Controller Configurations

[Phoenix13]

I'm trying to determine which is the best way to play ED.
-Joystick and keyboard or mouse
-Hotas
-Dual Joysticks (does ED even support this?)

I'm trying to not have to get pedals and am trying to spend as little as possible. Any suggestions? And if so, which specific models do you use? I know the saitek x52's are popular.

I'm leaning towards dual joysticks, but then am not sure what I will be using for throttle. Maybe buttons on the joysticks, or slider bar like what is on my logitek 3d pro?

Thanks

 

[WDeja]

I would say this game requires a HOTAS setup for the best expereince :smilie:

I'm currently using the Thrustmaster T Flight HOTAS and, for the money, it's a wonderful starting option. Well made, plenty of configurable axes (I even have one left over*).

The only thing I'd say it lacks is more hats but what else can you expect for around $50.

I'll definitely be upgrading soon, so if you have the money just go straight to a CH product or X-52/55 (and there are plenty of other threads discussing those). You'll easily realize how much you need more than one hat switch.

*I don't use the roational Z axis because focusing on the other 2 is quite enough. With this TFlight Hotas there's another axis on the throttle you can use with your fingers. I currently have this mapped to yaw.

 

[Dazzuh]

I personally use a saitek x52 pro with EDTracker and Voiceattack, and so far I love it. Much much better than using a keyboard and mouse.
x52 has twist rudder control, so no need for pedals.
I'm not even sure if ED supports dual joysticks (not really sure what it could be used for?)
or, I guess, one for lateral and one for rolling etc, hm.

 

[Phoenix13]

Yes, one joystick would be for pitch, roll, yaw. The other would be for strafing left, right, up, and down.

With HOTAS, what do you use for strafing side to side??

 

[Dazzuh]

Yes, one joystick would be for pitch, roll, yaw. The other would be for strafing left, right, up, and down.

With HOTAS, what do you use for strafing side to side??

The throttle of the X52 has a hat switch on back/top side of it, I use that for lateral. Some people (youtube reviews) say this is in a bad position and it doesn't feel comfortable to them, but I personally find it's positioning is fine, never had any problems with it, then again I have fairly large hands.
In the end it really falls down to personal preference.

 

[JamesBondage]

I have the saitek x45. check ebay, you might be able to get one for the same price as a logitech extreme 3d pro.. i dont know what you would do with 2 joysticks.. hotas definitely seems the way to go, maybe with a roccat power grid on your phone/tablet for hotkeys.

 

[Tobynz]

Old joystick and keyboard

Currently using old Microsoft Sidewinder and keyboard for the few extra keys I need. If you don't want to lay out a lot of cash to begin with try a cheap joystick with a throttle on it. I do reasonably well in combat with my setup and it cost me next to nothing second hand.

Tried mouse and keyboard yesterday just to see what it felt like - still shaking from the experience and praying my joystick never breaks down.

Am saving up for a full HOTAS setup but am happy for now.

 

[ElectricZ]

For rudderless yaw, there are joysticks that "twist" for rudder action. The people who own them swear by it and when I've used it they're very intuitive.

My joystick doesn't have that function, but ED has an option to toggle for yaw. I actually have my joystick set to default to yaw on the X-axis so that I can slew the nose of my ship around in whichever direction I need to. It's not how an airplane or terrestrial flight sims work, of course, but I'm flying a space ship and I find when targeting an enemy, navigating in SC or docking that I need yaw much more often than roll for precision. But when I need roll, I want it more responsive than it could be mapping it to a hat, say.

So I use the toggle function. I have a button under my pinky that I mapped to trigger roll. I hold that button, the X-axis turns into roll until I release, then reverts to yaw. It works perfectly.

Having a second joystick for lat/vert thrust is the only way to fly. I wholeheartedly recommend the CH Products Pro Throttle, as it sports an analog thumbstick. You're basically buying a full-function slide throttle with a second joystick built in. That little thumbstick makes all the difference in the world in dogfights and docking, and it's clickable to boot, providing yet another button option, and it pairs with non-CH Products joysticks. Check it out.

 

[Weathers]

I was in the same boat. Went for the T16000M. It's very accurate and has twist for yaw (+ it's right and left handed). Good value for £35. It also has a throttle built into the base which works fine and some buttons which I use for strafing.

I'm probably going to get a separate throttle at some point to go with it (mainly because I play with the Rift and atm it feels/looks odd with just the stick)

 

[flexy123]

A HOTAS that has a twist joystick, hands down! (Ironically this excludes all Ch Pro joysticks since none of them has a twist!)

As for the mini analog joystick on the CH Pro Throttle: While the mini stick on the throttle is very "nice" and I obviously bound thrusters to it, I do NOT think that it is essential since you can also bind thrusters to digital buttons (CH Pro throttle has more than enough for that purpose)...EXCEPT that with digital buttons thrust is somewhat less precise.

However, CH Pro throttle overall is so great it entirely makes up for the otherwise crappy buttons of my Thrustmaster T.16000M joystick.

"Pro Tips":

Don't know if that's the case for all Ch Pro Throttles, but the mini stick definitely needs a generous deadzone setting in the control panel. Mine needs 14 since its centering is kind of "meh". But it's a used throtle and it's possible that a new throttle centers better.

