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FREE ASTB Simulator Program (For the Performance Based Measures section)

OrangeDragon18

New Member
Hello Everyone!

A buddy of mine and I realized there was no real way to train for the "throttle and stick" portion of the ASTB, so we decided to change that.

I'm a computer science major at USNA and I felt like I should use what I know for something useful, so I made a trainer anyone can use, no downloads required.

The trainer includes:
  • Throttle and Stick training - an almost exact, if not better, replica of that portion of the ASTB. This is done using the keyboard and mouse, so it's not a direct simulation, but your muscle memory and hand eye coordination from the training will improve and reflect on the test. We are working to support joysticks in a later version.
  • Audio cue training - learn how to react to specific sound cues in each ear, much like during the test.
  • Dynamic settings - change the speed of the targets, game time, and more with our settings menu.
  • Score report - a numerical value that represents your average distance from the targets, as well as a report of how many audio cues you reacted to correctly.
  • An instrumental version of the Top Gun soundtrack
Try it for yourself!

Any feedback is appreciated, let me know what you think! Enjoy!
I took the ASTB about a week ago and didn't do super well on the stick and throttle portion. I have since found your simulator and have it configured to work perfectly with my X52 HOTAS. In your simulator, I noticed that the audio cues aren't quite the same as the real thing and I wonder if it could be updated to be more accurate.

In my actual ASTB, the system would tell me to either listen to my left ear OR right ear. While listening to the one ear, if I hear an odd number I would respond with the clutch button on the throttle (E on the simulator) and if I hear an even number, I would respond with the trigger (mouse click on the simulator).

It's possible I have even and odd mixed up; unfortunately, I don't quite remember, so correct me if I'm wrong.

I would really appreciate being able to practice the audio cues exactly as they are on the ASTB.
 

villo0692

Well-Known Member
I took the ASTB about a week ago and didn't do super well on the stick and throttle portion. I have since found your simulator and have it configured to work perfectly with my X52 HOTAS. In your simulator, I noticed that the audio cues aren't quite the same as the real thing and I wonder if it could be updated to be more accurate.

In my actual ASTB, the system would tell me to either listen to my left ear OR right ear. While listening to the one ear, if I hear an odd number I would respond with the clutch button on the throttle (E on the simulator) and if I hear an even number, I would respond with the trigger (mouse click on the simulator).

It's possible I have even and odd mixed up; unfortunately, I don't quite remember, so correct me if I'm wrong.

I would really appreciate being able to practice the audio cues exactly as they are on the ASTB.
took the ASTB once, never practiced with the simulator here, and scored an 62 8/8/7. got picked as an SNA first try and will be starting NIFE in a couple weeks. my biggest advice for anyone in the stick and throttle portion is, LISTEN FIRST. I don't care if you have to let go of the stick and throttle, make sure you get all of them audio cues right, you do that and occasionally correct your targets, and you should be just fine.
 

Hogue28

New Member
This thing is awesome. Which level Easy, Medium or Hard aligns best with what to expect on the actual test?
 

OrangeDragon18

New Member
This thing is awesome. Which level Easy, Medium or Hard aligns best with what to expect on the actual test?
The actual test is adaptive, so basically the better you're doing, the faster the targets will move. Practicing with the simulator on a harder difficulty will better equip you to do better overall.
 

2bbknack

Member
For those of you using antimicro, what did you set for deadzones? Currently using the defaults and it seems incredibly hard to control the throttle, and pretty hard to control the stick. Never taken the test before so I have no reference, and don't want to make practice too easy on myself. The config that was posted on the last page seemed to be a shortcut instead of a config file. Using the X52

Also, does it matter which hand I use the throttle and which I use the stick?
 
Last edited:

Nataliekaye17

New Member
I figured it'd be something along those lines.

I only mention it because some of the guides I've seen have mentioned it doing that. Someone who's taken it would probably have been input though.
I took the test a few days ago and it never said both ears. It will tell you which ear to pay attention to when it comes to the numbers.
 

Nataliekaye17

New Member
I do not recall resetting them so make sure you pay attention in the beggining when it gives you the directions for each of the knobs prior to the whole test including the uav and tracking section so you know which way to rotate and move the knobs because I don’t remember it giving me a chance to reset it or anything but I could be wrong — also I see your a fellow Virginian, you taking it in cvill?
For the emergency section, it will provide you with directions on what to set the knobs to depending on the emergency. Write these down on your scrap paper because there is no practice before the real thing for this part.
 

Taft27

New Member
Hello Everyone,

Im preparing to take the ASTB in a little over a month and I am pretty confident in my current knowledge and ability to relearn the materials to be able to do well in every other section of the test. The PBM is what scares me. I just started messing around with this simulator on my laptop (keys and mousepad) for the past hour, and after doing really terrible at first I am now consistently scoring about 150-180 Target and 55-65 Throttle on medium. I think its just the inverted pad thats throwing me off and I'm sure with an actual mouse I can get the Target down. Im wondering if making an investment into a joystick is worth it for this, or should I just use a mouse? Im shooting for SNFO not SNA (My eyesight is borderline at best and I really don't want to do lasik).
 

Taft27

New Member
Well I am now thoroughly addicted to this simulator. Im at work and since we have nothing really to do because of the holidays I have been using the sim for the last 3 hours. Im down to sub 100 easy in both categories. I guess this is what I will be doing for fun from now on.
 

FlyingGamecock

Well-Known Member
Hello Everyone,

Im preparing to take the ASTB in a little over a month and I am pretty confident in my current knowledge and ability to relearn the materials to be able to do well in every other section of the test. The PBM is what scares me. I just started messing around with this simulator on my laptop (keys and mousepad) for the past hour, and after doing really terrible at first I am now consistently scoring about 150-180 Target and 55-65 Throttle on medium. I think its just the inverted pad thats throwing me off and I'm sure with an actual mouse I can get the Target down. Im wondering if making an investment into a joystick is worth it for this, or should I just use a mouse? Im shooting for SNFO not SNA (My eyesight is borderline at best and I really don't want to do lasik).
If you’re going SNFO, I would take the test first without the joysticks and see how you do
 

BDavis11

Well-Known Member
Contributor
For those of you using antimicro, what did you set for deadzones? Currently using the defaults and it seems incredibly hard to control the throttle, and pretty hard to control the stick. Never taken the test before so I have no reference, and don't want to make practice too easy on myself. The config that was posted on the last page seemed to be a shortcut instead of a config file. Using the X52

Also, does it matter which hand I use the throttle and which I use the stick?
no it doesn't matter what hand.
 
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