What type of controller will you be using for Elite Dangerous

[Mike Evans]

I see that the Speedlink Black Widow has "force vibration" - does anyone know if that's actual force feedback, or just a "rumble" type of thing?

Just discovered that my hardly used MS FFB stick isn't compatible with Win 7/8 or in fact anything without a midi/game port.

Makes a helluva paperweight though!

It's just vibration and I'm not entirely sure how compatible it is with any game as I've not seen it work.

 

[HaiderGill]

It's just vibration and I'm not entirely sure how compatible it is with any game as I've not seen it work.

The force feedback was really good on those. I know the force feedback 2 works as long as the game comes with the effect. You may be able to pick up a cheap one up on Ebay.

 

[HaiderGill]

It's just vibration and I'm not entirely sure how compatible it is with any game as I've not seen it work.

Hi Mike,

Will there be force feedback built-in to ED? MS Force Feedback 2s (they are the usb ones) are cheap on ebay and as long as game supports the effects then it works in Win7/8. Otherwise it's just a normal joystick.


Thanks
Haider

 

[Mike Evans]

The force feedback was really good on those. I know the force feedback 2 works as long as the game comes with the effect. You may be able to pick up a cheap one up on Ebay.

I was talking about the Black Widow.

 

[Mike Evans]

Hi Mike,

Will there be force feedback built-in to ED? MS Force Feedback 2s (they are the usb ones) are cheap on ebay and as long as game supports the effects then it works in Win7/8. Otherwise it's just a normal joystick.


Thanks
Haider

We're not looking into that and we don't have any force feedback joysticks to even test it on. Might be something to consider though down the line.

 

[Voyager_NL]

We're not looking into that and we don't have any force feedback joysticks to even test it on. Might be something to consider though down the line.

Can you tell us if you have an X52 Pro on test? And if it is a big tast do do something with the LCD display on the throttle.

I've been waiting a few months now to give my X52 Pro a nice space spin. Currently it has to put up with War Thunder and such.

Tnx!

 

[Komemiute]

A warthog owner! been looking for someone to help me out with some details about this stick.

I have been wondering does the warthog have in addition to the main stick an additional analog control stick on the throttle or anywhere else for that matter which can be mapped to thrusters?

Hoping to use pitch, yaw and roll on fighter stick, with acceleration /deceleration with throttle and additional analog stick to thrusters, would this be possible?

I know the CH pro throttle has this function so would provide the 6DoF but would the warthog also?

Well hello! I'm a happy owner of a WartHog too.
Let's see if I can help:

To answer you question, on the inboard Throttle Top (the right one -to be clear) there's a little pin that is really just a tiny analogue controller (akin to a stick of the latest playstation/x box joypad) also depressible as a button.

The main problem I have with this ministick is that it's REALLY MINI.

Don't think you'll have much capacity to modulate thrust... It is really a simple way to simulate the control on the real thing- just a force sensing stick, like the F16 main sticktop. (i.e.: It moves very little but it tracks efficiently how much force is applied.)

I've found the Hat-switch beside it much more comfortable and practical for side thrust (mapped it out for Independence war 2).
I started too using the ministick, as you intend to, but it is simply too flimsy and subject to the slightest touch.

The limited range of motion forces you to tweak its axis to behave basically as a On/Off state.

If I can express some more opinions on this magnificent stick, it'all down here... (Eurrrrh, that sounds pretty bad, uh?)

The warthog comes with a pricey tag BUT it does have a lot of what any simmer may want.
What makes it so impressive is the HALL effect sensors.
Unlike other systems this comes with no contact sensors, relying only on a specific magnetic field to retrieve the position of all the main axes.

You'll never have to recalibrate or adjust anything with the WH.
And the precision is outstanding to say the least.

Both the stick and the throttle axis are fitted with the HALL effect sensors.


But I digress...

The WH comes with two main pieces.
A sticktop and a throttletop piece.

The stick is movable in 2 axis (front/aft , left/right -No torsion stick), has a great double stage trigger and 4 more buttons all over the stick.

The best part are the 4 Hat-like switches.

One (for the trim) is 8 ways, the other three are four ways; one of them also depressible for an added button.

The throttletop has 2 main axis for left and right engine (being the replica of the A10 WartHog Throttles) - plus a third one that is friction control on the real plane. A bit small but I use it with good results as Zoom control for the view in DCS or as radiator control in Rise of Flight.


Not to mention the base of the Throttles that's literally peppered with switches EVERYWHERE!

It's a great fun, and comes with a very powerful (albeit quite complex) editor to create all sort of profiles for the keys/buttons...
All in all is just almost perfect.

If you're bursting with confidence you can transform almost to really... but that comes later...

Lunch break!

 

[Variform]

Thi is my man cave. Track IR and all...

Nice setup. Did you build the desk yourself? Can you tell us how you use the monitor on the right? You have it tilted. And when you play, aren't you quite a distance from your monitor?

 

[Variform]

Its where I control the NSA from!!!

Brian

I can't believe it! And I feel fancy for having two monitors and a 3D kit, lol!

You should talk us through it.

Never mind, you already did.

 

[Mike Evans]

Can you tell us if you have an X52 Pro on test? And if it is a big tast do do something with the LCD display on the throttle.

I've been waiting a few months now to give my X52 Pro a nice space spin. Currently it has to put up with War Thunder and such.

Tnx!

I've only played with a colleagues personal x52 pro and we have no plans to support programming for the MFD on it. Other than that the x52 pro works pretty much the same as the non-pro version. It only looks a bit different and there are like a few metal buttons but the majority of it is exactly the same plastic.

 

[Susimetsa]

Speaking of supporting specific pieces of equipment: Any plans to support the inbuilt LCD screen on certain Logitech keyboards, such as the G19? Would be a great way to display some system information, for example.

 

[HaiderGill]

So I was wondering about this thing myself.

In what way is it flimsy? It goes back and forth too easily? No resistance?

I kinda like that. I don't want to have to struggle to push it forward and back during a fight.

But my advice to anyone, go to the store and feel the thing, any thing you wanna get. These are personal input devices. They can be just right or just wrong. I'll be testing them in shops before I buy.

Back in my simming days, quite a few of the Thrustmaster Cougar users would add http://www.realsimulator.com/html/fssb.html for a realistic feel...I myself was more a CH Products user...

 

[Mike Evans]

Speaking of supporting specific pieces of equipment: Any plans to support the inbuilt LCD screen on certain Logitech keyboards, such as the G19? Would be a great way to display some system information, for example.

No support for this is being considered at the moment sorry.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

No support for this is being considered at the moment sorry.

Maybe in the future there could be some API for such things?

 

[Variform]

Really I would prefer to use a mouse and keyboard, but I am not sure yet ...

I wonder if mouse and keyboard gives a more accurate game play experience or not ? It does for FPS, but have no idea if that is the case for a modern space game.

I am hoping the alpha testers will give us some clues about what they prefer. Based on that feedback we can all benefit in buying what we like.

 

[jynxed]

Well hello! I'm a happy owner of a WartHog too.
Let's see if I can help:

Awesome thanks for the detailed answer.

I am looking to run ED and SC I know SC at thinking about bringing out licensed peripherals but it will be a long time coming, and who knows about the build quality. With beta/alpha access just around corner for both games I am really starting to look at whats out there.

I guess I am just worried that HAT switches that are digital will not offer fine control of thrusters, either all to left or all to right. I know Roberts has an x52 in his set up and Saitek sent alot of peripherals their way, SO I am hoping the analog problem I perceive will not exist, it is however a huge assumption.

The other option I know is 2 sticks but I just dont think that will be great for me as my co-ordination isn't the best.

The stick sounds absolutely solid, it looks like the terminator of sticks, add a pair of pedals for yaw would give a lot of versatility. Which if you blow that much on a stick you want it to be all singing and dancing.

Thanks again the post was very helpful.

