The Joystick/Controller discussion thread

[TheWombat]

I have a Logitech Wingman 3D pro which has 12 buttons, z-axis, throttle and 1 HAT POV switch. This was not enough buttons for how I wanted to have my set-up however I've found since setting up Voice Attack and TrackIR I need far far few buttons. Other than precision of control, the only thing I am missing from the 3D pro is a second HAT POV switch.

The commands I use a lot as buttons are:

• Fire
• Secondary Fire
• Thrust Up/Down/Left/Right (HAT POV)
• Reverse (I also use voice for this)
• Boost (I also use voice for this)
• Throttle
• Flight Assist On/Off Hold (I also use voice for this)

The other controls such as target, hostile, target next, etc, cargo scoop, lights are all voice controls.

This isn't a solution for everyone, however it does make it easier to play Elite Dangerous if you prefer to not have a HOTAS or Joystick with 20+ buttons (whether for budget, preference, space reasons).

The only thing I am missing as mentioned is the second HAT/POV which I would want to configure for scrolling through the side panels. This can use the first HAT POV however I prefer it to be separate if possible.

I expect I will buy a more sophisticated Joystick/HOTAS however this is now no longer a critical thing I need now, hence I can wait and see what the Saitek X55 is like as well as determine whether to invest in a Warthog or other HOTAS and what the more complete release of Elite Dangerous needs in terms of controls.

Voice Attack (or other equivalents) are cheap/free - so is worth trying. TrackIR needs a larger investment and to me is a place holder while I await consumer version of Oculus Rift.

hth

Commander Wombat

 

[robo]

I can recommend my joystick, the Thrustmaster T16000. Its relatively cheap, has lots of mappable buttons, twist grip, throttle, and a good accurate feel to it, its also fit for both left and right handers (something missed by most manufacturers!). And to cap it all off, it works in every game i've played.

That’s the stick I’ve opted for, being a lefty, it’s one hell of a problem getting a good flight stick. Some are adjustable for left handed people, but very few, I’ve had a Saitek Cyborg 3D, Cyborg Evo, but about a year ago, getting into the buzz of ED, I bought a new stick, the Cyborg V.1.

Forward to recently, getting a bit peeved at seeing everybody’s videos on the net, having fun with the alpha, how very dare them , so I forked out another 100 squid & downloaded the alpha. After using mouse, joypad & joystick, I soon came to the conclusion that a stick was for me, I had previously assumed as much anyway. But the problem lay with the stick I had purchased specifically for ED, due to wanting to use the hat switch for, vertical + lateral thrust, for UI focus mode & for toggle head look, I realised quickly that it would be better if I’d had buttons on the joystick base as well, something lacking on the Cyborg V.1.

The Thrustmaster T16000 has 6 buttons either side of the stick, activating the side of buttons required by a sliding switch under the bottom, a trigger, 4 way hat with 3 additional buttons surrounding it & a sliding throttle behind the stick in the centre. With their off stick hand, I’ve read that people can keep their thumb on the throttle with the rest of their fingers resting over the 6 base buttons, all in all, this stick dots all the I’s & crosses all the T’s for me, just waiting for it to be sent.

Also considering using Power-Grid on one of my 10.1 inch android tablets with a Thrustmaster T16000, although I’ll have to try it out, as I might prefer the tactile response of a keyboard key.

 

[Dave Ridcully]

I ordered the X52 Pro from Amazon for £107 yesterday. It said it would take extra time for delivery on the product page, but it is apparently out for delivery today.

When I ordered mine on Tuesday I chose the Free delivery option & it is due for delivery on Saturday.

 

[Adept]

@adept, it's probably the best budget joystick/throttle combo, better than the speedlink black widow (i've had both), also you can separate the throttle and stick from one another making it a lot more ergonomic and comfortable to use, for the price, about 30 quid, you can't go wrong really.

Consensus from various threads seems to be that as a budget option, it's a good stick.

Thanks guys. I was looking at it for a friend who is thinking about getting a stick, but not wanting to spend too much money. I suspect that with the Thrustmaster control software one can get a decent response curve out of that thing.

I'm personally thinking about either the T.16000 or going full crazy on a HOTAS Cougar. The problem with both options is that Thrustmaster doesn't seem to do pedals these days.

What is the consensus. Are Saitek pedals the best value for money currently? Do they play nice when paired up with Thrustmaster stuff?

 

[Bumvelcrow]

I ordered the X52 Pro from Amazon for £107 yesterday. It said it would take extra time for delivery on the product page, but it is apparently out for delivery today.

I did the same, as soon as I saw they had some in stock. It's apparently coming tomorrow. Unfortunately the significant other's parents are visiting for the weekend, but they're quite understanding!

