Minimum controller setup needed?

[Moose-On-Fire]

Hi all,

 

I have read a few glowing reviews of A-10C and am intrigued by the game, but I do not own a stick and I am unwilling to spend lots of money on a top-end control system. What is the minimum I could invest in a controller setup and still enjoy the game? Would a standard keyboard and mouse with a generic joystick be sufficient? Thanks in advance for your help.

[cichlidfan]

Hi all,

 

I have read a few glowing reviews of A-10C and am intrigued by the game, but I do not own a stick and I am unwilling to spend lots of money on a top-end control system. What is the minimum I could invest in a controller setup and still enjoy the game? Would a standard keyboard and mouse with a generic joystick be sufficient? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Before anyone gets too deep into a response, and there will be plenty, it would be useful if you would define "lots of money".

 

No offense, it will just give everyone a target ballpark of what you might be able to get.

 

That aside, you can do it with a minimal setup, how well it works will depend how deep you wish to get into the sim and how creative you are with your options.

 

Welcome, btw!:D

[KTLeth_61]

on a-10=-c

 

you are looking at , maybe 30 to or over 100 bucks u.s. on joystikes. its all up to you. on joy sticks the more money , the more bottens on joystick and less keybord ,. me i have a x-52 not the pro:)

[Moose-On-Fire]

My question was mainly motivated by a couple of reviews, which included the following passages:

 

From Gaming Nexus

 

"The bad news is this: to realize the full, vast potential of DCS A-10C, you’re going to need some hardware. It’s probably obvious with a flight sim that you’re going to need a TrackIR head position sensor, and it should be at least equally as obvious that you’re going to need a good flight stick, rudder pedals, and throttle quadrant. The problem is that not just any flight stick/throttle quadrant will do. To utilize the ultra-high fidelity of the DCS A-10C aircraft controls, you really need an ultra-high fidelity A-10 controller...This isn’t to say that you can’t get by with a good Logitech flight stick and the keyboard, but attempting to do so will add layers of frustration to the process".

 

From IGN

 

"A10C is best run with a true, two-handed HOTAS device to ensure you have most/all of the primary commands at your fingertips. Tried and true systems such as the Saitek X52 Flight Control System, Saitek X45 Flight Control System, Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Flight Stick, or Saitek PRO Flight X-65F Combat Control System are recommended. At the very least, you'll absolutely require a good quality, mega-button joystick – both Thrustmaster and CH Products produce solid gear".

 

I am not a flight sim enthusiast (as is no doubt evident from the fact I don't already own a suitable controller), so I have no desire to fork out money for expensive hardware for a single game. I basically wish to know the bare minimum that I could spend on a controller and still enjoy the game.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Moose-On-Fire

[159th_Viper]

Welcome :)

 

Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X will cost you £25.

 

Will do the job but your workload will increase dramatically........So it's a catch-22 really. Spend more and work less: Spend less and work more, which in turn can adversely affect your enjoyment of the SIM.

 

That said - it's only really relevant if you wish to play the SIM on simulation settings - It is very scalable from Game to SIM settings so you'll no doubt do fine with the above Flight Control system.

[Bucic]

It all has been discussed through here

Scaring off the newbies?

 

Very simple and good answers there.

[winz]

You need a stick + some ability control your throttle and rudder => atlest a twisting stick for rudder and some kind of throttle on the stick.

 

I started my DCS flight sim carrier by using a simple Logitech Freedom - http://www.logitech.com/en-za/gaming/joysticks/devices/286

And it was flyable np. And that was for Black Shark that is much harder to keep airborne then a stable fixed wing plane. You'll just have to use the keyboard alot.

 

If you'll get hooked then be sure then you'll spent money for the 'fancy stuff'. Not because you need to, but because you want to get maximum from the sim. But these things aren't mandatory, they just make flying more convient and immersive.

 

Products like these quickly move from 'another game' to hobby and passion.

[Snaut]

You don't need a huge two handed HOTAS and pedals kit to enjoy the sim on a basic level.

 

A decent compact joystick will do, but make sure it has a twist grip (to assign the rudder) and an integrated throttle. I'll say around 30$-40$.

There is great flexibility in assigning controls in game - you can define modifier keys to reuse buttons and control axes.

[Moose-On-Fire]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll check out your suggestions.

[112th_Rossi]

Try and get a stick thats programmable. That way you can maximise the use of the buttons.

[EtherealN]

Try and get a stick thats programmable. That way you can maximise the use of the buttons.

 

There shouldn't be a need for external programming - you can assign any button (on keyboard as well as joystick) as a modifier through the in-game control configuration screens.

[112th_Rossi]

Some you can script. That might expand the possibilities.

 

Also in A10C if you assign a modifier, it becomes a modifier and only a modifier. With some programming software you could assign it as a button when pressed on its own. Also, if the stick has multiple modes that expands the possibilities even further.

[Frostiken]

A head tracking solution is also pretty mandatory. TrackIR is the only commercial product available, but if you have some technical skills and free time, you can pursue a FreeTrack solution.

