Brakes on an ED ship?

[Stealthie]

Just something I was wondering about...

Is there a way to set up an analog input specifically for reverse-thrust, which could be used as a "brake pedal"?

I know I can set up analog inputs for momentary-thrusters in all directions but that means having one analog input for both Z-directions - forward and backward.

Does the game allow me to set up some kind of secondary analog input, solely for applying reverse-thrust?

I'm pondering a DIY joystick mod' to give me a wheel-brake lever (for DCS) and I'm wondering if I could use it as "space brakes" in ED as well.
If I can't, I'll build the lever with a simple switched input, cos that's good enough for wheel-brakes.
If ED's inputs support it, I'll build it with an analog input which'll work for the wheel-brakes and give me controllable "braking" in ED.

 

[Midian Cabal]

Could you rephrase your question by using throttle and thrust?
I'll ignore the ambiguity and try to answer:
You can assign analog input to thrust backward only or to set throttle speed to -100%. In both cases it mapped to my -joy rz-axis.
I haven't tried it in the game, I just tried to map one analog input in the controls options.

 

[777Driver]

I have reverse thurst mapped to an analog slider on my main throttle.

 

[Nutter]

Just something I was wondering about...

Is there a way to set up an analog input specifically for reverse-thrust, which could be used as a "brake pedal"?

I know I can set up analog inputs for momentary-thrusters in all directions but that means having one analog input for both Z-directions - forward and backward.

Does the game allow me to set up some kind of secondary analog input, solely for applying reverse-thrust?

I'm pondering a DIY joystick mod' to give me a wheel-brake lever (for DCS) and I'm wondering if I could use it as "space brakes" in ED as well.
If I can't, I'll build the lever with a simple switched input, cos that's good enough for wheel-brakes.
If ED's inputs support it, I'll build it with an analog input which'll work for the wheel-brakes and give me controllable "braking" in ED.

I have my throttle set for thrust only, the direction is changed by my throttle thumb button. If you goto controls and look up flight Throttle...

Here a pic should cover it

 

[NecasekO]

I believe this is possible, I have forward / reverse thrust bound to the analog "rocker" control on my throttle lever. Very useful for fine positioning over landing pads and when scooping cargo, and full reverse thrust does work as a brake of sorts.

 

[DragonIV]

I have my throttle set for thrust only, the direction is changed by my throttle thumb button. If you goto controls and look up flight Throttle...

Precisely what I do with my FCS Throttle. That keeps all primary throttle actions on the throttle itself.

 

[Nutter]

Precisely what I do with my FCS Throttle. That keeps all primary throttle actions on the throttle itself.

Yup, brakes are instant! Via one button. That said though, I do wonder if Zero throttle and full reverse is any different (until ship comes to a stop).

Anywho, the button switch for toggling between forwards and reverse works well for me

 

[DragonIV]

Yup, brakes are instant! Via one button. That said though, I do wonder if Zero throttle and full reverse is any different (until ship comes to a stop).

Anywho, the button switch for toggling between forwards and reverse works well for me

For starters, you have to go FA off else I don't think there is any difference.

Also depends on the ship--some ship reverse thrusters are better than others. Protip, if you have a fully loaded trade Cutter, it's gonna take a while to slow down. Full pips to shields!

 

[Aashenfox]

I do use my brake pedal on my pedals I use for racing games, as reverse thrust. It's so natural, when I want to stop or go backwards, my foot automatically goes for it! Lol.

P.S. Specifically stopping, is faster with FA on.

 

[Nutter]

FA off and a 180 flip makes the best brake IMHO

 

[777Driver]

P.S. Specifically stopping, is faster with FA on.

Unfortunately the devs changed the decal rates with FA-OFF, a year or so back from memory, brought it inline with FA-ON. I haven't tested FA-ON for a while, in the first year it was much slower to decelerate compared to FA-ON

 

[Stealthie]

I have my throttle set for thrust only, the direction is changed by my throttle thumb button. If you goto controls and look up flight Throttle...

Yep, that's how I currently have my throttle configured.

Main thrust is forward-only and I have a button to swap to reverse-thrust... which I never use.

I also have an analog "rocker" on my throttle which is configured to forward/reverse thrust.
When it comes to landing, I set my main throttle to zero and then use the rocker to move backward/forward to land.
Equally, if I'm scooping stuff in space, I can use the rocker to apply reverse-thrust when required.
And, finally, I can use the rocker as "brakes" too.