 

[Komemiute]

Nice setup. [1] Did you build the desk yourself? [2] Can you tell us how you use the monitor on the right? You have it tilted. [3] And when you play, aren't you quite a distance from your monitor?

Why thank you!

[1]
Yes, yes I did build it myself.
Not to sound too proud but I did a pretty damn fine job.

It took me more or less 3 months of father-husband time to study all the measure required by the situation, find the right wood, the colour and refine the design to limit costs.

[2]
The monitor on the right was my main monitor before my wife allowed me to buy a better one.
The main use come for Photoshop/drawing-modelling software.
It's better to have it tilted as I can just drag & Drop all the tabs/menues and have the main big one for drawing.
Alternatively I can just keep there all the references I need for the actual drawing.

Secondary use I've found are :

DCS manuals,
Charts,
Teamspeak client,
other...


[3]
I'm not that far when I play, but that's more obvious when you see a picture of it.


I studied this desk with a precise objective, match a comfortable position for the combo -Stick/throttles/rudder pedals.

I just can't use the joysticks on a desk.
It's too high, it tense up all the muscles in my shoulders and more generally it's pointless to spend so much for that HOTAS and then use it as a generic Joystick.
If there's the space to allow it, that just screams for a proper positioning, arms and shoulders relaxed at the controls, pieces screwed on the supports.


If on the other hand I'm playing some FPS or a RTS I put the mouse beside the stick, the feet beside the rudder pedals and I move forward. This way my right hand/forearm/arm rest at a very comfortable angle and the left elbow is right on the arm rest that I lift a notch or two. Left hand relaxed on the keyboard.

Cool is having a mum into clothes making, so she prepared some VERY nice padding with the sewing machine that I later fixed on the hard armrests of my office chair.

The few racing games I have are Arcade-Racing as DIRT 2 and Burnout Paradise City so... I just kick back, literally, and X-box 360 joypad in hand...




Uhrrr, as usual... wall of text. Sorry.

 

[Komemiute]

Awesome thanks for the detailed answer.

I am looking to run ED and SC I know SC at thinking about bringing out licensed peripherals but it will be a long time coming, and who knows about the build quality. With beta/alpha access just around corner for both games I am really starting to look at whats out there.

I guess I am just worried that HAT switches that are digital will not offer fine control of thrusters, either all to left or all to right. I know Roberts has an x52 in his set up and Saitek sent alot of peripherals their way, SO I am hoping the analog problem I perceive will not exist, it is however a huge assumption.

The other option I know is 2 sticks but I just dont think that will be great for me as my co-ordination isn't the best.

The stick sounds absolutely solid, it looks like the terminator of sticks, add a pair of pedals for yaw would give a lot of versatility. Which if you blow that much on a stick you want it to be all singing and dancing.

Thanks again the post was very helpful.

No problem, it's a pleasure.

I can assure that using rudder pedals is really an added value.
I intend to use them, in fact, to roll the ship.

After trying over and over again, I just can fly spaceships as planes.
It's so substantially different, the perceived movement, that my brain refuses to slave the actions to the Flight- subroutine.

I can also vouch that using digital hat-switches for side thrusters is better than you can imagine.

I may be mistaken but I keep using Independence War 2 as a testbed for my controls.
The mass of the ships involved means that the side thrusters are just relatively little enough that you can achieve quite some precise control even with just On/Off behavior.

Couple that with the foreseen Flight Control System... Let me tell you, it's really going to be a piece of cake.

 

[Shepard]

G940 is the only 'modern' HOTAS that has a real force feedback on joystick and oh man its good too. I was playing some old flight sim and it was so much fun t feel joystick vibrate while shooting mah guns!

 

[Mike Evans]

G940 is the only 'modern' HOTAS that has a real force feedback on joystick and oh man its good too. I was playing some old flight sim and it was so much fun t feel joystick vibrate while shooting mah guns!

Vibration isn't the same thing as true force feedback. Did that stick also push and pull itself around as well?