Hotas and Odyssey - can we change to controllers in game?

[Chazzie]

As a really old returning player I‘ve been using my trusty old X52 Pro Hotas since the start, but with the recent announcement of Odyssey and it’s FPS style combat I‘m not sure how this is going to work with it.

let me explain- the Hotas is ideal for space flight, honesty the best - its a little wonky for the SRV and gives me a few problem - but using it for a FPS style game, well, it’s simply not going to cut it.

So my question is - will it be possible to switch to a controller without quitting the entire game, or will there be another workaround that allows you to use something else that works?

 

[Bigmaec]

Can't you map secondary controls to the controller and use both simultaneously?

 

[stereoBear]

You can already mix and match inputs as you like, i.e. fly with a HOTAS and use a controller for the SRV. Since most functions can have two inputs you can even set up controller and HOTAS in parallel.

If you rename your custom configs you can also completely switch them from the options menu.

 

[CMDR Decus Crux]

If you rename your custom configs you can also completely switch them from the options menu.

Let me understand you correctly, you know a way to create multiple 'custom' schemes? How? Because for me it is like this; if I change to another schema after I have adjusted my controls, my custom one is gone... Having several would be great!

 

[Requiem Mortis]

You can already mix and match inputs as you like, i.e. fly with a HOTAS and use a controller for the SRV. Since most functions can have two inputs you can even set up controller and HOTAS in parallel.

If you rename your custom configs you can also completely switch them from the options menu.

Not on console though, one has to select the desired HID when launching and use it to start the game.

It used to be possible to map mixed inputs when HOTAS support was first added but we lost that ability when custom profiles were brought in. Not sure why because Star Wars Squadrons has shown it can be done.

 

[stereoBear]

Let me understand you correctly, you know a way to create multiple 'custom' schemes? How? Because for me it is like this; if I change to another schema after I have adjusted my controls, my custom one is gone... Having several would be great!

All you need to do is rename the file itself and also change its display-name (PresetName) in the 2nd line of the file (leave the version numbers unchanged).

Example:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings\MyCustomname.1.8.binds

 

[CMDR Decus Crux]

All you need to do is rename the file itself and also change its display-name (PresetName) in the 2nd line of the file (leave the version numbers unchanged).

Example:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings\MyCustomname.1.8.binds

Ah! Thank you for the explanation and the example - it will make things easier for me!

 

[Stealthie]

To be fair to FDev, they've always been pretty good at allowing us to create flexible keybinds... where they actually want it to be possible, at least.

It would certainly suck if you couldn't control your FPS avatar using KBM if you'd been controlling your ship with a joystick.
Honestly, I'd be very surprised if FDev don't realise this and allow us to configure the appropriate controls.

 

[Drelthar]

There will be a whole new section of control mapping for the upcoming expansion pack.

Like there was the SRV
Like there was for the camera suite
Like there was for multicrew

 

[evilgoodness]

man ... you really expect me to sit through 30 mins of tutorials... then rehottkey an entire controller for another hour, with 30 mins in between to read forums.... is this a 21 century company or are we going into the past. where is the old toggle to just turn on x52 compatability. brah.... what the shyte

 

[Arvel Yael]

As a really old returning player I‘ve been using my trusty old X52 Pro Hotas since the start, but with the recent announcement of Odyssey and it’s FPS style combat I‘m not sure how this is going to work with it.

let me explain- the Hotas is ideal for space flight, honesty the best - its a little wonky for the SRV and gives me a few problem - but using it for a FPS style game, well, it’s simply not going to cut it.

So my question is - will it be possible to switch to a controller without quitting the entire game, or will there be another workaround that allows you to use something else that works?

Based on what I remember, if you start the game without your X52 (nice HOTAS, I used to have one for many years before I got my X56), the settings-machine-thing craps the bed and resets all your bindings. That's what I remember from the past, it may be different now.

All I've done is I start the game with my X56 and MFGs plugged in, but in addition to all the spaceship bindings on my pedals and HOTAS, I've mapped the first person stuff to keyboard and mouse (I do own a steam controller and an Xbox One gamepad but I'm not gonna play an FPS with a gamepad because I'm not a frekking heathen).

I have a tiny desk, so when time comes for first person fun, I move the HOTAS and pedals out of the way and use the mouse and keyboard the same as I would in any other FPS.

Bonus Content:

And here is why I never play FPS with a controller when I have a perfectly good keyboard and mouse in front of me:

 

[TorTorden_VR]

Control bindings has some quirks to it.

The main problem is often in relation to the "custom" bind file.

You change a bind, in the controls, it will be saved to the custom keybind file.

Now if any device used in a bind file is disconnected, it gets scared and refuses to load that file.

If you then change anything it is saved as, you guessed it, "custom" and you have overwritten your old file.
And that's why you lose bindings.

which was funny when i had gotten new pedals, after some fiddling i released i needed to keep the old pedals connected, swap that one axis, and then I could unplug them, and not have to rebind for the rest.

All you need to do is rename the file itself and also change its display-name (PresetName) in the 2nd line of the file (leave the version numbers unchanged).

Example:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings\MyCustomname.1.8.binds

Stereobear beat me to it, but i can attest, since renaming my file, it's been fine, never lost a binding since.

 

[MCCART]

I use an XB controller, pedals and KB+M simultaneously. Works great.