Which Joystick do you currently own/plan on getting?

  • Black Widow

    Votes: 47 1.5%
  • Saitek AV8R-03

    Votes: 8 0.2%
  • Saitek F.L.Y. 5

    Votes: 93 2.9%
  • Saitek X52

    Votes: 381 11.9%
  • Saitek X52 Pro

    Votes: 653 20.4%
  • Saitek X55

    Votes: 455 14.2%
  • Saitek X65

    Votes: 45 1.4%
  • Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas X

    Votes: 654 20.4%
  • Thrustmaster Warthog

    Votes: 364 11.4%
  • Logitech G940

    Votes: 52 1.6%
  • Other ... (Leave details on the comments)

    Votes: 690 21.5%

  • Total voters
    3,205
  • Poll closed .
Thank you for your answer, unfavorable as it seems to be to the cause of using only a HOTAS setup. I can't switch between two sets of devices (HOTAS or Keyboard/mouse) due to limited mobility in my shoulders. I guess I will have to stick with keyboard/mouse for now.
Thanks again.

I can navigate the galaxy map with the joystick of my Saitek X52. I can select different tabs in the info window, move the cursor. I think it's doable but, most of the time, I type the name of the system I want to go to.
 
Thank you for your reply. With all the buttons / modes with available with CH Pro throttle and Fighter stick there may be some way for me to emulate a mouse click (with the mini joystick on the throttle perhaps). I like to explore so don't really have a system name for which I want to go. I am sure there is a workaround I am trying to get away from switching to and from keyboard / mouse can stick with it for now.
 
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I picked up a Thrustmaster stick last week, but didn't get the HOTAS since I still have the throttle from my old one and have wired it using an arduino (just need to find a way to get the mini breadboard inside the housing :D )

Anyway, in the meantime I thought I'd use the stick as my primary device and an xbox controller in my left hand to operate the thrusters using the analog stick.

The drawback for me is that I've lost all the button mapping power I had with the ABXY buttons changing the state of the DPad.

I know there's at least one other person doing a joystick/gamepad flight combo. How do you organize your controls?
 
I currently have a CH Fighter Stick and Pro Throttle and plan to get the pro pedals.

I just got mine, and am trying to figure out where to put what on the buttons. (since I'm not a flight sim person, no pedals) I'm not quite sure yet which functions are entirely mode-dependent and can be overloaded on the hat switches. I may need a cheap USB numberpad for the overflow..
 
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ALERT !

X52 Pro owners get rid of the bump thing on your throttle, it will break and cause trouble. Extensive vids on Utube disassembling throttle.
Had to do it myself, because throttle failed. very easy to do. Elsevise nice stick and throttle, used for 1344 hours.

Cheers Cmdr's
 
I just got mine, and am trying to figure out where to put what on the buttons. (since I'm not a flight sim person, no pedals) I'm not quite sure yet which functions are entirely mode-dependent and can be overloaded on the hat switches. I may need a cheap USB numberpad for the overflow..

As an alternative to a number pad, try Roccat Power Grid. Download the PC version onto your Desktop or Laptop and the Android version onto your tablet or phone. Then use the latter in place of the number pad. There are a load of grids available for ED. I prefer ED Horizontal as I like to see my controls in landscape. Simple to follow the instructions and fun to use. In my opinion more immersive than a number pad. See: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15616
I find that I can easily see the control options within my field of vision without having to move my eyes from the monitor screen which is a great advantage over finding keys on a keyboard. I can't claim this over a number pad as I don't have one.
The ED Grids are free as are the software and you get a couple of slots for free. You can also use this software for many other games and applications, even as a remote for your TV.

I also recommend Joystick Curves to tame your joystick, throttle etc.
 
I just got mine, and am trying to figure out where to put what on the buttons. (since I'm not a flight sim person, no pedals) I'm not quite sure yet which functions are entirely mode-dependent and can be overloaded on the hat switches. I may need a cheap USB numberpad for the overflow..

If you use the shift feature of CH products and CH Control Manager, every button will be available for two binds. With the CH Pro Throttle and Fighter Stick this seems to be more than enough to cover ED's controls.

Here's my basic Control Manager map file which has the pinky button of the joystick as shift and every other button (except for diagonal buttons on hats iirc) available shifted. Once you've opened and 'downloaded' that map to your devices, you'd then assign controls in-game on a custom basis. The map file uses the pedals, so I'm not sure if you'd need to remove that part of it before 'downloading' to the devices.
 
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Have recently made a little addition to my x52 for a few extra buttons (cos, y'know, the need is always there...):

H9ynkFK.jpg
 
Great idea! Have some rep! :)
Only other thing missing on the throttle is an analogue mini-stick.

