plan would be find or create like I did for my puma setup a graphic with all available mapping positions and set down with chucks guide and a user manual for the aircraft that shows the cockpit and grip mapping and design my own custom setup using mode two for start and shutdown mode 1 and shift for inflight mapping to keep it simple the I use the search function of the controls tab to pull-up each item I’m wanting to map after deleting all other mapped controls for this aircraft under full sim mode. I leave the keyboard mapping alone.

I’m sorry right now I’m loving flying the Huey and I have 90% of the us aircraft and all the rotary wing aircraft mods. Plus the combined arms and gps mods I try to buy a couple mods a month until get them al,.

@BlacleyCole - can you please share the profiles you created for the VKB Gladiator MkII?

My joystick works great with all other games, but in DCS, the column for my MkII is all blank. As you pointed out, the VKB profiles are in the wrong format.

Getting a copy of your profiles will give me a big boost in setting mine up. :thumbup: