I haven't heard anyone talk about joysticks since the 90's! Do people still use them? If so what modern games are they good for?
Hardware & Technical The Joystick discussion thread
Squicker
S
Flight sims
Of course we use them.
All flight and space sims. Everything that has a cockpit need a joystick.
I've been using a Logitech 3D Pro on Oolite. First Joystick I've bought in many many years.
It's pretty good, but a little loose in the centre. There's often a little bit of drift when I've taken my hand off completely which is easily fixed by unplugging and replaugging the USB. It's not a huge pain, but I'd look for something different next time.
It's pretty good, but a little loose in the centre. There's often a little bit of drift when I've taken my hand off completely which is easily fixed by unplugging and replaugging the USB. It's not a huge pain, but I'd look for something different next time.
+1 on a G940, what would also be nice if those lights on the throttle actually did something in a game other than be green 100% of the time.
Plenty of buttons and pov sticks which can be tripled with the switch on the throttle, FFB, split or single throttle.
I went with 4 velcro pads to stick it to my desk, its pretty stable 1 handed not bolted down but when you really get into it you might start to tip it.
It has positions to be bolted properly as well, but my solution is less permanent.
I use it for FPS's as well as flight sims i.e. BF3,BC2 etc. in conjunction with an n52te, can't do keyboard slanty keys and this gives me enough buttons to work all FPSs' without using a shift mode.
Currently have all these and a wheel (obvs keyboard too) in situ at my desk.
Also +1 on a Track-Ir, best piece of kit for a flight sim short of a spherical 3D screen with built in cockpit imho.
I used pitch, yaw and roll in space in star wars galaxies (even all at once at times
), I believe yaw is available if you wish in oolite (although I play it old school using pitch and roll) I wouldnt have a huge issue with yaw being available in elite dangerous and if it is as well as roll I will use them all. I particularly like using roll to square myself up when Im on the tail of someone else, even if yaw is available squaring up when chasing a target is very usefull for helping keep the bead on them during an unanticipated climb or dive manouvre.
As for those rubber pedals I dont have any but If I did I would think about using them for strafe functions if they were available...
wall of text
I got a good discount on an ex-display TM HOTAS Warthog a year ago and it's the best joystick I've ever used. It's a replica of the throttle and stick used in the A10-C Warthog and is a very solid piece of kit.
The Thrustmaster 'Target' software for programming the devices is pretty good: with an easy to use GUI (if a little laborious at times) and also has a scripting language to let you set up more complex configurations.
Having splashed out on such a high-end piece of hardware, I couldn't really justify the extra expense of rudder pedals and TrackIR, so for pedals I use the ones from an old Logitech Force-Ex racing wheel.
For TrackIR I use FreeTrack with a Nintendo Wii Remote. The Wiimote camera has performance pretty much the same as a version 4 TrackIR. Had to make myself a silly-looking IR-emitting hat, but it works very well with full six degrees of movement.
Using TrackIR / FreeTrack with clickable cockpit controls didn't work very well for me, however, so I use a free tool called Helios that places a fixed cockpit overlay on a separate touch screen monitor that I have put below my primary display.
Touches are translated into keypresses, so as long as the game allows everything to be mapped to a keypress then you can use Helios with anything. It also support the use of additional computers for remote display of game data (eg: export MFD displays to a little old netbook).
The important thing for Elite is for it to support many concurrent input devices.
Games that do this well allow you to map any button on any controller to any action. Also any controller axis (some controllers have loads of axes) should be mappable to any analogue action.
Games that do this badly do things like: default to the first auto-detected game controller - requiring the user to unplug other controllers, or, worse, only use one controller of the two that a HOTAS setup presents.
GTA IV PC handled different controllers well - letting the player switch between whichever controller they wanted to use as soon as they started using it.
Flight sims that I play (Falcon BMS and the DCS series) let me configure every controller I've got - so the buttons on the steering wheel become useful in flight simulators, for instance.
Another important thing for Elite is for it to support multi-monitor configurations natively.
A game that's done this very well in recent memory is Supreme Commander.
EVE Online supports borderless windowed display mode, which is a good workaround to the problem as it uses your full native Windows screen resolution.
Other games can be made to work with more than one screen using a free tool called SoftTH, which is a DirectX 9 wrapper .dll which presents a single high resolution to the game you're playing.
tldr: Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog
I got a good discount on an ex-display TM HOTAS Warthog a year ago and it's the best joystick I've ever used. It's a replica of the throttle and stick used in the A10-C Warthog and is a very solid piece of kit.
The Thrustmaster 'Target' software for programming the devices is pretty good: with an easy to use GUI (if a little laborious at times) and also has a scripting language to let you set up more complex configurations.
Having splashed out on such a high-end piece of hardware, I couldn't really justify the extra expense of rudder pedals and TrackIR, so for pedals I use the ones from an old Logitech Force-Ex racing wheel.
For TrackIR I use FreeTrack with a Nintendo Wii Remote. The Wiimote camera has performance pretty much the same as a version 4 TrackIR. Had to make myself a silly-looking IR-emitting hat, but it works very well with full six degrees of movement.
Using TrackIR / FreeTrack with clickable cockpit controls didn't work very well for me, however, so I use a free tool called Helios that places a fixed cockpit overlay on a separate touch screen monitor that I have put below my primary display.
Touches are translated into keypresses, so as long as the game allows everything to be mapped to a keypress then you can use Helios with anything. It also support the use of additional computers for remote display of game data (eg: export MFD displays to a little old netbook).
The important thing for Elite is for it to support many concurrent input devices.
