The Joystick/Controller discussion thread

[DogTailRed2]

Combat. Joystick V Keyboard and Mouse. Who has the advantage?

Just wondering if a Joystick Throttle Combo has any advantage over Keyboard and Mouse in combat?

 

[salad]

None of them.

Its all a matter of getting used to it, but all three can be mastered. (Joystick,M+KB,Flight Stick)

In fact, I use them all at the same time! But thats just me tho, I have the weirdest setup.

 

[GfK]

Whoever is the best pilot and has the biggest guns, generally has the advantage.

 

[Kramster]

I have played with both although have a Tartarus instead of a throttle.
When I changed over from K&M I found that combat seemed more fluid and responsive while other tasks such as landing seemed harder.
Overall, in combat, I would say there is an advantage to using a stick but it is not a huge one and certainly not one that can overcome skill

 

[DogTailRed2]

Okay thanks. In that case I will stick with the Keyboard Mouse as it seems to provide a quicker response to violent maneuvers, i.e. running away!.

 

[bassman]

Just wondering if a Joystick Throttle Combo has any advantage over Keyboard and Mouse in combat?

Considering just the mouse/joystick part: a mouse is a more accurate and responsive analogue controller than any joystick.

Throttle/keyboard: there are throttle controllers that give 3 simultaneous analogue axis which is impossible on a keyboard.

Ergo the optimal control setup is throttle/mouse.

 

[Windscreen Smudge]

The only control scheme that's at a disadvantage is the gamepad. And honestly, if you're playing ED with a 360 controller you deserve every spanking you get.

 

[DogTailRed2]

Considering just the mouse/joystick part: a mouse is a more accurate and responsive analogue controller than any joystick.

Throttle/keyboard: there are throttle controllers that give 3 simultaneous analogue axis which is impossible on a keyboard.

Ergo the optimal control setup is throttle/mouse.

Just out of interest why would you need three axis on a throttle?
Isn't throttle just forward or back?

I have a throttle, might give it a go. I also have track IR but never used it for flying in Elite.

 

[cwstad]

I find combat easier with a joystick.

 

[Windscreen Smudge]

Just out of interest why would you need three axis on a throttle?
Isn't throttle just forward or back?

I have a throttle, might give it a go. I also have track IR but never used it for flying in Elite.

Four axes, actually. Forward/back, up/down, Left/right, yaw left/yaw right. The rst can be taken care of by directional, and the keyboard works just fine for these controls if you can use more than two fingers at a time. If you can't a HOTAS might be in order.

 

[simon terlecki]

IMO this is like asking piano vs guitar. Depends where your skill set is. Both have advantages and drawbacks but the actual difference in real life scenarios would probably be small enough to be a statistical equality (in the right hands).

Someone who is great at KM will be better than someone that is average with a joystick, and vice versa.
As long as your setup doesn't stop you from doing something, you should be fine.

When I started with E: D, I used an old joystick plus my keyboard. Once I learned the binds, I was able to do pretty much anything in terms of moves.
Then I switched my joystick for another model and got a throttle and was horrid but after a while, got used to it and could do as much as before, just more comfortably
Then added rudder pedals, and had to basically relearn to fly a bit, but now I'm confident again in my abilities.

It's just a matter of time with the tools you have and in the end, what type of experience you are looking for.

Just out of interest why would you need three axis on a throttle?
Isn't throttle just forward or back?

I have a throttle, might give it a go. I also have track IR but never used it for flying in Elite.

The CH pro throttle has the main axis, plus a thumb joystick that can easily be used for such things as vertical and lateral thrust.

 

[Friendly Player]

Ordered CH Products fighterstick and pro throttle ( no pedals ).
How are you others using roll/rudder binded?
Fighterstick didnt have twist, if i remember right.

 

[Daehawk]

Microsoft Sidewinder Precision 2 . Its not getting any use as the yaw in ED makes the game un fun and un playable.

 

[Nambo]

Ordered CH Products fighterstick and pro throttle ( no pedals ).
How are you others using roll/rudder binded?
Fighterstick didnt have twist, if i remember right.

No, they dont have a twist.
I use the left hand middle little joystick hotas thing on the throttle for Left/Right rudder/yaw, and its up and down movement I use for a finer pitch control than the joystick, good for precise aiming.
I use the right hand middle little joystick hotas thing on the throttle for up/down/left/right thrusters. (By the way, this is the hidden button you press to get the green light to change colour.

Another thing, I dont actually use the throttle except in emergences as I find it has a huge dead zone of over an inch, I use the wheel on the fighter stick instead.
I use the left hand front button on the throttle as turn off flight control, you have to hold this so you can still be operating other things on the throttle at the same time.
I use the middle front button for my friendship drive charge, and the right hand front button for boost.
The top and bottom castle buttons on the throttle I use for targeting.

 

[WEZEL]

Howdy, anyway to calibrate the throttle in game? I have a warthog with the after burner stop installed so my throttle is on a short movement for my other games, just trying to figure out if I can just use it from 0 to the afterburner stop and that will give me full movment in game.

 

[froggy368]

Just dug up an old CH combatstick to play the game but being as good a programmer as I am a brain surgeon you can imagine the mess I'm in!
If someone could guide me toward a simple keyboard-joystick setup it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Tryst]

Voice Attack does it for me. All I need is the mouse and a few flight keys on the keyboard and I can get it to do everything else with speech.

I can access the commodities page, move up or down the commodities, select the one I want, buy as many as I want and exit the page all using voice only.
In flight, I can engage hyperdrive, supercruise, deploy weapons, select fire group and deploy countermeasures using voice only.

Who needs a flight stick?

 

[Non Grata]

Another thing, I dont actually use the throttle except in emergences as I find it has a huge dead zone of over an inch, I use the wheel on the fighter stick instead.

That's v odd - you have assigned the throttle as an axis and not +/- haven't you?

 

[SpySat1]

I use Mouse and Keyboard (And Voice Attack for my subsystems and precision speeds (and conversation companion, music play list and word game master.))

 

[Anopheles]

Going to Joystick from Mouse and Keyboard? Be aware.

I bought a thrustmaster (built by men for men, lol) x hotas. Nothing wrong with the stick, works perfectly and very pleased.

Except, after a month of m and k, I'm having to relearn the entire game again! Can't land, can't hit a barn door. Had to spend a couple of hours in the training room as I was losing my 150k replacement cobra every hour or so.

I know I'll get used to it, probably, but I just wanted this to be a warning that going to joystick is not a straightforward switch and you should plan to take a period of time, dependent on natural talent, to get used to the game again.