17 replies to this topic

[theghengiskhan]

Wisely, please

First of all, my existing PC is more than capable of handling MWO very smoothly. What I'm looking for are accessories/controllers to make the game experience more in-depth.

I have not gotten in on the Beta, so I don't know exactly what specs/options to look for.

Budget = $250

Wants:
Joystick
Throttle (either bundled with the joystick or separate)
Pedals
Head tracking (I'm OK with modding a cheap webcam + gutting old remote controls)

I've been trying to do some of this research myself and have found quite a few helpful threads here on individual items, but not really anything that has helped me decide which part of this I should spend the bulk of my money on.

Also of note, my PC does not have a game controller port.

From what I've seen of that controller from Razer that has been advertised, I was thinking of possibly just getting a decent joystick and using my old Nostromo 2 (which I had found practically useless for any other games I've played) and binding the thumb wheel to be a throttle control instead.

In the end, I have plans to build myself a cockpit room eventually and would like a very submursive setup, but with having a wife who doesn't understand why I would even want to, I have to keep my budget as low as humanly possible, so for the most part it is going to be built in stages over a period of several months and I don't want to wait until the cockpit is done before I can play MWO.

Edited by theghengiskhan, 02 August 2012 - 09:54 PM.

[theghengiskhan]

Also, another option I'm looking at is a dual-stick setup, using the left stick forward/back for throttle and left/right for rudder control. Anyone have any input on what they prefer for their setups?

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

I too was looking for a dual stick setup, I couldn't find anything I was interested in however.

For now I'm going to stick with my xbox controller, same thing I've been using to play MW4:Mercs with since '08

Edited by mwhighlander, 02 August 2012 - 09:46 AM.

[BoxDrunken]

I seriously want to see pictures of this when you get done.

IS the razor setup advertised on the site a good buy?

[MaKaahn]

derp

[CommanderOSIS]

I have the thrustmaster hotas x. I like it but the fact that the throttle and stick are tethered together kinda sucks. Id look into the saitek x52 if I were you. also check out freetrack.net I think it is. get a 10 dollar MS lifecam 3.0 and make an led hat and youre gtg with head tracking. I did it. awesome on IL2 sturmovik.

[theghengiskhan]

mwhighlander, on 02 August 2012 - 09:46 AM, said:

I too was looking for a dual stick setup, I couldn't find anything I was interested in however.

For now I'm going to stick with my xbox controller, same thing I've been using to play MW4:Mercs with since '08

I'm thinking of dual-stick as in 2 joysticks, one right-handed and one left-handed, sitting on either side of a keyboard (without numberpad).

BoxDrunken, on 02 August 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

I seriously want to see pictures of this when you get done.

IS the razor setup advertised on the site a good buy?

Don't worry, there will be plenty of pictures. Once I get started on the *pit, I will start a worklog thread showing everything from before pics of the area where it's going to be built, all the way through powering up for the first time.

The "Razer" setup is just a concept at this point and has not been put in production so far as anyone knows yet, but it is basically a joystick on one side, a small pad of macro keys with a scroll wheel for a throttle on the other side, with a display screen in between them. (what I'm considering duplicating on my own using my existing http://www.belkin.co...162783]Nostromo N52[/url]

CommanderOSIS, on 02 August 2012 - 09:17 PM, said:

I have the thrustmaster hotas x. I like it but the fact that the throttle and stick are tethered together kinda sucks. Id look into the saitek x52 if I were you. also check out freetrack.net I think it is. get a 10 dollar MS lifecam 3.0 and make an led hat and youre gtg with head tracking. I did it. awesome on IL2 sturmovik.

Freetrack is the route that I'm planning on going for the head tracking. How is the framerate of the lifecam? How easy was the autodarkening to disable?

[theghengiskhan]

As for the dual joystick idea, it would be something like this:
http://www.thenewgam...al_joystick.jpg

Since I am right-handed, I would have the one on the right be for torso movements and targeting/weapons firing.
The stick on the right would be for the typical forward/back/strafe movements, with the left stick twist for turning.


For the idea of using the Nostromo under my left hand, I would use keys on it for strafe movements, the scroll wheel for throttle forward/back, weapon selections, etc... and a joystick on the right the same as above, plus twist for turning left/right.
Something like this:
http://win7andi.file...05/cimg6195.jpg

I'm kind of leaning towards using the Nostromo, since that'll leave a bit more in the budget for a better quality joystick.

Edited by theghengiskhan, 02 August 2012 - 10:06 PM.

[Monsoon]

Have you checked out the dual-stick setup coming out in the future for that Hawkens game?

I'll find you a link...


Edit: http://www.gamefront...eripheral-ever/


Oh, and if you want help spending your money, you can always send it to me, for the new video card I'll be needing soon.

Edited by Monsoon, 02 August 2012 - 10:14 PM.