Cheers :) Totally in agreement there, would make thruster use a lot easier!

How did you make the keycap decals?

Decals are tweaked versions of Hairstair's Roccat Power Grid template buttons, edited in Photoshop to fit what I needed - In actual fact, I've uploaded them and you can pull them down from here.

They were printed at the right dimensions on sticker paper - this is what I used but non-gloss would work just as well. The first attempt had the ink rubbing off on to my fingers after a few hours of use, so a reprint and cover with sticky back plastic before cutting out and sticking down to the number pad did the job. Of course, muscle memory is now there so I know exactly what each of the buttons does, but still adds a little touch :D

This is the number pad I used. Request Docking and Set Destination are controlled by Autohotkey macros which I can share if you want them too.
 
My Warthog and VKB T-Rudder pedals MKIII will arrive next week. Really excited to try it out in ED, even though I bought it mainly for DCS.
 
Cheers :) Totally in agreement there, would make thruster use a lot easier!

Decals are tweaked versions of Hairstair's Roccat Power Grid template buttons, edited in Photoshop to fit what I needed - In actual fact, I've uploaded them and you can pull them down from here.

They were printed at the right dimensions on sticker paper - this is what I used but non-gloss would work just as well. The first attempt had the ink rubbing off on to my fingers after a few hours of use, so a reprint and cover with sticky back plastic before cutting out and sticking down to the number pad did the job. Of course, muscle memory is now there so I know exactly what each of the buttons does, but still adds a little touch :D

This is the number pad I used. Request Docking and Set Destination are controlled by Autohotkey macros which I can share if you want them too.
So far totally satisfied with the X52 Pro, but should it defect I'll think about full CH Products setup.
Thanks for the images! ;)
 
My X55 starting to deteriorate, stick developing dead zones and one 4-position hat almost dead, so I decided to move on warthog. Now can't really play with it. Missing rz-axis terribly, pedals wont help. Also non-fix switches on throttle base work better due to game logic, saitek shines in that department also. As much as I love coolness of warthog, its just not space-sim material for me.
 
If you use the shift feature of CH products and CH Control Manager, every button will be available for two binds. With the CH Pro Throttle and Fighter Stick this seems to be more than enough to cover ED's controls.

Here's my basic Control Manager map file which has the pinky button of the joystick as shift and every other button (except for diagonal buttons on hats iirc) available shifted. Once you've opened and 'downloaded' that map to your devices, you'd then assign controls in-game on a custom basis. The map file uses the pedals, so I'm not sure if you'd need to remove that part of it before 'downloading' to the devices.

Worth noting that ED handles shifts natively so no need to use mapping software for this particular case.
 
Oh, ED detects two buttons being pressed together? Nice. I suppose my map may still come in handy for me for other games.

It actually recognises any number of individual and combined shifts, which is pretty cool. More useful for game pads than HOTAS as the former usually have fewer buttons, but handy nevertheless. I use 3 different shifts on my HOTAS, for example, to do things like allowing flight controls even when I'm in UI mode.
 
Logitech 3Dpro joystick and Belkin n52te setup

As a newcomer, I started by analyzing the various functions that can be bound and grokking how to fit it onto my existing setup - a Logitech Extreme3Dpro joystick and my trusty, old n52te.

It was quickly obvious that there is no real need for an expensive HOTAS :D

Using a simple setup with modifiers, I've managed to fit everything I consider relevant onto the two devices - with plenty of room to spare, should I need to bind more functions.

This is how my n52te is configured. The keys are mostly bound to the numerical keypad, like (1), (2), etc. Green is modified with LeftShift, red is modified with LeftAlt.
n52te_elite.png

I have used LeftAlt for combat related functions (Altercation), and LeftShift for navigation and sensors. I've (so far) left most of the "standard" keybinds in place as alternates. Toggle UI on the main keyboard, has been moved to NumLock.

I have not used the two other keymaps on the n52, which are set up in much the same way, respectively bound to "1".."0" + "+" and F1..F11.

The joystick is bound like this: (Here green signifies functions modified with LeftAlt)
3dpro_clipped.png
(Image by mcdee.net/elite)

As you may have guessed from the cropped image, I have no intention of using anything on the base of the joystick (Joy_7..Joy_12 keys and miniature throttle). The throttle has been moved to the (mouse) scroll wheel on the n52, using 12,5% increments.

I intend to use the mouse for the maps. I may later want to supplement with a power grid display, or two, for the less used functions, or for immersion.

Now, have I forgotten anything significant?
 
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