The Joystick/Controller discussion thread

[Cherry2blost]

I couldn't use a full size joystick due to arthritis... Got myself a PS4 controller... And never looked back mate.... However it is as usual horses for courses... Whatever works for one maybe will not work for another...

Did look at the Razer sabretooth elite Xbox controller... Very expensive but am considering it as it has extra buttons on the base over the Xbox or ps3

 

[Xantasia]

May seem odd but i have been playing with an XBox 360 controller for a few months since during Beta and until today had never had a combat kill ( NPC lol) but that was because i had just been trading/exploring.

Had a go at the combat tutorials and found my bindings were all wrong for combat so now im back to a noob in terms of key bindings etc.

Only thing i can suggest if using the X Box 360 controller is to hold it and figure out what is comfortable button wise for combat/flight and test it out in the tutorials.

Hope this helps

 

[Cmdr Andy B]

to increase the amount of buttons available on the 360 controller bind some of them shifted, i use the left throttle+B to deploy landing gear, left throttle+Y for my scoop, both throttles together opens the gal map, right throttle+B activates hyperspace (B on its own supercruise) and Y+D pad for targeting next (right), previous (left), highest threat (up) and right throttle+Back toggles flight assist on/off.

 

[the100thmonkey]

I've never found the Logitechs to have heavy resistance. Are the springs adjustable? I currently have a crappy Mad Catz V.1 - it has an adjustable spring that can take it from heavy to light. I dislike the joystick anyway (it's a tripod configuration, and isn't very stable when you pull up too hard), but even for a cheap stick it's adjustable.

Perhaps the problem is not the stick itself but your grip?

 

[Biggbudd]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/pc-ac...2342!&ef_id=Uuyt4AAABJ1@1wf1:20141226205825:s

Tis cheap and does the job nicely.

 

[alexbreza]

Allo all,

I went to Saitek's web site and for playability the specs x52 Pro for Elite Dangerous. Will it make a difference the price difference is not much?

 

[Mortumm]

I used a PS3 controller with XBox emulation, and it was pretty good.
Not as good as a dedicated flight stick, but a lot of the way there.

Thanks, maybe I'll start with it and ramp up to stick when the sales start.

 

[ChavaiotH]

Defender Cobra M5 rev 2.

 

[JacobiteRebel]

Just having the same experience. I've been keyboard and mouse since 2000. the last game i played with a joystick was x-wing and that was an excellent experience. The joystick feels slow and awkward compared to the accuracy of the mouse.
I bound the left and right roll keys to Q and E and the mouse to pitch and yaw.
It seems to work well for me.

 

[Melvoid]

@JacobitRebel "I bound the left and right roll keys to Q and E and the mouse to pitch and yaw.
It seems to work well for me. "
This I did too why they don't make that the default mouse settings ill never know, I was about ready to bin the game cause of the awfull continual rolling.

 

[Azardamus]

I use an old Saitek Cyborg Evo with the keyboard and it works a treat. It has a throttle lever, multiple bud buttons and yaw controls which are vital for landing for me. Stops the mouse roll issues. With this I never crash on landing.

 

[schuesseled]

Love my x52, wouldn't go back to m&k

 

[Diakonos]

For me using the keyboard BY ITSELF was better than trying to use the mouse. I actually had nearly 100 kills with only the keyboard before I ever got my Saitek x52 rig (Christmas Present). I had pitch and yaw mapped to numpad and thrusters mapped to arrow keys speed targeting and guns were all mapped to left side of board. it worked well. I LOVE the x52. combat is infinitely better. Im still gaining proficiency with docking. I was great now...not so much. getting better though

 

[Antmax]

Joystick just makes your vehicle more tangible. You have full 6 axis control where a mouse is essentially a 2D pointing device.

A joystick gives you more control if that is an aspect of the game play you enjoy. I prefer using a more authentic control method for vehicle games but that also means requiring head tracking if your going to get anywhere near a realistic perspective on your surroundings. Thankfully there are a lot of options to suit most pockets.

 

[thorn-]

Joystick just makes your vehicle more tangible. You have full 6 axis control where a mouse is essentially a 2D pointing device.

A stick also gives you varying amounts of control, ie slight roll or yaw, etc. Buttons are just 100% off or on.

 

[DextersIndignation]

Total noob here...

I plan on getting the cheap thurstmaster, when the shops get some in.

But is there a "dummies" guide to setting up a joystick?

I tried but there were no presets in the game settings?

 

[tango29er]

Have an CH products Fighter Stick and Pro Throttle, and love the feel of them, Have as many buttons, hats etc as I could want.
Also bought the pro peddles, have been wanting to get them as soon as I could afford and after 20 minutes use realized I can't
get my tiny brain in using yaw on the peddles or what ever else I had programmed into them while managing HOTAS at the same time.
So they're sitting in the closet.

Have had an X52 in the past and it just felt too flimsy in play. No doubt the X55 is another story.

 

[digitalcommunist]

xbox 360 gamepad

 

[Mikie]

I use the Saitek F.L.Y. 5 with extra pedals and Track IR and I love it (mostly). The only thing I would wish for is that the spring that centers the stick is a bit hard. Other than that it is the only stick I know of that have dual thrust controls... which I use extensivly in game.

I love the X52 look and feel, but unfortunatly the price is a tad bit to high (compared to the €40 range of the FLY), but the major issue I have is the bulkiness of the X52 and throttle which goes really bad with my desk layout. The FLY on the other hand fits perfectly in my lap so I like it that way too.

I have set my joystick and pedals up in a way that have pretty much eliminated my use of the keyboard entirely (not counting coms and quitting the game). Some functions like cargo scoop I use the ingame interface to enable/disable.

Anyway here is my setup which works for me.

X-Axis > Yaw axis
Y-Axis > Pitch axis
Twist Axis > Lateral thrust axis
Throttle Control 1 > Throttle axis
Throttle Control 2 > Vertical thrust axis
Pedals push> Roll axis


Buttons
1 > Primary fire group, select in interface mode
2 > Secondary fire group
3 > Target highest threat
4 > Target straight ahead
5 > Cycle next hostile
6 > Frame shift drive
7 > Deploy heat sink
8 > Target next subsystem
9 > Target previous subsystem
10 > Speed boost
11 > Toggle landing gear


Pov up > Boost engine, Up in interface mode
Pov right > Boost weapons, next panel tab in interface mode
Pov left > Boost system, previous panel tab in interface mode
Pov down > Balance power, Down in interface mode
Up/down weel up > Deploy/retract hardpoints, Next tab in interface mode
Up/down weel down > Previous tab in interface mode

 

[lex524]

I couldn't use a full size joystick due to arthritis... Got myself a PS4 controller... And never looked back mate.... However it is as usual horses for courses... Whatever works for one maybe will not work for another...

Did look at the Razer sabretooth elite Xbox controller... Very expensive but am considering it as it has extra buttons on the base over the Xbox or ps3

Thanks all for the responses. I have gone for the wired Xbox 360 controller in the end - had a deal in Maplin on them (and I had to return my Logitech anyhow). Considered the Xbox one controller, but held it and actually prefer the 360. The Razer looks nice - may keep a look out on eBay

So far so good. Been trying out the controls - just did my first 2 bounty hunts so all is well do far. Finding it tricky to find a decent option for the thrusters, so docking is a bit of a pain...