The issue is, that's actually 2 functions on one analog input.
0% to 49% is forward thrust.
50% is no thrust.
51% to 100% is reverse-thrust.

I was wondering if there's an option to separate those controls.
Basically, there's have to be an option to set it up a bit like a car's controls.
Analog input 1: 0% to 100% throttle.
Analog input 2: 0% to 100% braking (or, reverse-thrust).

I'll have a look at ED's control setup tonight but I was just wonding if anybody knew, for sure, if this is possible.

It'd be nice if I could have a "brake lever" on my joystick.

 

[Aashenfox]

Unfortunately the devs changed the decal rates with FA-OFF, a year or so back from memory, brought it inline with FA-ON. I haven't tested FA-ON for a while, in the first year it was much slower to decelerate compared to FA-ON

Oh, thanks for the info, I didn't know that so had no reason to retest! Will check it out.

 

[Vedmo]

I was wondering if there's an option to separate those controls.
Basically, there's have to be an option to set it up a bit like a car's controls.
Analog input 1: 0% to 100% throttle.
Analog input 2: 0% to 100% braking (or, reverse-thrust).

I'll have a look at ED's control setup tonight but I was just wonding if anybody knew, for sure, if this is possible.

Looking through the game options for keybindings I don't see a way to bind two different analog inputs to one axis/function, throttle or otherwise, without an override of the primary input by a button press.

I'm guessing the reason you can double bind a digital input but not analog inputs is due to digital inputs being either high or low, 1 or 0. If there is a conflict between the two digital signals, it is easy enough to assume the one activating something is the relevant signal. With dual analog inputs, each could be giving hundreds (maybe thousands, not sure on scaling) of different readings, with no reasonable way for the game to know which one should override the other, short of a toggle or hold button to let it know which one you want to be used.

If they did give the option to separate forward thrust and reverse thrust into two different axis that could each be bound to different analog inputs, it would still raise the question of which one would override the other, but I'd imagine just making the movement of one disabling to other would work fine for that.

I don't have enough understanding of drivers to know if one could be altered to get what you want, but I have been making a throttle with a Teensy board and Arduino, and if you wanted to go down that rabbit hole, one could achieve what you want with programming of a diy game controller.

 

[Stealthie]

Looking through the game options for keybindings I don't see a way to bind two different analog inputs to one axis/function, throttle or otherwise, without an override of the primary input by a button press.

I'm guessing the reason you can double bind a digital input but not analog inputs is due to digital inputs being either high or low, 1 or 0. If there is a conflict between the two digital signals, it is easy enough to assume the one activating something is the relevant signal. With dual analog inputs, each could be giving hundreds (maybe thousands, not sure on scaling) of different readings, with no reasonable way for the game to know which one should override the other, short of a toggle or hold button to let it know which one you want to be used.

If they did give the option to separate forward thrust and reverse thrust into two different axis that could each be bound to different analog inputs, it would still raise the question of which one would override the other, but I'd imagine just making the movement of one disabling to other would work fine for that.

I don't have enough understanding of drivers to know if one could be altered to get what you want, but I have been making a throttle with a Teensy board and Arduino, and if you wanted to go down that rabbit hole, one could achieve what you want with programming of a diy game controller.

I think we're on the same page about the possible obstacles.

I was thinking about this a bit more eariler, especially with regard to the comparison with a car's controls.

Thing is, a gaming wheel/pedals usually has the throttle/brakes on a single analog axis even though the pedals will physically have two separate potentiometers - one for the throttle pedal and one for the brake pedal.

At a guess, the solution might be as simple as just wiring up a pot' with only 2 wires, rather than three, so the input will only appear as "half" of an analog input - basically, it'd be like leaving the brake pedal in place on a gaming wheel but removing the accelerator pedal.

About the only problem I foresee is that I know some games insist on calibrating the inputs as part of the controller setup.
If the game is expecting a full-range input from the controller, it might expect me to press an "accelerator" that doesn't exist as well as the "brake" that does exist.


I had a look at the ED control options, though, and at least that shouldn't be a problem.
In the "Flight Thrust" section, I currently have an analog rocker set up as fore/aft thrust and it happily let me add the input from my rudder pedals as an alternate input for the same control.
What's more, "Thrust Forward" and "Thrust Backward" are separate controls so it shouldn't object to me adding, say, a -rz input as a "brake".

I realise this'll be a duplication of controls, rather than offering anything new but, as I said, I really just want to bolt the lever to my joystick to give me analog wheelbrakes in DCS and if it can provide me with analog "space brakes" in ED that's just a bonus.