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Descent seriesNeed a good joystick(21 posts)(21 posts)
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Posted September 30, 2008
I remember doing it with my thrustmaster HOTAS stick/throttle combo way back in the day. If I recall correctly, I set up a hat switch or couple of buttons for lateral and back and forth motion,I think with my thumb. (I recall there being two thumb buttons or a thumb button and thumb hat on the thrustmaster throttle.) At any rate it was keyboard free and I had full directional control. Still, I agree Descent is very good with joystick plus keyboard. The main thing is just getting the joystick, not the throttle, for gameplay experience. But a throttle is VERY nice in all flight games. So even if someone doesn't want it for Descent, if you are ever going to play any other flight games, you'll still be glad you bought one.
At least, if it's part of the X-45 or X-52 package for a hundred bucks. Both the stick and throttle get such good reviews that, just me, I wouldn't regret the extra 40 to get a good stick with the upgrade potential of an excellent throttle.
Posted October 09, 2008
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wingmanjd: I don't mean to be slightly off-topic, but learning how to play with keys is (imho) better than a joystick. There's always a keyboard around.
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NamelessFragger: So you're saying that games like Falcon 4.0 and IL-2 Sturmovik are better played keyboard-only just because not everyone will have a high-end HOTAS + rudder pedals + TrackIR? Admitted, those are very different games from Descent, but the point I'm trying to make is that just because an input device is ubiquitous does not mean that it's the best for everything. Something like Descent would really benefit from analog control in all directions unless you're very good at being a human digital-to-analog converter movement-wise, if you ask me, though I could see it being somewhat playable with just a keyboard. Good luck trying to perform in-flight refueling or precision shooting with only a keyboard, though-you'll need it!

I see your point. A joystick is much better for other flight games (Freespace, Commanche series, Crimson Skies) but for me and Descent, the joystick takes too long to switch directions. And yes, I am a good digital-analog converter :-D. But I do see your point.
Posted October 09, 2008
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NamelessFragger: So you're saying that games like Falcon 4.0 and IL-2 Sturmovik are better played keyboard-only just because not everyone will have a high-end HOTAS + rudder pedals + TrackIR? Admitted, those are very different games from Descent, but the point I'm trying to make is that just because an input device is ubiquitous does not mean that it's the best for everything. Something like Descent would really benefit from analog control in all directions unless you're very good at being a human digital-to-analog converter movement-wise, if you ask me, though I could see it being somewhat playable with just a keyboard. Good luck trying to perform in-flight refueling or precision shooting with only a keyboard, though-you'll need it!
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wingmanjd: I see your point. A joystick is much better for other flight games (Freespace, Commanche series, Crimson Skies) but for me and Descent, the joystick takes too long to switch directions. And yes, I am a good digital-analog converter :-D. But I do see your point.

If you play it best with the keyboard, then you should probably stick with it. Who knows-you might just end up fragging the joystick jockeys a lot in a heated Descent multiplayer match for all I know.
That's the thing I like about PC gaming-when it comes to controls, you have choices. Keyboard, mouse, cheap twisty-stick, full-blown HOTAS with rudder pedals, 6DoF controllers like the SpaceOrb, and perhaps a TrackIR on top of whatever you're using-you'll undoubtedly find a control method that you like.
Posted November 02, 2008
Sorry for a slightly off topic post here, but I just loaded and am trying to play Descent or Descent 2 with my MS Sidewinder, Precision 2. Can't get the hat button to work to control Slides (left, right, up, down) or to bank the ship when I put the stick to left or right.
Any suggestions welcome.
blt.t90@comcast. net
Posted November 03, 2008
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45auto: Sorry for a slightly off topic post here, but I just loaded and am trying to play Descent or Descent 2 with my MS Sidewinder, Precision 2. Can't get the hat button to work to control Slides (left, right, up, down) or to bank the ship when I put the stick to left or right.
Any suggestions welcome.
blt.t90@comcast. net

Use your gog data with D2X-XL.
Post edited November 03, 2008 by WillyP
Posted November 08, 2008
I've played D1-3 on a Flight Stick using the keybord where necessary, at the time it was the best way to play it IMHO. Once I bought it here @ GoG I tried using the dual analog of my 360 controller - what a difference! Setting the right stick as look and the left analog as thrust/reverse and strafe sets this game up the way it's meant to be played as far as I'm concerned.
You end up needing Xpadder to use the triggers as fire 1 and 2 (I setup start as ESC and Down on the Hat Switch for Incoming messages - Shift - F8). Attached is a screencap from my D3 layout.
Just my 2 cents.
Attachments:
d3.jpg (271 Kb)
Post edited November 08, 2008 by Mobeeuz
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Descent seriesNeed a good joystick(21 posts)(21 posts)
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