Reverse thrust?

[Alopex]

I have been playing for a week now using KB and mouse and have found the keys and shortcuts awkward to use, for example I have to look at the keyboard to be sure I press the right key for landing gear and not some other, etc. I am giving serious consideration to getting some kind of HOTAS gear. I have done some research and have noticed that every throttle is designed for aircraft, they go from zero to full. So far I have used reverse movement in combat and particularly for docking. I want that functionality in a HOTAS setup as well as not having to touch a keyboard or mouse at all once I have logged in. That means I need enough buttons to do everything currently mapped to a KB or mouse action.

Any suggestions please?

 

[Vendraen]

Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS X isn't just 0 to full. "Center" (0) is in the middle, and there's full forward and full reverse from there. Works great in this game.

 

[Alopex]

Now that is the kind of info I couldn't find elsewhere. I was considering that model simply due to budget constraints, but I noticed that it did not seem to have enough buttons or hats to completely remove the keyboard. Am I wrong on that score?

Also, does the throttle have a detent at the zero point?

 

[s4nup]

I use an x52 and while the thrust control is 0 to full on forward thrust, I have mapped a button on the throttle controller to give a blast of reverse thrust. Find it handy for, as you say, docking and manoeuvring during combat.

 

[Pharrett]

I had to set my throttle to forward only. I only have a Logitech 3d and the throttle is small. Kept reversing when I only meant to stop. I setup a modifier to kick in reverse when needed.

 

[Garagiste]

It does indeed have an detent, though I have mine set to forward only - just my preference.
The way I have mine set up I still need the keyboard occasionally for things I don't need often or in a hurry (e.g. cargo scoop) but you can assign one of the buttons as a "shift" key so all of the others can have two functions.
If you think it all through carefully you should easily have enough not to need the keyboard except in rare circumstances.

 

[Flappers]

My x52 does everything I need it to, apart from typing system names in the galaxy map.

There is a button on the throttle which toggles reverse/ forward thrust.

But instead of using default keys for the keyboard, have you tried taking the time to remap them to something more comfortable?

Also, does the throttle have a detent at the zero point?

My hotas does have detents on forward and back, but after 10 minutes of taking the throttle apart and removing the spring, it's perfect now without any detents.

 

[Soda Popinski]

I started running out of buttons on my HOTAS, until I realized all the binds can be done with a button combinations. So essentially a "shift button."

This is useful to both increase the number of functions, and have a safety built in. For example, my "shift button" is my throttle pinky button on my CH Throttle. To launch a Heat Sink, I hit the Ring Finger button. But to go into Silent Running, I hold down the Shift / Pinky button, then hit the Ring Finger button. This insures I don't accidentally go into silent running, dropping my shields at the wrong time.

I also use the Shift button for other consumables, like shield cells and chaff.


Note, since we're talking about HOTAS, the one thing that's a problem with the CH Pro Throttle is, it's a slider with no center detente. So I can't easily set 0 Forward/Reverse thrust. I have to do the reverse thrust button.

 

[Vendraen]

Now that is the kind of info I couldn't find elsewhere. I was considering that model simply due to budget constraints, but I noticed that it did not seem to have enough buttons or hats to completely remove the keyboard. Am I wrong on that score?

Also, does the throttle have a detent at the zero point?

Yes, it has a very strong and noticeable detent at center/zero.

As far as removing the KB, that's up to your creativity with mapping the thing. Some have eliminated the KB, some haven't. I haven't.

What you can do is map functions to 2 buttons, so that a button can act as a "Shift." Gives you lots of potential. Do some searches, there's about 1000001 threads on this awesome device around here.

 

[Simon853]

One of the best things about controller set-up in ED are the function overrides. Therefore you can get away with fewer buttons and hat switches if you're smart about how you program them to operate in the different modes (UI, landing, etc.)

Still, the more the merrier. I've got a Thrustmaster Cougar, which has 4 8-way hats, 4 buttons and 1 two-position triggers on the stick, plus 1 hat, 2 axes, 6 buttons and mouse cursor controller on the throttle. I never need to touch the keyboard at all in game, unless I'm using text chat or using the galaxy map.

My throttle only has a detent at 80%, (for flight sim after burners), but I solved the zero-centre problem by putting a visible mark on the throttle base at midway travel. Plus I override the fore/aft thrust in docking mode with a maximum deadzone so there's no chance of me zooming into the station wall if it's not dead centre when I launch.

 

[Briarée]

i actually use throttle 0-100% and toggle reverse with a button (pinky button actually).

this is really usefull in combat to go +100% - -100% in a split second, coupled with flight assist off on joystik pinky and thrusters on throttle hat, you do crazy stuff!

indeed no KB here unless chat / starmap

@OP

i do use my hotas warthog, and tbh, i can't even start to understand how one can play without a hotas.

sure not everyone is whishing to go top end like me (i play DCS and other sims too so it "was there"), but as suggested, hotas X is already a very good starter and it will really change the way you see the game!

now considering occulus rift, friend got one and...wow, just WOW

can't decid if i go DK2 or wait for a possible release this summer (but that's so faaaaaar)

 

[en1gma]

The T Flight-X is a basic HOTAS but for the price it does everything I need it to. Admittedly it is short of buttons....unless you use Voice Attack in which case I've now got a couple spare. Would be nice to have an additional hat switch to use for pips but got presets covered under VA commands

 

[abumonkey]

As noted above, the Thrustmaster HOTAS is a great tool and pretty good value. I started with keys and mouse and found the HOTAS made a huge difference to gameplay and emersion. As said above, you get full forward and reverse control, and more buttons than you can shake a stick at with the 'shift' function. I still use a few keyboard controls but only because i'm lazy and haven't worked out the whole game yet (despite being in since beta)! Well worth the money for ED, let alone other space sims that might appear in the next year or two...

