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Thread: POLL: Joystick or Mouse ?
This is a touchy subject for me. I love JtL. I like everything about it. Its a great space sim, thats not too complex, but has a lot of depth (granted there is a lot of room for more). Ive been dying for a great space sim with good gameplay for a long time, and JtL is as good as any. Theres just a few problems I have with this.
Mouse
I started out with the mouse and was actually very successful with it. I am a long time FPS gamer and I guess this sort of thing just came naturally. I was counfounded though with the lack of content in space, and as a result, I more or less ignored it (and the entire game really) for five months while I waited out the CU on other games.
Still, I was pretty good with the mouse setup. I had my keys all custom mapped to where I could really just do anything and everything without having to move my hands all over the place. However, when I came back after that break.... I dont know WHAT SOE did to this game, but ever since they did it, my Mouse (Crosshair) pointer has been laggy, laggy, laggy. I cant even begin to explain this, but basically, whether Im in Space or on the ground, if Im in Crosshair mode, my mouse lags about a half a second behind when I actually move my mouse. When its in pointer mode, it morks perfectly. This isnt so much a problem on the ground, but in Space, it more or less ruined the entire experience for me. I cant fly at all because whenever I want to move my ship in a certain direction, the Crosshair is actualyl a half second behind me.
Before anyone starts asking questions... No, I dont have a wireless mouse, yes, I have updated and reinstalled all drivers for every peice of hardware on my PC possible, no I do not have my system overclocked, yes I have 1 gig of RAM, yes I have tried other mice, yes I called technical support, no they had no idea what my problem was..... I soon came to grips after about a month of trying to resolve the mouse lag, that I woul dtry out a joystick as it was appearant I couldnt stand having a laggy mouse at the helm.
Joystick
The Joystick definitely helps with the whole "Im in a Starship." feeling. However, I am just not able to use this Joystick. Maybe its this particular one, but I read it as one of the best you could get - Logitech EXTREME 3D PRO. Ive found that it has lots of functionality, but the handling of it is just too tight and precise. When I fly, I like to give the ship a little freedom, but with this thing, what it says goes. I know that sounds weird, but more or less, its a very tight feel. The center of the stick is very heavy, and it requires quite a bit of pressure to move it in any direction. it requires even more effort to keep it in that direction without it returning to its rightly position in the center. I feel like Im working out with it. Just not very fluid. Its just got very heavy springs that Im not liking at all.
Also, its peculiar that even though youre using a Joystick, youre still required to use the keyboard and mouse for some instances. its a hastle to shift from one to the other. I just feel like Im doing more workthan I need to if that makes any sense at all.
Overall
Im going to say that I am a Mouse guy. Some people may say its less skillfull, but I disagree entirely if you have to put up with what I do with this stupid mouse lag. Im going to unplug this Joystick, and just pray that one day SOE will fix it. By the way, the Lag seems to have a lot to do with some rendering issue. And before you ask.... it does it whether I have graphics maxed or at minimum. It doesnt stop. Im more than positive it has to do with some kind of glow effect they put on the HUD now. At any rate. I recoomend using a Mouse if for no other reason than its a large hastle to try and have three input devices running all at the same time.
What would be cool is if I could find a Flight Device that was like... a wheel, but not really a wheel. More like an old Bomber type Flight Panel where you have two handles and.... you know what I mean. Anyone have anything like that? Any recommendations?
Draxious wrote:Neither.
I use an Xbox Controller converted to be compatible for the computer. Works awesome and fits in the palm of your hands.
While reading your post, this came immediately to mind. "Fits in the palm of your hands" indeed.
Saitek X52 - it rocks. The separate Throttle really make a difference.
Honestly say makes it so much fun up there.
Treena_Daal wrote:
I have a joystick, and after much practice I can now honestly say...
...that I am complete rubbish with it. I keep trying, but every day I grow more and more tempted to just unplug it and go back to the mouse. It wasn't so bad with my Bomber, but I got a TIE Interceptor today (how in the nine hells do you people fit ANYTHING into one of those?), and it's too bloddy fast for me to even think of using the joystick with. I just can't do it. I imagine that the joystick will go within a few days. I am not capable of learning how to control something that fast.
As to the interceptor...carefully. According to a shipwright and fellow Imp pilot I know, the best way is to fly it with tier III engine, reactor, and capacitor, and use overdrive droid commands to fly it (got Engine Overload III, Reactor Overload III, Capacitor Overload III, and Weapon Overload III chips for my flight computer, gonna have to find out tonight hopefully if Sunrunner isn't down again if he's right, otherwise I'll be flying the Bantha Bus--the bomber that is--to get through tier III on my way to tier 4).
I'll be finding out how I do with a joystick in a couple days, to get back on topic
I got a Logitech stick that's a piece of crap, so I've been mousing it; we'll see if the Saitech Cyborg Evo I've heard recommended on this forum and which had such high reviews when I researched it does any better. Hope it all works out, the Interceptor is the best-looking Imp ship in my opinion, I want to use it to the fullest.
Draxious wrote:Neither.
I use an Xbox Controller converted to be compatible for the computer. Works awesome and fits in the palm of your hands.
If the joystick doesn't work for me, I might be doing something similar...I've got a Thrustmaster game pad that's basically a Playstation gamepad made for the PC. Won't have that 'real pilot' feel, but if it gives me the control I need...I officially and appropriately don't give a flying.
Had a friend using a mouse and keyboard, talked into a joustick and he is lov'n it. Only reason I never tried a console pad was because I wanted the feel of a stick like in a aircraft, but always wonder what a xbox controller would feel like.