2. Game control
The controls are divided into flight, weapons / sensors, tactical / view, wingman and recovery functions. Runtime Authority is always Settings → Controlsbecause mapping can vary between GS2D and GS2K and can be modified by the user.
| Group | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Flight | cyclic, collective, yaw, trim / assist, hover / autopilot and landing- related function |
| Weapons & Sensors | weapon selection, shooting, target / track, countermeasures and sensor / cock function |
| Tactical & View | tactile map, external camera, zoom, view switching a overlay / help |
| Wingman | commands to active flight roster; other PLAYER _ PILOT career are not wingmen |
| Recovery | mission exit / recovery, return from Free Flight and other mode- specific action |
Preflight / Reality Switches
Preset CADET / PILOT / VETERAN / SIMULATION / CUSTOM is just an AI shortcut. Runtime and save authority are specific values of seven GS2000 switches.
| Switch | Values |
|---|---|
| FLIGHT | Easy / Realistic |
| LANDINGS | No Crashes / Realistic |
| AVOIDANCE | On / Off |
| WIND | No Wind / Realistic |
| VISIBILITY | Clear / Realistic |
| CP / G Controls | Weapons + C.M. / C.M. None |
| ENEMY QUALITY | Poor / Average / Crack / Elite |
The active profile only stores specific switch values. If the combination does not correspond exactly to the preset, the UI will mark it CUSTOM. GAME MODE CLERK is a different system; Free Flight is not in it and opens via helicopter model in Command Center or F key.
P5.7.110 - Tactical Map / Camera / Flight groups
GS2K Settings backfill complements missing semantic actions into older control profiles without overwriting user rebindes. This leaves available flight controls, Tactical Map and camera cycle after loading the older profile. Tactical Map supports GROUP A / GROUP B routes and REGROUP; specific keys are always read from current Settings → Controls mapping.
P5.7.127-129 - physical control and orientation preview
In Realistic Advanced mode, Flight input is not a direct write-down of speed or height. Collective changes the collective lever and thus the size of the rotor thrust; cyclic tilting of the rotor disc / draw vector; Pads / yaw controls the headage against the reaction moment. Specific keys are still the authority of Settings → Controls, not this HTML page.
Flight runtime holds the Collective position even after releasing the driver. From P5.7.155 is also persistent and keyboard cyclic trim: short press W / S / A / D will perform a small step, longer hold gradually accelerates the tilt change and release does not return command to 0 °. The opposite input takes away or turns away. When tilting, the part of the draw is converted into a horizontal component. Ground effect is derived from AGL / rotor diameter, changing efficiency and descent control, but never moves the collective lever itself.
3D view contract
| View | Camera side | Canonical model |
|---|---|---|
| FRONT | + Y, look -Y | nose = + Y |
| REAR | -Y, look + Y | tail = -Y |
| LEFT / RIGHT | -X / + X | without per- model rotation override |
| TOP | +Z | up = + Z |
The same contract applies to Encyclopedia model viewwer, exported model sheet and Hangar / Loadout preview. PLAYER heli must pass an explicit FRONT = + Y gate before graduation.
P5.7.135 - current control of GS2D
- W / S: Cyclic forward / back in the current-frame.
- A / D: lateral cyclic left / right in the current-frame.
- Q / E: pedals / yaw; R / F: Collective.
- + / -: common camera zoom for CLASSIC sprites i GPU top- down; the object actually increases when approaching.
- M: tactical map + pause; tactical map depicts area- water (lakes / tanks / ponds) as area and rivers / streams as line / ribbon.
P5.7.157 - TRAINING / external-ops control
- W/S Pitch cyclic trim; A/D roll cyclic trim (both approximately to ± 44 °), Q/E pedals / yaw, R/F Collective. Short press = small step; longer holding = progressive faster change; release holds the achieved trim. R / F is already responding in the first sampled frame.
- H AUTO HOVER. A stable hover is a condition for low external-ops operations.
- O PERSONNEL action: pickup / drop, HOIST pickup or FAST ROPE drop according to the height, condition and capability of the helicopter.
- I CARGO action: depley hook / rope, retract sling a cargo drop according to the status of the operation.
- Loadout D cyclages 0 / 1 / 2 door gunners according to platform capability; Loadout M The platform shall be able to switch on / off flight media if supported by the platform.
- GS2K F2 Tactical Map has a straight fail-safe toggle even with old control profile.