Why I use a mouse rather than a joystick
- Thread starter SentineI
- Start date
I assigned throttle to the mouse wheel. Works like a charm (although a HOTAS throttle still probably works better, this might be a solution for other k+m players)
I think HOTAS is more flexible and makes it easier to use thrusters but the mouse is king for very fine adjustments in combat with fixed weapons
I use a marble mouse, aka a Trackball. I've used these since they first came out to do gaming and 3D CAD modelling. I saw one of the first ever made at an AutoDesk University trip back in the 90's.
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The 570 linked to above is an offset ball that your thumb rotates. I can't use that kind due to muscle issues in my thumb. I use the symmetrical type with the ball in the center. Arm fatigue is not an issue with these types of mice (your fingers do the work).
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I use a joystick for flight sims because that is the way planes are controlled in today's world. In the far future I can't convince myself joysticks will still be in use. So I use a marble mouse and kb and my immersion and ship control is just fine.
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The 570 linked to above is an offset ball that your thumb rotates. I can't use that kind due to muscle issues in my thumb. I use the symmetrical type with the ball in the center. Arm fatigue is not an issue with these types of mice (your fingers do the work).
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I use a joystick for flight sims because that is the way planes are controlled in today's world. In the far future I can't convince myself joysticks will still be in use. So I use a marble mouse and kb and my immersion and ship control is just fine.
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I believe that the game should be, and largely is, perfectly playable with nothing more than mouse and keyboard...at least if someone is willing to put the effort into learning and customizing the controls.
That said, I have no compunctions about spending a few hundred dollars on something that will provide me with thousands of hours of entertainment.
That said, I have no compunctions about spending a few hundred dollars on something that will provide me with thousands of hours of entertainment.
Use whatever controller you like, mouse control worked well enough in freelancer for me. For elite though I like having a stick.
I can pop your 2nd point I think...get yourself a Thrustmaster T16000. 30 to 40 quid and it's got the same magnetic/hall effect system the top end sticks have, it's absolutely spot on and feels solid, no travel in the stick at all...you move your hand, the ship moves.....
I've got that as my flight stick and an older stick on the left I use for throttle and targeting etc....pretty much a HOTAs setup on the cheap.
I can pop your 2nd point I think...get yourself a Thrustmaster T16000. 30 to 40 quid and it's got the same magnetic/hall effect system the top end sticks have, it's absolutely spot on and feels solid, no travel in the stick at all...you move your hand, the ship moves.....
I've got that as my flight stick and an older stick on the left I use for throttle and targeting etc....pretty much a HOTAs setup on the cheap.
I'm very pleased with the how the game handles using the mouse and keyboard.
With the exception being flight assist off just doesn't seem to work properly.
With the exception being flight assist off just doesn't seem to work properly.
Well. Idk. Did I post in this thread? It might be worth reiterating anyway.
A 40-quid logitech mouse will have far, far, FAR better build quality and "feel" than a 40-quid joystick (I tried the t16000 - and goddamn, was that a piece of cheap plastic rubbish; maybe the magnetic sensors are fancy, but the actual casing is by far the worst-quality thing I've laid my hands on).
And you don't need a rube goldberg desk setup to have space for a mouse, but something like that is necessary for placing a joystick at the right height/angle, so that it doesn't slip and doesn't make your wrist ache after a few hrs.
A 40-quid logitech mouse will have far, far, FAR better build quality and "feel" than a 40-quid joystick (I tried the t16000 - and goddamn, was that a piece of cheap plastic rubbish; maybe the magnetic sensors are fancy, but the actual casing is by far the worst-quality thing I've laid my hands on).
And you don't need a rube goldberg desk setup to have space for a mouse, but something like that is necessary for placing a joystick at the right height/angle, so that it doesn't slip and doesn't make your wrist ache after a few hrs.
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I know what you mean about the t16000 buttons, I don't notice though as my right hand never leaves the stick and my left is on the other stick. The main thing for ED is accuracy and the t16000 has plenty of that.
If you can get more accuracy with a mouse then go for it, personally I don't like the feeling of running out of deskspace you get with a mouse.
I know what you mean about the buttons,having said that the buttons feel like the ones I had on an old quicksilver joystick that took me through years of gameplay when I was playing for far more hours then I do now.
Never had the t16000 slip about either it's pretty heavy.
If you can get more accuracy with a mouse then go for it, personally I don't like the feeling of running out of deskspace you get with a mouse.
