The Joystick/Controller discussion thread

[huwthomas]

Aye, 40 euros (touch over it) + shipping comes to ~50 euro pricepoint...

Idk, either I've tended to buy smart, or just past luck, but at that price I expect way better quality :/

I'm happy with mine (apart from a couple of issues that I hope will be fixed as the alpha/beta proceeds -- TARGET mapping software doesn't work in game, and I can't map the top hat up-arrow button for some reason.

The real selling points IMO are the Hall-effect stick sensors and also that it shares the TARGET software system supported by the high-end Thrustmaster HOTAS devices, which should be a real plus once it actually works with ED

Mine looks visually quite tidy, without the unevenness of base buttons you mention. What unevenness there is, is mirrored left-right -- and I think you do want some tactile feedback when resting fingers on the button panels.

The buttons are certainly not of the highest quality, but I knew that from reviews. It's competing with the budget HOTAS systems (but with a different emphasis -- Hall-effect stick + TARGET s/w + ambidextrous vs more buttons + better throttle position) and IMO is reasonably priced for what it is.

 

[X2Eliah]

Hm. Yeah, the base-button unevenness is symmetric on mine as well - I guess it is by design (though I still really don't like it, truth be told).
I was able to map the hat-up button, though I didn't have target running (tbh, I don't yet see the benefit... So it sets up control profiles when it detects game executables running - but.. doesn't the same effect happen if you just map controls in-game?).

Distantly related observation:
Oh wow. Flying with a joystick is so.. different.. than with a mouse. Um. I may need some practice. And weapons that do some sort of aim assist, as I can't pinpoint with lasers for squat.

Uhm. Is there a way to disable/dim the green lights on the base whenever I use the stick? Those lights are super-bright and kinda distracting.

 

[huwthomas]

Hm. Yeah, the base-button unevenness is symmetric on mine as well - I guess it is by design (though I still really don't like it, truth be told).
I was able to map the hat-up button, though I didn't have target running (tbh, I don't yet see the benefit... So it sets up control profiles when it detects game executables running - but.. doesn't the same effect happen if you just map controls in-game?).

To me the main benefit is that you can (once it works with ED) assign shift buttons to create upper, middle and lower "layers" of controls. So you could overload the left stick button to do up to three kinds of "previous" selection actions depending on which shift button, if any, you have depressed.

You can also have two different modes within each shift state, but I think that only makes sense with the more expensive TM models that have toggle switches.

The profiles also allow you to tune the response curves of the various stick/throttle axes, which I think is quite a nice feature.

 

[huwthomas]

Distantly related observation:
Oh wow. Flying with a joystick is so.. different.. than with a mouse. Um. I may need some practice. And weapons that do some sort of aim assist, as I can't pinpoint with lasers for squat.

Uhm. Is there a way to disable/dim the green lights on the base whenever I use the stick? Those lights are super-bright and kinda distracting.

Calbrate the stick in Windows and/or adjust the curves with TARGET. Out of the box, mine had a horrible, huge dead zone.

On the lights ... I don't know of any way to disable them, I was considering masking tape

 

[Yaffle]

Uhm. Is there a way to disable/dim the green lights on the base whenever I use the stick? Those lights are super-bright and kinda distracting.

Assuming this is a warthog you can kill the LEDs in TARGET.

 

[X2Eliah]

Assuming this is a warthog you can kill the LEDs in TARGET.

Nope, just a lowly t16000.

 

[Yaffle]

Nope, just a lowly t16000.

Well, if TARGET works for it, select the joystick in the opening screen, and then go for:

Control LED State: opens a lighting management window where you can turn LEDs "ON" or "OFF" and adjust
backlighting intensity. T.A.R.G.E.T supports some devices that were developed a long time before the software was
created. The MFD lighting support in the T.A.R.G.E.T software is a bonus. If you are experiencing issues like MFDs
not responding, simply unplug and then reconnect the MFDs. This can happen if the USB port was in "sleep" mode
while the MFDs were not being used. You will also notice that if you move the Backlight intensity slider too quickly on
a large number of values, the MFD will freeze for a few seconds (saturated by data), before reaching the right
intensity value.

 

[TomS]

I've just bought the F.L.Y 5 yesterday - solely for this game (and maybe a bit because it looks like a thargoid made it).

It has improved my experience of the Alpha loads as I was finding the keyboard / mouse combo a bit difficult to get along with - particularly the throttle control which, if I'm honest, I was just setting at about 50% and ignoring during a dogfight.

I'm going to have to do some pretty serious pirating to get all the cool stuff they are planning to support though... Track IR 5 is next on the list.

Anyone got a spare Occulus rift?

 

[Mars]

New ED controller X55 (but rip off pricing)

So a new version of the Saitek X52 (which has proved so popular with ED alpha players) has arrived, the X55!

Yet annoyingly it costs £186 in the UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saitek-Flig...TF8&qid=1392631222&sr=8-1&keywords=x55+saitek

Yet only $200 (£128) in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Catz-Sait...631243&sr=8-1&keywords=Saitek+Pro+Flight+X-55

I appreciate that postage and packing needs be added, but presumably that will still yield a saving.

Perhaps this will become the new favourite among ED players.

 

[noodle]

The build quality looks amazing, but the button layout doesn't appeal to me.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

ats!

I was holding off on the X52pro to consider one of these but i am not paying that much of a "UK tax" out of principle.




edit. I wonder, if i was to buy it from amazon us and then pick it up when i am over there, would amazon uk honour a warranty return when i am back in blighty or would i need to return abroad?,

 

[noodle]

"Separate USB connector cables on throttle and stick units"

Wouldn't this make it unusable in the current alpha build?

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

"Separate USB connector cables on throttle and stick units"

Wouldn't this make it unusable in the current alpha build?

It would, unless driver don't unify them as one.

 

[Mike Evans]

"Separate USB connector cables on throttle and stick units"

Wouldn't this make it unusable in the current alpha build?

It would until that issue gets fixed.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

X52/X55 joysticks sure look cool, but I hope SC and ED hype will pave the way for space sim specific futuristic joysticks. These looks like meant for planes.

 

[X2Eliah]

X52/X55 joysticks sure look cool, but I hope SC and ED hype will pave the way for space sim specific futuristic joysticks. These looks like meant for planes.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. These seem a lot more.. civilian, for one, and contemporary - I couldn't imagine them directly inside a Cobra cockpit, for instance!

It sure does look nifty though.

 

[noodle]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. These seem a lot more.. civilian, for one, and contemporary - I couldn't imagine them directly inside a Cobra cockpit, for instance!

That's another issue I have with it. It just looks a little too analogue for a space sim.

 

[Nagual]

I'm agreeing with Noodle - Don't like the button / toggle / switch layout. Maybe using it would change my mind though, so if Mad Catz want to contact me I'll review it..

The price difference between the US and UK is a bit much, however it's Mad Catz selling it in the US, and Netherlands based flightsimwebshop in the UK. I suspect the UK price will come down a bit in the coming months.

 

[Riandor]

That is why i went with the X52 pro.

i don't play flight sims, I wanted a good joystick for Elite. The X52pro is the closest space feeling Joystick I felt was available and we all knew the X55 would be considerably more expensive at launch.

 

[Mars]

ats!

I was holding off on the X52pro to consider one of these but i am not paying that much of a "UK tax" out of principle.

Yes it is rather annoying, as I had been holding out as well.

Also annoyingly our lovely government slaps a import duty on them as well, so even if you buy from Amazon.com you end up paying £150.

Is saving £36 worth the lack of warranty?