Also..if you're already using the mini stick for thrust, in the control panel I would set sensitivity down for the two axis. (Click the S curve buttons there, ARROW DOWN once to make the stick axis less sensitive in the middle). Otherwise this mini analog stick is too sensitive for precise control.

 

[ElectricZ]

As for the mini analog joystick on the CH Pro Throttle: While the mini stick on the throttle is very "nice" and I obviously bound thrusters to it, I do NOT think that it is essential since you can also bind thrusters to digital buttons (CH Pro throttle has more than enough for that purpose)...EXCEPT that with digital buttons thrust is somewhat less precise.

That depends on what you're using lat/vert thrust for. Using a hat switch for it means you can apply thrust in one direction, on or off, in four directions only. But having it on an analog stick means that you can move in any direction on another plane. Up, down, left, right, diagonally, in a circle, with just a little bit of thrust or a lot. Once you get used to the freedom of movement that gives you, you can do all kinds of nifty little maneuvers. Just being able to slip in any direction has saved my bacon going through the mail slot more times I can count.

If you have the pro throttle, set it up on the thrusters and the next time you're near a station hover facing it and rotate the thumbstick around to get a good idea of what it can do for you. You can't get that kind of control out of buttons. But, as with anything, your mileage may vary.

 

[Wolfox]

I'm trying to determine which is the best way to play ED.
-Joystick and keyboard or mouse
-Hotas
-Dual Joysticks (does ED even support this?)

I'm trying to not have to get pedals and am trying to spend as little as possible. Any suggestions? And if so, which specific models do you use? I know the saitek x52's are popular.

I'm leaning towards dual joysticks, but then am not sure what I will be using for throttle. Maybe buttons on the joysticks, or slider bar like what is on my logitek 3d pro?

Thanks

I'm using Joystick and keyboard, tried joypad,but I can't manage to fly without having 3axis on one hand. The best is to have a throttle stick because they stay in place when you leave them.

But thinking now, and not having the possibility to try, I have digital command for zero throttle and fast turning point, but For throttle you could use the Mouse wheel, but I'm not sure you can use it. is a bit like the TRIM wheel

PS: I use voice attack for "digital commands"

 

[Wolfox]

just tried the mouse wheel has throttle and I prefer it from the [W] and keys, you can be more precise. The increase is also set to 10%.

For stop and sweet spot for turning I use VA

 

[OxKing]

I've started with an PS3 Controller.
This was lacking the ability of full Thruster Controls while dogfighting,
as pitch and rotate was on one, yaw was on the other stick.
Also i found Dogfighting the main disadvantage with it, because throttle control,
the different flight axis and fireing at the same time was difficult to manage.
(Maybe i should had use the motion Sensor of it to do thing too. Didn't tryd that out.)

My X52 Hotas has lots of buttons.
All main axis on the Stick and of course the main Thrust on the Throttle.
Also three different coolie hats, a slider and two rings, and even one mouse nipple and a clickable wheel for all kinds of thrusters, view and weapon Controls.
And 8 + 6 Buttons for almost all Controls of the Game right away.
I'm still not mastering it though, and still trying different configurations,
but it is a huge Improvement.

I was missing the casual comfort of just holding a Controller first,
as for simple trade runs, haulin goods from station to station and scroll through the menus, this was better.
(As it has a back button i can not configurate on the Joystick,
and of the ridiculous menu design with the Tabs that are made for shoulder buttons,
and the need of dedicate buttons to switch through them.)

But the biggest improvement for the game experience is my new TrackIR.
It is really natural to look around this way.

 

[Wolfox]

I've started with an PS3 Controller.
This was lacking the ability of full Thruster Controls while dogfighting,
as pitch and rotate was on one, yaw was on the other stick.
Also i found Dogfighting the main disadvantage with it, because throttle control,
the different flight axis and fireing at the same time was difficult to manage.
(Maybe i should had use the motion Sensor of it to do thing too. Didn't tryd that out.)

My X52 Hotas has lots of buttons.
All main axis on the Stick and of course the main Thrust on the Throttle.
Also three different coolie hats, a slider and two rings, and even one mouse nipple and a clickable wheel for all kinds of thrusters, view and weapon Controls.
And 8 + 6 Buttons for almost all Controls of the Game right away.
I'm still not mastering it though, and still trying different configurations,
but it is a huge Improvement.

I was missing the casual comfort of just holding a Controller first,
as for simple trade runs, haulin goods from station to station and scroll through the menus, this was better.
(As it has a back button i can not configurate on the Joystick,
and of the ridiculous menu design with the Tabs that are made for shoulder buttons,
and the need of dedicate buttons to switch through them.)

But the biggest improvement for the game experience is my new TrackIR.
It is really natural to look around this way.

You should try voice attack, but I think you waste your money on the saitek if you get voice attack. I'm in your same condition, with the Rift and with VA I have a stick with 8buttons plus mouse wheel and I'm satisfied.

I think who buys joysticks with a lot of buttons forgets that some buttons can be overlapped reducing the amount of buttons needed