Play with xBox controller?

DouginaFug

DouginaFug
Hi
New to all this and wanting to play Elite Dangerous - I do not have a joystick, can I play with an xBox controller?

Also can anyone recommend beginners videos to help get me started?

Thanks for any help!
 

INaeem

Elite Greeter
INaeem
I truly recommend REWASD. The Xbox One pad or Elite Controller in conjunction with the official Xbox One Chatpad, VoiceAttack and REWASD is a joy to behold. The Chatpad will give you a full functioning keyboard at your fingertips. No additional software is required for the Chatpad, Windows recognises the Chatpad as a keyboard. All you need is to download the free Xbox Accessories app from the Windows store to update the firmware on both the Chatpad and Xbox Controller. REWASD will allow you reconfigure the Elite Controller peddles and more.
 

MickyG1982

M
Plays just fine with an Xbox controller, there is a ready made control scheme that's actually quite decent for it (just be aware of the 'B' button, both boost and landing gear).

I use it as I transferred over from xbox, never needed to use anything else.
 

Northpin

Northpin
The bindings on the XB controller are quite marvelous - at least on XB itself. I assume on PC they are the same.
 

Terekhov

Terekhov
I used an XBox controller on PC for my first four months of gameplay. As mentioned above, change the binding for Boost (or the bindng for Landing gear) if they are in the default mapping, you will go to deploy landong gear and frequently boost into the rear wall of the station...

It's fine for most gameplay, but I did find with that he throttle +/- being bound to buttons on the forefingers, that I was loosing situational awareness of my throttle position/speed in combat. This was particularly an issue in VR with the more limited FOV. I've now changed to a HOTAS for that reason.

Those two caveats aside (and the first one is fixable by rebinding, the second might not affect you as it did me), the XBox controller is fine.
 
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StrangeCrunchy1

StrangeCrunchy1
DouginaFug said:
Hi
New to all this and wanting to play Elite Dangerous - I do not have a joystick, can I play with an xBox controller?

Also can anyone recommend beginners videos to help get me started?

Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...
Absolutely, you can. As a matter of fact, I was playing Elite with my Xbox One controller here until I found a good solution to allow me to use my HOTAS from my sofa. I used to have (and this is probably the most redneck thing ever) a long-ish cardboard box as a throttle stand and a red Coleman cooler (for the stick and mouse pad) set up in front of my couch until I got a new couch (too deep front to back to use the old setup). I now use two plastic cutting boards (still redneck as heck, but a little less so lol) Sorry for the tangent there. As for beginner's videos, especially as he has a series for those using the Xbox One controller, I'd recommend Greylock, of The Gamers Show on YouTube.

One other thing I'd recommend, not related to videos, but rather to the control scheme, would be to set up your landing override controls, as it can be a pain to have to switch between the standard layout and alternate flight controls every time you want to make a strafing adjustment to your lineup on the pad. It'll only activate when your gear are down, so there's that convenience, but you can map all of your flight controls to the sticks, triggers and shoulder buttons for landing, and not have any problems.
 

STRONTIUM DOG

STRONTIUM DOG
StrangeCrunchy1 said:
One other thing I'd recommend, not related to videos, but rather to the control scheme, would be to set up your landing override controls, as it can be a pain to have to switch between the standard layout and alternate flight controls every time you want to make a strafing adjustment to your lineup on the pad. It'll only activate when your gear are down, so there's that convenience, but you can map all of your flight controls to the sticks, triggers and shoulder buttons for landing, and not have any problems.
Click to expand...
personally I have no problem landing & strafing in standard mode as I use the shoulder buttons for strafing
left stick for pitch an roll and fire group 1 weapon fire right stick for yaw and elevation and firegroup 2 fire finally the triggers as acc brake and reverse throttle
and the a b x y buttons for targeting etc
all the rest is on voice control so no keyboard required
just big comfy reclining leather sofa chair and homemade inverse L monitor stand so my trak ir lines up nicely
 
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StrangeCrunchy1

StrangeCrunchy1
STRONTIUM DOG said:
personally I have no problem landing & strafing in standard mode as I use the shoulder buttons for strafing
left stick for pitch an roll and fire group 1 weapon fire right stick for yaw and elevation and firegroup 2 fire finally the triggers as acc brake and reverse throttle
and the a b x y buttons for targeting etc
all the rest is on voice control so no keyboard required
just big comfy reclining leather sofa chair and homemade inverse L monitor stand so my trak ir lines up nicely
Click to expand...
Well, I mean, to be fair, this was more meant for OP. I figured that was implied by my having quoted him (or her, possibly). Sorry if that comes across as confrontational; I honestly didn't mean it as such. I know I, at the very least, found it a trifle inconvenient, as I was using the default configuration, so I thought I'd pass along a potentially helpful bit of information, should OP decide to stick with the default layout. The override layout I came up with just modifies the controls so that the triggers become yaw, and the right stick X-axis becomes lateral thrust. The throttle switches to a 10% incremental scheme for easier control in docking. Easy to set up for safe egress speeds as well.
 

