Dual Hotas---HELP

[Deroth]

@Blind Owl, I've read about issues that some had in the past when using multiple of the exact same device (example: 2x T16000), from the most recent I've read this should be fixed but I still occasionally ran into issues where SC would reverse them after computer restarts based off which loaded first.
To address this I use T.A.R.G.E.T. from the Thrustmaster site.

 

[Deroth]

That's what I'm talkiing about. So you can point your nose at the target and strafe right while you yaw left, and you essentially rotate around the target while keeping it in your sights. That's a brawler move! and exctly what I want. And if i understand, you can't do that effectively without a second stick? You can't bind the little top-hat joystick at the top of the main stick to strafe, or it is just not as precise/effective?

That is more of an on/off (100%/0%) using HAT, whereas using dual sticks you can fine tune the exact amount of strafe you need.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

That's all the convincing I need. I'll go for two sticks. Thanks guys!

 

[marcsand2]

you can't do that effectively without a second stick? You can't bind the little top-hat joystick at the top of the main stick to strafe, or it is just not as precise/effective?

It is less precise, like @Deroth said, it involves multiple movements on one hand and it hinders your flight movement. I started with a cheap flightstick and the G13 with its analog thumbstick, which wasn't bad. Then I switched to Warthog HOTAS. I immediately missed the analog thumbstick and had to use a HAT switch on the throttle. This wasn't very satisfying. The HAT switch was digital and needed much more power to keep it in one direction. The Thumb hats on the throttle weren't usable, if you change throttle, then the orientation of the thumb hat also changes. The strafe stick simply is the best way to handle strafe, especially during fine maneuvering.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

In Mechwarrior it is much simpler since you have fewer degrees of freedom, but the standard tactic for close in combat (brawler) is always run at full speed in a curve with your turret turned at 90*, and tap into the curve as you run in order to keep the crosshairs on your target. This actually causes the corsshairs to cross back and forth across the center of the target and at close range you can not only time your shots to best effect, you can select specific components like a leg to disable quickly.

I never see SC vids with pilots selecting parts of craft as targets, but my guess is especially against larger craft we'll see this in the future. If you're trying to disable and board a StarG, you ought to be able to select just their turrets and engines and take them out, etc.

 

[marcsand2]

I never see SC vids with pilots selecting parts of craft as targets, but my guess is especially against larger craft we'll see this in the future. If you're trying to disable and board a StarG, you ought to be able to select just their turrets and engines and take them out, etc.

That is because until 3.4, it wasn't possible to target sub components. Now it is, but only effective against large targets.

 

[Blind Owl]

I'm not sure when you took a break but i had no problem using four devices lately. Might be depending on the input device ofc.

I'll give it a shot. Soon. Haha

@Blind Owl, I've read about issues that some had in the past when using multiple of the exact same device (example: 2x T16000), from the most recent I've read this should be fixed but I still occasionally ran into issues where SC would reverse them after computer restarts based off which loaded first.
To address this I use T.A.R.G.E.T. from the Thrustmaster site.

I remember @CrudeSasquatch having this issue with dual t16000s. I'll just have to connect everything and see what's happening. It's has been a couple years, lol

 

[marcsand2]

I'll give it a shot. Soon. Haha

I remember @CrudeSasquatch having this issue with dual t16000s. I'll just have to connect everything and see what's happening. It's has been a couple years, lol

T16000s can be setup as 2 different sticks and then get 2 different hardware IDs. I think that it is is jumper on the stick. 2 Warthogs have both the same hardware ID. That also is a reason why I can't use Target.

 

[Mich Angel]

T16000s can be setup as 2 different sticks and then get 2 different hardware IDs. I think that it is is jumper on the stick. 2 Warthogs have both the same hardware ID. That also is a reason why I can't use Target.

Yes you can make T16000 as one left stick one right stick with a switch under it.

 

[Blind Owl]

T16000s can be setup as 2 different sticks and then get 2 different hardware IDs. I think that it is is jumper on the stick. 2 Warthogs have both the same hardware ID. That also is a reason why I can't use Target.

I'm using a Thrust master HOTAS and a t16000. So hopefully it all reads properly.

 

[marcsand2]

I'm using a Thrust master HOTAS and a t16000. So hopefully it all reads properly.

I don't use Target and bind everything in SC options. SC does recognize both sticks. They have the same HW ID but a different controller IDs. That shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Blind Owl]

Awesome. Thanks Marc. I'll try it all out this weekend once I get my new desk built.

 

[Blind Owl]

Hey @marcsand2, @Mich Angel, and any one else with input: what buttons do you end up using the most? What are the ones I should have bound to the top of my x55? I currently have all weapons, as well as target nearest hostile, cycle hostiles, and cycle all. I was thinking about the look ahead and reticle focus, etc, but I have no idea what any of these really do. I basically have three hats available on my right hand flight stick that I want to end up utilizing with those controls that are used all the time. Stuff in combat, etc.

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

 

[Deroth]

Hey @marcsand2, @Mich Angel, and any one else with input: what buttons do you end up using the most? What are the ones I should have bound to the top of my x55? I currently have all weapons, as well as target nearest hostile, cycle hostiles, and cycle all. I was thinking about the look ahead and reticle focus, etc, but I have no idea what any of these really do. I basically have three hats available on my right hand flight stick that I want to end up utilizing with those controls that are used all the time. Stuff in combat, etc.

