How long did it take for you to get used to FA-Off?

[Morbad]

Depends on what you mean by 'get used to'.

The first person space MMO I played before Elite: Dangerous didn't have the equivalent of an FA-On mode, so I was always used to having to account for drift. After they reduced the rotational damping in Beta 2, I did have to readjust to that and I did so fairly quickly as it was virtually mandatory due to the exposed locations of the Viper's thrusters (this was before they pulled the hit-spheres for the thruster ports, so hits to the front of the Viper's thruster nacelles could induce thruster malfunctions).

Never found FA Off landing or maneuvering to be difficult, but I'm still not used to aiming weapons while FA Off, especially with railguns, though I can manage with PAs, if I have to.

Anyway, I've always found the idea of committing to a given flight assist mode rather bizarre, as each mode has a collection of performance advantages and disadvantages that cannot be entirely replicated with the other mode.

 

[Pielander]

I went full FA off for a while and, although I really enjoyed it as an intellectual/ skill-building exercise, I found it annoying when I finally confirmed my suspicion that FA off actually severely limits the power of your vertical thrusters when decelerating compared with FA on. I now use a combination of the two.

It all seems to be part of the nonsensical aeroplane-like flight model that allows your manoeuvring thrusters to push you harder than your main engines in order to simulate having wings. Try it in an asteroid field or sometheing - the quickest way to stop, by far, is to flip 90 degrees to your path of motion FA off (i.e. point the belly in the direction of travel) and then switch to FA on.

I would love to see a level playing field in terms of thruster capability between FA off and FA on.

 

[Valorin]

I wanna go full fa-off, but it's really hard

I was actually using FA off for manoeuvres when docking or circling asteroids/generation ships and the like.
At some point I also wanted to go full FA off and just toggled it off, accepted that everything would take a lot more time from now on and just did whatever I was doing. I'm not doing much combat, so I don't have much experience fighting FA off apart from flying manoeuvres like flybys with guns pointed to the enemy and such.

I do everything else in FA off mode and use FA on as kind of an anchor, or for convenience when mining. For me it's not an honour thing or so, it's just a powerful tool you want in your box, and after a while FA on feels like someone is gripping your ship and restricts your movement.

It's muscle memory in the end, and you'll get used to it after you pulled through the first "OH GODS WHAT AM I DOING!" days. Practicing in asteroid fields and later coriolis trenches surely helps if you want specific training exercises.

 

[Yaga-Shura]

Took me a few sessions a day for about a week I think it was, for the most basic control. Used a hotas back then and had some trouble "getting it". Soon as I switched to dual stick it immediately felt completely natural. Still learning every time I fly, 2000 hours later

 

[Dad Rock]

I wanna go full fa-off, but it's really hard

I use it during combat, but never turn it off all the time as I find it too difficult.You’re not alone in this

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Took me a few sessions a day for about a week I think it was, for the most basic control. Used a hotas back then and had some trouble "getting it".

After starting FA off I basically stopped using the actual throttle of my throttle. Thrusters are bound to analog axes on my T16000 throttle, works like a charm.

 

[Jmanis]

NaN. I still don't... or when I do, it's for brief deliberate moments

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

I don't use it. It's like unstable airplane flight assist. Good for immediate manouver - a pain to control otherwise.

 

[[VR] M4st0d0n]

Once I started FA Off I had a complete rework of the gamepad controls. Took me several weeks to find what worked best for me. As mentioned above, rotationals are the hardest part and really force a mindset of input economy there to avoid chaos. Turn fa off when you got to scoop some stuff, just using your thrusters, vert and lat included. Once you can scoop the first mat consistently, try to orient yourself to the second, with the fewest rotation input possible, then use your thrusters to scoop it. Rinse and repeat.

Almost made mat grinding bearable for me.

 

[[VR] M4st0d0n]

After starting FA off I basically stopped using the actual throttle of my throttle. Thrusters are bound to analog axes on my T16000 throttle, works like a charm.

