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Joystick recommendations.


ChrisWerb

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Mouse or joystick comes down to personal preference, personally I hate using a mouse to aim the gun, it just doesn't feel right to me, having said that there are people here that use a mouse

very effectively, definitely better than I use a joystick, there's no right or wrong, only what feels right for you.

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38 minutes ago, Crusty said:

Mouse or joystick comes down to personal preference, personally I hate using a mouse to aim the gun, it just doesn't feel right to me, having said that there are people here that use a mouse

very effectively, definitely better than I use a joystick, there's no right or wrong, only what feels right for you.

 

Hi Crusty. I'm used to real world shooting with something that has a pistol grip and a trigger - in gaming I have only used a mouse for c. 20 years an that includes >16,000 battles in WoT, so I'm pretty well conditioned to using a mouse. My thinking was the mouse would be dual purpose and I could more easily click on things on the screen  more intuitively when I had to rather than having to let go of the HOTAS and grab the mouse, then revert back again. That's theoretical of course - I haven't tried it yet.

Edited by ChrisWerb
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1 hour ago, Crusty said:

..,, there's no right or wrong, only what feels right for you.

 

+1

 

I have a joystick at home, but hardly ever use it.

 

My job often requires me to travel around the country to instruct on and run SB Pro sessions. As a result I need to be able to use whatever is "in the room" and whatever the Training Audience has.

 

No point in me packing a joystick, spending time setting it up in location and then telling people to "do this" whilst I use a joystick and they are trying to follow using a mouse.

 

So I've just gotten used to using a Mouse and its fine for me, plus playing as a vehicle commander or higher I tend to rely on the AI gunner(s) to take the shot, but YMMV.

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I have a Thrustmaster T.16000, and it's nice, but it takes up topo much desktop real estate if you actually want to get some work done. So, it's within reach, but rarely connected. For most Steel Beasts work I use a mouse - programmable, and with a few more buttons than simpler models (a Sharkoon Fireglider, if you must know), but none of the programmed functions are actually Steel Beasts related (but... they could be). Also I'm using a keyboard with lots of programmable macro keys (but again, none of them are SB specific).

 

I must confess though that my actual play time with SB Pro has shrunk over the past years so I am hardly the authoritative source when it comes to choosing the optimal hardware. That said, the mouse doesn't seem to cost an arm and a leg, so it's at least worth a try. If you feel happy with a 4x4 button matrix for your thumb this may very well be everything that you need. In the worst case you end up with a mouse where you use fewer buttons than it has (but probably still more than what you currently have) and you can still go for a joystick. The T.16000 is dirt cheap for a programmable multi-button precision joystick (if compared to, say, the Warthog), so it's not like you're in danger of wasting enormous amounts of money if seen in relation to the costs of the Steel Beasts license - and the new PC that you seem to have ordered for it.

In short, try out the mouse first IMO. If it fits the bill - excellent. If not, it will still have its use and you can still try out a joystick.

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1 hour ago, Homer said:

The Saitek AV8R can be found for under 50$.  The software is flexible enough to tune it to your liking and the toggle switches fits right in with SB.

 

 

av8r.jpg

 

This brings me to another thing I don't understand. 

 

By its very nature a toggle switch switches something on that stays on until it is flicked back that way or switches modes between one of two alternatives. Looking at the keyboard map for SB PRO PE, that doesn't fit in well for a lot of things you would want to do where a simple push button would work better. I could see a toggle switch working for switching from co-ax to main and back again, for example. What do you have the toggle switches mapped to on your AV8R?

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Depending on how the toggle switches work, I could see that working for a decent number of functions. Off the top of my head, they could control stabilization mode, white hot/black hot mode, thermal sight/day sight selection, ammo indexing, and commander's override.

 

If it works the way I think it does, those switches could be quite useful.

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I think (I don't own a set) that you'd just turn.

 

At some point the sim understands how tight a turn you want to make and commences a neutral turn (if the vehicle can do one).

 

As its not a tank driver trainer simulator, that stuff is abstracted (hence no / limited instrumentation), and there aren't three different options to make a turn.

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51 minutes ago, ChrisWerb said:

Would wheel imputs work for a tank in SB? How would you neutral steer?

 

No Idea Chris, the idea hasent crossed my head. I do have a Logitech steering wheel but I don´t find it to natural for SB, don´t ask me why, I just don´t see myself driving a tank with a steering wheel.  Yeah I know driving with a keyboard is not natural either, but I guess we are more influenced by other games in that sences I guess.

 

As other´s have quoted here, if you are used to playing WoT with a mouse and key´s, then go for that. As Ssnake said, you wont lose much and either way you can use it for something else.  If you feel comfortable going the MMO mouse route then go for that.  The only advice I can give you regarding a precision mouse with additional buttons is that, the more buttons you have on the mouse, the more finger positions you will need to remember.  Take into account that looking at a programed keyboard be it a G13 type or a full keyboard is not the same as looking at your mouse. You will have to memoriez those mouse buttons.

