The Ideal Flight Stick / Controller for ED?
- Thread starter El Covah
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I use a Saitek X52Pro Hotas set up and I can honestly say it works perfectly for ED, setting up the joystick is easy enough in game, you dont have to use the software.
Its not the cheapest but you'll never have to touch a key in combat again
Saitek do a cheaper version call simply the X52 if your on a budget. As investemnt for playing ED for years to come its well worth it.
Its not the cheapest but you'll never have to touch a key in combat again
Saitek do a cheaper version call simply the X52 if your on a budget. As investemnt for playing ED for years to come its well worth it.
I'm not saying it's the best one around, but I think my X-52 pro feels pretty much perfect for controlling Elite and I think if I was sitting in the cockpit for real that it would probably feel pretty much like this, so yeah in this context I'd say for me it is Ideal. Maybe if you added a set of pedals it would feel even more ideal but I have never used pedals before so can't say for sure.
I had not used a joystick for games pretty much at all before except maybe when I was very young once or twice, so when I got the X-52 pro a few months ago I was totally blown away with how awesome and natural it feels to fly with a HOTAS. The only down side I see with sticks in general is some games you have to muck around with key bindings (which can take ages sometimes) so be prepared for this, but once your setup it is TOTALLY WORTH IT!
If you have the cash get the pro not the normal x-52 it is worth it, it feels much better in my opinion.
I had not used a joystick for games pretty much at all before except maybe when I was very young once or twice, so when I got the X-52 pro a few months ago I was totally blown away with how awesome and natural it feels to fly with a HOTAS. The only down side I see with sticks in general is some games you have to muck around with key bindings (which can take ages sometimes) so be prepared for this, but once your setup it is TOTALLY WORTH IT!
If you have the cash get the pro not the normal x-52 it is worth it, it feels much better in my opinion.
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Yeah It's really about personal preference BUT I bought the Saitek X-52 pro and I love it :smilie: It looks identical to the one in the game and it has a TON of programmable buttons. It really feels cool to see the same controls in the game and feel them in your hand. (I use DK2 so it's very apparent)
I'm very happy with the purchase. If your just buying to play Elite and some other sims it's fantastic. BUT If your a flight sim Enthusiast and need MORE buttons there is the X-55 as well, but I'm not huge on toggle switches or the design.
Happy hunting
I'm very happy with the purchase. If your just buying to play Elite and some other sims it's fantastic. BUT If your a flight sim Enthusiast and need MORE buttons there is the X-55 as well, but I'm not huge on toggle switches or the design.
Happy hunting
Yeah It's really about personal preference BUT I bought the Saitek X-52 pro and I love it :smilie: It looks identical to the one in the game and it has a TON of programmable buttons. It really feels cool to see the same controls in the game and feel them in your hand. (I use DK2 so it's very apparent)
I'm very happy with the purchase. If your just buying to play Elite and some other sims it's fantastic. BUT If your a flight sim Enthusiast and need MORE buttons there is the X-55 as well, but I'm not huge on toggle switches or the design.
Happy hunting
YES!! was going to add this also but you beat me
It looks like the one in game
I didn't have a lot of experience with these types of controllers, however I wasn't a fan of all the 'glitz' on the Saitek equipment, so along with other reasons, I went for the CH Products - Combatstick, Pro Throttle and Pedals. I am particularly keen on the arrangement of the buttons/controls on the Pro Throttle. I am very happy with the CH Products but I can't really comment in detail on other brands, as I don't have a great deal of experience. For me, the decision was made by the buttons on the CH Throttle and the lack of glitz
...oh, one other thing, the CH Control Manager software is very powerful - if you want to use it, which you don't have to (I do).
...oh, one other thing, the CH Control Manager software is very powerful - if you want to use it, which you don't have to (I do).
This is a tough question to ask, because mst people who hqve a HOTAS rig probably the only one they ever buy and it is the only one they can recommend. That being said, your first question might be should invest in a HOTAS setup. Buying new, you can get a joystick only for $50 USD on up. A throttle and stick will run you $150-250 on the low end, and $500+ easy if you go fancy.
If you can afford it, is it worth it? For my money, absolutely. Having all commands at your fingertips makes a huge difference in control and convenience. There's a reason fighter pilots today use this kind of arrangement. I found my maneuvering and especially docking got much more precise than using a game controller or KBM.
