X55 Rhino Button Layout with Reference Card

Using Sandcracka's bindings, which have been a huge help, I'm not sure how to reverse thrusters. Can anybody offer a suggestion? Thanks


I followed the instructions earlier in this thread, to make the little slider on the throttle, control fwd/ref thrust. For some reason, the button in the saitek software, to apply the profile, remains greyed out, so,that doesn't work. So instead, I use the throttle's right thumb rotary 'push' function to toggle reverse.
 
I followed the instructions earlier in this thread, to make the little slider on the throttle, control fwd/ref thrust. For some reason, the button in the saitek software, to apply the profile, remains greyed out, so,that doesn't work. So instead, I use the throttle's right thumb rotary 'push' function to toggle reverse.

I had the same problem. I fixed it by unplugging the USB leads and then running the driver setup again. Don't plug the USB leads in until the driver installation tells you to.
 
That is very good. +Rep for being so darn clever!

Sitting here today, I decided that I really do need to raise my hand by roughly 15mm, to more comfortably reach the hats etc with my thumb.

Upon measuring, I require 20mm, tapering to nothing at the pinky. I am thinking that no raised edge would be best, to avoid feeling restrained.

Where to I send my payment? :)

On this right now. Making sure my design can cope with any height without problems/fouling. I'll stick it up on ebay with size options, and then there is various biyer protection etc, feedback systems, paypal integration.

Very tidy work dude, looking at it reminds me of the soapbar mockups i used to make years ago, minus the inset lettering ofc lol

Yeah, I know what you mean. It came with white ABS, and so far we are still experimenting with it and haven't needed to get more material. But white won't be on my shopping list for that very reason. It is paintable, and is sandable, so it's a very good prototyping medium, and in this instance (as it isn't structural) it's perfect.
 
Very exciting.

I may try painting it in Flock when I get it, to add that touchy-feely element to it! :)

Ebay sounds like a great idea Tristan. No Hurry. Ready when you are :)
 
Okay, I've put it on eBay, listed under Saitek X55 Rhino Wrist Spacer. If I'm allowed to post a link to it, here it is - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saitek-X55-Rhino-Wrist-Spacer-/261741873385? If I'm not allowed to post a link I'm sure it'll be removed, and I apologise for not being sure.

Various thicknesses listed. I'll do yours tomorrow and get it in the post, and any others that get ordered by then too. I personally use a 25mm one, but they range from 12.5mm to 30mm. If you are really desperate and want, for example, your name on the side then I could probably do that via a combination of eBay and a PM :)

I have reduced the height of the lip on the side so it's barely there. It looked silly without anything on the edge at all though!

All feedback and reviews welcome once you've got it. I'd like to get this right for everyone that buys one.
 
Aussiedroid's X-55 Rhino: Complete Profile Setup

Greetings ED community! I have been meaning to share this with everyone for a while, and finally got around to putting it all together.

Firstly, I wanted to thank everyone for sharing their suggestions/configs/fixes as this really helped me greatly to overcome some initial issues I had with my setup. This thread and a few others like it were really great resources! This is the result of all that info, lots of tweaking and changes through around 100+ hours of gameplay. I use a TrackIR with the HOTAS, but should be easily adaptable to your own needs if you don't use one.

Everything you need is included in the attached .zip file, along with basic instructions for installation.



*** IMPORTANT UPDATE ***

This forum post is now depreciated and no longer maintained from v1.4.

My profile continues at its new home on Steam Guides @

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=456122613

and for Horizons a new Steam Guide @

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=577748529

Please visit for the latest version.



Key Features:

- Full functionality has been mapped, including the Galaxy Map, Game Menu functions etc. (Keyboard should only be required for system searches, if you don't use VoiceAttack & off course for text chat)

- Enabled Slider & Mouse 'Nipple' on the Throttle (with registry tweak included below).

- Created two Mode Switches to allow rapid access to all key functions with ease & minimal movement of your hand positions. These are listed separately at the bottom of the reference map. Hold the Thumb button on Joystick or Index Finger button on Throttle first, followed by the combination required.