[KTLeth_61]

look up ToWch he flys the a-10. and he's good. last i know, he did not use TAC. IR and did not spend lots of money

[hawk2495]

I would say if you are looking for a not-so-expensive, but sturdy HOTAS system, I would have to recommend CH. The fighterstick USB and pro-throttle USB give you most of the HOTAS controls you need, and are tough as hell. The two, shouldn't set you back more than $250 US. With the programming software and very active community, you can set them up to do anything you need. I've had CH products for a while, starting with a combatstick USB. I stowed it in a box that kept getting beat around for close to six months. Pulled it out one day, hooked it up, did a quick calibration, and I was good to go. No jumpy axis, or malfunctioning buttons, like I've had with some saitek and logitech sticks I've owned in the past.

[snwboardn]

To each their own... I didn't spend 250 on my x52 pro, which I am very happy with... I will tell you I bought the game and I had an old saitek 6 button joystick with one hat, I played for about 5 minutes, turned it off and bought my x52 and didn't even attempt to play until it came in the mail.

 

Like everyone else has said it isn't that it is impossible, but the game is so damn demanding that even with a top notch joystick it will take you at least a few days to remember the main functions... and trying to pull out of a dive and set your targeting pod on the next target while maintaining control would drive me insane with one hand on my joystick and one on my keyboard.

[KTLeth_61]

250$ WOW.250$ WOW.thats a lot of money

[WarriorX]

250$ WOW.250$ WOW.thats a lot of money

 

It's all relative.

[EtherealN]

Heh, 250... Converting from my currency I spent $640 on my HOTAS - plus of course the $240 dollar pedals. And ~$200 on a TrackIR on top of that. Now THAT is when it starts becoming "a lot of money". >.<

 

All of them were more than worth the money I paid for them though. I'm just fortunate in only having cats as dependents, and they (almost) feed themselves during the summer. :)

 

And of course, numbers are a bit deceiving there since the exchange rate is wonky, and it includes our taxes. I saw amazon has the TM Hog HOTAS at ~440 dollars US. You definitely can get away with a lot less if you're on a budget - x52's work fine and cost next to nothing and have a twist-stick for rudder.

[rud]

I'm going to try to make a video this week that shows the sheer amount of awesome fun one can have in the A-10C using a standard keyboard and mouse. I swear it works really well, but there aren't a lot of voices expressing similar opinion. I've also got a full controller setup (HOTAS, pedals, TrackiR), I've been on both sides of the fence and the grass is green everywhere.

 

DCS has some of the best support for controller customization, the programmers obviously spent some time making cursor key input smooth and effective, and it has the very best mouse look of any 3D game (5 DOF with my mouse? Thanks!). All of that adds up to a surprisingly fun ride without the need to buy more peripherals than you want.

[EtherealN]

That would actually be nice if you would do. It's so easy to nerd out and get used to all the gizmos. I personally really-really don't want to fly without my TrackIR (I even wear the clip in the real planes! :D ), but that doesn't change that I played IL-2 religiously for many many years with just the mouse and didn't really feel that there was a problem.

 

In a similar vein, I get frustrated whenever something doesn't have 6DOF, but that didn't stop me from having total loads of fun with EF2000 back in the days...

 

So if you can stand it, please do make a video that offers a counter-point. With all the sim fanatics we have here it might be more a more representative response to the people that would ask this question than people like myself can actually give. :)

[Migo]

Look at me guys, I owned a Hotas Warthog and TIR 5 but I'm flying with keyboard and mouse right now and having a lot of fun. I can do everything, just not as smooth as with a hotas, but I can still complete and survive my missions and land as soft as one can do it :)

[KTLeth_61]

set up

 

i buy the x52 when it first came out it was 120$ not pro. then two YRS. later i buy the TRAC.IR.4 for 140$ 2yr.later i buy s.tec.pedals for 140$ .it take me a long time for all this.i will like to get TRAC.IR 5. but i not think i will spend more $$. MAN you guys are going all out on this.the more you spend the more fun.:megalol:

[fzfq3m]

I'm going to try to make a video this week that shows the sheer amount of awesome fun one can have in the A-10C using a standard keyboard and mouse. I swear it works really well, but there aren't a lot of voices expressing similar opinion. I've also got a full controller setup (HOTAS, pedals, TrackiR), I've been on both sides of the fence and the grass is green everywhere.

 

DCS has some of the best support for controller customization, the programmers obviously spent some time making cursor key input smooth and effective, and it has the very best mouse look of any 3D game (5 DOF with my mouse? Thanks!). All of that adds up to a surprisingly fun ride without the need to buy more peripherals than you want.

 

My X52 would be perfect if the mini mouse stick had the precision of a conventional mouse... those 5DOF on my HOTAS!!!! Priceless :D

[Jimmah]

I've been playing with a 2nd hand TrackIR 4 I got cheap online, plus a Saitek Cyborg EVO.

 

The stick isn't ideal, but has throttle & twist rudder. 5 buttons, hat switch, and a trigger up top, plus 6 on the pedestal will do the trick, as I've programmed 3 of the pedestal buttons to act as modifiers. That way I can control trim, TMS, DMS, slew, SOI, Hud modes, & china hut functions from what is a pretty simple stick. I'd say a basic, programmable joystick like this is the minimum controller. You could probably get one for USD$50-80