There is a learning curve, though. Know that whatever setup you get you're gonna be learning to fly all over again. But being able to issue targeting commands simultaneously while flying and sliding a throttle is definitely worth it.
If you can afford it, is it worth it? For my money, absolutely. Having all commands at your fingertips makes a huge difference in control and convenience. There's a reason fighter pilots today use this kind of arrangement.
I found my maneuvering and especially docking got much more precise than using a game controller or KBM. There is a learning curve, though. Know that whatever setup you get you're gonna be learning to fly all over again. But being able to issue targeting commands simultaneously while flying and sliding a throttle is definitely worth it.
Hi
I've just purchased a Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Joystick for about £40.00 from Amazon.
I've never played with a joystick before but its feels really good. Take your time configuring your key binds though as this makes a big difference.
I used some of the suggestions from the Fan Creations forum as there are clearly some expert joystick users that know what they are talking about, hope that helps.
Gabriel Lane
I've just purchased a Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Joystick for about £40.00 from Amazon.
I've never played with a joystick before but its feels really good. Take your time configuring your key binds though as this makes a big difference.
I used some of the suggestions from the Fan Creations forum as there are clearly some expert joystick users that know what they are talking about, hope that helps.
Gabriel Lane
Another T-Flight user here. It seemed like a reasonable entry level HOTAS set-up, and after seeing it get decent comments elsewhere on these forums, I decided to go with it.
Very happy with it so far. You'd never mistake it for a Warthog but it's sturdy enough and the button placement is pretty good overall.
Very happy with it so far. You'd never mistake it for a Warthog but it's sturdy enough and the button placement is pretty good overall.
Mouse and keyboard here but I am waiting for my x52 Pro which I ordered specifically for ED. The T-Flight mentioned by others is also a popular choice for much less money.
A Thrustmaster T.16000M and a separate Ch Pro Throttle is another good choice if on a budget. The Thrustmaster is very well liked amongst space sim and flight sim enthusiasts.
A Thrustmaster T.16000M and a separate Ch Pro Throttle is another good choice if on a budget. The Thrustmaster is very well liked amongst space sim and flight sim enthusiasts.
I am enjoying a x52 pro and it is a great joystick.
It can a bit finicky setting up, and is rather critic to how you configure your usb ports ( its power hungry) but everything can be solved.
Anyway , I'am very pleased.
Cheers Cmdr's
It can a bit finicky setting up, and is rather critic to how you configure your usb ports ( its power hungry) but everything can be solved.
Anyway , I'am very pleased.
Cheers Cmdr's
I am using the X-55 Rhino but since I use voice attack I think I would have been ok with the X-52 Pro
I've been doing a lot of research on this as my CH Products HOTAS is getting a bit long in the tooth. The conclusion I've come to is that, despite looking a bit plasticky, the CH Products have excellent build quality, have more usable controls for a game like Elite: Dangerous, and a the most configurable of all the HOTAS rigs out there. The latter is the killer feature for me as there is never any question over *if* a game will work with them, it's just a question of how you need to map them. That said, it can take quite a bit of time, and a little bit of scripting to get the maps right - hence why I publish my maps
The x52 appears to be the reference HOTAS used by FD so should perform well with minimal configuration (as long as you're happy with the default layout). The x55 and Warthog both look amazing, but had too many rotaries for my liking (great for other games, can't think of a real use for them in Elite). With all 4 setups I've not really heard much complaining and people are generally happy with what they've got so I don't think there's a "wrong" choice, but you may find one stick suits better than another.
There's a fairly detailed rundown of my setup and mappings on YouTube if you're interested. Someone else has put together a fairly comprehensive video comparison of the CH products and Saitek HOTAS here.
The x52 appears to be the reference HOTAS used by FD so should perform well with minimal configuration (as long as you're happy with the default layout). The x55 and Warthog both look amazing, but had too many rotaries for my liking (great for other games, can't think of a real use for them in Elite). With all 4 setups I've not really heard much complaining and people are generally happy with what they've got so I don't think there's a "wrong" choice, but you may find one stick suits better than another.
