HOTAS or Flightstick Mental Adjustment?

[Emanon]

For all you HOTAS users out there please tell me you got used to your HOTAS after a bit of practice. I don't know what it is about me, but for some reason the xbox controller was so natural for Elite and since I learned on that right from the get go (didn't even bother with keyboard and mouse) I'm having one heck of a time adjusting from gamepad to HOTAS. Don't get me wrong, it is cool and way more immersive, but I'm not sure what it is about landing that is making it so much more difficult for me than the gamepad. I guess my biggest hangup was I did a setup that was recommended in the forums and that is vertical (up/down) thrusters are top 2 buttons on the throttle stick and the Yaw Axis is a twist but when I'm about to land it seems to do the opposite or counter intuitive to what I was expecting (and inverting it didn't help me much). Is it just my brain?

Also, I know I got the cheapest HOTAS with the Thrustmaster T-Flight X, but I was going basic to start out to see if I like it. I never really had trouble landing before, so please tell me it gets better with practice! I can't imagine how bad I'd be in a dogfight right now, although admittedly that may be easier than landing!

Later,
~E

 

[Brad Avidro]

Yes it does, I started with the Xbox controller, then changed to a Black Widow flight stick, now I've got the Thrustmaster T-flight too. I'm finding it a lot easier now.

 

[Tarman]

I'd recommend spending a good amount of time setting up your own personal control scheme, even if you've based it on someone else's, and then testing it out to see how it handles. It really pays off to know exactly what buttons do what, and sometimes it can take a few iterations to find your own optimized setup.

As far as the switch itself, your body needs some muscle memory retraining for the new controls. That should sort itself out in time.

 

[{SAS}Stalker]

I was used to my X52pro within about an hour, it just felt insanely natural. Everything beyond that first hour has involved refining my profile to get sys targets on the little mouse wheel next to the lateral thruster top hat etc. I could never go back.

 

[Arkku]

I got the X55 HOTAS mainly for this game, never played other games with a full HOTAS and never played this game with anything else, yet it's felt “right” from the start, never had trouble docking or undocking… I took several hours setting up the control scheme, however, and it has very little in common with the one included with the game, so that may be an important factor.

Don't be afraid to change the controls as you play, i.e., make a mental note of times when the control didn't feel right or you had trouble accessing it fast enough or “ran out of fingers”. And make a couple of passes looking for unused controls over few days of playing; don't keep a control mapped to a prime spot just because someone else has it there, maybe you don't play the same way or use the same modules (e.g., shield cells, heatsinks, chaff are good examples).

 

[Vendraen]

The best advice I can give you is to work out a HOTAS binding scheme that works for you. Likely there will be small or huge differences from what feels natural for others. Start to think about how you want it to work and alter bindings in Elite to make it happen.

Once you do that, you will start to love it.

 

[Whiterose]

I find it so much easier than the xbox controller, probably because of my fat thumbs, left hand throttle and pips, right hand joystick and fire button. I have a games power HOTAS so the throttle is BIG, having said that i still use the F keys to set speed, such as zero speed. You will get used to it, it is strangely more natural, and feels like flying more than the xbox controller did.

 

[Darkfyre99]

For all you HOTAS users out there please tell me you got used to your HOTAS after a bit of practice. I don't know what it is about me, but for some reason the xbox controller was so natural for Elite and since I learned on that right from the get go (didn't even bother with keyboard and mouse) I'm having one heck of a time adjusting from gamepad to HOTAS. Don't get me wrong, it is cool and way more immersive, but I'm not sure what it is about landing that is making it so much more difficult for me than the gamepad. I guess my biggest hangup was I did a setup that was recommended in the forums and that is vertical (up/down) thrusters are top 2 buttons on the throttle stick and the Yaw Axis is a twist but when I'm about to land it seems to do the opposite or counter intuitive to what I was expecting (and inverting it didn't help me much). Is it just my brain?

Also, I know I got the cheapest HOTAS with the Thrustmaster T-Flight X, but I was going basic to start out to see if I like it. I never really had trouble landing before, so please tell me it gets better with practice! I can't imagine how bad I'd be in a dogfight right now, although admittedly that may be easier than landing!