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

Countermeasures should be an early accessible bind button.

 

[Mich Angel]

Hey @marcsand2, @Mich Angel, and any one else with input: what buttons do you end up using the most? What are the ones I should have bound to the top of my x55? I currently have all weapons, as well as target nearest hostile, cycle hostiles, and cycle all. I was thinking about the look ahead and reticle focus, etc, but I have no idea what any of these really do. I basically have three hats available on my right hand flight stick that I want to end up utilizing with those controls that are used all the time. Stuff in combat, etc.

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

On my right stick top buttons I have fire 1, fire 2, fire missile and decouple toggle. On right mini thumb stick it's target nearest hostile, cycle hostile, cycle friendly and look behind.

On the left stick top buttons I have afterburner(on fire 1), boost(on fire2), missile target lock(missile lock on left stick and fire on right stick speed up the missile target to fire).
Then landing gear toggle up/down and when down hold same button to activate auto landing.
So the left mini thumb stick I have Target Focus toggle, Cycle countermeasure, Launch countermeasure, Reticle Mode toggle.

There are many variations and I say as always what works for me might not be what works for you.
But I have eliminated key buttons over time as what I use the most during flight and combat,
this is the one setup I use the most so a quick access to them make it a lot easier to focus on the flight.

Side note: the look ahead, gimbal lock etc.. is stuff you should set up either before taking off, or just when you have taken off before interacting in any travel.
(this need to be set once, game will remember last setting on them most of the times and it follows what ever ship you fly.)
it's rare you need to change any of them at all I have mine set to the way I like it and never change them so having a quick access to such functions is really not needed.
You should figure out those and how you want them in a secure calm environment like free flight Arena commander...

Then get a feel for the key setting you done, I always jump in to a single play pirate swarm and test it out so it feels natural to use the configuration or if I need to change some.
When I have a setup I am comfortable with I export the setup so I always can reload it back in if settings get reset after a update. (keep a back up copy outside game folder)

To load in your key settings use "tilde" bring up console and type in " pp_rebindkeys layout_NAME OF YOUR FILE_exported.xml " hit enter now all is back to where it was last exported.
Where the exported XML file should be here... XX:\Roberts Space Industries\StarCitizen\LIVE\USER\Controls\Mappings


CHEERS!

 

[marcsand2]

right hand:

• trigger: firegroup 1 / firegroup 1 + 2
• right side button: decoupled
• pinky switch: launch counter measures
• pinky lever: cycle counter measures
• side thumb hat:
  • reticle focus
  • cycle hostile
  • cycle hostile back
  • nearest hostile
  • (push) reticle mode
• top button: lock missile
• top hat:
  • zoom in
  • zoom out
  • toggle lights
  • look back
• top hat:
  • increased weapon power
  • increase shields power
  • increase avionics power
  • reset power
• top hat:
  • increase power
  • decrease power
  • power min
  • power max

left hand:

• trigger: firegroup 2 / firegroup 1 + 2
• right side button: gimball lock
• pinky switch: look ahead
• pinky lever: push to talk
• side thumb hat:
  • cycle friendly
  • cycle friendly back
  • cycle sub-target
  • cycle sub-target back
  • (push) reset sub-target
• top button: launch missile
• top hat:
  • boost
  • afterburner
  • match target
  • space-brake
• top hat:
  • shields front
  • shields back
  • shields left
  • shields right
• top hat:
  • increase cooler
  • decrease cooler
  • 
    

Throttle:

• flight ready
• spool QT drive / quantum drive
• landing mode
• exit seat
• power toggle
• eject
• self destruct
• lock ship
• unlock ship
• open doors
• close doors
• ESP toggle
• G-force safety
• Comstab
• target focus
• Turret gyro
• ....

 

[marcsand2]

A few macros also help a lot. I use tablet(s) with LEA Extended input and a G13 gamepad to run macros.

Power for example and shields before they got borked had an analog, timed input.
Hold the button 1 second, 20% power allocation or shield energy go that direction. During combat this isn't very practical. You must push the button and check on the MFD if you put enough or not too much power/energy to that direction.
Instead I use timed keypress macros.

Switching weapon groups to left right trigger I do with 3 firegroup xmls. 1 all left, one all right, one divided over both triggers.
A keystroke macro opens the console, executes a pp_rebind script and closes the console again.
Usually I prefer to use only 1 trigger, but when flying in the Delta (guns / rockets) or Warlock, (EMP / guns), I must use both triggers.

For scanning I also use a timed keystroke macro to start charging scanning and scan at 100%. Button is timed disabled until cooldown is ready. A few extra keyboard bindings.

 

[Blind Owl]

Holy crap. Thanks boys. This is awesome. I've gotten myself to a baseline with my keybinds, thank to you lads. I'll start fine-tuning here in the very near future. Marc, once I get in to this I may pester you some more about these macros.

Cheers lads. You've helped immensely.

 

[sovapid]

Switching weapon groups to left right trigger I do with 3 firegroup xmls. 1 all left, one all right, one divided over both triggers.
A keystroke macro opens the console, executes a pp_rebind script and closes the console again.
Usually I prefer to use only 1 trigger, but when flying in the Delta (guns / rockets) or Warlock, (EMP / guns), I must use both triggers.

This is a genius idea.

 

[marcsand2]

I may pester you some more about these macros.

Pester as much as you like, maybe I even can hook you up some custom MFDs