Games that do this well allow you to map any button on any controller to any action. Also any controller axis (some controllers have loads of axes) should be mappable to any analogue action.
Games that do this badly do things like: default to the first auto-detected game controller - requiring the user to unplug other controllers, or, worse, only use one controller of the two that a HOTAS setup presents.
GTA IV PC handled different controllers well - letting the player switch between whichever controller they wanted to use as soon as they started using it.
Flight sims that I play (Falcon BMS and the DCS series) let me configure every controller I've got - so the buttons on the steering wheel become useful in flight simulators, for instance.
Another important thing for Elite is for it to support multi-monitor configurations natively.
A game that's done this very well in recent memory is Supreme Commander.
EVE Online supports borderless windowed display mode, which is a good workaround to the problem as it uses your full native Windows screen resolution.
Other games can be made to work with more than one screen using a free tool called SoftTH, which is a DirectX 9 wrapper .dll which presents a single high resolution to the game you're playing.
tldr: Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog
I use CH products Combatstick, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals. The best HOTAS in terms of durability and quality CH is known for. With an in depth control software program that allows you unprecedented control from simple keybinds to complex macros for complexity. This HOTAS will last you for many years and serve you well.
HOTAS typically provide more buttons to push.
So
Next/previous target.
Closest target.
ECM
load/fire missile
manage energy across weapons/shields/engine (using hat switch)
Manage energy in shields (using 2nd hat switch)
Lestat
Banned
I going to have to find out what works best for elite Dangerous and Star citizen.
Logitech cordless Rumble Pad
Thrust Master
ST290
Logitech G13 Game pad,
Logitech G700 Mouse
I use to be worse.. The descent 3 game I use to play I use dual flight sticks at once.. Yes I was crazy and deadly at that game.
Logitech cordless Rumble Pad
Thrust Master
ST290
Logitech G13 Game pad,
Logitech G700 Mouse
I use to be worse.
. The descent 3 game I use to play I use dual flight sticks at once.. Yes I was crazy and deadly at that game.
Keyboard Warrior!
Hmm, so last time I played Elite was in black and white, literally. Did not have a joystick, in fact not sure I ever used one much. Never liked them.
My controls for Elite (and Oolite) are (and always have been)
S=dive X=climb ,=roll left .=roll right A=shoot [space]=thrust /=slow
That said I might try the PS3 controller. I have some software for the Mac (controllermate) that acts a driver and allows you to map the controls. Used it successfully on Steam/Portal when I just could not use a mouse. (I get RSI with any prolonged mouse use and it was also cumbersome for me)
Elite was never a flight sim was it? It was an open-ended game set in space with shooting and trading.
Hmm, so last time I played Elite was in black and white, literally. Did not have a joystick, in fact not sure I ever used one much. Never liked them.
My controls for Elite (and Oolite) are (and always have been)
S=dive X=climb ,=roll left .=roll right A=shoot [space]=thrust /=slow
That said I might try the PS3 controller. I have some software for the Mac (controllermate) that acts a driver and allows you to map the controls. Used it successfully on Steam/Portal when I just could not use a mouse. (I get RSI with any prolonged mouse use and it was also cumbersome for me)
Elite was never a flight sim was it? It was an open-ended game set in space with shooting and trading.
Ive not played a "flight sim" since the 90's but love the hotas for shooting in space across many games.
mac joystick/controller?
Is there anyone here who uses a mac and can recommend a fully functional/compatible joystick for OSX Lion to play ED?
Reason is... many years ago I ran PC's and played a few games but moved to Apple for 'work' reasons. The mac can run windows XP via bootcamp for 'emergencies' but doubt ED would run very well on it.. maybe I'm wrong? but I'm not wanting to upgrade from winXP or buy a PC...
any help would be appreciated :smilie:
Is there anyone here who uses a mac and can recommend a fully functional/compatible joystick for OSX Lion to play ED?
Reason is... many years ago I ran PC's and played a few games but moved to Apple for 'work' reasons. The mac can run windows XP via bootcamp for 'emergencies' but doubt ED would run very well on it.. maybe I'm wrong? but I'm not wanting to upgrade from winXP or buy a PC...
any help would be appreciated :smilie:
I had a dig around last night and found a Sidewinder joystick that I think must have been my Grandad's. Plugged it in to the iMac and worked with no issues. Had a go on Oolite with it, needed to set up the buttons but fine. Although I find it tricky, crashed horribly when docking, that is me though, I prefer keyboard.
Setting aside the discussion of which type of controls you'd like to see implemented, can I get some advice amongst the joystick users as to their favourite hardware?
I have a knackered old MS Sidewinder that saw many hours of joy in the late 90's but I think its time for a new one should I get my wish of a strong manual control element in Elite
Thoughts?
Saitek Cyborg Evo. A good solid stick which can be configured for left or right handed gamers.
It has a nice chunky throttle and loads of configurable buttons.
I am currently sitting just 5 inches from a Saitek Cyborg 3D Gold. An oldie but some fond memories from it.Saitek Cyborg Evo. A good solid stick which can be configured for left or right handed gamers.
Uhh, well, XP is the same age as OS X 10.2
Would you recommend anyone keep using OS X 10.2?
It's time to move on from XP. It's 12 years old and 7 years out of date.
However if Elite supports XP then it should run just fine, pending your actual hardware. Bootcamp doesn't run any OS X middle ware or anything in the way.
I loved the Competition Pro 5000 back in the day. Recently, Buur informed me about the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X and, if it comes to it, this will be my choice of controller. It looks awesome and I can well imagine having my hands on this wonderful gadget while navigating the Elite universe.