- Configured Power Scheme settings for quick situational changes in combat. Primarily, these will change between full PIPS between Weapons, System & Engines. (This really helped with a bad case of RSI I have got in my thumb from constantly changing the PIPS so many times a min!)

- Auto Docking Request on Toggle switch. (Due to limitations in the key mappings this will only work correctly when you are on the Navigation panel. When coming out of supercruise it will reset so as long as you do not use your panel before using the toggle it will work).

- FPS, Bandwidth stats & Disable HUD have been included. There is also access to Screenshot capture for ED Hi Res images & for those linking into their Steam Client.


Detailed Summary:
The main concept behind my controller design is to maximise the use of the common (and easy to reach) keys on the X-55 HOTAS. The X-55 does have a lot of buttons, toggles & hats, but equally Elite Dangerous has a lot of commands to map. Many of these you do not want to look down or move your hand off your controls if possible.

To realise this, I created two dedicated buttons as Mode Switches (one on each of the Throttle & Joystick). Mode Switches work by pressing & holding the Mode Switch plus the secondary button. This effectively doubles the utility for many of the buttons, toggles & hats, plus can act as a safety measure to avoid accidental presses (Jettison All Cargo, Shield Cells/Chaff, Menu & Panel displays for example).

Looks complicated on paper, but in practice you will quickly get the hang of it. All Mode Switches are mapped directly in Elite Dangerous.

With regards to the Mode Switch #1, you may have noticed that the Flight Assist OFF key is also mapped to this key (Flight Assist Off is set to Hold). Initially, I thought this may be an issue, but in practice the quick click of the FA OFF does not impact the flight of your ship while using a combination button. You may want to turn off the voice response for FA Off in the Audio section though if it annoys you.

For other commands like Auto-Dock & TrackIR controls, these are safely located the furthest distance from you to prevent accidental misclicks. Conversely, all high usage & flight related controls are easily reached from the default hand positions generally speaking.

In order to utilise all the buttons on the HOTAS, a Saitek profile is also required (this allows mapping of the slider & toggles for turning TrackIR on/off for example) plus I have made some refinements to the curves of the analog axis to help negate the slight stiffness when pushing the joystick past the lip in the base from the neutral position due to the spring design. This makes it a little smoother when tracking targets in my view, but feel free to increase/decrease to your personal liking.

The Saitek profile doesn't store this information so you will need to set this manually using the values in the screenshot provided. This is covered in the install instructions.

I have also enabled the Mini Analog Mouse 'Nipple' Thumb Stick via the registry tweak. This gives access to Analog Thrusters for those without rudder pedals by mapping the axis in Windows. This allows Elite to register the axis in-game! (Found this solution on Reddit, so I can't take any credit for it). You will need to use the .reg file I have included below to allow this to function in Windows 7/8 based systems. It works, albeit it is not that precise to use in flight.

Yaw and Roll have been swapped from default. I found it more natural to track targets this way and reminds me more of the old X-Wing/Tie Fighter/Wing Commander setups (easy to swap back if you prefer the default setup).

The Slider works as a straight toggle (there is no on/off position), just move the slider in the opposite direction to last used to trigger the Frame Shift Drive.

Sensor Range analog axis was added in 1.1 so I have also included this for the top rotary dial (replacing the key strokes).

As mentioned, I use the TrackIR along with the X-55 (but this config also include direct key mappings for the UI panels for those not using a TrackIR). The TrackIR profile has been modified & tweaked considerably to allow easy 'locking' of your UI side panels while you use them, plus providing full range movement for tracking targets in combat. Acceleration is slowed slightly which gives a natural feel to use, without being overly sensitive.

You will need to set your Basic Motion Control Settings in the software for Speed & Smooth (I use 1.2 & 51 respectively). Both the Enable/Disable & Center commands are mapped to the HOTAS too!

