Do you prefer Mouse & Keyboard or stick ( Or HOTAS ) ?

[Quickben]

Hello CMDr's

I'd like some people opinions on their preferred control options in an attempt to help me decide

I began using the mouse and keyboard and while at first i found it a little clunky i spent some time fiddling with the control settings and managed to get it to a point i'm fairly competent with it, i find it to be extremely accurate in dog fighting situations when fighting at range because of the huge amount of precision available.

I thought i'd give a HOTAS a go, so i purchased the T-Flight HOTAS X and found it to be somewhat laggy, there was a half second-ish input delay and a sizable deadzone which completely threw off my aim;
Despite these issues ( and i think they may be unique to my stick ) i did find it to be alot more immersive than using the mouse and has some advantages such as the ease of holding a continued turn etc. and i'm considering buying a standalone joystick and using it with my gamepad.

So my options are as follows:

1. Buy a standalone stick ( looking at a Thrustmaster T.16000M ) and use it alongside my Razor Nostromo gamepad.
2. Stick with the mouse !

Please share your setups and thoughts

 

[archeolog108]

Hello CMDr's

I'd like some people opinions on their preferred control options in an attempt to help me decide

I began using the mouse and keyboard and while at first i found it a little clunky i spent some time fiddling with the control settings and managed to get it to a point i'm fairly competent with it, i find it to be extremely accurate in dog fighting situations when fighting at range because of the huge amount of precision available.

I thought i'd give a HOTAS a go, so i purchased the T-Flight HOTAS X and found it to be somewhat laggy, there was a half second-ish input delay and a sizable deadzone which completely threw off my aim;
Despite these issues ( and i think they may be unique to my stick ) i did find it to be alot more immersive than using the mouse and has some advantages such as the ease of holding a continued turn etc. and i'm considering buying a standalone joystick and using it with my gamepad.

So my options are as follows:

1. Buy a standalone stick ( looking at a Thrustmaster T.16000M ) and use it alongside my Razor Nostromo gamepad.
2. Stick with the mouse !

Please share your setups and thoughts

1. Mouse and Keyboard. I bought HOTAS and send it back, because it was too unwieldy for me.

 

[foxpur]

There is +/- for both to be honest... but the stick adds more to the feel. But I think th mouse works better foe interdiction.

 

[HarryCYUL]

Mouse and Keyboard

 

[blueski]

when i try a hotas i'll know, this game needs a joystick but i am not splashing serious money on it yet.

 

[Ogidch]

Just took delivery of an X52 Pro yesterday, I am only playing the training missions so far. I am also an unskilled pilot and this is my first ever HOTAS, but I have to say the HOTAS is a marked improvement over mouse and keys for me.

Not figured out the best configuration yet and just mastering the thrusters, boost and shooting etc, will then set-up the menus and other hat switches.

 

[fourty6to3]

I used a T-Flight Hotas X but found it a bit lacking, so then I upgraded to a x52. It has lots more useful buttons and the stick is a lot smoother, but ultimately I use the keyboard for my throttle/thruster control and the stick for everything else.

 

[CMDR Crustatious Cornelius Pig]

Just took delivery of an X52 Pro yesterday, I am only playing the training missions so far. I am also an unskilled pilot and this is my first ever HOTAS, but I have to say the HOTAS is a marked improvement over mouse and keys for me.

Not figured out the best configuration yet and just mastering the thrusters, boost and shooting etc, will then set-up the menus and other hat switches.

keyboard and mouse all the way....I have a x52 pro....it is collecting dust. I just prefer mouse and keyboard.....how I played it in 84....Old School I guess.

 

[Memnoch]

I did try mouse and keyboard first as my HOTAS had not been delivered at that time. I could just about get on with it but my gameplay experience was immediately elevated once the HOTAS arrived.

 

[CobraKhan]

HOTAS here...mouse and keyboard are good for me with adventures and FPS shooters, but as soon as I fly something, I have to use a joystick, just the best feeling for me

 

[adoredtv]

I'm considering trying out a HOTAS, mostly for the throttle. I wonder if there's a limit to M+K play I'll probably reach soon, regarding thruster use and more obviously, FA OFF.

 

[kursah]

I use both. I use Keyboard and Mouse exclusively on my laptop and it works out fine. I must admit, not nearly as fun as a stick though!!!

I use a stick + keyboard and mouse on my gaming PC. I also just replaced my pretty damn good budget-oriented Logitech Extreme 3D Pro with an AMAZING CH Fighterstick. I stopped using the Logitech's twist yaw recently to prepare for the Fighterstick having no twist yaw. Besides twist yaw was a pain in the hind end to learn and I feel now it is kind of a finicky feature...I feel just as accurate if not more-so with the A/D keys.

My fighterstick currently controls:

Weapons groups 1 & 2 on buttons 1 and 2
Hardpoint Deployments on button 3
Flight Assist on button 4
Targeting ahead/enemy/nearby (POV 8-way hat has all good options covered)
Power management on lower RH HAT.
Lateral thrusters on mid-LH HAT
Cargo Scoop, Landing Gear, Turbo Boost and Reverse Thrust on lowest-LH HAT.

