Newcomer / Intro Mouse and Keyboard control viable?

Shogouki · Jan 7, 2015

Heya, I'm wondering what other players think about the effectiveness of using a mouse+keyboard control scheme for E

? The only flightsim type games that I've played and found this to be effective were Freelancer and X - Terran Conflict and I was hoping that it would work decently for E

as everywhere in North America it seems is sold out of the Thrustmaster HOTAS X Flight Stick which seems to be the best affordable control system for me.

Anyone have any feelings on this, especially if you've had experience with similar controls in either Freelancer or X:TC?

Adobetemplar · Jan 7, 2015

I've played only with the mouse and keyboard, and it seems perfectly viable. Similar to how ships handled in Freelancer, although rolling is far faster than yaw.

Bear in mind, I haven't played this game with a flight stick, but I have little doubt it handles better. I just don't feel like plonking down the money for a flight stick and throttle combo right now.

Shogouki · Jan 7, 2015

Thanks for the help! If it does as well as Freelancer or X:TC I'm pretty sure it'll work for me until more of those flight sticks get made.

Arran · Jan 7, 2015

I'm sitting here looking at my Saitek controller, Feed rudder control, even at my CH 6 lever throttle control and other goodies i accumulated over the years for my Flightsim addiction, stuff that the average Elite player would envy me over, and guess how i play elite Dangerous... yes thats right, with keyboard and mouse.

The precision i have over my aim with mouse compared to joystick, is about trying to snipe with with a assault gun on full automatic, to a sniperrifle, i cant hit crap with joystick, while with my KB/Mouse nearly every shot hits target. Downside, Roll movement is Jerkey, might use my footpedals for that, have to experiment that a bit.
But somehow my mouse accuracy beats joystick by miles.

So i would say, mouse/kb is perfectly viable for those who have mastered KB/mouse over the years.
Prolly same some would say for a controller too, but i just never really gotten the feel for it, so i am so bad with it, its even worse as a joystick for me..

Guess it all boils down, to whatever you grown used too.

sutex · Jan 7, 2015

Interdication & been forced out, has only happened once to me in my sidewinder, when I first started , since fine turning , mouse & keyboard , always been able to evade any interdication in my hauler

Spar · Jan 7, 2015

I would highly recommend VoiceAttack (if you have a mic) to work in conjunction with M/Kb, perfect for ED.

DCello · Jan 7, 2015

Shogouki said:
Heya, I'm wondering what other players think about the effectiveness of using a mouse+keyboard control scheme for E? The only flightsim type games that I've played and found this to be effective were Freelancer and X - Terran Conflict and I was hoping that it would work decently for E as everywhere in North America it seems is sold out of the Thrustmaster HOTAS X Flight Stick which seems to be the best affordable control system for me.

Anyone have any feelings on this, especially if you've had experience with similar controls in either Freelancer or X:TC?

Hey, someone else who played Freelancer! Loved that game ^^

Yes, as people said it is playable, and it largely comes down to preference. I for one tested the game on Mouse/Keyboard and 360, but I ended up on my joystick. And I gotta tell you, I can not do without my X52 ._.

Smacky · Jan 7, 2015

Well i had a similar question before i bought. I use kb/m and its fine. Yes, you probably will want to set up the keys / mouse before you start, but totally playable and controlable. It flies very similar to x3TC interms of control but as stated above, yaw is slower and roll is faster. Interdiction, well i've been interdicted 3 times now and all 3 times i got away. Its a bit of a struggle to keep on target but i guess thats the whole point. Go for it.

Deadly Chicken · Jan 7, 2015

its doable, but combat is much harder, a cheap joystick helps a lot imo

M. 'Tripwire' · Jan 7, 2015

I started with KB/M and was waiting for my Warthog (sadly not the HOTAS) to arrive. While i play Freespace every once in awhile and War Thunder to bomb stuff, well i'm about to return my Warthog.

Stick just don't work for me, tried it over a couple of days now but no.