I know what you mean about the buttons,having said that the buttons feel like the ones I had on an old quicksilver joystick that took me through years of gameplay when I was playing for far more hours then I do now.
Never had the t16000 slip about either it's pretty heavy.
I use both, often involuntarily! For whatever reason, my HOTAS randomly turns itself off mid game (usually mid-fight, lol) so it's a mad scramble to switch to mouse/keyboard. What joy.
I been using the mouse and keyboard setup since beta 2, yea was hard to get used to for awhile but now I have mastered it and have to trouble holding my own against joystick players. In many ways the mouse allows much more accurate control believe it or not. I have no issues really at all using it.
For those saying that you run out of desk space when using a mouse, try a proper dedicated gaming mouse. I use a Tt eSports Saphira mouse with 3500DPI. I need only move the mouse a few millimetres for the ship to turn. No need for lifting and re-positioning. This also has the added benefit of less movement in my wrist and less fatigue. And before someone says the ship keeps moving and spinning. it is very easy to centre the mouse and have the ship sitting perfectly still with no movement.
Yer, I'm inclined to agree.
Although my HOTAS is a cheapie, T Flight Thrustmaster HOTAS X, so perhaps more expensive joysticks are more responsive? I dunno.
I've never even tried anything but a mouse. That said, i never played any Elite before either. The last space sim i played was Freespace 2, also with a mouse.
M+KB is no problem for me for what i play the game for (only trading and exploration). I've never even crashed once while docking and i can pull off some nifty manouvers to dock as quickly as possible (imho that is) without any problems.
I can't say much for joysticks, but using m+kb for elite has pretty much become natural for me. I don't see any reason to get a joystick any time soon.
M+KB is no problem for me for what i play the game for (only trading and exploration). I've never even crashed once while docking and i can pull off some nifty manouvers to dock as quickly as possible (imho that is) without any problems.
I can't say much for joysticks, but using m+kb for elite has pretty much become natural for me. I don't see any reason to get a joystick any time soon.
I like the mouse and keyboard and I am able to fly very effectively. I haven't had any issues but I have been gaming with a mouse and keyboard for years, so that is not any issue. I don't think that a joystick is needed but I haven't done any real combat lately either. However, when I did I was able to hold my own. I don't know if a joystick is better simply because I have never used one, but that is a strong possibility.
WASD and mouse.
Tried a joystick for about ten minutes just for kicks. It was a PITA to re-map everything to the joystick only to find you can't save more than one config. I died three times.
WASD mouse again. Doing very well.
But I'm an old timer and the only game I could ever use a joystick with was Freespace 2.
Tried a joystick for about ten minutes just for kicks. It was a PITA to re-map everything to the joystick only to find you can't save more than one config. I died three times.
WASD mouse again. Doing very well.
But I'm an old timer and the only game I could ever use a joystick with was Freespace 2.
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I use a TM Warthog joystick and throttle, and the mouse just for looking around.
Ugh, mouse for ship control just doesn't work for me, I end up chasing that little orange triangle all over the shop and getting horribly out of shape (same problem in SC).
I think if a PC owner was considering a component upgrade, a joystick upgrade should also be considered just as video card/cpu/memory. If you're a heavy flightsim gamer, it makes sense, but it just depends on the 'priority' if you like, of the enjoyment to be had in ED vs just getting by with the mouse control.
Mouse control can obviously be very good (I think SubSynk uses mouse, or was in one of his Twitch streams I watched)...
Ugh, mouse for ship control just doesn't work for me, I end up chasing that little orange triangle all over the shop and getting horribly out of shape (same problem in SC).
I think if a PC owner was considering a component upgrade, a joystick upgrade should also be considered just as video card/cpu/memory. If you're a heavy flightsim gamer, it makes sense, but it just depends on the 'priority' if you like, of the enjoyment to be had in ED vs just getting by with the mouse control.
Mouse control can obviously be very good (I think SubSynk uses mouse, or was in one of his Twitch streams I watched)...
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I use a mouse and throttle which IMO gives me the best of both worlds, I have the aiming precision of the mouse and 3 proportional thrust axis on the throttle. Only non proportional control I have is roll (buttons on throttle) which is no biggie.
Mouse control is absolutely fine, but these days I do play with a HOTAS. Flying with a stick and throttle just feels right, for me its intuitive, with the mouse I was having to think rather more. I am fifty plus and my dexterity on a mouse is pretty awful, due to old Arthur's intervention.