[Video] More FIRE buttons are almost a must, especially if you load more than 2 weapon types

Yeah! So!

Those people can go out and buy themselves a HOTAS and then enjoy the benefits themselves.

And if they can't afford it?

Sucks to be them. Maybe they've taken up the wrong hobby.

Right there with ya... This warthog sitting in front of me has plenty of buttons... It's a shame I have to waste some on frivolous commands, just so I dont have to touch a KB.
 
I think it's more the controller guys who would complain — it's pretty standard for mice to have 5+ buttons nowadays. (Even non-gaming mice)

Yup.

I tried to play with an Xbox controller once.. Just once.

I then told my son that I was sorry he had to play on an xbox. I also made fun of him as he was not part of the master (PC) race.
He now throws things at me as I play in VR.
 
Scan groups would be a big step. basically, a separate fire group for scanners, because, why do I need to deploy hard points to use scanners that are NOT mounted to hard points? In fact, why are KWS, cargo scanners and wake scanners not directionally passive? (ie. - no trigger, point it in the right direction and it just scans.) Works fine for the DSS...

Z...
 
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Wasn't it stated previously that the big factor in limiting our buttons was balance/compatablilty with console?

More because they didn't want people playing with KB/M to be at too severe a disadvantage vs those with a stick/HOTAS/controller of some sort.

I don't agree that more is a 'must'. They'd be a definite convenience, but it's not a game breaker.
 
As an XB1 user I have to say we are not that restricted even on a standard controller. We can use key combos and are used to it. With an Elite controller we have even more available so there would be no reason to restrict it for platform parity. I would be just fine with it as I'm sure most XB1 commanders would be.
Not sure it's needed though.
 
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Modern aircraft that can carry a number of different weapon system often only have two 'fire' buttons on the control stick. And they often have one dedicated fire button for a single weapons system and have to select between the others for use with the second fire button.

It part of the philosophy that you are selectively trying to kill something and not just 'shoot all da tings!' and have to exercise some 'fire control' rather than wanton blasting away at anything and everything will all you got.

So No I don't agree. We do not 'need' any more fire buttons. You might want some more but it is definitely not a 'must'
 
I think it's more the controller guys who would complain — it's pretty standard for mice to have 5+ buttons nowadays. (Even non-gaming mice)
Controllers aren't the issue, I play on PC with an XB360 controller and have plenty of spare button combinations for additional fire buttons.
 
No, why would I do that? It's because of those hotkeys the 2 fire buttons are good enough.

Well, until very recently we didn't have a hotkey for ECM; and the argument went that you could "just" assign it to one of your triggers in one of your firegroups. Problem is, this wasn't a workable solution because ECM needs to be deployable on very short notice, and once you start adding in these specialized modules, the 2 trigger+cycle through firegroups solution just doesn't work anymore. A lot of functions are rendered useless when they take up a whole trigger and require cycling through firegroups to use. So bit by bit frontier have added in single-purpose bindings for each specialized module, but only after a great deal of hemming and hawing and denial that the problem even exists.

The rejoinder by naysayers, *every time*, is always some variant of "2 fire buttons are good enough." But they're not good enough and never have been good enough; which is why we keep getting these single-use buttons (which are way less friendly to gamepad and mouse players than extra assignable fire buttons, btw).

As time goes on, we're going to get more special-use modules which need to be quickly available but which don't justify an entire firegroup all by themselves. It's obnoxious to require an entire firegroup for, say, healing beams, or each limpet type, or what have you, when these items are most useful only if used quickly and briefly in a special situation and then not needed again for a while. Swapping back and forth through firegroups is clunky and more importantly having all the additional firegroups needed to do so makes the entire interface into a mess. If we could have more assignable *triggers,* then we could have fewer firegroups and make better use of specialized equipment.

Frontier sort of recognized the need for additional triggers when they added "quick slots," but then they locked this functionality to the gunner role in multicrew. I suggest they extend this functionality to solo pilots as well.
 
Modern aircraft that can carry a number of different weapon system often only have two 'fire' buttons on the control stick. And they often have one dedicated fire button for a single weapons system and have to select between the others for use with the second fire button.

It part of the philosophy that you are selectively trying to kill something and not just 'shoot all da tings!' and have to exercise some 'fire control' rather than wanton blasting away at anything and everything will all you got.

So No I don't agree. We do not 'need' any more fire buttons. You might want some more but it is definitely not a 'must'

Except combat in ED bears no resemblance to the modern environment where that philosophy applies. You never destroy a ship by deploying a single weapon.

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to ED's combat taking on a more "simulation" tone. But as it stands it's very much arcade dogfighting, and the controls should aim to support that.
 
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Except combat in ED bears no resemblance to the modern environment where that philosophy applies. You never destroy a ship by deploying a single weapon.

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to ED's combat taking on a more "simulation" tone. But as it stands it's very much arcade dogfighting, and the controls should aim to support that.

And having more fire buttons help that?

I don't see it. All more fire buttons will allow you to do is have instant access to different fire groups....so by making it more complicated to remember what fire group you want to utilise and what fire button it is mapped to. So really a slight variation on the current setup.

Again I can why some people would 'want' this but that makes far from a 'need' or 'must have' by a long stretch.
 
I'm good either way, I tend to loadout into two groups of weapons anyway. One for shields and the second for hull, keeps it simple. However, I would be happy with a third fire button which I would probably assign a PA or Rail for close shots (I suck with fixed).
 
So we have a thread about the flight model and one about fire buttons... How about we discuss 3rd person camera as well? Or the Python nerf?
 
Sadly joypads have only a limited amount of buttons and since the entire UI system is based upon console functionality we won't see anything more than 2 fire buttons.

My gamepad has 6 buttons I could assign as triggers.

Okay so I added four of them myself along with several toggle switches, extra axis and a throttle, but still, it is POSSIBLE to have more than 2 triggers on a gamepad.
 
Im fine with 2 groups but let me make a separate button mapping for missiles, rockets, torpedoes and mines.

To actually have to disable 2/3 of my armament to lock and fire a missile is beyond stupid.
 
You just need to get creative with fire-groups IMO.

Set up fire-groups that enable different combo's of weapons depending on the situation and you're all set.
^^this

2 fire buttons work well for me, using a lot fire groups so I cycle these.
Tbh I have all buttons bound on the stick (Warthog) and would have to rearrange like everything to fit/asign 2 new fire buttons. :p
 
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i use 360 pad and VA. no problems for me switching between fire groups. VA response time is an issue. (using VA you can switch through the groups forward and backwards.) instead of just forwards using GP.
though having keys that can be bound to a fire group for quick access, would be good.
 
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