Pilot Archive
Thread: Flying with a keyboard and mouse.
I am creating a simple little explanation of how I use my keyboard and mouse set up. I know a lot of people use joysticks and think that it is the only way to fly. I personally think that it is all a personal choice. I do not think that one way is any better then another way. It really comes down to what you like better, and what is the most comfortable for you.
The first thing that I recommend id having a good mouse. I use a MS mouse that has 5 buttons and is optical. Having this allows me more flexibility generally gained by using a joystick. Also in the options menu make sure that you select virtual joystick.
Next is how I mapped the buttons on my mouse. Like I state I use a 5-button mouse so I have the two top buttons, the scroll wheel that is also a button and a button on each side the mouse. Now I do want to point one thing out. JTL does not see button 5 (the button on the right side of the mouse - page forward when in IE). Also you can not remap the actual scroll of the wheel (would be perfect for throttle if you could). I mapped the top left button to next target under reticule. This allows me to quickly select a target in front of me as well as scroll through them quickly. The top right button fires my current select weapons group. By holding down the shift key I have it set up so it will select the next weapons group. My scroll wheel is also acts as a button while pushing it in and it is mapped to fire the current selected ordnance group. The button on the left side of the mouse (the page back button for IE) is mapped to target the closest enemy target. Holding down the shift key while pressing this button will select the closest enemy player target. This sums up how my mouse is configured.
As for my keyboard. I use the arrow keys for throttle up, down, and roll left and right. The "Home" key is for full-throttle, and "End" key is for 0 throttle. My "Delete" key is for thrusters and the "Insert" key is for my countermeasures. I up the toolbar with all my special moves and droid commands that I will in battle on f1-f8 ranging from most used to least used. f9-f12 are hyper jump waypoints so that I can easily jump to my most used points. Shift-f1 -Shift-f4 is where I keep all my overload commands. I only need to run these once and I don't need to hit them again.
This is all I really do to set this up. Like I tell everyone. Play around with the different settings to get how you like it. Also if you are just getting JTL and don't already have a joystick, give this a try before you spend extra money on a joystick.
-Zaran
. That's when I decided that the mouse was my thing, and I've been using it ever since. I'm just more comfortable with it, and I have so much practice with it that I can do anything I need to.My control schemes are always kind of silly, but here's what it is. I've got a two button Logitech optical mouse. I have the left button set to fire Weapon 1, and the right button set to fire all weapons. I've never needed countermeasures or missiles so this works out nicely. When I finally decide to get some I'll probably change things around a little bit.
On the keyboard I use the arrow keys for throttle up, back, roll left and right. Number 1 on the NumPad is Target nearest enemy player, number 4 on the NumPad is cycle enemy players, and End is target under reticle.
Hmm, that looks to be about it. I've got the bar on the top with all my droids programs, a hyperspace to Naboo macro, and a throttle down macro (takes me right to the sweet spot). I don't use Page Down because sometimes instead of doing it's job, it tries to do a page down in my chat. Also I have Shift as my booster, and sometimes it goes off while I'm typing, so I'll have to change that.
Now that I've looked at what I've got, I'm probably going to change some things... Regardless, to me a mouse is better than a Joystick.
I find flying with the mouse and keyboard easier then flying with a joystick, especially after playing so many hours of freelancer. The mouse and keyboard setup works very very well in my opinion! I, personally, would never be able to fly the way I do with a joystick.
I keep a joystick on my lap and use my left hand for targeting, CM, booster, and throttle slide (all on the base of the joystick).
This works very well for me and I find I have excellent control. When I tried to use the joystick for piloting, I could hardly keep my target centered, much less get good control.
Ratape wrote:
Unlike you guys, I'm uncool and fly with the default setup. The only thing I struggle with is remembering all the targeting keys
I too started with the mouse from Freelancer. Before Freelancer I was one of those people that said you NEED to have a joystick to fly. Then when Freelancer came out and you had no choice but to use a mouse-well I loved it. When I first got JTL I was thinking about setting up the controls to be exactly as they are in Freelancer and I even kinda had it that way. But I had to make changes due to the fact that you can not throttle control from the scroll wheel. I personally think that if they made it so that the scroll wheel could be used to control throttle and NOT as a camera zoom it would be 10x better. I still don't understand why it has to zoom. If I remember correctly in the options I selected virtual joystick and NOT camera control.
-Zaran
Not to mention that it's also just "more fun", giving a better feel. IMO.
HOWEVER!!!!
In every game I have every played that involved flight/space, the absolute best pilots all used KB/M.
I've even trained a few to be all they could be....
1st_Viduus wrote:Well, I'm a Joystick Jockey, always have been, and tbh for the average pilot that's where you'll get best effectiveness.
Not to mention that it's also just "more fun", giving a better feel. IMO.
HOWEVER!!!!
In every game I have every played that involved flight/space, the absolute best pilots all used KB/M.IF you have the skills, and the patience to truly master KBM, you will outfly and out-aim any JSJ out there.
I've even trained a few to be all they could be....
If you remember Allegience, that game was the same way. I'm thinking the key is the extra accuracy with the mouse. I guess it's kinda that whole idea in racing sims where Force Feedback wheels are more fun, but a non Force Feedback driver does better.
I do have to admit I would like the mouse wheel to do something else besides zoom. Also I have found that I somehow made my cockpit dissapear (not sure how) when I'm zoomed all the way in.
But the keyboard/mouse combo is best for JTL. It just feels better.