 

[Knightshark]

I have a x55. Using the throttle 0-full and i have mapped a rotary to the thrust forward-backward axis. This way i can reverse thrust continuously without moving the throttle. A nice sideeffect is that i can set the throttle to 50% (sweet spot) and use the rotary to adjust thrust around this point in combat. Win-Win.

 

[Roland2]

I also use a button to toggle reverse.

If you are having a hard time remembering what key does what, or are getting distracted by having to look at the keys, you may want to try something like VoiceAttack, which allows you to map key strokes to voice commands. Of course, you need a microphone to use it.

 

[Valethar]

You probably won't be able to eliminate the keyboard entirely, but if you configure it right, the X-52 Pro can take quite a bit of it for you.

The way mine is set up currently, I have to use the keyboard very rarely, and that's usually only when I'm in the Galaxy or System maps, or typing to someone. Otherwise, all of the cockpit functions I use most are duplicated on the HOTAS.

Throttle:

Hat - Thruster control.
Scroll wheel - Change the scanner range.
D button - Reverse thrust.
E button - Head look toggle. Use with POV 1 to look around the cockpit or through the canopy.
I button - Engine boost (afterburner).
Left mouse - Enable FSD.

I'm not using the mouse stick, though I've read that some people use that for thrusters instead. I'm considering trying to set it up to let me select system targets on enemy ships. The two trim wheels aren't used either, I haven't found anything that works with their limited range. I also haven't programmed the 'right mouse' (on the scroll wheel) yet, though I may once I find something that seems to be a good use for it.

Stick:

Trigger - Main weapons
Fire A button - Chaff/countermeasures.
Fire B button - Select target in reticule.
Fire C button - Kill Warrant Scanner.
Launch button - Deploy/stow hardpoints.
Pinkie trigger - Toggle so I can access the MFDs in the cockpit using the stick HAT swiches (POV 1 & 2).
POV 1 - Energy level settings.
POV 2 - Select targets.
Toggle 1 - Next fire group.
Toggle 2 - Previous fire group.
Toggle 3 - Silent Running.
Toggle 4 - Cargo Scoop.
Toggle 5 - Ships lights.
Toggle 6 - Landing gear.

The Mode switch will eventually be used to fine tune everything so that I have a combat specific setup and a flight/nav specific setup I can switch between, but for the moment I can do most things as is. Unfortunately, the secondary trigger (the main trigger 'breaks' at about 75%) doesn't appear to be used at all for ED. POV 1 & 2, when used with the pinkie trigger, will let you scroll through all of the menus on both MFDs and select hyperspace jumps, look at your stats, missions, etc.. all without having to use the keyboard. Once you get used to it, it's pretty handy.

Quite a bit of that is the stock setup for the X-52 Pro using ED's profile, but you can easily alter the settings to suit you by making some changes in the profiler software that comes with the stick, and editing the binds in ED.

It's not a bad setup for ~$200, you just have to cross your fingers and hope you get one that's built solidly. Unfortunately, Madcatz/Saitek is somewhat sloppy with their builds and QC.

 

[Zeeman]

I've got a Thrustmaster T16000, and a CH products Pro throttle.

You can set the throttle up to have a "0" point in the middle, though, seeing as the CH throttle doesn't have a "click at the mid point, you'll want to set a dead zone to make it easy to "0" it, though my personal way is to set one of the buttons on the throttle to reverse thrust whilst I'm holding it. I actually quite like this method, but you need to work out what is the most comfortable for you.

With my setup, the keyboard/mouse is only needed for the galaxy map, or for typing.

Everything else is at my fingertips.

Z...

 

[Archvillain]

Some of the HOTAS devices have dual throttles. Does anyone use that feature? Would it make sense (and is it possible) to set up such that when one throttle is full back, the other throttle becomes a reverse throttle? That way you could normally use them together as if the dual-throttle is a single, forward throttle, but when you want to reverse you pull the dual-throttle back, then push forward only one of them.

Are people using dual throttles in other ways, or just ignoring them?

 

[OnePercent]

woah woah woah, Hold on a sec guys. ALL HOTAS throttles can be configured from ZERO in the middle and reverse and forward thrust relative to Zero point in the middle.

But You can configure it also to be ZERO at the start to full throttle and pressing a button then makes it ZERO to Full reverse Thrust.

 

[Valethar]

Some of the HOTAS devices have dual throttles. Does anyone use that feature? Would it make sense (and is it possible) to set up such that when one throttle is full back, the other throttle becomes a reverse throttle? That way you could normally use them together as if the dual-throttle is a single, forward throttle, but when you want to reverse you pull the dual-throttle back, then push forward only one of them.
Are people using dual throttles in other ways, or just ignoring them?

I'm not sure they're set up for that. It's my understanding that the dual throttles are designed for multi-engine aircraft, so you can control engines individually, but for a single engine (which is what ED emulates) you 'lock' them together and use them as a single unit.

I've never actually used one, however, so it may be a possibility.