Newcomer / Intro Useless With Analog Sticks

[Wizaerd]

Hello, I'm a 360 controller user as well. It does take a bit of practice to get used to. I would actually suggest skipping the combat tutorials and doing some trading missions in the game proper. By the time you've flown through the slot and touched down on the pad a couple dozen times, I think you'll find that you're much more steady on the controls. Then maybe try your hand at some combat again. I'm certainly no combat expert but I can hold my own against NPCs in equal or slightly better ships (I'm not into PvP: see signature).

Also, make sure to take your time and set up control bindings that feel comfortable to you. Personally, I like pitch and roll on the left stick and yaw and vertical thrust on the right. Yaw is your best friend in a fight as it is very slow and allows you to make fine adjustments to your aim. Don't forget that you can set button combos too. For instance, A + Dpad Up = Landing Gear Down/Up.

Anyway, I agree that you shouldn't have to go buy a new peripheral just for one game. I've been playing since Beta 1.0something and haven't felt the need to run out and buy an expensive HOTAS (want, though, is another story entirely ) Stick with it and enjoy the cosmos!

I agree with most of your sentiments,and thank you for your input. The button combination thing throws me off because I'm not use to games using a combination of the face buttons with the D-Pad, so I'm always hitting the wrong buttons. My other problem, and I freely admit it's my problem, is that I don't normally play only 1 game for months on end. I jump around between a couple of favorites, and as such, I'm always forgetting what does what on the controller. BTW, is there anyway to print out the configuration? And what are some recommended configurations? Such as which elements really should be bound to something? And I assume a combination of keyboard and controller might be a good way for the less used, but still important functions? Such as Set Speed to 50% or 75%, System Map, etc...

 

[DaveB]

Kudos to anyone that can succeed with a console style controller. I totally suck at using them in any game (therefore I do not own a console of any type). I already owned a HOTAS setup (X52) so that's what I fly with. I can understand that it's a but much of an investment for a single game. I got mine because it was suited to the style of games I like, not for any particular title. Folks who are a lot better with a 360 controller than I am (and believe me that's not a high bar) are succeeding though. Hang in there, if it's a controller you are otherwise used to there's a lot of folks on here who have mastered using it to control ED.

 

[terminatahx]

I would strongly urge you to consider getting a joystick. A good one. I'm a Warthog guy, but there are alot of Saitek users here. Saitek has very affordable sticks and flight systems.

 

[AV-ON]

I use a 360pad and it works well for me, but the game needs sensitivity adjustment, it's not the same thing as deadzone.

 

[Numar]

I bought Elite two days before release day and practiced a little bit with the combat training with mouse and keyboard. I didn't like the feeling, so I instantly ordered the basic Thrustmaster HOTAS which arrived today. I got a handle with mouse and keyboard, but flying a straight without rotating was somewhat bothering at first, always finding the zero point for the mouse. The change from mouse/keyboard to joystick (my first ever) was awkward as well and it took a long time to decide on the button setting, but I'm getting more and more used and attached to it. Hint: pay attention for Landing flight override controls, these are invaluable for a precice landing maneuvr, lol

Oh, I have a 360 gamepad as well and tried it one time. No go. Almost an instant discarding.

 

[Wizaerd]

For those who keep urging flight stick or joy stick, I'm in the same boat as you are with a controller. It feels foreign to you, and you cannot quite adapt to it. A flight stick and/or joystick is so completely foreign, I cannot imagine adapting to one at all, even if I were considering one, which as stated I will absolutely not do for a single game. I am not a pilot, have never been a pilot and trying to control something with a single stick just does not compute.

 

[Iain M Norman]

Anyone using an X-box, PS3 or other pad, it's worth knowing that you can use a button as a shift key, and double up the number of controls.

I use my my Dual Shock 3 X button (A on an Xbox controller) as a shift key, it's dead handy.

Simply, when recording the control binding in ED, hold down more than one button before letting go, ED will record both.

 

[Hump Johnson]

For those who keep urging flight stick or joy stick, I'm in the same boat as you are with a controller. It feels foreign to you, and you cannot quite adapt to it. A flight stick and/or joystick is so completely foreign, I cannot imagine adapting to one at all, even if I were considering one, which as stated I will absolutely not do for a single game. I am not a pilot, have never been a pilot and trying to control something with a single stick just does not compute.

The OP asked if anyone had any tips on being more accurate with aiming using his game controller, as he stated he was too jerky with it. He also stated that he used his controller because he could not play the game with the kb/mouse. As he and yourself are aware there is no sensitivity adjustment for the controller, just the deadband adjustment. Now this leaves not very many options for him, either he practices with it and gets better, or as in his words gives it up as a bad job and accepts the loss of £40. No one is "urging" him to buy a flight stick but it is probably the only other option the OP has if he is still finding it hard with the controller and at least trying a "cheap" joystick and finding he can use it may allow the OP to play and enjoy for a good long while a game he might have given up on and indeed wasted £40 on .

