Dual Joysticks - any success stories?

[the100thmonkey]

I also had a 3D Connexion Space Pilot Pro that I used for fine control of the thrusters for a while. That gave amazing control, especially if you set it up to control all axis including pitch yaw and roll, however it felt too fragile to use in combat, so it became a pure secondary controller which in the end I stopped using.

I've been using a SpaceExplorer for the best part of a year without issues. I make most of my money from bounty-hunting and conflict zones. It's stronger than you think. One thing to do, though, is to keep the rotation axes on the joystick. The actual mechanism locks up if you try to translate and rotate at the same time.

If you don't want it, I'll take it off you.

 

[Viking84]

I've been using a SpaceExplorer for the best part of a year without issues. I make most of my money from bounty-hunting and conflict zones. It's stronger than you think.

You are probably right, it never skipped a beat, but it did feel like I was going to tear the controller apart, and it was fairly easy to lift it off the table if things got a bit out of hand Still use it for CAD work though, as intended

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Massive necro but it's on topic. Last night I snapped my X56 throttle climbing into my flight seat. I also have an X55 which the throttle also failed on (awful wiring) so I have been forced to go twin stick. I have been contemplating it for years and now it's set up I see the appeal. It is fun. I must admit probably not as effective as I have lost a lot of analogue axis on my throttle but I think I can make it work esp as I am PvE only.
BUT
The X55/56 are so right handed only , these sticks are a poor choice for it when not out of necessity. The left hand stick is v uncomfy and a lot of the buttons hard to reach. After seeing. The prices of new hotas however it is what I have to make do with for a bit.

 

[Madrax573]

Massive necro but it's on topic. Last night I snapped my X56 throttle climbing into my flight seat. I also have an X55 which the throttle also failed on (awful wiring) so I have been forced to go twin stick. I have been contemplating it for years and now it's set up I see the appeal. It is fun. I must admit probably not as effective as I have lost a lot of analogue axis on my throttle but I think I can make it work esp as I am PvE only.
BUT
The X55/56 are so right handed only , these sticks are a poor choice for it when not out of necessity. The left hand stick is v uncomfy and a lot of the buttons hard to reach. After seeing. The prices of new hotas however it is what I have to make do with for a bit.

Erm how would you have lost analogue axis by going dual stick? If both stick twist then you'll have full 6 dof on analogue control.

Also are you FA-off or on? FA-on I can't see the point of dual stick with the ED flight model etc but FA-off DS shines and loads in my group swear by them!

For lefthanded stick the T16k (and new airbus) are pretty good for the price point.

 

[VR Jay Le Chardon]

I went from Saitek X-56 to a pair of T-16000's and upgraded them to a pair of VKB-Kosmosima's on Gunfighter 2 bases, awesome sticks. I made sure I had twist sticks as I wanted six axis in my two hands, so I've got right stick on yaw pitch and roll, left stick on vertical, lateral and throttle. The beauty of the VKB's is unlike the t-16000's which windows would mix up, the VKB's identify as differenet hardware ID's, Gunfighter and Gunfighter L, so windows never mixes them up. Were I buying again today, I'd probably grab a pair of constellation delta's.

 

[VR Jay Le Chardon]

Erm how would you have lost analogue axis by going dual stick? If both stick twist then you'll have full 6 dof on analogue control.

Also are you FA-off or on? FA-on I can't see the point of dual stick with the ED flight model etc but FA-off DS shines and loads in my group swear by them!

For lefthanded stick the T16k (and new airbus) are pretty good for the price point.

I simultaneously retrained my brain to FAoff + dualsticks, and I remember when it allstarted to click, it felt like something inside of me was awakening... Very much a "Feel, don't think..." kind of thing.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Erm how would you have lost analogue axis by going dual stick? If both stick twist then you'll have full 6 dof on analogue control.

Also are you FA-off or on? FA-on I can't see the point of dual stick with the ED flight model etc but FA-off DS shines and loads in my group swear by them!

For lefthanded stick the T16k (and new airbus) are pretty good for the price point.

X56 throttle has more analogue axis than the stick and buttons coming out of the wazoo I do realise there are better options for twin stick however personally I am doing this because I have the sticks already . The T1600 hotas pack is probably the package I would buy now if I was buying something new.

As for how I fly I do a hybrid of FA on and off. Normally I would not choose twin stick for main controls , just a dabble, but needs must etc.

