Keyboard support support arrives 14th November. Will FDev support it?

[Guywired]

Offering Keyboard support is NOT the same as REQUIRING Keyboard support.

And people thinking that Keyboard users on console are going to have an unfair advantage over non-keyboard users because of Macro's/Quickkeys overlook that HOTAS users already have those things over controller only users.

It's a lame/terribad argument and is all the excuse FDEV needs to not deliver a basic function to Console players.

Honestly nay-sayers... You are why we can't have nice things.

 

[Fray]

I reckon if you told people in 1990 that in seven years time the dominant controller would feature TWO joysticks, they would laugh at you.

But look what happened...

This is no different.

Technology evolves. All of it. Including consoles.

Y'know, I don't quite know how to respond to that... Other than to say it's sheer lunacy (refuted by history and decades of how people interface with technology) to try to see keys'n'mouse as some kind of evolved form of control for consoles (if that's ultimately what you are trying to claim). They are different, suiting different cultures of gaming, different genres, different habits, and so on.

I was using keys'n'mouse (and joysticks, and a joypad - all on the same system) well before thumbsticks got added to joypads, but have barely touched a keyboard (the direct descendant of the typewriter and word processor) in a gaming context since the PS1 appeared and I switched to modern consoles. Should I feel the need to play games best suited to mouse control (e.g. RTS's, twitch shooters, fiddly MMO's - genres I have no affection for) then I will either add a gaming PC to the mix, or leave console culture behind.

Something certain rather blinkered gamers completely overlook is that actual superiority of input doesn't matter to most people. The split-seconds saved and the few percentage point increases in mouse precision don't necessarily or objectively improve someone's enjoyment of a product (especially when that product's designed with pads in mind). It is a culture of interface and design, serving very different priorities.

Interface informs design, and one of this medium's unique qualities is how diverse its input (joypads, arcade sticks, race wheels, flight sticks, mouse, etc) can be - ergo how diverse the art/entertainment can be (technical 2D fighters, race/flight sims, spreadsheets-dressed-up-as-games for K&M - EVE says hello! - twitch shooters, etc). The genius of the joypad - ever since it first appeared and became popular - is how it can merge comfort/ease-of-use with being good enough for an incredibly wide range of genres and design styles. Unless an alternative comes along that's as convenient/easy to use and as suitable for a vast range of games, pads will never fall out of favour, certainly not whilst gaming so mass market and mainstream.

As for me personally and Elite; I adore the HOTAS, as it's obviously the most objectively 'immersive/realistic' means of input you could ever use for this game. But I hate that rubbish little digital thumbstick (gone is my analogue headlook), and navigating menus and especially the galaxy map is a complete nuisance compared to the pad. I'd love to just be able to pick up the pad when I dock/land, and be able to then use the pad seamlessly to deal with menus, outfitting, and some navigation.

In lieu of that I would greatly appreciate keyboard binds to augment HOTAS input (methinks I'd make spacebar deploy landing gear. I still have it shift-bound to the boost button... ), but I somehow doubt FDev will ever bother to try to implement such a potentially complicated approach to binds, especially on console where most gamers would still be sticking to pads or maybe the HOTAS, with no room or desire for keyboard inputs.

 

[Mole HD]

Y'know, I don't quite know how to respond to that... Other than to say it's sheer lunacy (refuted by history and decades of how people interface with technology) to try to see keys'n'mouse as some kind of evolved form of control for consoles (if that's ultimately what you are trying to claim). They are different, suiting different cultures of gaming, different genres, different habits, and so on.

I was using keys'n'mouse (and joysticks, and a joypad - all on the same system) well before thumbsticks got added to joypads, but have barely touched a keyboard (the direct descendant of the typewriter and word processor) in a gaming context since the PS1 appeared and I switched to modern consoles. Should I feel the need to play games best suited to mouse control (e.g. RTS's, twitch shooters, fiddly MMO's - genres I have no affection for) then I will either add a gaming PC to the mix, or leave console culture behind.

Something certain rather blinkered gamers completely overlook is that actual superiority of input doesn't matter to most people. The split-seconds saved and the few percentage point increases in mouse precision don't necessarily or objectively improve someone's enjoyment of a product (especially when that product's designed with pads in mind). It is a culture of interface and design, serving very different priorities.