Later,
~E

Any controller seems natural to you if you you use it a lot. I got my HOTAS to work with Mechwarrior Online because I didn't like using keyboard and mouse, even though that is what it was optimized for. All you need is practice. Heck, I mentally practice my E HOTAS setup all the time, especially after making a tweak. Practice makes perfect, after all, and you need to train that muscle memory.

 

[Ben_BigBen]

I'm in pretty much the same boat - PS4 controller for me and I'm selling the console tonight so I have to switch to a T-16000M not looking forwards to it but I'll learn I'm sure !

 

[Symo]

Using the Thrustmaster T-Flight here as well (previously kb/mouse). Took a while to get used to (not having used a joystick for probably 20+ years!) but it feels much more natural after a while (and a lot more immersive). The downside is I can't find a configuration that lets me control all movement axes (including thrusters). I have to revert to the keyboard for vertical thrusters but I only really use these for final docking manoevres. The stick handles the 3 regular turn axes, and the back throttle bar the horizontal axis but there is nothing for vertical . I have buttons bound for - Fire (groups 1 and 2), target, FA, FSD, SR, next fire group, chaff, cells, boost and landing gear. Thinking of swapping SR for cargo scoop or sub-group cycle as I rarely use it. Hat switch for pips.

It does mean I only need the mouse when docked for menus.

 

[Witzo]

Took me an afternoon to get everything configured to taste, and by the next day I was used to the HOTAS. But I must admit I occasionally grab the keyboard for micro-adjustments of thrust, especially when switching between forward and backward flight.
Mapped minimum and maximum speed to two press-buttons on my throttle since my throttle doesn't include the far ends of the range. Hard to stop on a landing pad

 

[Phier]

For all you HOTAS users out there please tell me you got used to your HOTAS after a bit of practice. I don't know what it is about me, but for some reason the xbox controller was so natural for Elite and since I learned on that right from the get go (didn't even bother with keyboard and mouse) I'm having one heck of a time adjusting from gamepad to HOTAS. Don't get me wrong, it is cool and way more immersive, but I'm not sure what it is about landing that is making it so much more difficult for me than the gamepad. I guess my biggest hangup was I did a setup that was recommended in the forums and that is vertical (up/down) thrusters are top 2 buttons on the throttle stick and the Yaw Axis is a twist but when I'm about to land it seems to do the opposite or counter intuitive to what I was expecting (and inverting it didn't help me much). Is it just my brain?

Also, I know I got the cheapest HOTAS with the Thrustmaster T-Flight X, but I was going basic to start out to see if I like it. I never really had trouble landing before, so please tell me it gets better with practice! I can't imagine how bad I'd be in a dogfight right now, although admittedly that may be easier than landing!

Later,
~E

You are just used to the game pad. Over all the game pad is the weakest controller out there for well anything, its just because you can use it on your couch and it works for anyone ages 6 on up that its so popular. You will definitely get used to landing with a hotas. I haven't used a hotas since ... I can't remember until this game and now its just part of my arms. Wait till you come buzzing into a station at an angle full burn, hit your thrusters while slamming into reverse while doing a rotation, all at the same time.

There is absolutely no way to even think about doing that with a pad.

 

[Werewolf13]

I too use a T Flight HOTAS. I hate XBOX/PS controllers (but then I cut my teeth on joysticks and controllers just don't feel right to me).

---

I'll suggest a setup that works well for me.

Put the left/right thrusters on the rocker bar on the throttle and check invert on the setup. Works great for that. Leave up/down on the keyboard. And leave all the other default T Flight HOTAS assignments as defined by ED alone. Super easy and very natural to fly and control. It definitely makes aiming with fixed mount weapons easier when you learn to use the yaw, pitch and roll axis' in conjunction with each other.

So easy in fact that I perfomed a landing on both a platform and a keyhole station the very 1st time I tried it with my setup (that may be due to the 100's and 100's of hours I put in on Elite 1 - even though that was 30 years ago - true about the brain - it retains everything).

Another big advantage of using the T Flight HOTAS defaults is power distribution becomes a no brainer and practically instantaneous. The hat controls it. Need pips on weaps - hat right, need sys pips hat left, eng then hat up and hat down to evenly distribute. It's that fast and can save your rear when it gets in a bind.
As others have stated the key is practice, practice, practice until using the HOTAS becomes 2nd nature.