The rotary dials on the Throttle, were not very practical for use with ship functions or flight. Really would require better options in the ED config. Not to put them to waste, I managed to find a suitable setup for FPS/Bandwith/Hide HUD & Screenshots (Steam & Hi-Res ED native). This works by having a huge deadzone (98%) in the rotary, essentially requiring you to click to the full range to register the key press. Use it by turning it on full, then turning it back somewhere around center. If you leave it on the full turn with Screenshots for example, it will keep triggering endlessly, and with Hi Res screenshots hitting 100mbs each that could be an issue! Be relatively quick turning the dial - if you turn it too slow you may get duplicate images.

I think that is about it! If you have any issues or questions, please leave a post in the thread.

TrackIR Settings:
tjyUTv4.jpg

Axis Curve Levels to Setup in the Saitek Software:
aDK4V2T.jpg
(You will need to set the Joystick axis curves manually, as from testing it did not appear these are stored in the profile directly.)

Please note that only the Joystick curves have been adjusted. The Throttle should be fine with default settings.



Reference Map:

OXGZALl.jpg


Printable Reference Maps (White Background):

Portrait:
hKjRWZp.jpg

Installation Instructions:
Installation Instructions:
==========================

Upgrading from a previous version? Simply override the existing files or rename these profile settings to create separate versions.

First Time Setup:
=================
[DOWNLOAD]
1) Download & Extract the zip file containing all the profile files & reference cards.

[COPY TO LOCATION]
2) Copy 'Aussiedroid X55 Custom 1.x.binds' to your Elite Dangerous bindings folder:
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings

*Note* You may need to show hidden folders in Windows to see the AppData folder.

3) Copy 'Aussiedroid_Elite_Dangerous_1.x.pr0' to your Saitek profile folder:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Mad Catz\X-55 Rhino

4) Copy 'Elite.Dangerous.AD.1.x.xml' to your TrackIR profile folder:
(64bit). C:\Program Files (x86)\NaturalPoint\TrackIR5\Profiles
(32bit). C:\Program Files\NaturalPoint\TrackIR5\Profiles

5) Double click (or right click/merge) the 'x55-Rhino-Nipple-Fix.reg' to add it to your Windows registry.

[CONFIGURE SAITEK SOFTWARE]
6) Open your Saitek Software and load the profile you copied previously.

7)Go to settings, select your Joystick and adjust the Axis Curves as shown in the included pic.

Joystick X-Axis:
Deadband - 150
Curvature - 650
X-Sat. - 1000
Y-Sat. - 1000

Joystick Y-Axis:
Deadband - 50
Curvature - 785
X-Sat. - 0
Y-Sat. - 0

Joystick Rudder:
Deadband - 150
Curvature - 850
X-Sat. - 1000
Y-Sat. - 1000

Throttle is not modified (Values remain default):
Deadband - 0
Curvature - 500
X-Sat. - 1000
Y-Sat. - 1000

8) Make sure the profile is active (green icon in your system tray)!

9) Now is a good time to test out the buttons mapped in the Saitek software using the Test Profile setting. Test keys that are mapped in the Saitek profile. These include the Slider, Power Schemes, TrackIR, Steam Screenshots, Auto Dock etc. After you press them, it should register the keys in the text box. If nothing is displaying in the text box, it is either mapped in Elite Dangerous directly (no mapping in Saitek profile) or may be an issue. Check again that the profile is loaded (icon green) & uploaded to the controller (press the 'Target' icon again & 'Save' icon again to make sure its loaded).

[CONFIGURE TRACKIR]
10) Open your TrackIR software, and select the profile. If you are not using other configurations, set the profile to 'Exclusive' so it loads by default.

*Note* Selecting the TrackIR profile to be 'Exclusive' in the software will auto-load this profile every time TrackIR loads. (May not be suitable if you run multipe profiles.)

11) Set your Motion Control Settings as shown in the included diagram (Speed = 1.2 & Smooth = 51). Modify to taste. Icon for TrackIR should appear in your Task Tray when running & your TrackIR should light up green.

13) Put your headset on, look at the center of your screen and up slightly (15-30 degrees) and Press HOME to centre view. Press INSERT to Pause (or use the buttons mapped on the Joystick).

14) Test the movement in the TrackIR software.

[CONFIGURE ELITE DANGEROUS]
*If you are using a headset, now is the time to switch audio output in Windows.