Interface informs design, and one of this medium's unique qualities is how diverse its input (joypads, arcade sticks, race wheels, flight sticks, mouse, etc) can be - ergo how diverse the art/entertainment can be (technical 2D fighters, race/flight sims, spreadsheets-dressed-up-as-games for K&M - EVE says hello! - twitch shooters, etc). The genius of the joypad - ever since it first appeared and became popular - is how it can merge comfort/ease-of-use with being good enough for an incredibly wide range of genres and design styles. Unless an alternative comes along that's as convenient/easy to use and as suitable for a vast range of games, pads will never fall out of favour, certainly not whilst gaming so mass market and mainstream.

As for me personally and Elite; I adore the HOTAS, as it's obviously the most objectively 'immersive/realistic' means of input you could ever use for this game. But I hate that rubbish little digital thumbstick (gone is my analogue headlook), and navigating menus and especially the galaxy map is a complete nuisance compared to the pad. I'd love to just be able to pick up the pad when I dock/land, and be able to then use the pad seamlessly to deal with menus, outfitting, and some navigation.

In lieu of that I would greatly appreciate keyboard binds to augment HOTAS input (methinks I'd make spacebar deploy landing gear. I still have it shift-bound to the boost button... ), but I somehow doubt FDev will ever bother to try to implement such a potentially complicated approach to binds, especially on console where most gamers would still be sticking to pads or maybe the HOTAS, with no room or desire for keyboard inputs.

Excellent post, Fray... +1 mate

Offering Keyboard support is NOT the same as REQUIRING Keyboard support.

And people thinking that Keyboard users on console are going to have an unfair advantage over non-keyboard users because of Macro's/Quickkeys overlook that HOTAS users already have those things over controller only users.

It's a lame/terribad argument and is all the excuse FDEV needs to not deliver a basic function to Console players.

Honestly nay-sayers... You are why we can't have nice things.

I'd say the reason we can't have these nice things is that FDev have to cater for the majority rather then the minority. The majority of Xbox players will play the console as it came out of the box without buying extraneous peripherals. Adding the optional key binds via the menu might not be that simple without burgering up the existing control map for everyone...

 

[DustyArne]

Y'know, I don't quite know how to respond to that... Other than to say it's sheer lunacy (refuted by history and decades of how people interface with technology) to try to see keys'n'mouse as some kind of evolved form of control for consoles (if that's ultimately what you are trying to claim). They are different, suiting different cultures of gaming, different genres, different habits, and so on.

I was using keys'n'mouse (and joysticks, and a joypad - all on the same system) well before thumbsticks got added to joypads, but have barely touched a keyboard (the direct descendant of the typewriter and word processor) in a gaming context since the PS1 appeared and I switched to modern consoles. Should I feel the need to play games best suited to mouse control (e.g. RTS's, twitch shooters, fiddly MMO's - genres I have no affection for) then I will either add a gaming PC to the mix, or leave console culture behind.

Something certain rather blinkered gamers completely overlook is that actual superiority of input doesn't matter to most people. The split-seconds saved and the few percentage point increases in mouse precision don't necessarily or objectively improve someone's enjoyment of a product (especially when that product's designed with pads in mind). It is a culture of interface and design, serving very different priorities.

Interface informs design, and one of this medium's unique qualities is how diverse its input (joypads, arcade sticks, race wheels, flight sticks, mouse, etc) can be - ergo how diverse the art/entertainment can be (technical 2D fighters, race/flight sims, spreadsheets-dressed-up-as-games for K&M - EVE says hello! - twitch shooters, etc). The genius of the joypad - ever since it first appeared and became popular - is how it can merge comfort/ease-of-use with being good enough for an incredibly wide range of genres and design styles. Unless an alternative comes along that's as convenient/easy to use and as suitable for a vast range of games, pads will never fall out of favour, certainly not whilst gaming so mass market and mainstream.

As for me personally and Elite; I adore the HOTAS, as it's obviously the most objectively 'immersive/realistic' means of input you could ever use for this game. But I hate that rubbish little digital thumbstick (gone is my analogue headlook), and navigating menus and especially the galaxy map is a complete nuisance compared to the pad. I'd love to just be able to pick up the pad when I dock/land, and be able to then use the pad seamlessly to deal with menus, outfitting, and some navigation.

In lieu of that I would greatly appreciate keyboard binds to augment HOTAS input (methinks I'd make spacebar deploy landing gear. I still have it shift-bound to the boost button... ), but I somehow doubt FDev will ever bother to try to implement such a potentially complicated approach to binds, especially on console where most gamers would still be sticking to pads or maybe the HOTAS, with no room or desire for keyboard inputs.

