The Joystick/Controller discussion thread

[StefanOS]

So, i just got the beta yesterday, and today also reappropriated a joystick from my dad from his flight sims, saving me the trouble of getting a new one. It's a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro.

And boy do I need help with it. So, I have a GTX 780, overclocked to 1.28GHz stable. This thing is an absolute beast, which means performance with Elite: Dangerous, even in beta, is a non-issue. Here's what's happening. If I unplug my logitech joystick and play by mouse, I get 60fps rock solid with no drops. The moment I plug in the joystick and try playing by joystick, my framerate tanks like a brick into the teens and mid twenties and never improves. Also, in task manager, my CPU spikes to practically 95-98% at all times.

I'm not understanding why the joystick interfacing with the game is causing such massive drop in performance, and furthermore, also bottlenecking my system.

General specs of my system:

Nixeus 27": 2560x1440 @ 60Hz
Specture 24" 1920x1200 @ 60Hz
i7-950 @ stock clocks (3.06GHz w/HT enabled)
12GB DDR3 @ 1600MHz
MSI GTX 780 Lightning @ 1.28GHz OC stable
640GB 7200 Western Digital Black, etc. (HDD is fine and I don't think Elite needs a SSD to perform well, though would probably benefit from, if I had one)

I would really appreciate any/all help that you can give me regarding this issue.

You have to check with the task manager what Programm or task is causing the high CPU load. Without having this info I would guess that your USB is causing this drop, try the other usb of the PC

 

[lowlanda]

Using an old MS Sidewinder Precision 2

Is it possible to have both joystick and mouse control?

I'm finding that using the tophat for all station menus is getting old really quick!

Cheers

lol, I found the mouse cursor!

For some reason, it only activated once I got to the commodities screen, and started using the keyboard arrows to navigate. The mouse was completely inactive before that.

Sorry for what must have sounded like a stupid question

 

[Nat]

Best Joystick for elite dangerous

Just a bit of advice.

I'd like to use a joystick to play the game, but have a limited budget of around £25. I have been looking at the "MAD CATZ V1" Joystick, which seems as though it would fit the bill.

Just wanted to know if anyone else had used one with the game and what their experience was...

Thanks

 

[Elessarus]

Hi! Every hand is different and alot of people prefer a different kind of stick. That mad cats joystick is fairly good for the price but i would suggest you find a place where you can get your hands on a couple of sticks to see what is most comfortable. You could alse get a second hand one of ebay with our budget.

I use a saitek x52 which is a bit more expensive and is a HOTAS (with throttle on the left hand). I love it . Good luck!

 

[SharkH]

Just a bit of advice.

I'd like to use a joystick to play the game, but have a limited budget of around £25. I have been looking at the "MAD CATZ V1" Joystick, which seems as though it would fit the bill.

Just wanted to know if anyone else had used one with the game and what their experience was...

Thanks

I have read a lot of review and it seems that the Thrustmaster T.16000 has the best quality/precision around that budget.

 

[GeordieMarv]

I'd recommend the T-Flight HOTAS X.
It's a steal at a mere £30. Really good stick in my opinion.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Joystick-PS3/dp/B001CXYMFS

Although £39.99 from Amazon, I got mine from DABS for £30 with £5 delivery.

http://www.dabs.com/products/thrustmaster-t-flight-hotas-x-pc-85J0.html?q=t flight hotas x&src=16

My friend bought one from here, as DABS had none left :-

http://www.cclonline.com/product/12...rustmaster-T-flight-Hotas-X-Joystick/JOY0148/

He got it 2 days after placing the order. Here is a youtube review... Hope this helps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8zTzGdu7_A

 

[Eggtastico]

you can get a HOTAS thrustmaster for about £30 - maybe worth looking at / read some reviews.

 

[Nat]

Thanks Guys,

I've looked at a few reviews and its down to the Mad Catz V1 and the Hotas X I think.

The main issue with the Hotas is the size of it, I only have a little desk! I like the idea of the throttle control being integrated on the stick as it is with the V1.

I think a trip to PC World / Maplin to look before ordering on-line....

 

[Steve O B Have]

I'd take a squiz at the Saitek Aviator personally - I've had it before and it's got lots of knobs and a dual throttle (of absolutely no use in ED haha). Also the Logitech 3D Pro (I have the 2.4Ghz wireless version) which is pretty solid.

Having said all of that - Hotas is deffo the way to go if you can push the boat out - I have an X52 Pro now and there is no going back.

 

[eleanorsbee]

The main issue with the Hotas is the size of it, I only have a little desk! I like the idea of the throttle control being integrated on the stick as it is with the V1.