STRONTIUM DOG

STRONTIUM DOG
yes the more ways you can setup a personal preference the better so if flight landing overrides suit yours then absolutely...……..
confrontational? not at all old chap!
as for safe egress speed I am outta there like a bat out of hell remember as long as do not collide with anything whatso ever speed restrictions are not acctually enforced
you only get fined apon collision skilled situational pilots need only apply ;)
 
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Esteban

E
I've been playing with an Xbox style controller too. The biggest gripe I have is with the D-pad and directional button-presses often registering as more than one (a diagonal) button-press. This literally makes PIP adjustment infuriating - especially when it matters; other maneuvers are affected too. I've been hoping to find a controller that uses four distinct buttons for the D-pad instead of the common rocker arrangement. That's not easy, especially in the asymmetric layout that I prefer greatly for ED (left joystick is above the D-pad). Yes, I have tried both layouts.

In lieu of that, I thought I'd try a high quality controller. Seeing as how that costs a bit more, if anyone has opinions/experience about/with controllers such as the Microsoft Elite Series II or the Scuf Prestige (SteelSeries, maybe), I'd like to hear them. My thought is, if it's not likely to be better, I'd rather consider the jump to a more serious rig because (especially as my skills grow) I get the distinct feeling that my success/ability is limited by the use of this type of controller.

Other than the issue with the D-pad, I've also noted some longevity issues. Specifically, ED has a large number of control to accommodate so pressing the joysticks to access those secondary functions is used all the time. This has lead to the joystick I use for Yaw to wear, lean, etc. in a couple of instances.

Happy travels, CMDRs!
 

STRONTIUM DOG

STRONTIUM DOG
if setup correctly and you are extremely skilled you can homerun a coriolis with flight assist off using a sidewinder to get in the tiny gap outside the station
the precision required to do this an x box controller can easily provide in the right hands (mine is 20 years old i must be light fingered) (had to reinforce where cable enters controller 5 year ago)
but you are spot on about the d pad pips so I use va there (better off rebinding to keyboard if no voice attack control setup)
 
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StrangeCrunchy1

StrangeCrunchy1
STRONTIUM DOG said:
yes the more ways you can setup a personal preference the better so if flight landing overrides suit yours then absolutely...……..
confrontational? not at all old chap!
as for safe egress speed I am outta there like a bat out of hell remember as long as do not collide with anything whatso ever speed restrictions are not acctually enforced
you only get fined apon collision skilled situational pilots need only apply ;)
Click to expand...
I wholeheartedly agree and I'm glad it didn't come across as confrontational; I often find myself second-guessing how others might take how I say something, so I like to be absolutely certain that my intentions are laid bare. Yeah, I hear you there lol If I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, I'll definitely disobey the starport posted limits, but most oft, I kinda like to roleplay myself as a citizen of Elite's Milky way and follow as many of its rules as I can (that's also one of main reasons I've tried to come up with a character name I feel fits the world of Elite lol). My reality away from reality, if you will.
 

STRONTIUM DOG

STRONTIUM DOG
just like armadillos strangely crunchy on the outside chewy on the inside like in starwars I can digit.
me I tend to be a salty old dog, if I offend someone k sara sara it probably wasn't my intention as my nature tends to be a tail waggin assist full if but playful one.

but that does not mean to say that I wont on occasion bite back with sarcasm etc should I feel the need arise...……………..
or fly kinda off topic but not really!
for eg
hey everyone DON'T PANIC and don't forget your Towel tomorrow for galactic towel day may 25th so please re-spread the word
at least paws and reflect for Doug!
(if you are outstanding in your field or local park isolated with a towel wrapped casually over one shoulder deceivedly looking completely bewildered and you are in fact contemplating 42 or required sum of freedom required
you are a true hoopy frood who takes things to the ultimate homage level and you have my full respect)
with towel mounted correctly if you stick your arm and thumb straight up in the air using opposite to shoulder arm at 12:30 miday for the full required 60 sec duration you may even get hitched as it is at that precise moment you and your towel have reached its galactic zenith and are at one with the cosmos it will also help if you have just before consumed at least one alcoholic beverage and a consumed a fistfull of peanuts, note the effect may be delayed up to two hours due to time dilation (rem don't panic you have nothing to fear)
N.B this can be non alcoholic beer but you may feel a little queasy afterwards ;)
Js7WHfJ.png
 
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