Great post .

Though I would not underestimate Frontier like that..lol

4K assets, HOTAS support, multiple costum controller bindings.

The only real challenge about this whole might be the text overwrite as soon as you open the comms window ..

 

[Mostly_crippled]

I give it three years and you'll all be using a keyboard daily on your games.

I guess in three years I'll have to start adulating and not playing games anymore (((

I had hoped I could go a lifetime of playing games from a couch in front of a TV but I guess like the games themselves elitists will eventually ruin everything.


Edit** I don't mind if they want to add support for it I'm against requirement of it.

 

[Cadarnfel]

I use the Thrustmaster HOTAS, and don't even use all the buttons - then there are all the "shift" button possibilities.

My hands never leave the HOTAS ('cept in supercruise, so I can have a slurp of tea). I agree text input in the GalMap can be painful, but I don't often need to enter a system name to search on.

When I was playing on PC, I was using the Saitek X-55, and the only use for the keyboard was text entry. The mouse was useful within the station services screen, but not mandatory.

 

[Drymac]

I hope FDEV bring the M&K to consoles.
Having another option is always good.

 

[RagingxPenguin]

Not getting on the KBM train would be a silly mistake IMO...

 

[Loki TDD]

Y'know, I don't quite know how to respond to that... Other than to say it's sheer lunacy (refuted by history and decades of how people interface with technology) to try to see keys'n'mouse as some kind of evolved form of control for consoles (if that's ultimately what you are trying to claim). They are different, suiting different cultures of gaming, different genres, different habits, and so on.

I was using keys'n'mouse (and joysticks, and a joypad - all on the same system) well before thumbsticks got added to joypads, but have barely touched a keyboard (the direct descendant of the typewriter and word processor) in a gaming context since the PS1 appeared and I switched to modern consoles. Should I feel the need to play games best suited to mouse control (e.g. RTS's, twitch shooters, fiddly MMO's - genres I have no affection for) then I will either add a gaming PC to the mix, or leave console culture behind.

Something certain rather blinkered gamers completely overlook is that actual superiority of input doesn't matter to most people. The split-seconds saved and the few percentage point increases in mouse precision don't necessarily or objectively improve someone's enjoyment of a product (especially when that product's designed with pads in mind). It is a culture of interface and design, serving very different priorities.

Interface informs design, and one of this medium's unique qualities is how diverse its input (joypads, arcade sticks, race wheels, flight sticks, mouse, etc) can be - ergo how diverse the art/entertainment can be (technical 2D fighters, race/flight sims, spreadsheets-dressed-up-as-games for K&M - EVE says hello! - twitch shooters, etc). The genius of the joypad - ever since it first appeared and became popular - is how it can merge comfort/ease-of-use with being good enough for an incredibly wide range of genres and design styles. Unless an alternative comes along that's as convenient/easy to use and as suitable for a vast range of games, pads will never fall out of favour, certainly not whilst gaming so mass market and mainstream.

As for me personally and Elite; I adore the HOTAS, as it's obviously the most objectively 'immersive/realistic' means of input you could ever use for this game. But I hate that rubbish little digital thumbstick (gone is my analogue headlook), and navigating menus and especially the galaxy map is a complete nuisance compared to the pad. I'd love to just be able to pick up the pad when I dock/land, and be able to then use the pad seamlessly to deal with menus, outfitting, and some navigation.

In lieu of that I would greatly appreciate keyboard binds to augment HOTAS input (methinks I'd make spacebar deploy landing gear. I still have it shift-bound to the boost button... ), but I somehow doubt FDev will ever bother to try to implement such a potentially complicated approach to binds, especially on console where most gamers would still be sticking to pads or maybe the HOTAS, with no room or desire for keyboard inputs.

the part about dual sticks made sense to me, all i have to do is think back to goldeneye on the n64 and my friends looking at me like i had two heads when i told them the best way to play it was using two controllers so you could use two sticks instead of one and the c-pad

 

[oscarolim]

I use the Thrustmaster HOTAS, and don't even use all the buttons - then there are all the "shift" button possibilities.

My hands never leave the HOTAS ('cept in supercruise, so I can have a slurp of tea). I agree text input in the GalMap can be painful, but I don't often need to enter a system name to search on.

When I was playing on PC, I was using the Saitek X-55, and the only use for the keyboard was text entry. The mouse was useful within the station services screen, but not mandatory.