Pitch and Roll on their respective axis. This is not a final layout, but I was able to get into the game and play away fairly quickly.

Then I use the mouse and mouse button 3 for look around. Mouse also used for menu navigation (or mid-LH HAT + lower RH hat + button 1 for menu nave as well).

I then use the keyboard for YAW duties on the A/D keys, THROTTLE duties on the W/S keys, preset throttle points (VERY USEFUL) like below:

1 - 0%
2 - 25%
3 - 50%
4 - 75%
5 - 100%

I use the J/K keys for Supercruise and Hyperspace travel.

I changed the menu nav options to the F1, F2, F3 and F4 keys (you'll see a warning when binding the throttle to 1-4 what options are changed... using the F-keys feels more natural for these options anyways IMHO).

I wasn't sure how I'd feel going back to the Tie Fighter days of using the keyboard for throttle and various commands, but IMHO it still feels very good and very utility, useful, and natural since hand placement is at a default state. I'm using my ancient Logitech G15.

I must also add that using the predefined throttle is VERY VERY nice for supercruse. 75% is the sweet spot to hit at about 8-6 seconds from your next station or target, will allow you to slowdown in time without overshooting in 95% of situations.

I find that my flight stick, keyboard and mouse all have a role in this title, and it all feels really good. I have my layout like so:

Logitech G15 | CH Fighterstick | UtechSmart Mouse

Works amazingly well. I do want a throttle in the future, but for $120+ I cannot justify it, let alone afford it...and I am finding I don't need it quite yet to be able to enjoy this game to what I feel is excellent levels of enjoyment. That's what gaming is all about, finding your way and enjoying the experience. Cheers!

 

[Gelbrock]

I cant use either mouse or joystick. Have you tried just using keyboard or am i the only one?

As far as immersion goes, I just think of Star Wars or Star Trek... they use keyboard (buttons) to fly their ships Falcon and Enterprise at least.

 

[gazzareth]

Gone from regular joystick to HOTAS, if you have the desk space the HOTAS is much better.

G

 

[JACyo]

1. Buy a standalone stick ( looking at a Thrustmaster T.16000M ) and use it alongside my Razor Nostromo gamepad.

This!!! Sounds like an interesting combination.

I've never used keyboard + mouse in ED... always play with HOTAS + pedal, though I'd say just having a joystick is enough. HOTAS is for more immersion and fun but won't provide "more" advantages over standalone joystick.
BTW, T.16000M seems a good choice, at least, if I have to choose a standalone stick in that price range, I would choose T.16000M.

 

[Antmax]

HOTAS by a long shot. I have a $160 mouse and a standalone joystick, 360 controller and a vanilla X52 with the usual 5 minute mods. There really isn't any comparrison, the X52 is far superior.

Having said that, I did get a lot of practice playing War Thunder arcade battles with realistic joystick controls the past year. Made ED a breeze to pick up.

 

[Quickben]

So i just setup my Gamepad and its beginning to feel right, the mouse i use has a 12 button grid for your thumb ( Logitech G600 ) which i'm finding immensely useful for things like heat sink, chaff, shield cell etc. and allows me to use the head look feature very intuitively when set on toggle ( I simply bound G16 to Headlook toggle )

Along with my Gamepad ( these things are great if you don't have a throttle module, highly recommended !) i have more than enough bindings without having to move my hands to the main keyboard at all.

As for the stick vs mouse in terms of accuracy, i guess i'm just too used to the mouse and far under practiced with a joystick for it to be worth the switch.

Cheers for your input folks, think I've decided to stick with this setup, feel free to continue the discussion though !

 

[CTR69]

I found no limitations with using mouse and keyboard. Ship moves and strafes where I point it and aim is perfectly accurate. I'm only limited by my imagination which moves to pull during a dogfight and steady aiming skills.

And it comes very handy in menu and galaxy map navigation.

 

[Deemer15]

Hello CMDr's

I'd like some people opinions on their preferred control options in an attempt to help me decide

I began using the mouse and keyboard and while at first i found it a little clunky i spent some time fiddling with the control settings and managed to get it to a point i'm fairly competent with it, i find it to be extremely accurate in dog fighting situations when fighting at range because of the huge amount of precision available.

I thought i'd give a HOTAS a go, so i purchased the T-Flight HOTAS X and found it to be somewhat laggy, there was a half second-ish input delay and a sizable deadzone which completely threw off my aim;
Despite these issues ( and i think they may be unique to my stick ) i did find it to be alot more immersive than using the mouse and has some advantages such as the ease of holding a continued turn etc. and i'm considering buying a standalone joystick and using it with my gamepad.

So my options are as follows:

1. Buy a standalone stick ( looking at a Thrustmaster T.16000M ) and use it alongside my Razor Nostromo gamepad.
2. Stick with the mouse !

Please share your setups and thoughts

I have the EXACT same setup. And I love it. the T.16000m is a sweet and (very affordable) stick.

 

[KillaALF]

HOTAS all the way, being an avid flight-simmer the hardware (Thrustmaster Warthog, TrackIR) was already at hand, so I never even tried anything else.