Newcomer / Intro Noob Diary: Learning to Fly

Wargfoot

Wargfoot
I decided to give Flight Assist off one week of effort.

Day #1: The moment I hit the FA-Off I was in trouble. I didn't know it was possible to 'wobble' on so many axis. My tendency to over compensate is immense. Docking is clearly out of the question. After about an hour of making myself sick I decided to drop back into the real world and watch some instructional videos. Found the videos to be worth their weight in credits - the information about space dust is a total life saver. I'm reposting a link that another CMDR posted: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/159833-FAOFF-Appreciation-thread

Day #2: I started putting the advice in the first video into practice and I changed a setting for the throttle. I spent a couple of hours just slowly drifting around a station. Docking is still out of the question - I tried and failed hard. I gave myself a couple of very simple goals: Pay attention to space dust and fly around Trevithick Dock. Late in the day I noticed Trevithick Dock has large circular units with space in between them. The first few attempts to fly through those failed - but after an hour of practice I can buzz right now through. I intended to find other 'obstacle courses' around this station to practice again.
 

JetsonRING

JetsonRING
I use an X-56 HOTAS. The two miniature thumb-sticks offer precise thruster control, makes (for me at least) a world of difference. o7
 

Chris Simon

Chris Simon
If you want to really practice F/A off, I recommend asteroid rings around planets. They are
a) pretty (ice rings in particular are awesome)
b) didactic (they present challenge, but also give you excellent reference points when comes to your flight vector)
c) fun to zoom around in

:)
 
Last edited:

Chris Simon

Chris Simon
Darth Montu said:
Is it really important to beable to fly totally FA? ive only been using it to turn.
Click to expand...

Of course not. You can still be a great driver even if you've never turned off ESR and ABS in your car.
F/A off flying is better for some things and worse for other. It's definitely more fun (subjectively, of course) but not necessary.
 

Wargfoot

Wargfoot
Darth Montu said:
Is it really important to beable to fly totally FA? ive only been using it to turn.
Click to expand...

I read (1) that it can make a difference for combat. In just messing around I managed a sharper turn than I thought possible - couldn't do it again right now if I tried - but apparently it gives you more precise control. That said, it may be too much for me to handle or I may decide it isn't fun and I'll end up dropping it. I'm giving myself a week to fail hard at it and if I don't notice some improvement in my flying by the weekend I'll just turn flight assist on and be done with it.








NOTES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1: I've read this which means I've not experienced this yet.
 

Wargfoot

Wargfoot
Update: I'm really struggling with thrust control. The problem is controlling my speed such that I can slow down and come to a complete stop quickly and easily. I find myself fighting the controls. Side to side movement and such isn't much of a problem - the thruster control is hyper sensitive or I need a dead zone or perhaps a FULL STOP button.
 

Chris Simon

Chris Simon
Wargfoot said:
Update: I'm really struggling with thrust control. The problem is controlling my speed such that I can slow down and come to a complete stop quickly and easily. I find myself fighting the controls. Side to side movement and such isn't much of a problem - the thruster control is hyper sensitive or I need a dead zone or perhaps a FULL STOP button.
Click to expand...

Heheh, a full stop button that just cuts off the thrusters isn't really helpful. :)

Don't stress it. Personally it took me WEEKS before the ship started doing EXACTLY what I wanted. (For example scooping cargo from space is extra tricky) I think you're much better pilot than I am if you've come this far after just two days.
It's all a matter of training and practicing, though I have to say that some pieces of hardware can be reallys helpful. I've got myself a Thrustmaster FCS HOTAS (Stick and throttle) and it's great for F/A off flying because it has a mini joystick on the throttle that is great for lateral and vertical thrusters because it's not just a POV hat but real analog mini stick.
But you can get good at this with any controller type. It just needs time. :)

As for stopping quickly - don't forget that your main thrusters are much more powerful than the rest of them, so the best way of stopping quickly is to flip the ship around and use them. Tied to that - the best way to TURN quickly is with main thrusters pointing outwards in 90° angle. That way you carry the most amount of momentum without flattening the curve.
 
Last edited:

aRJay

aRJay
Chris Simon said:
Of course not. You can still be a great driver even if you've never turned off ESR and ABS in your car.
F/A off flying is better for some things and worse for other. It's definitely more fun (subjectively, of course) but not necessary.
Click to expand...

Subjective is right.

Personally l think the quarantine officer is having more fun at the end of the film “Life” than I do flying FAoff.
 

Chris Simon

Chris Simon
aRJay said:
Subjective is right.

Personally l think the quarantine officer is having more fun at the end of the film “Life” than I do flying FAoff.
Click to expand...