 

[Wizaerd]

The OP asked if anyone had any tips on being more accurate with aiming using his game controller, as he stated he was too jerky with it. He also stated that he used his controller because he could not play the game with the kb/mouse. As he and yourself are aware there is no sensitivity adjustment for the controller, just the deadband adjustment. Now this leaves not very many options for him, either he practices with it and gets better, or as in his words gives it up as a bad job and accepts the loss of £40. No one is "urging" him to buy a flight stick but it is probably the only other option the OP has and at least trying a "cheap" joystick and finding it is better than using the controller may allow the OP to play and enjoy for a good long while a game he might have given up on and indeed wasted £40 on .

Actually people are indeed "urging" him to get a flight stick, just re-read the postings here. And as you yourself pointed out, he asked for tips for playing with the controller, and getting a flight stick isn't really the answer to that either.

I would strongly urge you to consider getting a joystick. A good one. I'm a Warthog guy, but there are alot of Saitek users here. Saitek has very affordable sticks and flight systems.

Regardless, as with anything else, eventually enough practice with a controller will make things better. Isn't that after all Elite's motto: Practice, practice, practice...

 

[pippo]

Shame about the joystick, though

 

[CMDR Saari]

My other problem, and I freely admit it's my problem, is that I don't normally play only 1 game for months on end. I jump around between a couple of favorites, and as such, I'm always forgetting what does what on the controller.

I know what you mean! In the time since I picked up Elite, I've probably also played half a dozen other games and its very easy to get mixed up

And what are some recommended configurations? Such as which elements really should be bound to something? And I assume a combination of keyboard and controller might be a good way for the less used, but still important functions? Such as Set Speed to 50% or 75%, System Map, etc...

I won't presume to "recommend" any specific settings over others as it all comes down to personal preference, but here's what I use. I spent hours when I first started playing getting this just how I wanted it. I only use the keyboard for chatting.

Left Stick: Pitch/roll
Right Stick: Yaw/Vertical thrust
LS click: Flight Assist off/on
RS click: Toggle Head Look

RT: Fire primary weapons
LT: Fire secondary weapons
RB: Throttle up
LB: Throttle down

Start: Menu
Back: Activate Frameshift Drive

Dpad Left: Pips to SYS
Dpad Up: Pips to ENG
Dpad Right: Pips tp WEP
Dpad Down: Reset pips (2 to each)

X: Boost
B (hold): UI Focus (while holding B, press dpad left to view left panel, right for right panel)

A (hold) used as Shift key:
A + Dpad Up: Landing Gear down/up
A + Dpad Down: Deploy/retract Cargo Scoop
A + Dpad Right: Next weapon group
A + Dpad Left: Prev. weapon group
A + Back: Deploy/retract Hardpoints
A + RB: horizontal thrust right
A + LB: horizontal thrust left

Y (hold) used as Shift key:
Y + Dpad Up: Target front object
Y + Dpad Right: Target next ship
Y + Dpad Down: Target biggest threat
Y + Dpad Left: Target next hostile

That setup has been working pretty well for me but like I said, I'm not a combat expert or anything. Also, if you don't like so many multiple button presses, things like landing gear and cargo scoop can be selected from the Right UI Panel. Oh, and I have some Landing Mode control overrides but you should definitely figure out your own for that. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to discuss other ideas; I'm always happy to help fellow controller users (or anyone else, for that matter)!

Anyway, hope this helps, and see you out there!

 

[Rhaikh]

^^^ This guy is correct. A gamepad is a great choice for this game, mine is set up pretty much exactly as described and I only get outgunned not outmaneuvered.

 

[Dummytarget]

I have always been bad with game controllers as I use them so rarely. I do have PS3 but it is mostly used as a bluray player.
But I did buy a xbox one controller for Windows as M$ has some moneyback program so I got it for a reasonable price. Now I just have been forcing myself to use it and I have got much better with it, so practice really seems to help.

Iain M Norman mentioned PS3 controller, I have always thought that it won't work on Windows just by plugging it in and that was the main reason for buying the xbone controller. Well at least I now have separate controller for PC

I am still thinking about getting a stick and throttle, I have seen two names mentioned so far, Warthog and Saitek. No idea which one is "better". I would like a quality set, meaning something that lasts longer than 3 months before it breaks, and it has to weight something too so it won't skid around the table. Suction cups is not an answer, won't hold on my desk. Also the throttle must be separate, but I am assuming it is in most cases. Good feeling of the stick is important, I don't like rattling buttons and weird placements of them. I don't know how important having yaw in the stick is (by twisting it), I do have it mapped on the xbone controllers right stick and I use it. But maybe it can be mapped elsewhere on a good stick/throttle while still being usable. Suggestions for a good combo are welcome

And thanks to CMDR Saari for the Shift key trick, that is very useful.