Just posted this in the question about Mac sticks - just wondered what other people do...
I have swapped and you do not need keyboard at all with the Hotas X... Whilst flying. I use keyboard in station though.
I haven't bound anything to the twist, I have it set same as the rocker for yaw.
Yes, I did Google Hotas X and edit one someone else done, the buttons on the throttle are slightly out of place, still - you get the idea.
Credit to Smacker from the Frontier Forums for the Hotas X pic. Button layout choices are mine.
This is the pilot seat:
The act of talking b*ll*cks whilst waving one's arms about wildly is referred to as testiculation.
I use it for docking, if I'm waiting in the queue and have the time for exact alignment, I use it for aiming to the side (mostly for targeting ships, rarely to use the mining laser), and I use it if I'm trying to maintain formations with NPC ships, e.g. for photographic reasons. I never use it in combat, and only rarely to correct my docking alignment while I'm moving. But having been a real live (glider) pilot, I'd probably use more yaw if I had pedals...
"You wouldn't kill me just for a few credits, would you?" – "No, I'll do it just for the fun!"
Good thing I'm not a real pilot. Maybe it's because I'm a real live car driver and it's more natural for me. On the other hand, I use that configuration since Descent Freespace (Conflict Freespace)... no, even since Descent from interplay (mid 90's).
I'm using yaw only for docking
I'm using yaw for docking and aligning a bit.
YAW!?!? OMG! YAW! GREAT SCOTT!
I'm using yaw for everything. It's a great product and gets stains out of everything
Actually I'm a little bit shocked, that all of you think my configuration is THAT wierd. I thought more people would use it.
I had to play Oolite with the keyboard at first and the wasd-pitch/roll combination was the horror. (That and the missing sensitivity of keyboard inputs. You just can press the w-key half-deep.) The pitch/yaw combination is deadly in my hands.(For the pirates that is.) Aiming in-game became that much easier for me, it felt like cheating.
The original Elite had no yaw at all. It was strange in the beginning but even at the time (I was around 17) it seemed logical after some thinking. Planes lean into curves to keep the passengers in their seats and the coffee in the cups. This is done by balancing gravity and centrifugal force, and the necessary roll angle can be calculated from speed and curve radius. But if there is no gravity, you must roll 90° into a curve, regardless of speed and radius. And that's what Elite forced players to do!
"You wouldn't kill me just for a few credits, would you?" – "No, I'll do it just for the fun!"
In this case pitching the nose down with the same turning speed as up, shouldn't be allowed be the game, because of the negative G. It wouldn't be healthy. If it would be more or less healthy, than being vaporized by laser fire s another question.
The old elite would have been hard for me. Curiosly I somehow could use this controltype while playing Alite, though.
EDIT:
Offtopic: Btw, how cold is it in your region of Bavaria right now? It's 0:15 and still 5°C here in the center of NRW. I already saw some footage of winter in the news, but haven't seen it in front of my door.
In this case pitching the nose down with the same turning speed as up, shouldn't be allowed be the game, because of the negative G. It wouldn't be healthy.
Actually I thought about this when I was looking at properties for the ship object that could be modified for a more realistic feeling. Yawing and pitching down should be much weaker than pitching up! When I'm playing I instinctively prefer pulling up anyhow, probably because it isn't only easier for the pilot, but also for real-world aeroplanes.
Offtopic: Btw, how cold is it in your region of Bavaria right now? It's 0:15 and still 5°C here in the center of NRW. I already saw some footage of winter in the news, but haven't seen it in front of my door.
We have a clear sky and around 0°C. It will probably freeze a little bit tonight.
"You wouldn't kill me just for a few credits, would you?" – "No, I'll do it just for the fun!"
I have a joystick about the same size like in the first post. I never got used to that, the thing is far too big. I usually use the lower section of it and steer by using two fingers. Pitch and Roll only. Same for flight simulations. The rest of the work is done on the keyboard. Recently I got a game controller and I'll see, if this is more suitable. But otherwise I'm just fine with using the keyboard.
I use yaw only when passing the station while docking to keep it in view out of my port window, while I adjust my position.
I use an ancient Attack3 Logitech 'stick, with only the buttons on the tip of the stick used - ECM, lock missile, fire missile and precision toggle. I can operate all of these with my right hand (thumb) while operating the stick. All other functions are controlled by my left hand on an old keyboard with a custom overlay for legends, and a modified keycontrol.pist.
I rarely use yaw, but will when it is useful.
Commander Smivs, the friendliest Gourd this side of Riedquat.
I think I'll try the Logitech without thrust lever, because on the C-64 I was used to play with joystick and keyboard. And I hate it to have too many buttons on a mouse (3 is enough!), so I might have a problem with buttons all over the place.
And then, one day, I'll perhaps add pedals, because there is still this DC-3 waiting on my hard disk...
"You wouldn't kill me just for a few credits, would you?" – "No, I'll do it just for the fun!"