15) Load Elite Dangerous, navigate to Options > Controls and select 'Aussiedroid X55 Custom Profile 1.x' from your list. Click Apply at the bottom. Now you should have full control via the X55!

16) * Optional: Set your Throttle to Full Range in the profile.

17) * Optional: If you are NOT using TrackIR and need Headlook activated. Go into Profile, and turn HeadLook on (other keys are already mapped).

18) Set your Field of View (FOV) Settings under Option > Graphics (as seen in pic).

19) You can test out most of the keys in the Training Scenarios, but please be aware some keys are NOT enabled depending on the scenario. Only in the real game can you test everything out.

20) You should now be ready to rock'n'roll!

*Note* If above is not successful or you are getting random key presses or mixed up keys, then you can also try changing USB ports on your PC to see if that fixes the issues. X55 needs a lot of power from the port and has reported issues in some scenarios when powered from external hub or others not powered directly off the mainboard. Try also changing between USB3/2 ports and retest.


Ongoing Prelaunch Checklist:
============================

(You will need to do this each time before you start playing)

1) Load the X-55 Saitek Profile. (Right Click Tray Icon - Icon turns Green)
2) Load TrackIR & the TrackIR Profile. (Good practice to Center view before entering the game)
3) Switch to your Headphones. (Optional)
4) Launch the Game!
Hope you find it helpful!


Changelog:
v1.5 - Please visit my Steam Guide for update details.
v1.4 - Fixed Galaxy Map text box issue, Fixed Sensor Range Axis (Inverted). Added HeadLook mappings, Forward Throttle w/ Reverse Toggle back as Default, Profiles now Numbered, Install Instructions Updated. Two Optional Rotary Mappings Added for Target/System UI Panels & Wingman Selection 1-3 (these can be used on Rotary G which is vacant if you choose).

v1.3.1 - Minor Update for v1.3. Added bypass for Debug Cam popup on Throttle Toggle, Added TrackIR 'Center' to TGL4: Down & for safety added Mode Switch #1 to Jettison All Cargo.
v1.3 - Updated for ED v1.2 (Wings). 2nd Mode Switch Added! Plus Wingman bindings, Debug Cam, Throttle Presets (0,+75,+100,-100%), System Map & Target Next Route.
v1.2 - Updated for ED v1.1. New Axis mapping for Sensor Panel & old HUD key is remapped. Mode switch changes for better performance.
v1.1 - Updated all keyboard mapped keys to keys that will not interfere with the Comms Panel when open + Some other minor things.
v1.0 - Initial Release!
 
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could you pls explain in detail how to get the slider to do anything? if i set functions to, it doesn't seem to save it...

Hey mate, at a high level you need to set a keyboard key to what you want to use in ED, and then map that key in the slider (same key both directions).

Sorry I am not in front of my PC right now but will provide some more detail later as it may have needed a certain setting or timing.

Also can you clarify .. 'doesn't seem to save' ... you mean it doesn't retain the keys you map in the software, or you trying in Elite button config? I assume you mean in the Saitek software because I found it horrible to use LOL

In the mean time, you could load my profile up into the Saitek software, it will show you the command type/layout which may help, but otherwise I'll respond tonight if you are still having troubles :)
 
could you pls explain in detail how to get the slider to do anything? if i set functions to, it doesn't seem to save it...

If you use the Saitek software to map functions to it, you need to save the profile and reload it every time you restart. An easy way to do this is right-click the rhino icon in the system tray and select the profile. You probably want to map the slider in a way such that the active position corresponds to holding down a key, but note that this key also spams itself into text fields in every program. Personally I mapped the slider to caps lock, as it is a fairly harmless key (doesn't cause inadvertent shortcuts): map the silder forward position to caps lock, delete the release action to have it down as long as the slider is forward, and map the normal position to caps lock release (delete the press action).
 
Ahh I have had my morning coffee and remember a bit more now :)

@Arkku - In my config it doesn't spam/repeat (did have that issue initially tho), but I did have to set it up as an Advanced command. I'll double check later in Comms panel in game too but don't recall ever having an issue with it. If so I might need to remap to another key that will not appear in the Comms panel.

