vyshka
6081
What HOTAS are folks using these days? My X52 seems to finally be flaking out. Flying with a constant spin on my z-rotation while trying to make my way to Orcus was entertaining.
schurem
6082
i have been hearing great things about this one:
kentcol
6083
I guess I show my ignorance in asking this but how do you use the keyboard and other controls while in VR?
Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 stick
Saitek X-52 Pro throttle
CH Pro pedals
Wonderful HOTAS, and the Sidewinder works great in games old and new. It’s a tad expensive, say $70 for the stick, $40 for the throttle (which you have to buy by itself in the secondary market) and around $100 for the pedals, but so worth it.
Yeah unless you want to wait and see what Logitech does now they’ve bought Saitek from Madcatz, there’s not a lot of good options out there anymore. The Madcatz X55/56 always seemed to have quality control issues.
Someone will probably recommend the old CH Products stuff, or an overpriced Warthog. The VKB Sim stuff was looking okay but it’s hard to get.
So really you could check out the new Thrustmaster that @schurem posted and let us know how it goes - or get another X-52. :)
The idea is to use a HOTAS, so you don’t need the mouse or keys. The whole game works by feel using the stick/throttle, menus and all.
Beyond that you can also set up voice commands.
Yeah, between a HOTAS and Voice Attack, I think you can generally get around okay in VR. Elite has a shitload of commands, though (and the number of commands grows with every new feature).
As to the question about HOTAS setups, the Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 and CH Pro Pedals have served me well for more than a decade. That stick is rugged as hell. Since Elite allows you to create multiple commands for a single button by using toggle keys, the relative lack of buttons on the Sidwinder is not really an issue. I use the hat for thruster movement in all diretions, navigating the menus, toggling power states, and a couple of other things just by hitting SHIFT or CTRL on my keyboard as a toggle.
I’ve never had a throttle. I use the keyboard for throttle and secondary commands, and it’s always worked pretty well for me, though I’m missing out on the cool factor (and the ‘T’ part of HOTAS).
I am considering picking up a Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas 4 for my VR setup. I know it’s going to be crap compared to my Sidewinder, but it’s also really cheap and will hopefully work OK on a lap desk or some such on the couch.
Since I’ve gotten both only in the last year, that gives me a lot of hope they’ll last a while. I love them so, especially the stick. Best stick I’ve ever used. Period.
So three periods, really. ;)
God damn right.
Seriously, I own five of these sticks. I mean, they don’t make them anymore, so I need backups. I love them that much.
vyshka
6091
That looks pretty nice. I might have to make a run to Fry’s and pick one up.
My X52 setup must be at least 8 years old, probably over 10. I have the pedals along with the non-pro HOTAS.
I had a Sidewinder a long time ago (not force feedback). I wish MS was still in that business. They even made a controller for playing RTS games at one point.
I got the new Thrustmaster HOTAS linked a few posts back about three weeks ago and have been very favorably impressed. Seems pretty solid to me. I put it on a lap board (the kind you’d put a laptop computer on) and it works “real slick” as some of my fellow Oregonians say.
The Thrustmaster HOTAS X is still a great choice for Elite for those on a tighter budget.
If you can put up with the Playstation branding, the Thrustmaster Hotas 4 is an iteration of the same model but is supposedly a bit better. It has a smaller dead zone, which means better control over fine movements.
It is PC-compatible and supports firmware upgrades. I’ve got one on order and will report back next week.
https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Flight-Stick-PS4/dp/B015PJ68BK/
The Thrustmaster T.16000M linked up-thread looks really nice, but seems to be out of stock everywhere.
They can’t keep that last one (the T16000.M FCS) on the shelves because it’s the best thing that you can get in that price range (way better IMHO than the current X-52 Pro on sale). Before the T16000.M I had the old TFlight HOTAS X for over two years and was pretty happy with it. I especially liked the space-saving option of using it latched together like that.
That looks like an analog rocker switch on the front of the throttle, similar to what the X-36 had. It’d be really neat to have both that and a twist-axis on the stick.
I wonder if you ended up with mine? I left mine in Seattle, given to a roommate. He was going to sell them all either through craigslist or ebay.
I’m personally comfortable with the choice I made. I chose to keep the Precision Pro, and give away the 3D Pro, the Logitech Force Feedback stick and the Sidewinder Force Feedback 2. Both of the force feedback sticks just took up too much desk space, and while I loved the 3D Pro, the Precision Pro was just better. And it’s small enough that after I got married, it’s never drawn the aggro from my wife. I can just imagine the reaction if I’d chosen to keep the Force Feedback 2 instead. I loved that stick, but I think I made the right decision for the long term viability of keeping a joystick around.
Btw, I bought all these sticks around 1999 or 2001, in that time span. Microsoft always made really good hardware. My wired 360 controller bought in 2005 is still working flawlessly too. My first laser mouse, the Intellimouse, last until last year, bought in 1999. And the only reason I had to replace it was because the mousewheel was acting up.
Huh, the first one I purchased was via an electronics retailer on ebay, located in Seattle, who refurbishes them.
vyshka
6099
My local Fry’s electronics apparently has it in stock. Now just to convince my wife that more spending this month is needed.
Papageno
6100
Hey guys, what’s the story with Black Box retrieval missions these days? I picked up one from Tshang Station (from the last CG) and went to the system they said to… Only found one (of apparently two), but if you only have one they don’t let you turn the mission in, is that right (I got one and came back to the station, and it was like they didn’t know me)? What kinds of USSs should I look into? Combat aftermath? Encoded whatsits? Degraded emissions?
