HOTAS and VR will give you a distinct advantage over other players.
The Joystick/Controller discussion thread
I dusted off a cheap Cyborg 3D to use with KB and M and never looked back, I would be loathed to say any Joystick will do but the Cyborg is pretty low on the totem pole and works just fine for me.
When I bought ED I unpacked my X52 from storage, only to find I was missing a PS/2 cable from the box. I ordered one from Amazon and played with KB+M for 48 hours until my new cable arrived and I could plug in my HOTAS. The thought of ever going back to KB+M fills me with chills, I hated it so much!
I bought the X52 Pro for 250 EUR. It's worth it as long as you play the game. But the game became so boring after a few months, that in retroperspective, it was a waste of money.
I started on KB/M for the first few weeks and it was ok.
Then I borrowed a friend's Saitek Cyborg 3D joystick (yeah, a number of years old now). That was like a big step up in feeling like I was actually flying my ship.
Then I got a Thustmaster HOTAS Flight-X for £40 and I've been using that for the last 5 months.
Whiterose nails it. There's a certain joy to requesting launch, using your hat switch to vertical thrust upward, while flicking your landing up and throttling forward at a crawl until you're lined up with the slot then BOOST out of the station, performing a roll and pitching up hard toward your jump target. Your hands are on controls and it feel like you are actually flying your ship, even if it is just a game.
It appeals to the big kid in me.
Exactly... and try doing all that with the Oculus Rift, being able to look up through the canopy as you pitch... amazing!
digitalscream
Banned
One of the reasons I love my Fly5 (to the extent that I'm constantly repairing it rather than upgrading) is the fact that the throttle is small and close enough to the main stick that I can sit the thing right in front of my keyboard, operate the throttle with my index finger and still be able to reach the keyboard with my fingers and the buttons at the side of the stick with my left thumb. Best of all worlds.
Well, except for the fact that I'm fixing it at least once a week. However, I rest easy in the knowledge that my trusty Fly5 has lasted longer than any other in history.
Well, except for the fact that I'm fixing it at least once a week. However, I rest easy in the knowledge that my trusty Fly5 has lasted longer than any other in history.
Real spacecrafts have no sticks, and definitily no HOTAS. They have entirely different control systems. HOTAS was designed specificaly for atmospheric fighter planes, even bigger planes usually do not use this concept. And BTW shuttle did not have HOTAS, it had just sticks for atmospheric part of flight.
Also additionaly HOTAS designers never assumed that it needs to have translation controls...
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Hmm... real spacecraft, you say.
I intend to get one of these for my next stick
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Am I the only person who plays ED with the keyboard only (only using the mouse to traverse the system and universe map)? I've tried playing with a keyboard/mouse combination and it just doesn't feel right. I actually bought a HOTAS joystick and it felt better, but I still didn't like it. I keep going back to a strict keyboard only configuration. For me, its just more responsive but maybe I'm just used to it.
Dunno , never tryd keybord and mouse.
my advice , just buy it , sticks arnt expansive and you can always sell it later again if you think its .
my advice , just buy it , sticks arnt expansive and you can always sell it later again if you think its .
I've used this one (Logictech Extreme) for many years. But when I tried it with ED, the throttle resolution was poor. I was able to control the throttle but not well so I bought the Saitek X52 Pro and it made a lot of difference. But the X52 Pro with throttle was $220, not $50. There are cheaper HOTAS but as most people have regrettably learned - you get what you pay for.
Nope. It is not better. Playing with an xbox 360 controller and loving the ease of use. Takes some customising, but so does all the other controllers.
I don't have all the extra buttons and hats for all the things I don't need, so... Fly safe
Good choice
. After a while I adjusted the sensitivity in the Logitech software to 100%.
.
As alternative I have a G300 mouse from Logitech when I'm out of town The DPI rate modifier is great when in combat and docking.
.
But I prefer the stick. What I'm missing is an analog control for the thrusters, Keyboard is all on/off.
Maybe this one...
Yes, the Logitech is great. I put several functions on the keys using shift or space as modifier
. After a while I adjusted the sensitivity in the Logitech software to 100%. .
As alternative I have a G300 mouse from Logitech when I'm out of town
The DPI rate modifier is great when in combat and docking..
But I prefer the stick. What I'm missing is an analog control for the thrusters, Keyboard is all on/off.
Maybe this one...
[video=youtube;qO7LGwRJdys]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO7LGwRJdys[/video]
http://www.deltathrottle.com/
http://www.deltathrottle.com/
I tried this and the sticks didn't give an analog feeling. I assigned them in the controls and they appears as xbox controller symbols.Nope. It is not better. Playing with an xbox 360 controller and loving the ease of use. Takes some customising, but so does all the other controllers.
Fly safe