To HOTAS Or Dual Stick?

[Lokus Midgard]

My Microsoft Sidewinder Precision 2 joystick has served me well for many years, but with a game like this, I do yearn for an affordable joystick with two POV hat switches. Being as VR costs more than half a grand, that's well out of the pbudget of most casual gamer folk, which means one POV to control lateral thrust and an additional one to control where the pilot looks at, would be desirable.

So, looking around to see if a HOTAS set might have crawled down to be affordable enough to justify as a long-term investment, I find the Thrustmaster T.16000M is getting good reviews for its precision and that the throttle would give more than just two POV hat sticks.

But as I search more, I discover that people have been taking advantage of it being able to quickly be converted for left and right-hand use: They're not using the throttle, at all, but instead using two T-16000M sticks together. What an intriguing concept! And, technically, this would be cheaper than purchasing the HOTAS version.

Has anyone out there tried this with 'Elite: Dangerous' yet? I'm genuinely interested what the experiences are with this and whether it's more or less intuitive than HOTAS for flight. A throttle only allows one extra dimension of control, but two sticks allow for six (X/Y/Z multiplied by two) and it makes me wonder if that could feel overwhelming or like a breath of fresh air. Or did you try it and just go back to using a throttle?

 

[Windscreen Smudge]

HOTAS. Unless all you do is combat in ED. And I mean Haz Rez and CZ type combat, where it's all pew pew and little else.

Having a legitimate throttle is handy for every other activity in ED. Not that you can't do it with a second stick, but it'll be a lot less convenient. Dual stick is more suited to just shooting things.

Note that most throttles have a fully functional analog thumb stick, so you've got more than one axis of motion. My Vertical/lateral thrusters are bound to that thumb stick, for example.

 

[Ian Skippy]

Both, and set some controls double on secondary stick and throttle. A cheap way would be HOTAS X for throttle and secondary stick, plus another primary. The 16000m is very precise, so great for primary, but you dont need that much rpecision on secondary.

 

[LoSt]

Dual T16000M's here and love it.

 

[PavelKCZ]

I would say HOTAS. I have Saitek X52 Pro with lateral/vertical thrusters mapped on finger stick on the throttle part of the set and piloting feels very natural with this set. The only thing I am missing are decent pedals (made by Slaw Device).

 

[Vorxian]

I'm really happy with my hotas. It didn't cost the earth and does everything you need.

If you like to go nuts pair it with voice attack, and you can literally shout and scream at your ship.. and it listens!

"deploy weapons and shunt all power to them guns me hearty"..

spoken response [guns deployed, and power diverted to weapons]..

boom... no button mashing


On topic... love the hotas, and doesn't break the bank.

 

[Lokus Midgard]

For those who have the dual sticks, what do you map the axis of your secondary joystick to? Lateral thrust or something else?

It looks like a genuinely intriguing concept, but I'm honestly wondering whether it has legitimate advantages over a HOTAS.

Voice isn't an option for me, as I use the computer in a room where other people sit and watch the television.

 

[tgarpestad]

I went from warthog stick and x55 throttle to dual t16000M joysticks. I prefer this t16000m stick over the warthog stick actually, and I would recommend using them as dual sticks.

 

[Ian Skippy]

For those who have the dual sticks, what do you map the axis of your secondary joystick to? Lateral thrust or something else?

It looks like a genuinely intriguing concept, but I'm honestly wondering whether it has legitimate advantages over a HOTAS.

Voice isn't an option for me, as I use the computer in a room where other people sit and watch the television.

Lateral and vertical thrust. Its more precise that the (for most) binary HATs. Also cool when landing on planets with a decent local g.

 

[Some1else]

How does the throttle work with dual sticks? Seems to me you would have to hold it in place to keep your throttle constant. That would drive me nuts. But I could see the advantage of you don't have a yaw/twist on your flight stick, or peddles.

After some very quick research, I came up with 4 Hotas that have 3 top hats on the stick. The CH flight stick(stick only) is the best price, and I have heard very good comments on their quality.. The X-56 has the best options bar none, but lacks in quality. The X-55 has almost the same options as the X-56, but lacks the two analog mini-sticks, and also lacks in quality. The last, and most expensive one, Thrustmaster Warthog is also the best made. While I have never used one, I have always heard good reviews as to the quality. It should noted that both the CH, and warthog do not have twist/yaw, something that both X ones have.

Personally, I have the X-56, and while one has failed me, I just can't live without the analog sticks anymore. They are perfect for thrusters. And the three top hats allow you to bind all your panel controls, power management, and for me HS and SC jump, head look, exit/back, and target next system. It's very nice, the only thing I use a keyboard for is to exit the game or text in game.

Hope it helps

S1E

 

[Karla]

Having a legitimate throttle is handy for every other activity in ED. Not that you can't do it with a second stick, but it'll be a lot less convenient. Dual stick is more suited to just shooting things.

Seems that you've never really used two sticks for landing or setting yourself up for an approach through the mail slot. Or for rotating around an outpost trying to find the landing pad.