 

Also, don´t try to fit in all the key options in SB at once.  Program first the basic key´s, then as you learn how SB works and what you need, add them then. At least that´s what Iam doing as a beginner. You don´t want to have to memoriez alot at first as this might get you stressed as you are thinking about other things to do too.  So make it easy for yourself at first and don´t rush your self, SB is big! So step-by-step :smile2:

 

PD.: Regarding the video, I had no idea you could do that in FS2015, and I find that joystick interesting, that´s all.

 

 

Edited by Red2112
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23 hours ago, ChrisWerb said:

 

This brings me to another thing I don't understand. 

 

By its very nature a toggle switch switches something on that stays on until it is flicked back that way or switches modes between one of two alternatives. Looking at the keyboard map for SB PRO PE, that doesn't fit in well for a lot of things you would want to do where a simple push button would work better. I could see a toggle switch working for switching from co-ax to main and back again, for example. What do you have the toggle switches mapped to on your AV8R?

The toggle switches are not really toggle switches (single pole single throw, like light switches).  They are actually 2 way momentary switches (up or down then self centers).  What you get is eventually 8 buttons. The center red knob is a 3 way rotary switch which lets you store a set of 8 commands for each of the 3 positions for a total of 24. It does not affect the programming of the joystick buttons unfortunately. I use one position for gunner related like Mirzayev mention. Second position is for TC related. The last position is for general purpose like crew positions and unit switching.  Since there are not enough switches to program everything, the commands not easily reached with the left hand get priority

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3 hours ago, Homer said:

 

I did not like the ergonomics of the G13.  I got a Razor keypad instead.  It's much more comfortable for my big hands.

Iam glad the Razor worked for you Sir. I did check it out but ended up getting the G13. I have long fingers and it fits my hand just right, very happy with it. I plan to get the logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum mouse shortly.

Edited by Red2112
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  • 4 weeks later...

Although this is not a joystick, it is used in multiplayer and might help others decide...

 

Audio-Technica ATR3350:

 

This is a lavalier type small condenser microphone I just picked up at Amazon, price around 30€.  The condenser type mic´s need electrical power, such as SCD and LCD (small/large condenser diaphragm) mic´s which usually get there power via "phantom power".  In the case of the ATR3350 it uses a button type battery which is alocated in a "backpack" with clip.  Life span of the battery is around 1000hrs.  The only issue here is that it has no led to indicate it´s on, or its power is lost, just a power on/off switch.

 

The mic sounds real nice althought you need to tweak you´r onboard sound card. The mic is set to -54db in order not to clip your speakers, so a added boost is needed from your soundcard, a +20db did the trick for me.  This will bring you to a -30db of headroom from the +/-0db standard.

 

Specs:

Element: Condenser (small diaphragm)
Polar Pattern: Omnidirectional
Frequency Response: 50-18,000Hz
Sensitivity: -54db (thus the +20db)
Impendance: 1,000 ohms
Weight: 6g.
Cable: 6mt. terminated with 3.5mm dual mono mini-plug.

 

Pics:

IMG_20161017_125555137_zpsmggnzaky.jpg

 

I put a 1cnt. of an € for comparison to size...

IMG_20161017_125736392_zpsygvjvkw8.jpg

 

How I have it set-up on my headphones...

IMG_20161017_132852824_zpsenqcchwv.jpg

 

There´s a clip on the backpack and mic. (Included).  One of the good things about this set-up is that if your headset (headphones and mic) goes bad you don´t have to throw away the whole set, and that you can always use a pair of headphones or earplugs that you already have.

 

A video from YT...

 

 

 

It is important to have good comm´s in a multiplayer session.  For the life of your team B|

 

Care,

 

Red

Edited by Red2112
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Logitech bought Saitek from Mad Catz last month.

 

I don't recommend buying a Mad Catz products any time soon because their future is not looking too bright.  Earlier this year, they lost their partnership with the Rock Band franchise which was their bread and butter.  The CEO, president, and a senior sales VP resigned, 37% of workforce was cut, and they started saying stuff like, “lowering operating costs, increasing efficiencies and better aligning its workforce with the needs of the business.”   Now they are selling off assets...  

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On 9/14/2016 at 6:11 AM, ChrisWerb said:

Thank you guys. Yes, this helped a lot thank you GibsonM.  When I get stuck into a game, I get stuck into it for literally years, so I don't think I'll need the full HOTAS and separate throttles set-up. I have expensive hobbies, but I would baulk at spending Warthog money, let alone the professional aluminum Leopard set ($1200 in 2006, if you could source one). I'm going to order the TM T1600M. If that doesn't work out or I need a lot more switchology (CV90 series IFVs) I might switch later.

The T16000m is a great choice for the money. It is very precise and uses the same internal hall sensors as their top of the line Warthog. Also, if you are left handed you can physically configure it so.

Edited by Thadwb
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