about skill

smegunit

smegunit
I was wondering how much skill in ED is ultimately down to using a HOTAS.

Racing games work best with a steering wheel, FPSs work best with KB+M.
So how much skill will you gain, or rather how much higher are both your skill floor and ceiling when using a hotas compared to a controller or m+kb

Or are there m+kb users out there who fly full FA/Off?
 

Neofactor

Neofactor
There are some pretty good keybindings that I've seen for mouse and keyboard that seem to offer similar levels of controlabilty as my dual joystick set-up.

Here is the keybinding I am referring to:
link

Video explanation of how it works by the creator:
Link


I pretty much use the same thing with my duel joysticks. Left joystick covers the thrusters in all axis and the right works with pitch and roll. I was very suprised, when I saw someone achieve similar results with a mouse and keyboard. Doing so kind of mitigates the need for using FA/Off in most cases unless your turning around with a massive ship or drifting.
 
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Mohrgan

Mohrgan
M&KB users are very successful in E|D. But, I quite like to use a HOTAS myself. Either way you can compete at every aspect of the game, no problem.
 

smegunit

smegunit
Neofactor said:
There are some pretty good keybindings that I've seen for mouse and keyboard that seem to offer similar levels of controlabilty as my dual joystick set-up.

Here is the keybinding I am referring to:
link

Video explanation of how it works by the creator:
Link


I pretty much use the same thing with my duel joysticks. Left joystick covers the thrusters in all axis and the right works with pitch and roll. I was very suprised, when I saw someone achieve similar results with a mouse and keyboard. Doing so kind of mitigates the need for using FA/Off in most cases unless your turning around with a massive ship or drifting.
Click to expand...

That looks very interesting and not so different from the setup I use. I'll try it out.
Thanks.
 

MottiKhan

MottiKhan
Mohrgan said:
M&KB users are very successful in E|D. But, I quite like to use a HOTAS myself. Either way you can compete at every aspect of the game, no problem.
Click to expand...

+1 virtual rep because I need to spread it around. Yes, the best flyers use KB+M, but I find it much more immersive and fun to use a HOTAS. I'll give up a little accuracy if it adds to the enjoyment of the game. We're not in some sort of competition where we could win actual things. (Good thing, because I'd end up owing the competition hosts.)
 

Tarman

Tarman
This game accepts a huge huge variety of input schemes equally well which are only really capped by your wallet, desk space, total USB ports and your skill in controller input as a player.

Much nicer than a control design such as MWO which has a hardcoded preference for zero-order input devices such as digital mice, and which will always be objectively better than any regular HOTAS controllers.
 

smegunit

smegunit
What I have right now is HOTAS users saying M+KB is good without using it.

Not the best endorsement so far tbh.
 

Aashenfox

Aashenfox
I can see why you'd say that, let me try to explain. Mouse and keyboard gives great accuracy, and access to as many commands as needed, as hotkeys you can remember, therefore, it is a more 'efficient' way of playing the game, the top pvp players are KBM users I believe. However, we are all HOTAS users because we are sufficiently skilled with the joystick to prefer the more rewarding levels of immersion it provides, even if it might put us at a tiny, tiny disadvantage. :)
 

Thetele

T
Keyboard and mouse is "the best" way to play elite in terms of how accurate you can be with fixed weapons. Many pvp players use kb&m instead of hotas etc. set up. However many prefer Hotas or joystick because it feels more like flying. If my loadout has rails or i go for some pvp i play with kb&m but if i pve and/or use gimbal weapons i use joystick.
 

Rozete

R
i think some people struggle with combat because that throttle thing, holding to it, jerking it back and forth, instead of just hovering their hand over kb and have all those keys for finer control.. dont know thou, never used hotas, just thinking out loud.
 

Stealthie

Stealthie
I first started playing ED quite "casually", using a keyboard & mouse.
At the time, ED was just another game, like War Thunder, which I used to play with a few mates, for the yucks.

When I decided to start playing ED "properly", I dusted off my old Saitek X45 HOTAS, built some mounts to attach it to a chair and got started.
I recall, at the time, finding it quite frustrating how much harder it was to play using a joystick.
It really did feel like I was "tying one hand behind my back", attempting to use a joystick rather than a keyboard & mouse.

Now, 2 years later, I can really only remember that "intellectually". Instinctively, playing with a joystick feels much more natural, even though there's a reduction in ultimate precision of control.

Cheesy as it might be, it's all about the "immersion".
I currently use a modified HOTAS with a USB keypad velcroed to the top of the throttle for secondary controls.
I don't have to touch my keyboard or mouse at all while flying and that really does add to the immersion, for me at least.
 
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CMDR Jago Kain

CMDR Jago Kain
I bought a T16000 HOTAS three weeks ago after playing with mouse and keyboard for over a year. I actually feel like I have more control over my ship, fine course adjustments are easier, and I can reach all the controls without taking my hands off the stick/throttle. I'm still retraining my muscle memory and have to check my crib sheet for some of the less frequently used functions, but I definitely feel more capable.
 

Marklar_

Marklar_
KB+mouse with FA off is god mode for dogfighting. Using a HOTAS is more about immersion. Controllers are terrible. And yes, I've done it all three ways, I prefer using a HOTAS because it's way more fun and easier on my hands.
 

VonBlade

VonBlade
If you're more accurate with a mouse than a HOTAS then you need to buy a better HOTAS. I've got the T16000 FCS and never need to touch the keyboard, nor do I have difficulty in downing enemies.
 

Stealthie

Stealthie
VonBlade said:
If you're more accurate with a mouse than a HOTAS then you need to buy a better HOTAS. I've got the T16000 FCS and never need to touch the keyboard, nor do I have difficulty in downing enemies.
Click to expand...

Nah,

It's just that mouse-acceleration allows you a much broader range of inputs more quickly and allows you to make fine adjustments with more precision.

I recall there was a demonstration of this somewhere; a simple bit of software that allowed you to steer a cursor around the screen with either a mouse or a joystick.
It flashed small dots up onto the screen and you simply had to move the cursor to the dot and click/fire-button it.
Needless to say, it's MUCH easier to do with a mouse.

If that wasn't the case, we'd all be controlling our OSs with some kind of joystick. ;)
 
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