I have the same issue ... where is the throttle on the v1 ... its not clear from pictures and does the v1 twist like the X for rudder ?

 

[Capt. Hook]

might be worth a punt on ebay; incidentally I picked up my x52 pro for a song in a garage sale; if you don't mind second hand and the odd over worn button can be good for a bargain.

 

[Philip Coutts]

I've got a Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X and it's brilliant. Can't fault it for the money. The only thing being it's pretty big but all HOTAS set up tend to be.

 

[Ulysses_W]

...I think a trip to PC World / Maplin to look before ordering on-line....

Good luck with that, if your PC world is anything like ours, you'll be lucky to find a single Joystick on display, I'm amazed that they have the gall to call themselves a computer shop.

 

[Biteketkergetek]

I like joysticks a lot in theory, but I almost always end up using my gamepad, even though it using one is not as realistic as a joystick (if such a statement makes any sense with a game like Elite: Dangerous). I have mapped all the necessary functions to the controller using shoulder buttons as shifts. Perhaps you should consider them, too. Most games support XBOX/PS3-Style gamepads like the Logitech F310. My joysticks always end up being dust collectors...

 

[evilseed]

I've been flying a Saitek x45 for about 10 years because I like yaw on the left hand, analog linear flight controls, and plenty of buttons and mode switches to map everything. I've found replacements on eBay for 50 USD or so. Using Windows 7, though, I don't know if there are Windows 8 drivers for it.

 

[netshaman [VR]]

I'm currently using a Logitech cordless freedom 2.4 joystick, i had mapped the most used functions on it, the rest is on the numpad of the keyboard, this setting is the best.
controls are precise in combat and there is no lag.

 

[Evolution13]

Is my Joystick too ancient?

I'm getting ready to buy the Elite: Dangerous beta and I want to use my joystick with it. I have a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro that I'm pretty sure has been with me since I was running Windows 98.

What appears to be the same piece of hardware is still sold as new today, and I'm wondering if there's any difference between what I've got and a brand new one. It hasn't seen a lot of use as PC gaming has had a lack of good fight sims since XvT/X-wing Alliance.

For people who're using Joysticks with this game in general, do they work well? have you got any complaints? Is there a particular device that you'd recommend?

 

[mmaruda]

If you don't have any precision issues like spiking on axis readout due to potentiometers being old, you are good.

The 3D Pro may not be a high end piece of equipment, but many flight sim players recommend this as a cheap a fairly reliable stick. I did have a chance to play with it, but for WWII flight sims (which I played back in the day) it wasn't precise enough for me and a bit to hard, but for jet sims, it does the trick, so a space sim should pose no problem.

Anyway, don't worry about the stick being old, if it works, enjoy it. After you have played for a while, you will get an idea, if you need something better. For now, have fun flying.

 

[OlFart]

I'm getting ready to buy the Elite: Dangerous beta and I want to use my joystick with it. I have a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro that I'm pretty sure has been with me since I was running Windows 98.

What appears to be the same piece of hardware is still sold as new today, and I'm wondering if there's any difference between what I've got and a brand new one. It hasn't seen a lot of use as PC gaming has had a lack of good fight sims since XvT/X-wing Alliance.

For people who're using Joysticks with this game in general, do they work well? have you got any complaints? Is there a particular device that you'd recommend?

Not at all. I'm flying on the exact same stick. Mine has to be... from 2003 or possibly 2004? I don't even know; it's been around for a long time. I can't even remember what I bought it FOR.

As for differences between new and old 3d pros... I haven't got a clue if the stick has changed over the years. Probably has, but at least my model works fine, and it's ancient.

The only thing I dislike about it is the twist-rudder. I can't for the life of me fly Elite with yaw on the twist. It's workable for a flight game but for a space game... yuck. I've remapped it to have the yaw on the stick and the roll on the twist. In order to stop me from constantly rolling on accident, I got a fairly big dead zone on the twist as well. I can aim easily with yaw on the stick, and since I don't need pin-point accuracy over roll in dogfights (just compensate with more yaw) the twist-roll works just fine for me.

(Oh,you may want to ignore the throttle paddle. Too costly to take your left hand off of the keyboard to change the throttle. After all you have to control your 6 thrust directions, power settings, flight assist, targeting, etc... I got throttle bound on the keyboard, in easy reach.)

 

[Asp Explorer]

Even if you do have creaky old slide potentiometers, a quick disassemble of the case and a spray of compressed air and then contact cleaner will work wonders.

Even if the sliders are so old there is green or blue stuff growing on the inside, just pop off the handles, peel the metal tangs, and give them a quick scrub with glass paper. Put it all back together and it should work great