Same here. This is key for vector control. Sad the gamepad triggers aren't mapping that as analog input despite triggers being analog. It's full or off so I use bursts.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

It's like unstable airplane flight assist.

Only until you manage to rewire your brain. Then it becomes second nature.

 

[Viscera]

I can not use it at all.

I have tried, and had lessons from a fa off master, but it just does not work for me.

Costs me too much in sick bags.

If i want to cartwheel, i will go to the park.

I just build my ships for fa/on.

Only time i have any use for it is when i go afk. I drop from super cruise, boost to speed, fa off, and walk away, leaving the ship speeding along for safety, with minimal fuel use.

 

[VirtueXOI]

like a leaf in a hurricane

That's me !

 

[Ser Xav]

I did it recently after going to dual stick, from stick and throttle. Going to dual stick made FA Off almost immediately intuitive to understand. Took about a week at 1-2 hours a day to get it properly embedded.

For me, these were the observations:

1. do not use throttle. This provides a constant input. This was my FAoff enemy prior to dual sticks. You need the ability to input short, momentary thrust inputs in small dabs. Even with a loose / fast moving throttle I found it difficult to use a throttle to input quick, small dabs of thrust and counter thrust.

2. Practice all of the moxen wolf training vids : these are actually really good training material. Very well structured and presented. Felt like flight school!

3.I used the Training Scenarios a lot. Free sidewinder, no consequences. Just fly around asteroids and space stations to your heart’s content practicing.

4. You can start training excercises with 2 pips to engines. This makes the Sidewinder easier to control. When you get better stick 4 pips in, the craft is more responsive, and see the difference. If you can do the same manoeuvres with same level and control as in 2 pips, you can measure your improvement.

5. I learned ‘muscle memory’ for certain moves. Ie pull back thrust and up thrust coming into land on a pad to arrive accuratelyand precisely on the pad.

I now can’t fly FA On as it feels too counterintuitive and restrictive. It’s hilarious how the switch in your brain occurs. You’re looking at the same game except it’s a totally different game!

 

[Bigmaec]

I only use FAoff in combat, to avoid being a sitting chicken burger.
Slowly I even start to hit with rails, but I tend to overcompensate my controls quite a bit.
Using Hotas + stick t16000 without curves or macros.

 

[CMDR Serra]

I'm making my first steps into FA-off combat. I'm still using the crutch of flipping FA-on briefly to correct a particularly nasty spin.
I'm primarily using it for turns and evasion at the moment, but psyching myself up for more.

 

[Crank Larson]

Depends on what you mean by 'get used to'.

My thoughts exactly. I'm used to FA-off and use it regularly. I'm still crap with it (unless I use kb/m, but that isn't something I do in VR).

 

[Jmanis]

I only use FAoff in combat, to avoid being a sitting chicken burger.
Slowly I even start to hit with rails, but I tend to overcompensate my controls quite a bit.
Using Hotas + stick t16000 without curves or macros.

Yeah, see, I'm KB+M... I rekon a HOTAS would make things so much better... still hard, but better. There's only so many things my fingers can do at once (In this case, pip management, or thrust). I also don't use VA, macros[1] or anything like that.

Besides... FA off is a bit useless when this is my cockpit view in most fights!

Also... HOTAS Thrustmaster... still makes me giggle like a proverbial schoolgirl.

[1] Unless i'm deliberately breaking something for Beta testingm then it's all up-ons.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Using Hotas + stick t16000 without curves or macros.

Out of curiosity and for comparison since we have the same HOTAS, what binds do you use for your thruster inputs?
I use the stick on the back of the throttle for lateral and vertical thrusters and the rudder on the back of the throttle for forward/backward thrusters.

Slowly I even start to hit with rails, but I tend to overcompensate my controls quite a bit.

Overcompensating the yaw with gauss cannons when massacring Thargoid Scouts for combat rank is what finally had me install a curve for the yaw on the stick twist. For all other inputs I just use the standard linear settings.

 

[DNA-Decay]

Long enough to reacquire target.