With two sticks, or one stick and a hand on the keyboard for lateral and vertical thrusters, you don't have to line yourself up from far away. Boost with throttle down, vertical and lateral thrusters and pitching to line yourself up then throttle up to start moving forward and kill your sideways movement. Then throttle down to your approach speed.

I upgraded to the T16000m for my right joystick but I'm going to stick with the mad catz v1 for my left joystick.

Seems like such a waste now to have one hand devoted solely for thrust.

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How does the throttle work with dual sticks? Seems to me you would have to hold it in place to keep your throttle constant. That would drive me nuts.

Select digital input rather than analog. Sure analog is nicer but you get used to it.

I did try the twist on the left joystick but then I would accidentally use it when changing lateral and vertical thrust.

I am contemplating trying two pedals for thrust.

 

[Dozer.k.a.o.]

if You play flight assist On. HOTAS...you can use the hats for ocasional vertical and lateral trusters.
IF you play flight assist OFF... my opinion: Dual stick is the only way to go.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

HOTAS is the more sure-fire solution.

Dual-stick is specialist.

Of course, if you'll benefit from a specialist solution, then go for that.

 

[SushiCW]

Dual-sticker here. Mostly great, although throttle control can be difficult to get used to.

I've occasionally contemplated switching to HOTAS but I have a couple of major hang-ups:

1. Having a proper trigger on each hand, and a fire group bound to each so I can squeeze triggers with BOTH hands to unleash MAXIMUM FIERY DEATH, is satisfying in a way that can't be understated.
2. I really like having full 6DOF control without having to occupy any of my fingers / thumbs. Seems easier to coordinate.

 

[tgarpestad]

How does the throttle work with dual sticks? Seems to me you would have to hold it in place to keep your throttle constant. That would drive me nuts. But I could see the advantage of you don't have a yaw/twist on your flight stick, or peddles.

I solved this with using pedals for throttle control. So basically it's like driving a car

 

[S3B4ST13N]

I like the idea of a two sticks, but now I have my X52 I'll never go back to anything else. #HOTASMasterRace

 

[Lokus Midgard]

Does lateral thrust input accept the kind of analogue commands you'd get with a secondary stick, so that you can decide how weak or strong it is?

I could imagine that being distinctly useful. Otherwise, if lateral thrust is just on/off, then a digital hat switch should have the same effect.

 

[JRok]

For those who have the dual sticks, what do you map the axis of your secondary joystick to? Lateral thrust or something else?

It looks like a genuinely intriguing concept, but I'm honestly wondering whether it has legitimate advantages over a HOTAS.

Voice isn't an option for me, as I use the computer in a room where other people sit and watch the television.

I have the secondary stick as throttle and yaw with my lateral and vertical thrust on a 4-way hat on the other stick.

How does the throttle work with dual sticks? Seems to me you would have to hold it in place to keep your throttle constant. That would drive me nuts. But I could see the advantage of you don't have a yaw/twist on your flight stick, or peddles.

It's not bad and is nice to adjust the throttle to maximize ones turn rate. I also have flight assist-off on the left stick's trigger... use that a lot.

In regards to having to hold it for say while in super-cruise, I don't unless I'm really close as I have up/down throttle on a hat to set it as needed and moving the stick forward or back cancels it out.

 

[Drelthar]

I use two sticks, a custom button/flip switch box, and three foot pedals.

And it's awesome.

 

[Windscreen Smudge]

Seems that you've never really used two sticks for landing or setting yourself up for an approach through the mail slot. Or for rotating around an outpost trying to find the landing pad.

With two sticks, or one stick and a hand on the keyboard for lateral and vertical thrusters, you don't have to line yourself up from far away. Boost with throttle down, vertical and lateral thrusters and pitching to line yourself up then throttle up to start moving forward and kill your sideways movement. Then throttle down to your approach speed.

I upgraded to the T16000m for my right joystick but I'm going to stick with the mad catz v1 for my left joystick.

Seems like such a waste now to have one hand devoted solely for thrust.

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Select digital input rather than analog. Sure analog is nicer but you get used to it.

I did try the twist on the left joystick but then I would accidentally use it when changing lateral and vertical thrust.

I am contemplating trying two pedals for thrust.

Seems to me you've never used a HOTAS.

My vertical and lateral thrusters are on an analog thumb stick that's got the full control range and same S curves as a stick, and only requires one finger to use. I swing my ship in to landing pads like a drunken rickshaw driver. Sideways, upside down, spinning through the outpost structure, I don't care. Whatever the shortest route from A to B is I'm on it.

I've never "lined up and approached" a landing pad, not even in stations because I always boost through the slot even if I'm not smuggling anything just on the general principle that I don't like being scanned, meaning I overshoot the first half of the station every time and have to yank my ship back around. These are the upside down and backwards approaches that require me to flip 180 degrees and reverse my momentum in a U-turn with an average arc of 75 meters.

Any maneuver you can do with dual sticks, you can do with a HOTAS. The dual sticks are just more fun.

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I use two sticks, a custom button/flip switch box, and three foot pedals.

And it's awesome.

What's the third pedal for? Or better yet, what are all the pedals for because you've obviously got some weirdness going on there.