Newcomer / Intro Roleplaying hardware

Narlax

N
So im a week into game the learning curves about straight and im now loving the game in fact im living and breathing elite.I feel 12 again like when i played the original elite:cool: im a lot older now and have more money but i still want to be a proper commander.So what hardwares out there that will cover all buttons and make it feel more like a simulator.Im out of touch with it all and would like to know what other controllers commanders use to make it feel like piloting a spaceship.I havent started wearing my motorcycle helmet but im damn close:D
 

Ancipital

Ancipital
The obvious answer is a proper HOTAS, pedals and an Oculus Rift.

Yes, it works well, though drinking tea is tricky :)
 

pippo

pippo
Hi Narlax, for about 30/40 quids, you can get a HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) like this one.
This is I believe the first step (an essential one) into making your PC/Elite a proper simulator.
After a few hours of handling this toy you'd probably wonder how it was even possible to enjoy the game with a mouse & keyboard. I believe this set up is the perfect try out version, very good for the money, you can always upgrade it if you like it for something more like this or this.

The idea is to bring all controls to the stick rather than ever reaching for your keyboard.
Once you're comfortable of doing so, and if this is not enough. You can always get your hand on a Oculus Rift DK2 for complete immersion. Be aware though, you will lose quality as this is a piece of kit still in development, and you also will need a very powerful machine to run it smoothly. I do not own one myself and will wait for a finished version before even considering buying it.

If you think (like me) that the Oculus Rift is a bit over the top and unfinished, another good option yet still very immersive is a head tracking device like TrackIr.

You can later think of Rudder Pedals and the best piece of software for Elite (not essential but Oh My God so fun to use) if you fancy talking to your computer like Captain Kirk to his crew… Voice Attack and a microphone.

I cannot see what else one would need.
It can quickly rack up in cash, and personally I'm quite happy with just the Thrustmaster Flight X Hotas, saving up for a better screen. But different people / different budget…

EDIT: what else? a comfy chair, 7.1 sound system...
 
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Night Hawk

Night Hawk
Narlax said:
So im a week into game the learning curves about straight and im now loving the game in fact im living and breathing elite.I feel 12 again like when i played the original elite:cool: im a lot older now and have more money but i still want to be a proper commander.So what hardwares out there that will cover all buttons and make it feel more like a simulator.Im out of touch with it all and would like to know what other controllers commanders use to make it feel like piloting a spaceship.I havent started wearing my motorcycle helmet but im damn close:D
Click to expand...

As others have said, for immersion in this sim you really need a HOTAS - I have no idea how you would manage all of the button presses required during combat using a KB and mouse or even a gampad. When the action heats up you need to be able to press the right button without taking your hands off the controls or your eyes off the screen.

I use an Saitek X52, which I have had for years now for my flight simming. It works very well with ED, even with the stock keybindings, everything you need is at your fingertips and the yaw control on the stick makes docking a snap. I now have tweaked my controls slightly to suit my flying style and I dont need to use the keyboard at all - just HOTAS and mouse.

As far as game accessories go the basic X52 is relatively inexpensive these days.

There is nothing like flying out of starport, pushing that throttle up and hearing the engine spool up - puts a smile on my face eveytime :)

Cheers
 

cmdr lowest

C
There is also ROCCATS Power-Grid. A free tool and app which I use on my ipad to map ship functions to. Handy little second touch-screen interface and fully customisable.
 
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CMDR Memphis

C
pippo said:
Hi Narlax, for about 30/40 quids, you can get a HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) like this one.
If you think (like me) that the Oculus Rift is a bit over the top and unfinished, another good option yet still very immersive is a head tracking device like TrackIr.
Click to expand...
Seconded - the thrustmaster HOTAS (I got ine used for less than 20 quid) is a good start if you want to try a HOTAS setup.

Question about the TrackIR: I see a basic for less than 100, and the other one for about 180. Is the cheaper one good enough?

Edit: Okay, so the "basic" one is the old TrackIR 4, instead of 5 - anyone here use the TrackIR 4 successfully?
 
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Jakspratt

Jakspratt
I use the Thrustmaster HOTAS with some keys bound to my keyboard. Space is a little tight on my keyboard shelf and I was thinking about a small number pad size module that could sit between the two sections of the HOTAS giving another (easily reached) 14 or so more buttons. Anyone using something like this?
 
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