B

 

[avow555]

This game turns out to be a joystick manufacturers dream time

 

[Hellhawk666]

Has anybody tried this cheapie HOTAS from Thrustmaster? http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_UK/products/tflight-hotas-x

I'd love to know if it's worth getting as a budget option.

Yep. I'm using one, however it is my first ever HOTAS so I can't make a valid comparison against other devices, but it certainly works fine for me. The only criticism I have is that the cable connecting the two halves is a smidgen too short, so I can't position the throttle and joystick on either side of my keyboard.

It is a right handed joystick only, so sinister people beware.

 

[X2Eliah]

So my new joystick just arrived, I'll post my impressions onit here once I'll have done a bit of playing, seeing how it works. Long-time mouse/keyboard user previous to this, so.. not sure how it'll go.

I chose to get a Thrustmaster t.16000, mainly based on the reports about it's sensors not wearing out. Well, let's hope that turns out to be true.

As for the initial, out-of-the-box impressions, though...

Blech.

It looks amazingly cheap and shoddily built - I'm rather surprised, in a bad way, considering how bloody expensive it is. The entire thing feels very hollow and weightless, like a plastic shell without any core to it. The plastic looks to be rather low-quality too, with soft, imprecise curves and bulky shapes. The gap where the two sides of the joystick's hull meet is disgustingly large.
The buttons.. well, those are their own brand of awful, to be frank - hilariously oversized, utilizing (by feel) one of the cheapest plastic-dome switches there are, the buttons also wobble a lot and don't sit flush with their sockets. The array of bttons on the base is even more horrid, as none of the buttons are even in the same elevation, but rather all willy-nilly, with edges poking out above each other in no meaningful pattern...

On the upside, it seems that the actual motion-thingy is fairly nice (though ofc time will tell); but other than that? I feel like I've just wasted stupid amounts of money for a cheap ******** of a thing. How can Thrustmaster charge that much for something this poorly-made?

 

[Sir.Tj]

Has anybody tried this cheapie HOTAS from Thrustmaster? http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_UK/products/tflight-hotas-x

I'd love to know if it's worth getting as a budget option.

I got one to test the waters, So far its fine; base could be a bit steadier and the cables tend not to stay in the slots under the base but it's a good budget stick.

I'd be interested on how others with it have setup the mapping for ED.

 

[Juniper]

How can Thrustmaster charge that much for something this poorly-made?

I hate to say it, but the answer is "because people will buy it".

 

[X2Eliah]

I hate to say it, but the answer is "because people will buy it".

Touche

 

[noodle]

I hate to say it, but the answer is "because people will buy it".

I was being tactful and avoiding saying that

 

[Adept]

On the upside, it seems that the actual motion-thingy is fairly nice (though ofc time will tell); but other than that? I feel like I've just wasted stupid amounts of money for a cheap ******** of a thing. How can Thrustmaster charge that much for something this poorly-made?

:S It's only 40 euros. Did you pay a lot for it, or am I just used to a different price range? I'm really confused.

 

[X2Eliah]

Aye, 40 euros (touch over it) + shipping comes to ~50 euro pricepoint...

Idk, either I've tended to buy smart, or just past luck, but at that price I expect way better quality :/

 

[X2Eliah]

Also, a new idea I had..

What would you folks say about this:
Instead of looking for a hotas setup, a joystick+keypad could be used instead; gaming-oriented keypads (something like logitech's G13) have ~20+ buttons, it can be placed right where your hand goes, next to the joystick, and there's usually a hat switch that could be used for throttle settings. This way, (my theory is that) you'd get the benefit of a two-handed control system, where you have all the keys you need to control the game, without having to finangle a full-sized keyboard or be limited only to what inputs you get with the hotas.

Or am I concocting an unspeakable mess here?

 

[Razorwire]

...What would you folks say about ... a joystick+... gaming-oriented keypad... placed right where your hand goes, next to the joystick, and there's usually a hat switch that could be used for throttle settings. ...

Sounds like that could work well for a lot of people, tbh.

Personally, I've not had any problems mapping all the commands I need to my hotas, and I still have quite a few unbound buttons to use.

 

[Krollin]

Greetings Commanders,

Somewhat tongue in cheek - this could be an interesting controller to use - even has built in voice-recognition

No offence meant to anyone!

Kro

 

[X2Eliah]

snip

Ah. Not too interested in that, but a touchpad laid over a well-built dude's abdomen/sixpack? Oh god, sign me up for that!

 

[Krollin]

Ah. Not too interested in that, but a touchpad laid over a well-built dude's abdomen/sixpack? Oh god, sign me up for that!

So does the six-pack equate to more buttons - not even going to ask what you would assign to those

Kro

 

[Bikky]

I can now confirm I'll be using a Saitek x52 Pro... Arrived today and testing on X3 pending beta release