But for those of us who have somewhat of a cockpit, we'll be able to add things like these:

 

[DustyArne]

But for those of us who have somewhat of a cockpit, we'll be able to add things like these:

Would be cool if Thrustmaster would come up with a Xbox/ps4 variant of this..

This you can just put next to you on the couch or something, perfect for binding secondary ship systems to.. But also in games like Warthunder this would be amazing..

 

[Ackley 280]

But for those of us who have somewhat of a cockpit, we'll be able to add things like these:

According to their website these are already available for PS4. Anybody tried one with elite?

 

[robaberry]

As a PC (formally Mac player), I'd love to play with a combination of controller, mouse and keyboard as I do on the PC. I'd play the XBox version a lot more if I had that option and surely the individual player should decide which option or combination of options work best for them.

 

[TwelveTs]

Since ive been asked to move it here ill repost my original post on the topic "With the most recent update to the Xbox it now fully supports M&K and many devs have already implemented it (looking at you Warframe) and its done heaps better than I had expected it to be at launch. At this point I can't see any reason frontier would be unable to support mouse and keyboard control as well, the base line is already there as they have a PC version of the game and typing in game already works so they are at least registering you have a keyboard plugged in. With 3.3 Dropping VERY SOON now would be the opportune time to at least address whether its simply "in the works" or if Frontier has "No plans at this time""

 

[NewBlacksmurf]

Since ive been asked to move it here ill repost my original post on the topic "With the most recent update to the Xbox it now fully supports M&K and many devs have already implemented it (looking at you Warframe) and its done heaps better than I had expected it to be at launch. At this point I can't see any reason frontier would be unable to support mouse and keyboard control as well, the base line is already there as they have a PC version of the game and typing in game already works so they are at least registering you have a keyboard plugged in. With 3.3 Dropping VERY SOON now would be the opportune time to at least address whether its simply "in the works" or if Frontier has "No plans at this time""

Here are a few reasons:

1. HOTAS support other than the one, should be more important than mouse and keyboard
2. There aren't "many" developers adding support on Xbox One. Honestly its less than 20 currently in total
3. Their game according to the community should instead have support to simultaneously use HOTAS and GAMEpad
4. I own this on PC and honestly, I would NEVER use mouse and keyboard. HOTAS or just don't play it on PC, in my opinion

 

[Shinji Ikari]

I don't want Elite to require a keyboard. I don't want any game to require a keyboard.

How does support for KB in consoles translate to a requierment to play the game? In any case, ED already has many keybinds to the point where I cannot remember all the ones I have programmed so it could be argued it already benefits a lot from a KB.

 

[tafkabb]

How does support for KB in consoles translate to a requierment to play the game? In any case, ED already has many keybinds to the point where I cannot remember all the ones I have programmed so it could be argued it already benefits a lot from a KB.

It doesn't. Like I said earlier, if I can't do it with the stick, I'm not doing it. I don't want the game to require a keyboard. I don't know why this annoys people so much

 

[TwelveTs]

Here are a few reasons:

1. HOTAS support other than the one, should be more important than mouse and keyboard
2. There aren't "many" developers adding support on Xbox One. Honestly its less than 20 currently in total
3. Their game according to the community should instead have support to simultaneously use HOTAS and GAMEpad
4. I own this on PC and honestly, I would NEVER use mouse and keyboard. HOTAS or just don't play it on PC, in my opinion

other HOTAS support is coming i.e. the ace combat hotas,
MANY developers is subjective and just cause there isnt a TON dosnt mean frontier couldnt get the ball rolling being one of the one doing it
the community as a whole should look to what makes the game more accessible to more people not what THEY feel the game should be played
as for the 4th, thats just personal preference ive played with hotas, K&M and a controller and personally cant stand hotas

im looking to have accessibility for more people noone is FORCING anyone to do ANYTHING use whatever you want this is about getting more people to play how they want

 

[TwelveTs]

It doesn't. Like I said earlier, if I can't do it with the stick, I'm not doing it. I don't want the game to require a keyboard. I don't know why this annoys people so much

Your phrasing is suggesting that we are saying require elite to use a keyboard, which we are not, we are simply suggesting ALLOWING it to be used purely from a accessibility standpoint, or from the point of having other options when it come to how you want to control your game. Simply be cause YOU dont want to do it if it cant be done with a stick dosnt mean others dont. Thank you for your feedback though

 

[tafkabb]

I thought I'd been clear. Doesn't matter. I welcome the option, I don't want it to be a requirement. That's all.