[theghengiskhan]

I'm thinking of going over to Microcenter and picking up two of the Thrustmaster 16000M sticks since the reviews seem pretty good, and it is the only one I've found that can be set up as either left or right handed.
http://www.microcent...duct_id=0353242

Seeing as all of the existing combo-controllers are 2-3 times more expensive than their individual components, I will not be buying anything like the Mech-Fu or the Razor Artemis. No matter which way I go, in the end I will be assembling the components myself (and probably modifying them as well).

As for webcams, I know I saw a list on here somewhere that included a listing of which ones are easier to modify the filters for use in head-tracking with IR LED's, but my google-fu seems to be failing me this morning, can someone provide a link?

Edited by theghengiskhan, 03 August 2012 - 06:39 AM.

[Neil the Scorpion]

mwhighlander, on 02 August 2012 - 09:46 AM, said:

I too was looking for a dual stick setup, I couldn't find anything I was interested in however.

For now I'm going to stick with my xbox controller, same thing I've been using to play MW4:Mercs with since '08

What sort of hoops have you had to jump through to get this to work on a PC? I am also interested in using a game pad (at least some of the time.)

Thanks in advance.

[Kiril007]

soz to say, but u need to keep in mind when in full action u only can reach the buttons ontop or your sticks (when dual wielding) so u need to see if u have enough buttons there

i dunno if its possible with duals (ask devs for info)

don't use trottle with mechs:D --> u could buy a small number pad (with movable arm)(10 buttons or so, and config that to its movement! and when short on buttons on JS use that for some Xtra attacks) --> your JS will be than body movement and shootin

[theghengiskhan]

Kiril007, on 03 August 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

soz to say, but u need to keep in mind when in full action u only can reach the buttons ontop or your sticks (when dual wielding) so u need to see if u have enough buttons there

i dunno if its possible with duals (ask devs for info)

don't use trottle with mechs:D --> u could buy a small number pad (with movable arm)(10 buttons or so, and config that to its movement! and when short on buttons on JS use that for some Xtra attacks) --> your JS will be than body movement and shootin

That's some good points, and probably why I'm going back and forth between dual-sticks and 1 stick + my N52. At this point, I'm leaning towards getting 1 completely bad-*** stick and using the N52, but I'm having a hard time picking out which stick to get for <$100

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

Neil the Scorpion, on 03 August 2012 - 06:42 AM, said:

What sort of hoops have you had to jump through to get this to work on a PC? I am also interested in using a game pad (at least some of the time.)

Thanks in advance.

Hoops to jump through? None, a wired 360 game pad is entirely plug and play, and even comes with a Microsoft driver for some fancy setups if you really needed.


@Ghangis

I know exactly what you mean and that's the same idea I was looking for. I couldn't find aything and was even contemplating just buying two individual joysticks and getting software to map them together as if they were a single input device. Decided the gamepad I was using and was already used to was probably the easier option. As for the Hawken Dual Stick, I does look pretty good, but I'm sold on it. I want to hear some reviews before I drop what may be top dollar for an "okay" albeit fancy pair of sticks.

Edited by mwhighlander, 03 August 2012 - 09:09 AM.

[Bloodshed Romance]

uhh, this is Hawken but i'm sure when it comes out people will probably use it for MWO
http://cdn3.sbnation...m_landscape.jpg

[theghengiskhan]

I'm looking for something that I can buy now, not at some future, yet to be determined, possibly 1st or 6th quarter of next year device that may, or may not even work with MWO. On top of that, I'm working within a budget.

I have decided that I'm going to use my Nostromo N52 for my left hand and a joystick for the right. I still have not found exactly what I want. What I'm looking at is something along the lines of a Saitek Cyborg, but the only one that I can find now is the new F.L.Y.5 which has a non-removable throttle attached to the side of it. Like this: http://www.amazon.co...ref=pd_sbs_op_1

At this point, my budget is now about $100 for one good joystick. I'm looking for something that will work well with MWO, but everything I'm finding (as I'm sure you guys all know) is targeted towards flight simulators and usually only has a couple of buttons that are reachable to the hand on the stick, and a bunch on the pedestal which I will never use, due to having the N52 for my other hand. I'm hoping to find something with accurate, smooth stick movements and a few different programmable buttons within reach of my thumb, and have stick twist as well.

[theghengiskhan]

Well, after spending a couple more hours researching and comparing what I want with what is available, I just purchased a Cyborg FLY 5 on Amazon, along with a MS webcam that has been proven to work very well with Free-Track. I will post back here once they arrive.

Edited by theghengiskhan, 03 August 2012 - 03:33 PM.

[theghengiskhan]

Started designing my cockpit.
Here are some preliminary sketches. Nothing final, just some general ideas.

http://img155.images...20806222111.jpg

http://img857.images...20806222024.jpg

http://img96.imagesh...20806221954.jpg