 

[Madrax573]

X56 throttle has more analogue axis than the stick and buttons coming out of the wazoo I do realise there are better options for twin stick however personally I am doing this because I have the sticks already . The T1600 hotas pack is probably the package I would buy now if I was buying something new.

As for how I fly I do a hybrid of FA on and off. Normally I would not choose twin stick for main controls , just a dabble, but needs must etc.

Righto so you use more than 3 analogue axis on your throttle?

I'm trying to understand your setup as there are only really 6 analogue axis in game associated with flight so having more is fairly redundant. Maybe if you want to have analogue thrusters AND analogue throttle maybe...

It may be total use of FA-off has somewhat skewered my view a bit I admit

 

[VR andysonofbob]

I found twist on my left hand too confusing twist and x axis are both lateral with y vertical.

I bought a cheap as chips racing wheel for the pedals which I use for accelerate and brake in normal space and SRV. (I leave the little wheel to one side)
One of the stick's little throttle for throttle in SC and the other for sensor zoom.

You can use this setup FA off and on.

If you are interested, I will did out my amazon order for the wheel and pedals. They were cheap. It's unworkable for racing but I find the pedals perfectly fine for ED, they are even joined (brake and accelerate share the same axis) which as I'm sure you know would normally be sacrilege for a set of racing pedals.

 

[Drelthar]

I found twist on my left hand too confusing twist and x axis are both lateral with y vertical.

I bought a cheap as chips racing wheel for the pedals which I use for accelerate and brake in normal space and SRV. (I leave the little wheel to one side)
One of the stick's little throttle for throttle in SC and the other for sensor zoom.

You can use this setup FA off and on.

If you are interested, I will did out my amazon order for the wheel and pedals. They were cheap. It's unworkable for racing but I find the pedals perfectly fine for ED, they are even joined (brake and accelerate share the same axis) which as I'm sure you know would normally be sacrilege for a set of racing pedals.

I would be interested in seeing those cheap pedals.

 

[VR andysonofbob]

I would be interested in seeing those cheap pedals.

Hmm
Looks like they're out of stock on Amazon

Trust WiFi Gaming GXT 570 Kengo Gaming Steering Wheel with Pedals and Vibration Feedback for PC and PS3 - Black : No Name: Amazon.co.uk: PC & Video Games

Trust WiFi Gaming GXT 570 Kengo Gaming Steering Wheel with Pedals and Vibration Feedback for PC and PS3 - Black : No Name: Amazon.co.uk: PC & Video Games

www.amazon.co.uk

but there is one on ebay for £35 inc p&p

Video Game Controllers for sale | eBay

Buy Video Game Controllers and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items

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I treat them like car pedals, not rudders, so I only use my right foot so they are plenty big enough. They are fully analogue, share the axis which makes them perfect for a full range throttle replacement.

If you are interested, here is my setup (I have fixed the joysticks onto the board which sits across the arms of the chair or on my lap:

I wrap everything around the joysticks, which takes less than a minute to pack up and store on the shelf when I want to pack away:

 

[Deleted member 121570]

Just to chip in; using dual sticks here for years, and absolutely love em. Also fully FAoff though, so able to get the best outta the extra vert/lat performance.

I started with a pair of dual T16ks, but upgraded to dual VPC deltas.

 

[VR andysonofbob]

Just to chip in; using dual sticks here for years, and absolutely love em. Also fully FAoff though, so able to get the best outta the extra vert/lat performance.

I started with a pair of dual T16ks, but upgraded to dual VPC deltas.

They look sexy AF!
I was going to ask about buttons because T16ks have shedloads but then I noticed all of those hat switches :O
Three hats on each?

 

[Deleted member 121570]

They look sexy AF!
I was going to ask about buttons because T16ks have shedloads but then I noticed all of those hat switches :O
Three hats on each?

3x hats + 1x analogue thumbstick, all with pushbuttons too. + dual stage triggers and another button around the front )
Per stick

 

[PatentlyObvious]

I'm using 2xVKB Gunfighter SCG sticks, left and right handed respectively, with a keyboard between. No throttle.

Right stick is pitch, roll, yaw; left stick is up/down/left/right thrusters. Yaw on the left stick is unmapped.