 

[Muthax]

Yeah, the first minutes (or hours) with a HOTAS can be difficult but it's all down to muscle memory. After some time you won't be able to play without.

 

[Obsidian Ant]

The first time I used a HOTAS I was completely useless. Couldn't fly in a straight line, much less dock. Yes - it takes a while to get used to them, but they are great once you get the hang of it.

 

[Muthax]

Using the Thrustmaster T-Flight here as well (previously kb/mouse). Took a while to get used to (not having used a joystick for probably 20+ years!) but it feels much more natural after a while (and a lot more immersive). The downside is I can't find a configuration that lets me control all movement axes (including thrusters). I have to revert to the keyboard for vertical thrusters but I only really use these for final docking manoevres. The stick handles the 3 regular turn axes, and the back throttle bar the horizontal axis but there is nothing for vertical . I have buttons bound for - Fire (groups 1 and 2), target, FA, FSD, SR, next fire group, chaff, cells, boost and landing gear. Thinking of swapping SR for cargo scoop or sub-group cycle as I rarely use it. Hat switch for pips.

It does mean I only need the mouse when docked for menus.

With the HOTASX you can use a key as modifier, for example I use the hat for power distribution and then one of the buttons on the throttle (the ones under the thumb) in conjunction with the various positions of the hat to choose targets and subsystems or change weapons

 

[snotface]

For all you HOTAS users out there please tell me you got used to your HOTAS after a bit of practice. I don't know what it is about me, but for some reason the xbox controller was so natural for Elite and since I learned on that right from the get go (didn't even bother with keyboard and mouse) I'm having one heck of a time adjusting from gamepad to HOTAS. Don't get me wrong, it is cool and way more immersive, but I'm not sure what it is about landing that is making it so much more difficult for me than the gamepad. I guess my biggest hangup was I did a setup that was recommended in the forums and that is vertical (up/down) thrusters are top 2 buttons on the throttle stick and the Yaw Axis is a twist but when I'm about to land it seems to do the opposite or counter intuitive to what I was expecting (and inverting it didn't help me much). Is it just my brain?

Also, I know I got the cheapest HOTAS with the Thrustmaster T-Flight X, but I was going basic to start out to see if I like it. I never really had trouble landing before, so please tell me it gets better with practice! I can't imagine how bad I'd be in a dogfight right now, although admittedly that may be easier than landing!

Later,
~E

I have the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X and after about 10 hours of practice and killing I am getting better and better. There is so much more I can do where they mouse let me down.

If you want a cheap starter joystick the Thrustmaster does the job very well, and Elite is set up to use it out of the box.

 

[Magic Man]

It's a learning curve and muscle memory. It will come though.
Going from a gamepad to a stick and throttle is a big change - using hands and arms more than just fingertips.
Similar to those going to pedals from a twist stick rudder - using feet and legs as well as arms and hands.

Takes time but will come.

 

[Zenith]

I got the same joystick as you at the weekend Emanon, and I was using an old Saitek Cyborg 3D joystick before that.

I used one of the provided setups as a starting point and made changes that best fit with my own idea of things done right.
For example, I use button 7 as a "shift" in combination with other buttons.
Button 9 is Boost, but 7 & 9 is Enable FSD
Button 2 is Target Ahead, but 7 & 2 is Target Hostile
Hat switch is set SYS/WEP/ENG, but 7 & hat switch enable different functions. eg. 7 & hat left opens Galaxy Map.

Tweak it to fit with your idea of what feels "right" and you'll get used to it quickly.
Don't forget that there is a dial on the underside of the joystick you can use to tighten or loosen the stick movement.

 

[LuciusEsox]

Also I found that certain actions on my HOTAS changed over time to what seems more natural, i,e, I had flight assist off on a not to easy to get to button until I realised how integral it was to normal flight so I put it on one of the prime buttons.

Btw the "not too easy" button involved moving my finger about half an inch more than an easier one. This is how natural a good HOTAS becomes once you get used to it...

As far as it feeling weird at the moment I suspect it is probably you are so used to a console controller and to use someone else's comment if that was the best sort of control for a fighter plane they would use them,,

I don't think you will go back to anything else once you get used to a HOTAS..