Same key for the Press & Release with nothing in the Hold section. I think I flat lined the timings so there were no delays (0.00) for press and release.

There is no on/off for Supercruise, so basically you cant have down to be off, and up engage. You just need to slide it in the opposite direction from your last action or double slide for emergency stop.
 
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If you use the Saitek software to map functions to it, you need to save the profile and reload it every time you restart. An easy way to do this is right-click the rhino icon in the system tray and select the profile. You probably want to map the slider in a way such that the active position corresponds to holding down a key, but note that this key also spams itself into text fields in every program. Personally I mapped the slider to caps lock, as it is a fairly harmless key (doesn't cause inadvertent shortcuts): map the silder forward position to caps lock, delete the release action to have it down as long as the slider is forward, and map the normal position to caps lock release (delete the press action).

I mapped mine to scroll-lock as it has zero effect anywhere as far as I can tell, caps and num both have their uses.
 
That's a good idea Taomyn!

Probably a few other keys like INS, PAGE UP/DOWN, PAUSE could be used too. Think I will look at updating my profile tonight to avoid any interference with the Comms panel. If I run out of keys, I think modifiers like ALT or CTRL could be added (CTRL+F) to avoid any output too. Will test out & advise.

I mainly use voice comms so rarely use the comms panel directly so hadn't thought about those potential impacts.
 
Hey mate, at a high level you need to set a keyboard key to what you want to use in ED, and then map that key in the slider (same key both directions).

Sorry I am not in front of my PC right now but will provide some more detail later as it may have needed a certain setting or timing.

Also can you clarify .. 'doesn't seem to save' ... you mean it doesn't retain the keys you map in the software, or you trying in Elite button config? I assume you mean in the Saitek software because I found it horrible to use LOL

In the mean time, you could load my profile up into the Saitek software, it will show you the command type/layout which may help, but otherwise I'll respond tonight if you are still having troubles :)

The Software really is a pain in the younameit. it bsod'ed two times fiddling with the save profile, profile, and test buttons, shredding the whole profile once. good that i have a really fancy backup software (shadow protect), so recovering files is a matter of seconds.
i got no advanced presses or such to work, only makros. will test a bit more this evening.

someone knows what's it all about mad catz <-> saitek? you can download different drivers for the x-55 on their sites. do they work both or could this be the prob? on my hardware there's no mentioning of mad catz, but the sw is from them. could they have different firmwares which require different drivers / sw?

i read you could set a profile to load on startup by right-clicking in the sys-tray. doesn't work for me, i could only select the profile or clear it. right-clicking the profile name does nothing.
 
I'm not sure sorry. I know on my system it doesnt set a profile on startup, I need to select it every time before I play.

I guess it wouldn't show anything to load in the tray icon if there is no profile saved. Can you open an existing profile from the menu in the main UI? Might be something wrong with your install if it doesnt allow you to create/save a new profile. :(
 
I'm not sure sorry. I know on my system it doesnt set a profile on startup, I need to select it every time before I play.

I guess it wouldn't show anything to load in the tray icon if there is no profile saved. Can you open an existing profile from the menu in the main UI? Might be something wrong with your install if it doesnt allow you to create/save a new profile. :(

Sorry i wasn't clear, english is not my native language, so finding the right words isn't easy.
i can create, save, load profiles, no prob.
i read that one can right click the profile name in the tray, then set it as startup profile. there is no submenu for me when i do that.
when editing, testing and applying the profiles in the software, it crashed my system 2 times with a bsod.
with 'not saving' i meant that i applied keystrokes to the sld, and when i opened the sw next time it was resetted. just the sld, though,
other buttons and switches on the throttle work as intended.
 
I don't have any options in mine to set it on startup. I had some BSOD as well when I was trying some things out. The software isnt very good. Even got a key stuck and it was set so fast it slowed my PC down till I killed the exe. Anyways, do you have the slider setup like this as an advanced command?

BHNkjyn.jpg
 
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