Combat with something like the Nostromo or the G13 and mouse just kicks ass. Okay i'm flying with flight assist on.

raduz · Jan 7, 2015

Shogouki said:
KB+Mouse

Hello.
I play with my kb+mouse setup from the beginning and I find it enjoyable for E

. I cannot compare though, but if you're not heavy focused on fights, I'd see little to no benefit for you going for HOTAS apart from immersion, but that would, IMO, require Oculus as well (or as priority).
R.

Quddus · Jan 7, 2015

Just to add an opinion on the other side...

I started with keyboard and mouse, a long term keyboard and mouse player, never had a joystick before. Was ok.

Then I got Thrustmaster and have never looked back, basically a different game. I don't know how I coped wit KB+M before.

Immersion is better, fun is better, and control is easier.

Having said that, like with anything, if you get good enough at it, any method will work for you and as some say above may even be better for you. KBM is certainly workable.

Flyto · Jan 7, 2015

Personally I find keyboard and mouse to be hopeless, but just keyboard is fine. I rapidly realised that the default bindings were hopeless, and went to a hybrid of those and the "classic" ones. I use a HOTAS setup at home, but keyboard on the laptop.... I do find the HOTAS better for combat, but I dock more accurately with the keyboard. Both are generally viable.

The only trouble with using a keyboard might be if you have one that only registers a maximum of two keys at once, which could be problematic in combat.

My main keyboard binds:

Roll: ,.
Pitch: xs
Yaw: ad
Throttle: / right-shift, and # for 50% thrust
thrust left/right: qe
thrust up/down: rf
boost: tab
primary fire: right alt
secondary fire: left alt

It's not perfect - in particular the lateral thrust could use moving around - but it works for me.

nightspore · Jan 7, 2015

If you don't have a problem with keyboard/mouse in X3, you won't have a problem in ED. I would, however, as mentioned above, check out VoiceAttack - especially for multi-key commands like requesting docking or leaving a station.

karl_eller · Jan 7, 2015

I'm using Keyboard + Mouse, it works fairly intuitively for me because I'm used to similar style control setups from Freelancer and War Thunder, and I've tweaked it fairly nicely. I had to greatly reduce the default mouse deadzone so I had the fine aiming control, as well as tweaked the other mouse options to tastet, and I rebound a lot of the thruster controls;
A/D is Roll Left/Right
W/S is Thrust Up/Down
Q/E is Thrust Left/Right
R/F is Thrust Forwards/Back
Mouse Wheel is throttle up/down in 12.5% increments

I'm tempted to pick up a cheap Thrustmaster HOTAS, but honestly I'm happy with how KB/Mouse is working.

Guido · Jan 7, 2015

If you get the KB+M to a state you find it intuitive, then you have cracked it.

there are someother nice options, I like Power grid (Roccat) on a tablet/phone, as you get to make the grid and name the buttons, useful for some added function you often forget the key it's on!

Me could not get on with the KBM setup, so use mouse for headlook, keys for some functions and Xbox 360 wired controller for 90% of the rest of it.

I think the wife would spot a HOTAS too easily #closetgamer

Adobetemplar · Jan 8, 2015

Oh yes, I should've mentioned, I bought VoiceAttack and one of the Elite profiles. It's extremely helpful, and really improves immersion and the overall gaming experience.

William Anders · Jan 8, 2015

Oh, don't get me started on Freelancer. I absolutely loved that game. Still one of my favorites!

On a serious note though, I have been going back and forth between KB/mouse and my HOTAS.... and finding I prefer the HOTAS. I still use the keyboard for certain commands, but I find it increases the level of immersion.

Chrisfs · Jan 8, 2015

I used straight keyboard and touchpad on a laptop. It works fine for me. Right now I am doing exploring on solo, so I am not doing much fighting. But I do get interdicted sometimes and if I get pushed out I can avoid them through a combo of evasive actions and silent running until the FSD is up again.