Newcomer / Intro How do you activate each flight and other commands in the cockpit?

[Wombat1940]

First of all, I need to say I'm working with a keyboard and a 3 button, scroll-wheel mouse ONLY on a notebook PC with the use of headphones. I'm logged into ED Horizons just to incorporate planet landing should it become available. I have the basic Sidewinder to fly and I'm in no rush to earn more than the essential minimum number of credit to progress. Upgrading my ship is also not a priority until, again, it is necessary for me to do so. Let me become super proficient with the Sidewinder first.

Is it (ie. activating instruments in the 'pit) just a matter of following the k'board and mouse bindings?
And can you fly the Sidewinder from a 3rd Person perspective, say from the rear as an external view, or are you confined always to the 'pit?
Thanks.

 

[Ashnak]

Is it (ie. activating instruments in the 'pit) just a matter of following the k'board and mouse bindings?

Basically no other way. Anything else (like Voice Attack) just uses the existing bindings and injects the corresponding kb keypresses.

And can you fly the Sidewinder from a 3rd Person perspective, say from the rear as an external view, or are you confined always to the 'pit?

Sort of, sometimes. You can switch to one of the fixed or the free camera and, if you have set the camera bindings distinct from the ship control bindings, fly the ship as before but watching through the camera. Clumsy at best.

 

[Wombat1940]

Thanks Ashnak. Yes, I can imagine it would be clumsy and maybe a bit game arcadish. I'll stick with 1st Person and view outside by checking the camera views, as you would in the real world. If there's a rearview camera with the Sidewinder, I will key bind. As with WWII pilots, it seems your most vulnerable spot. Thanks again.

 

[Wombat1940]

Basically no other way. Anything else (like Voice Attack) just uses the existing bindings and injects the corresponding kb keypresses.

Right. That's no problem. It's just navigating around the 'pit and using the correct key binding (with their multi-function setting with respect to different flight modes) that I need to become familiar with.
eg. Manual take-off and departure: is there a set sequence of key bindings for that? (Assuming the default sim key bindings.)

 

[Tyres O'Flaherty]

One of the key (no pun intended) things to set up are bindings that work for you. Ones you feel comfortable with. Ones that become second nature and not "what key is lower landing gear?".

The beauty is being able to experiment in your Sidewinder without losing too much.

It is entirely possible, as well as practical and accurate to fly with a keyboard alone - although it may feel like intricate kung fu at first. However, you might want to think about a joystick at some point. Not obligatory by any means and you can pick up a cheapo USB one to try out. Sometimes it feels more natural to use a stick.

At the end of the day though, it's what you're most comfortable with.

 

[Ashnak]

Check out https://edrefcard.info/ - that would give you examples how others have set up their bindings, and can also create a map of your bindings (keyboard or other devices).

 

[aRJay]

One of the key (no pun intended) things to set up are bindings that work for you. Ones you feel comfortable with. Ones that become second nature and not "what key is lower landing gear?".

The beauty is being able to experiment in your Sidewinder without losing too much.

It is entirely possible, as well as practical and accurate to fly with a keyboard alone - although it may feel like intricate kung fu at first. However, you might want to think about a joystick at some point. Not obligatory by any means and you can pick up a cheapo USB one to try out. Sometimes it feels more natural to use a stick.

At the end of the day though, it's what you're most comfortable with.

In addition to selecting controls that are comfortable to you try to disaster proof them as much as possible, for example try to ensure the key to lower landing gear isn’t adjacent to the key for boost as hitting the one when you needed to hit the other is going to not go well.

 

[Wombat1940]

Thanks Ash' and AJ. For the moment I think I'll stick to the Frontier default settings. Just so that the Frontier bindings match those in their tutorials. Also in Australia, I have a TM HOTAS 'stick and throttle which I used in my F16 days. If all works out, and eventually I can return home (ie. post virus days), I'll move to the HOTAS.

 

[aRJay]

Thanks Ash' and AJ. For the moment I think I'll stick to the Frontier default settings. Just so that the Frontier bindings match those in their tutorials. Also in Australia, I have a TM HOTAS 'stick and throttle which I used in my F16 days. If all works out, and eventually I can return home (ie. post virus days), I'll move to the HOTAS.

A neat feature of the tutorials and elsewhere in the game is when a prompt to use a control is displayed on screen it shows what you have bound to that control not the default.
So when I am prompted to drop out of supercruise the prompt shows the E button from my HOTAS as that is the primary binding.