Usually not for civilian craft sims. HOTAS reduces the workload in combat sims where you operate avionics/targetting, comms and weapon systems. You may find it more convenient to have more buttons on your stick rather than usingh the keyboars all the time.Question to experienced flight simmers: is HOTAS mandatory for the controls, or immersion aspect?
I used to play Elite with KB+M (in VR too), and had no issues with immersion or precision flying like docking and stuff.
I am planning to take the hard route by setting everything on simulation even if that means doing simple training flights around the airport in a Cessna for weeks.
Game Discussions Microsoft Flight Simulator
- Thread starter Jenner
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In Elite, I mapped all mouse buttons plus all the directional and large keys on the side of the keyboard, so all controls were pretty easy to find even in VR. But I guess operating an aircraft needs much more keys than Elite's ships...
Well, you don't have the lateral manoeuver thrusters to control. I leave trimming mostly on keyboard unless the FM is about an unstable platform. I can see VR users wanting to minimise keyboard usage, too.In Elite, I mapped all mouse buttons plus all the directional and large keys on the side of the keyboard, so all controls were pretty easy to find even in VR. But I guess operating an aircraft needs much more keys than Elite's ships...
In Elite, I mapped all mouse buttons plus all the directional and large keys on the side of the keyboard, so all controls were pretty easy to find even in VR. But I guess operating an aircraft needs much more keys than Elite's ships...
That will depend on how realistic / detailed simulation level you prefer. If you want to do all the N navigation methods / landing approaches / ATC communication / engine management etc detailed procedures manually, then there is probably no HOTAS system in the world with enough buttons. If you prefer to start with the engine already running and take leisure "navigate by sight" flights and don't care about ATC comms, you won't even need to bind most of the buttons on an average HOTAS.
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Ah, the days before GPS, and glass cockpits...Many moons ago I was a back seat passenger in an army Westland Scout helicopter...they were casevac'ing me to Rheinzehlen military hospital from Saltau training area after I jumped off the searchlight on a Chieftain turret...fully expecting a 10 foot drop, I was mightily surprised when I fell down a totally unseen 30' deep engineer anti tank ditch I had parked next to in the dark...popped both my knees out. Anyways...on the way there, the pilot got lost then hovered over the autobahn and got his air gunner to read the road signs via the tow missile sight to get the general direction he should be heading...never trusted Army Air Corps chopper pilots after that
Yeah, that was when people still could read a map and look out for the landmark on their own. Pretty sure my aunt's hill was some kind of ingress / egress of low-level training back then. I could see the pilots in the canopy from the swing.Ah, the days before GPS, and glass cockpits...
I always look for landmarks too when navigating. Doesn't matter if it is natural formation or building.
Sectional charts are something I used to collect. They show history.
When we moved up here...I left an Ordinance survey map number and a 6 figure grid reference of our current address on a piece of paper stuck to my old front door. Both my sons were still army back then and stationed abroad...needless to say they both found the new place OK so the army must have at least taught them to read a map. Still not sure if leaving that grid ref was a good idea
I actually enjoy working with maps. Esp. in flight sims. I look at them. Imagine the place then see if it's anything like it.
I have at least two rubbermaid tubs full of them...
Absolutely.
This is something MFS2020 should be absolutely perfect for. In theory.
In practice I am actually kind of nervous about it.
While they did a lot of work on buildings etc., natural landmarks are something Azure clearly struggles with. Especially the heights and terrain elevations, but also small bodies of water - the hallmark of VFR - are kind of.... bad. Not in the populated and otherwise high-profile areas, mind you. But get a bit off the beaten path and it really shows.
Or, well, showed. In the Beta. There is still time and they will certainly improve this as they go, but generally speaking the "VFR Earth" as they were talking about it, isn't really a thing, yet.
Now that is very disappointing, as natural landmarks (not just the run of the mill "everybody knows them" landmarks but actually especially the more "niche" and off the beaten path) is THE main reason why I was hyped for this game and it's "3D planet earth".
This alone is reason for me to set aside the preorder and instead try it first by subscribing to microsoft games service for a single month, before commiting (or not) to over 100€...
I do aim to dive deep into the simulation aspect and enjoy, max out the gameplay even if it means I will struggle for a long time to control the planes. I do want to have a sense of 'pride and accomplisment' navigating the skies and it is probably essential for long term enjoyment of these games anyway.
Makes me wonder if flying over my house will be a thing with MFS 2020...I mean, on the world map it still says 'Here be dragons'.
References to wives will be omitted for health and safety reasons
What a change of tone, not so long ago it was a heresy saying that at street level the details won't hold up.
I think the AI augmented houses will look great, like the trees - definitely better than standard Bing or Google maps as the AI can use whatever imagination, there is no legal or any binding to represent 1:1 reality in this case.
I'm more interested in how the seasons in real time will be treated, foliage change and snow when the Northern winter 'is coming'.
I think the AI augmented houses will look great, like the trees - definitely better than standard Bing or Google maps as the AI can use whatever imagination, there is no legal or any binding to represent 1:1 reality in this case.
I'm more interested in how the seasons in real time will be treated, foliage change and snow when the Northern winter 'is coming'.
Winter Is Coming?What a change of tone, not so long ago it was a heresy saying that at street level the details won't hold up.
I think the AI augmented houses will look great, like the trees - definitely better than standard Bing or Google maps as the AI can use whatever imagination, there is no legal or any binding to represent 1:1 reality in this case.
I'm more interested in how the seasons in real time will be treated, foliage change and snow when the Northern winter 'is coming'.
Winter Is Coming?
Yeah, I mean for the real time weather, I wonder whether they maintain season-accurate model of the planet, i.e. handcraft the foliage change and the extent of snow cover as winter will approach.
Another question is how they will handle live real flights. That is to say whether the aircraft type and livery will match real life (if lover fidelity than the properly modeled aircrafts), or all flights will be only A320s, 747s and 787s with base livery.
I probably will not be buying the game, until I can afford new hardware. I have a friend who has bought a maximum rig for it, and I might get a shot at it.
Especially since I helped him to not ram suns or planets in Elite.
Especially since I helped him to not ram suns or planets in Elite.
I probably will not be buying the game, until I can afford new hardware. I have a friend who has bought a maximum rig for it, and I might get a shot at it.
Especially since I helped him to not ram suns or planets in Elite.
I will probably also just subscribe to x-box live for a couple of months to see 1. whether I should take the premium deluxe or standard edition 2. whether there will be a Steam release I could wait for.
You may want to consider it, only costs $1 first month.
I'm building a new PC now for FS2020. Most of my parts are already here, the motherboard and 2nd SSD come tomorrow.
I doubt I'll be playing anything other than MFS for the next few months!