There's a fairly detailed rundown of my setup and mappings on YouTube if you're interested. Someone else has put together a fairly comprehensive video comparison of the CH products and Saitek HOTAS here.
Logitech Extreme 3d pro got mo through Dark Star one and other Games!
I've been doing a lot of research on this as my CH Products HOTAS is getting a bit long in the tooth. The conclusion I've come to is that, despite looking a bit plasticky, the CH Products have excellent build quality, have more usable controls for a game like Elite: Dangerous, and a the most configurable of all the HOTAS rigs out there. The latter is the killer feature for me as there is never any question over *if* a game will work with them, it's just a question of how you need to map them. That said, it can take quite a bit of time, and a little bit of scripting to get the maps right - hence why I publish my maps
I had a CH setup from the mid 90's to the mid 2000's and loved it the entire time I had it. I had the mid-range throttle and stick, but they got the job done. They never wore out or needed adjustment. I only got rid of them because sims fell out of style.
Then ED came along and I wasn't getting the control I needed out of my PS4 controller, so I started looking back into HOTAS. The X52 does seem to be the most common, but I got so much use out of my CH gear I decided to see what they had to offer in 2014
Turns out it's the exact same stuff that they had back in '96. I mean, EXACTLY, except for being USB instead of an old-style serial port. Same dull, black plastic with generic gray buttons, but more importantly the same fantastic build quality and responsiveness. I got the high end stick and throttle now, so I've got more hats and buttons than I know what to do with, and the full analog joystick on the throttle is worth the price alone. If it lasts me another 10 years then it's money well spent.
The only word of caution I'd have for anyone about CH Products is that they are not 100% plug-n-play. They come with their own drivers/configuration software with a GUI that harkens from the Windows 95 era. But don't let that throw you. You can program every switch on the stick or throttle to do what you want, including macros. Tired of having to maneuver through menus to request docking permission? Map the whole sequence to a single button. Want to put your gear down, reduce throttle and power shields to maximum for landing? Map it all to a single button. It's a thing of beauty.
Gotta say that the ED beta has turned out to be the most expensive game I've ever played and I don't regret spending a single cent I've spent on it.
I recently shopped for a HOTAS setup. Many people love the X-52 pro and it is probably the most popular among Elite users. Apparently when it works it's superb but there are a significant number of user reviews that speak negatively about build quality and durability: Units arriving with something wrong, or developing problems after a few months of use.
I could not find a single CH review that mentioned these types of problems. CH products enjoy a nearly universal reputation for solid no frills quality and durability. For these reasons I went with the CH Pro Throttle and CH Fighterstick and I'm quite happy with them.
Another plus for CH products is the Control Manager software, as mentioned in the post above. I haven't even delved into that yet, I just plugged the devices in and assigned functions through the control menu in ED.
The only con I can think of is that the CH Fighterstick does not have a twist axis. Yaw needs to be assigned to one of the hat switches unless you are using pedals. I have one of the thumb hats on the throttle assigned to forward/reverse thrusters and yaw. I've never been a big fan of the twist axis on joysticks so this didn't bother me, but it might be a game breaker for some.
I could not find a single CH review that mentioned these types of problems. CH products enjoy a nearly universal reputation for solid no frills quality and durability. For these reasons I went with the CH Pro Throttle and CH Fighterstick and I'm quite happy with them.
Another plus for CH products is the Control Manager software, as mentioned in the post above. I haven't even delved into that yet, I just plugged the devices in and assigned functions through the control menu in ED.
The only con I can think of is that the CH Fighterstick does not have a twist axis. Yaw needs to be assigned to one of the hat switches unless you are using pedals. I have one of the thumb hats on the throttle assigned to forward/reverse thrusters and yaw. I've never been a big fan of the twist axis on joysticks so this didn't bother me, but it might be a game breaker for some.
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Yeah, an analogue twist handle for yaw would be handy, but ED has you covered with a "yaw/roll" button in settings. You rarely need to yaw and roll at the same time, so they included an optional toggle button to switch the two. I assigned the X-axis to yaw and mapped the red pinky button at the base of the stick to switch when I press it. When I want to roll now, I just hold in the button and push the stick over. It's second nature now. (I kept yaw as the default function because I use yaw far more than roll when targeting and docking, but the beauty of it is that it can be set up either way.)