I'll start with the PS4 controller, or generic joystick, then get whatever is recommended once the game is out and what is best supported etc.
What type of controller will you be using for Elite Dangerous
- Thread starter fikuserectus
- Start date
People who buy gaming consoles buy them to play games specifically, so they're hardly "casual" gamers, while many people play games on PCs that were not bought for games. So there are a lot of PC gamers who play on PC and don't have things like gamepads and joysticks. Most PC games are perfectly playable with a keyboard and a mouse, so a casual gamer wouldn't expect that he has to buy a gamepad or joystick for a PC game in order to be able to play and enjoy it. Frontier should make sure it's possible to play the game comfortably with a mouse or forewarn potential buyers about the necessity of buying additional controls. If they don't, then they shouldn't be surprised when they get many negative reviews about uncomfortable controls from annoyed customers. A gamepad or a joystick shouldn't be required in order to enjoy a PC game, and playing with a mouse&kb should be a viable option.
I can't imagine it won't be compatible, especially as it's likely to be a re-brand of an existing / already in development product. Even if they do design & build one from scratch specifically for SC, they'd be cutting their own throats to make it work only with that one game. These things cost too much money to design & produce to deliberately limit the market of potential buyers. I will be very surprised if it doesn't come bundled with software that allows you to remap controls and create scripts / profiles for the stick.
The bigger challenge you're going to face is that E: D should be out this year sometime (September or so was the last reasonable sounding estimate I think?), while CIG are currently only *talking* to various manufacturers about the possibility of producing an SC controller, *if* there's sufficient interest, so you're evidently looking at anything up to 2 years before an SC controller sees the light of day, if they design from scratch. I can't imagine that a re-brand of an existing product would take more than a few months to get into production though.
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I would counter it is down to the purchaser to make sure they have the right hardware to play the game.
The biggest strength of a PC is that it supports such a wide range of devices. I very much doubt people would demand a racing sim to work on KB/M so logically why should a flight Sim?.
That being said, I have heard from multiple commentators that the game IS usable on KB/m, just that is is not the preferred option. Personally I am fine with that.
Also, IMO you are going to need a decent PC to run the game properly. The average office PC is not going to run the game well but you wouldn't hold that against the game. (I hope)
So far system requirements for Alpha are very low and any decent office PC should be able to run it. Some people are running Alpha on laptops. Granted, final system requirements will be probably higher, but it doesn't seem that they're going to be unreasonably high. But that's not the point. If someone buys a game and can't run it on a weak computer, it's their own fault. But if the game isn't playable with a default PC controller--KB&m--it's not a customer's fault and he has every right to be angry that he has to buy an additional controller for a game. Yes, there's nothing wrong with Joysticks/gamepads being a more comfortable option for those who can afford them, but it doesn't mean playing with KB&m shouldn't be a viable, comfortable option. I hope Frontier is keeping that in mind and don't cater only to people who have joysticks. They'd shoot themselves in the foot by doing that.
It's a displaced system. The mouse is normally "centered" on screen, and the direction and distance from the centre sets the turning/rolling speeds.
So far I've found that the Alpha plays reasonably well with mouse and keyboard. Personally I've found the biggest draw back is the throttle control, it doesn't feel as responsive and if you're rapidly changing between forward and reverse it feels like it sticks at zero.
Personally, my opinion is that the mere concept of playing this game with a mouse and and keyboard is ridiculous. Going this route will kill the game. The War Thunder example demonstrates this categorically.
I want to play iRacing (go look it up if you like car racing games). I don't currently own a racing wheel though and have limited funds. I would feel that I was being highly disrespectful to the community that want to play that game properly though if I were to barge in and insist that they make it possible for me to be competitive with mouse and keyboard. It would be just plain unreasonable of me to take that stance. This game is the same ... unless you want it to be rubbish.
To be the best it can be, people should be calling for joysticks or 3D mice to be the primary choice of controller. I bought a £35 HOTAS joystick (the Thrustmaster T-Flight X HOTAS) specifically to do so. That is not an unreasonable price to pay for a controller.
I want to play iRacing (go look it up if you like car racing games). I don't currently own a racing wheel though and have limited funds. I would feel that I was being highly disrespectful to the community that want to play that game properly though if I were to barge in and insist that they make it possible for me to be competitive with mouse and keyboard. It would be just plain unreasonable of me to take that stance. This game is the same ... unless you want it to be rubbish.
To be the best it can be, people should be calling for joysticks or 3D mice to be the primary choice of controller. I bought a £35 HOTAS joystick (the Thrustmaster T-Flight X HOTAS) specifically to do so. That is not an unreasonable price to pay for a controller.
Currently controlling with a Thrustmaster HOTAS X
But will likely pick up the Star Citizen flight stick that is currently in development. Hoping it'll be compatible with ED...
I did look at this one but they wanted 100 quid, which was alot for something I may not get on with, but I did think about it for a whole week as it did look the nuts.
Mmm! so about what I payed for the Fly 5. cheers for the info.
I will admit a responsive judder from the joystick does appeal
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Again this is something I have thought about to, it's like you read my mind.
However I have been on this site harping on about the 1st version of this game and it did have alot of keyboard mapping.
In fact I think the BBC Micro did have a keyboard overlay for the game.
Plus looking around the cockpit and the banking option would prove difficult although not impossible in the new version.
I even bought an Uber gaming mouse to help with the problem in case I fell back into my old ways and went back to the keyboard and mouse.
I am a big game fan but don't like consoles as I can't get on with the controller, It just does not feel natural.
But again it could be habbit after using keyboard and mouse since about 1984 +
Pixmania £33.90
Amazon charging £53.51
BT Shop has it at £30 but we had this on order from them for a month. The shop had it in and out of stock the whole time we had it on order, so I would ignore them if I were you. My step son bought this as a birthday present for me and I can't remember who it was though. Probably Amazon. But I know he paid £35 about a month ago.
Mmmm! Cheers for that, I will put this in the info pile.
In fact I think the BBC Micro did have a keyboard overlay for the game.
...
I am a big game fan but don't like consoles as I can't get on with the controller, It just does not feel natural.
But again it could be habbit after using keyboard and mouse since about 1984 +
I still have my Acornsoft keyboard overlay for my Acorn Electron version of Elite. Yes I'm holdin it in my left hand as I type with my right hand. The first numeric keys being dual purpose depending if you were docked or in flight.
"Launch", "Front"
"Buy Cargo", "Back"
"Sell Cargo", "Left"
"Equip", "Right"
"Long Range Chart"
"Short Range Chart"
"Data on System"
"Market Price"
"Status Mode"
"Inventory"
I can't guarantee that you'll get on better with a joystick, but hope you do.
I still have my Acornsoft keyboard overlay for my Acorn Electron version of Elite. Yes I'm holdin it in my left hand as I type with my right hand. The first numeric keys being dual purpose depending if you were docked or in flight.
I can't guarantee that you'll get on better with a joystick, but hope you do.
NO WAY! now that's a fan lol.
I know I will be a lagger for a while, but there are so many other parts to this game, I CAN'T WAIT!
NO WAY! now that's a fan lol.
I know I will be a lagger for a while, but there are so many other parts to this game, I CAN'T WAIT!
Hey, I've been in mourning since the 80's when I lent the novella to someone and never got it back. I still have everything else, but the loss of "The Dark Wheel" has hurt a lot. Sad huh? Every now and then I look it up on Ebay, it's never up for auction at the time I look.
Also, all of us in our 40s will be laggers compared to the twitch reflex teenagers. We'll have to rely on cunning.
It does feel good in use doesn't it. I'm not on Alpha so installed War Thunder to test out the joystick. This is why I soooooo hope that FD don't apply as many aids for keyboard and mouse players as are in War Thunder, as it has ruined that game. You cannot compete with keyboard and mouse players in that game.