For forward/reverse control, I have a left stick hat mapped as (0%, 25% (on push), 50%, 70%, 100%) with the left analogue stick mapped as forward/reverse thrust (+100, 0, -100). It's rather like an old-fashioned Engine Telegraph - Ahead Full, Ahead Cruise, Ahead Half, Ahead Quarter, All Stop.

In supercruise, I use 100%, 75%, 0%; in combat I use 100%, 50%, 0% with thrusters on top to override for closing/distancing with an agile target). 25% gets used for docking, which is also done with the override thruster control.

In the SRV, my right stick is the Turret, my left stick is the Wheels.

I find there is almost never a need to set throttle to a particular numeric value otherwise (although I have keyboard bindings throttle+, throttle- in case they're ever needed).

-Patently

 

[PatentlyObvious]

I'm using 2xVKB Gunfighter SCG sticks, left and right handed respectively, with a keyboard between. No throttle.

Right stick is pitch, roll, yaw; left stick is up/down/left/right thrusters. Yaw on the left stick is unmapped.

For forward/reverse control, I have a left stick hat mapped as (0%, 25% (on push), 50%, 70%, 100%) with the left analogue thumbstick mapped as forward/reverse thrust (+100, 0, -100). It's rather like an old-fashioned Engine Telegraph - Ahead Full, Ahead Cruise, Ahead Half, Ahead Quarter, All Stop.

In supercruise, I use 100%, 75%, 0%; in combat I use 100%, 50%, 0% with thrusters on top to override for closing/distancing with an agile target). 25% gets used for docking, which is also done with the override thruster control.

In the SRV, my right stick is the Turret, my left stick is the Wheels.

I find there is almost never a need to set throttle to a particular numeric value otherwise (although I have keyboard bindings throttle+, throttle- in case they're ever needed).

-Patently

 

[Windscreen Smudge]

Greetings commanders,

I am contemplating a dual joystick setup, as I am not quite happy with the digital thruster control setup I currently have on my Warthog HOTAS. Have any of you transitioned from a quality HOTAS to a dual stick setup? If so, what are your experiences?

CH Pro throttle

I've been using this in combination with my Warthog stick since I switched to a HOTAS, and I have zero complaints. The thumb stick is analog and just as precise and easy to control as a full sized fighter stick, more intuitive for me than trying to use a stick in my left hand and you get the benefits of having an auxillary button layout that can easily control everything you need for anything you do, not just combat, with no remapping.

If you're having doubts about dual sticks, this is a very solid solution.

 

[zarrazee]

Greetings commanders,

I am contemplating a dual joystick setup, as I am not quite happy with the digital thruster control setup I currently have on my Warthog HOTAS. Have any of you transitioned from a quality HOTAS to a dual stick setup? If so, what are your experiences?

Not sure about dual stick. but I use Stick with the left hand and mouse with the right. Combined with Voiceattack and VR, works really well. Now if only my avatar could have the flight stick in the left and a mouse in the right hand...... muh immersion.

 

[here_it_comes]

I have been using dual sticks plus throttle and pedals since I started playing years ago. Would never go back to anything else, not even HOTAS. Having a left hand stick for ver/lat thrusters is soooo much nicer than relying on a hat/mini-joystick on a throttle, it's just flat-out superior for spaceship combat. I only use a throttle in ED for comfy supercruise, where it is superior to sticks. Pedals are optional, I just find twist sticks uncomfy.

There are several reports of the game frequently mixing up identical devices. Just saying.

My current setup is 2x VKB NXTs, never had an issue.

 

[here_it_comes]

I should add that the primary benefit dual sticks bring to the table for combat, imo, is the ability to maximize your ship's agility with ease. I always have one hat on my left stick bound to various speed settings, one setting being 50%. When in combat, I simply set my speed to 50% and use my lat thruster axis to speed up or down as necessary. This way, any time I'm not telling my ship to speed up or down, it is always in max blue zone for agility as the joystick's center is 50% speed. You can still stop, back up, go to 100%, etc quickly without ever having to spend any mental effort to reset to perfect blue zone. In this fashion, I only move my left stick while in combat if adjustment to my vector is needed, and I always have the maximum agility my ship can provide.

You could theoretically do this on a throttle with a hat and another hat or mini-joystick, but the moment you nudge the throttle itself it will ruin all of it. The other throttle options are to look at your hud when going for blue zone, which is less than ideal, or having a 50% detent on your throttle, which I find unpleasant for supercruise.