Hahah. Well, that's why it's good that F/A off is a choice. :)

But you're right, it would probably be good to remind OP of that. If you decided you're going to learn it, great! If you find out that it's too frustrating, don't push it.
Flying the spaceship is important. Some people (like me) find the act of flying a space ship the main source of fun in the game. A gameplay element on its own. But there are also others who use it just as the "means to an end" - they find other gameplay elements fun (trading, combat, engineering,...) and they are perfectly fine with flying being as simple as possible.

Choices. :)
 
Last edited:

Wargfoot

Wargfoot
Day #3: I'm making some progress but still hindered by the throttle that jumps from forward 25 to back 25 at the slightest touch. I cannot figure out how to get a dead zone set up or to change the curve. I can find the dead zone setting in the configuration file but it isn't clear on the Thrustmaster 16000 on how to make the little slider move. I tried to download the TARGET software but that doesn't seem to work with Oculus and the manual for it is garbage.

I find myself wishing that Oculus was less intent on forming an ecosystem and was content to just be 'plug and play' with the headset being a plugin like a mouse or a keyboard. I feel like I should be able to configure my equipment without the VR and setting a curve on a thruster shouldn't be this difficult. Little point in practicing flying until I get the thruster to be less aggressive.

That aside, I am making some improvements on flying - still practicing flying around the station, stopping, and gliding through any obstacles my ship can fit through.

I'm sharing my frustrations here so if you find yourself in a similar place you'll know you're not alone.
 

aRJay

aRJay
Wargfoot said:
Day #3: I'm making some progress but still hindered by the throttle that jumps from forward 25 to back 25 at the slightest touch. I cannot figure out how to get a dead zone set up or to change the curve. I can find the dead zone setting in the configuration file but it isn't clear on the Thrustmaster 16000 on how to make the little slider move. I tried to download the TARGET software but that doesn't seem to work with Oculus and the manual for it is garbage.

I find myself wishing that Oculus was less intent on forming an ecosystem and was content to just be 'plug and play' with the headset being a plugin like a mouse or a keyboard. I feel like I should be able to configure my equipment without the VR and setting a curve on a thruster shouldn't be this difficult. Little point in practicing flying until I get the thruster to be less aggressive.

That aside, I am making some improvements on flying - still practicing flying around the station, stopping, and gliding through any obstacles my ship can fit through.

I'm sharing my frustrations here so if you find yourself in a similar place you'll know you're not alone.
Click to expand...

You can set dead zones in the options controls bindings in the game itself.

I use my throttle in full travel mode and hold down a button for reverse.
 
Last edited:

Wargfoot

Wargfoot
aRJay said:
You can set dead zones in the options controls bindings in the game itself.

I use my throttle in full travel mode and hold down a button for reverse.
Click to expand...
Thanks, but I've tried.
It won't let me move the slider to increase the dead zone.
I'd also like to set up an 'S' curve for throttle response - I think getting things set up may be the most difficult part of flying.
 

BinakAlgo

BinakAlgo
Wait a second... so it is really possible to fly without Fly assist? Wow. I'm going to try it.

**17 seconds later**

Well, that was a fast re-buy...
 

Bob Lighthouse

Banned
Bob Lighthouse
Wargfoot said:
Thanks, but I've tried.
It won't let me move the slider to increase the dead zone.
I'd also like to set up an 'S' curve for throttle response - I think getting things set up may be the most difficult part of flying.
Click to expand...


What's up with that?
That feature even works on console.
 

Wargfoot

Wargfoot
Day Whatever:
After several failed attempts to land, and brief spell kicking around garbage cans on the back porch, I've decided to take a couple of steps back and re-examine my control set up. I really don't want to get into the gnarly bits of how to get an 'S' curve programmed - I hate it that this is so difficult - but apparently there are several steps to getting the controls to respond in the way you want and it is clear this is going to take some more time. I think it will be worth it.

I have improved considerably in my use of the controls and I'm amazed at how sharp of a turn you can take - I would just like to get to the point where I can take those sharp turns on purpose. :D

I do enjoy buzzing the space station and dodging through the gaps - or trying to 'park' on platforms - more than I should, and then rocketing away before the loitering fine kicks in. For me a loitering fine is like unlocking an achievement because that means I'm not coming into the station hot, bouncing across the surface of the station, and careening out into space again. So yeah, I'll take that win.
 
Last edited:

Chris Simon

Chris Simon
Wargfoot said:
The slider comes up in RED.
It makes me think I'm trying to use the wrong slider or something else is going on.
I'll fiddle with it some more and let ya'll know.
Click to expand...

Which joystick do you have? Do you use its software (which I'd never recommend with clear conscience, especially if it's TARGET) or are you using the joystick in the generic plug&play mode?

Do you have the axes REALLY bound as axes? The game will allow you to bind an axis as a button and it will work to a point.

Can you share a screenshot of your Controls settings?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom