25 replies to this topic

[cyberFluke]

Since we're all reading from the same hymn sheet regarding the simulator nature of MWO, much to my delight, I have a serious topic to discuss, hopefully with some dev involvement here. (I know you read these )

Controller hardware comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and price brackets. Most of us have some kind of joystick maybe a throttle controller or rudder pedals lying around if you're a serious simmer.

However, a **HUGE** issue I have encountered trying to use my gear with other games is the fact that you must select which "joystick" they use. That right, you can only use **ONE** controller. Luckily, my joystick/throttle's software can "combine" them into one logical device, but since my pedals are of a different manufacture, I can't use them unless I set them up to emulate a keyboard, completely negating the fact they are an analog input.

Please for the love of all that is good, sane and not made of lazy suck, put some serious thought into the logical system behind the way you read from input controllers. The recent announcement of the inclusion of the TrackIR API is a good sign, and something I'm particularly pleased about, as *all* of the other games I play that use my TrackIR don't support more than one "controller" so my pedals get relegated to keyboard emulation.

Xander "Fluke" Dent

[cyberFluke]

No-one? Not one opinion on this? I guess the people that frequent the forums plan on using a mouse and keyboard as their primary controllers. I'd be ashamed to call myself a MechWarrior and use a mouse and keyboard.

Fluke

[Dr Killinger]

http://mwomercs.com/...e__hl__joystick

Search

[Mason Grimm]

Moving to HARDWARE section

[Catamount]

Dr.Killinger, on 10 March 2012 - 12:25 PM, said:

http://mwomercs.com/...e__hl__joystick

Search

That and the 3,590 other joystick/controller threads

[cyberFluke]

Quote

Q. Will MechWarrior have support for custom mapping joysticks/other input devices? (multiple device support?)

A. We have partnered with some of the industry's biggest hardware manufacturers and will be doing our best to support all types of joysticks and flight systems.

Still doesn't quite answer the question. The X series of space games "support the latest hardware", hell X now even supports the TrackIR I have on my head, but it still only uses one damn windows game device at a time. :'(

Fluke

Edited by cyberFluke, 10 March 2012 - 03:17 PM.

[Morgana]

cyberFluke, there IS NO definitive answer to your question. As you were politely told before the thread was moved, the Devs have not released that information to us yet. There's no need to continue pressing a question there is no answer for at this time.

I do hope that answered your question....

[cyberFluke]

Sorry Morgana, it didn't, the point is exactly to press the question to those that *can* answer it.

In my searching around for an answer it seems there are a LOT of fans/potential subscribers that own or are looking to get, specifically for this game, multiple pieces of (very expensive) hardware that may not all function together within the game environment.

It is NOT a difficult task to code a DirectInput interface that is capable of reading *all* joysticks connected to the machine at the same time. It does however, require the foresight to do it before the game reaches a certain level of development, or a lot of headaches will be had at a later date trying to retrofit the input code.

With this, I am not throwing into doubt the ability of the development team, quite the opposite, I'm very impressed with what I've seen so far. I'm just often disappointed with the "good enough to turn a profit" attitude forced upon teams by the moneybags of the operation, whatever guise they may take.

Fluke

-- Edited for clarity

Edited by cyberFluke, 10 March 2012 - 03:36 PM.

[Catamount]

Fluke, the problem is that this has been asked before, this and almost every other control-related topic. It's possibly THE MOST beaten to death topic (next to TT vs MW).

Thus far, the only answers given to us are in the aforementioned sources, and to be blunt, if they haven't given us a more detailed answer the last 100 times, they won't now. I'm not trying to be harsh, but that's just the deal here. We do care, but it's been asked already.

If it makes you feel better, at least one of the devs uses a HOTAS setup, so you shouldn't have to work especially hard to get a separate stick and throttle to work.

[cyberFluke]

Catamount, on 10 March 2012 - 05:47 PM, said:

Fluke, the problem is that this has been asked before, this and almost every other control-related topic. It's possibly THE MOST beaten to death topic (next to TT vs MW).

Thus far, the only answers given to us are in the aforementioned sources, and to be blunt, if they haven't given us a more detailed answer the last 100 times, they won't now. I'm not trying to be harsh, but that's just the deal here. We do care, but it's been asked already.

If it makes you feel better, at least one of the devs uses a HOTAS setup, so you shouldn't have to work especially hard to get a separate stick and throttle to work.

EDIT--- Removed for sanity.

I'm not sure you understand the question at all, if I'm blunt. The Lead Designer uses a Logitech g940 FCS which combines; A two axis joystick, a One axis throttle and a one axis rudder pedal setup into *ONE USB DEVICE*. Meaning no problems had, game reads *ONE* game controller with 4 axes and however many buttons. This information is of no use at all.

On a calmer note, to the developers; I'm only after a nod here, not a breakdown of your planned hardware support. I'm not interested in working out something you don't want to say/confirm yet. I would simply like to know if your game can read axis information from multiple usb devices simultaneously.

Thank you for your time,
Xander "Fluke" Dent
(Doesn't suffer fools gladly)

Edited by cyberFluke, 10 March 2012 - 07:30 PM.

[Catamount]

I do know what you're asking Fluke, since it's been asked by about a dozen other people in a dozen other threads. Now you're just clogging the hardware forum with one more, something not warranting of yet another entirely unique control scheme thread even if this hadn't already been specifically asked countless times.


But alas, I suspect before this game comes out, a dozen more new posters will run into the forums thinking they're the first to ever ask this question. I suppose the best thing I can do is not further contribute to this particular one living any longer.

Edited by Catamount, 10 March 2012 - 07:38 PM.

[cyberFluke]

Or do precisely the opposite. If enough people ask one simple clear question, without trying to lead onto something else. You may actually get an answer. Trouble with Forum threads is the original idea gets lost in the "me too, I wanna know if....?"

See my point here?

It's not some random, stupid question. It's a *very* important question that has a massive impact on the large number of people looking to do a range of things, from buying a setup especially for the game, to projects to build whole cockpits. The fans doing this are creating massive awareness of the game, if they get to the game and find out it won't work, well, just *imagine* the backlash. For a game starting like this one is, it can't afford that.

Fluke

Edited by cyberFluke, 10 March 2012 - 07:46 PM.

[Catamount]

Cool; have fun with that. I personally want this too, but since I already know the devs are fully aware of this request, since they read the forums, and since it's been beaten to death, I needn't remind them of what they already know.

But hey, don't let me seem unwelcoming. When questions, not already asked, arise, I and others will be happy to answer them here. That's why we requested this forum.

Edited by Catamount, 10 March 2012 - 07:51 PM.

[cyberFluke]

Catamount, please, stop posting here. You are not the font of all knowledge. If you do not wish to support getting an answer from the powers that be, that's your decision.

I, however, would like an answer to a simple question and I don't think I'm above my station to ask something which will have a bearing on how seriously I take the game, thus how much attention I try to draw to it. I am under no illusions, I'm just a guy like you, I run a small gaming group, know a few people, nothing special. Hell, even the responses from people such as yourself are building up a picture here, not a good one mind you, but a picture nonetheless.

Fluke

[Catamount]

Cool story bro. Have fun with that.

Oh, and for all either of us knows, I am the font of all knowledge

Of course, if I was, then I guess I would know that, so I guess that just leaves you in the dark.


Unless, of course, you were the font of all knowledge; then you could definitely know... MY GOD

Edited by Catamount, 10 March 2012 - 08:11 PM.

[cyberFluke]

Still keeping the thread at the top, though filling it with trash. I wish the op could moderate their own thread and just remove junk. :/

All I wanted was a sensible question answering, not some self proclaimed "In the know" forum warrior trying to measure verbal ePeen.

Perhaps a direct email explaining the reason for the specific question to someone sensible is the way to go.
Can this thread be closed please? I can see this is a waste of time and resources.

Thanks,
Fluke

Edited by cyberFluke, 10 March 2012 - 08:26 PM.

[HeroicTofu]

Catamount is the Helvetica of all knowledge! Get it? ... *ahem*.

Anyway, I've seen the question asked a bunch, much like Catamount has posted. We haven't received an answer yet from the developers. Seeing that the game has a summer release schedule, that still gives us some time to prep. We all get where you are coming from, we want to know exactly what this game will be capable of supporting and heck, if a developer right now wanted to answer the question, that'd be fantastic.

However, my guess is that the team is fiddling with a great deal of different devices at this time and thus, they don't wish to give misinformation on the subject. They don't want to say "Oh yeah, it'll use multiple devices" when that could be misleading down the line. So my two cents is to set the money that you would want to use on this project in a savings account until you have a definitive answer from the developers and then build away.

If you're wanting to know this information so you know exactly how much you need to save up, just save everything you can, won't hurt you in the long run if you end up spending way less.

[cyberFluke]

It's information that will help me decide if its possible to build and publicize a cockpit build, and tour it around various game shows and events in the UK. Without the ability I have described, the difficulty in constructing such a platform is increased dramatically as a custom usb controller to handle the inputs from multiple devices into one, either logically in software or physically in hardware.

The software route would cost in excess of $2000 in software licence fees (a MS WHQL Cert is needed for the virtual device required) before development even began, Hardware, I've no idea yet.

So as you can see, It kinda means a lot.

Edited by cyberFluke, 10 March 2012 - 08:36 PM.

[HeroicTofu]

I have to admit, a full on cockpit would be pretty awesome and heck, if you can prove your stuff, you might even be able to get some sponsorship from PGI itself (You hear that PGI!? That's the potential smell of money!) I can see where it'd be pretty expensive if you have to build a custom usb controller to make it all work though and I totally understand why you want answers. What exactly is your timeframe for wanting this thing built? At launch? Just after? Before? I again point to my earlier advice of just saving up all you can for it (can always spend the excess later). Maybe next month (or later this month) PGI will release more information on controller interfaces.

[cyberFluke]

Well, in honesty, the sooner the better.

We're not likely talking a full hydraulic lift system, not without serious sponsorship... (My god, I swear I got a semi thinking about that... Can I say that in here? :-/)

A pod containing joystick, throttle and pedals with a serious subwoofer to make you feel the explosions around you and feet thumping under you, head tracking via a "neurohelmet interface" (read: modified, repackaged Trackclip Pro) displayed on monitors mounted like the cockpit glass..... Now you're talking doable on a budget...

Fluke