2 replies to this topic

[Bakamoichigei]

My attempts to use a throttle and stick to play MWO proved to be a fool's errand...and while I am used to those, this problem can be traced to two simple-to-rectify shortcomings in how MWO deals with input devices:

1. The throttle axis is uselessly lacking in configuration options.

2. No axis sensitivity/acceleration setting, or even properly-functioning proportional control for torso/pitch.

Explanation:

The throttle axis turned out to be backwards compared to the Windows HID system and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. The whole way the throttle axis is handled is kind of wonky anyway.

The way joysticks are (not) handled is just plain silly. If I throw my stick all the way to one side, my aiming reticle hardly moves outside the weapon group indicators. So my battlemech's torso rotates at what I would charitably describe as a leisurely pace. The controller has full range of movement in the Windows HID diagnostics, and is properly calibrated, but MWO handles the full extent of the axis as being "Eh, move a little, I guess. Whatever." which doesn't make any sense at all.

Solutions:
Throttle:
Add an option to reverse the direction of the axis assigned to the throttle...or at least make it so what the Windows input device subsystem calls 0% and what the game calls 0% aren't EXACT OPPOSITES.

Another throttle option, to allow for a full range of control from 100% reverse to 0% to 100% forward, for people with a throttle axis that has a center detent, would also be appreciated.

I know 0~100% with a 'reverse' button is how the Virtual World pods are set up (Or at least used to be) but honestly it's counter-intuitive and clumsy. (Almost as counter-intuitive as having the throttle mapped in the wrong friggin direction!)

Stick:
The joystick movement is an even simpler fix; while I could suggest adding a sensitivity adjustment, like the 'mouse sensitivity' setting in any FPS, the most straightforward solution would be to just make it proportional to begin with, which is how it SHOULD be: Full extent of axis = full turn rate.

I mean, really. I don't remember having this kind of trouble with MPBT:Solaris, back in the second age of man or antiquity or whatever you want to call the mid-'90s.

In closing:
Yeah, I know this probably doesn't matter to more than like five people silly enough to try and play this with something other than a mouse and keyboard, and I'm fine with using a mouse for the moment...but that control scheme kinda clashes with the cockpit control console I'm building from mil-spec components, and that is unacceptable.

Yes, this is how satisfied I am with MWO right now; my biggest problem is that I don't look or feel like a big enough badass when I'm playing it.

[Aedensin]

I know several guys that shelled out $80+ for a new throttle/stick specifically for MWO, no doubt this kind of fix would make that money well spent.

Edited by Aedensin, 24 December 2012 - 02:47 AM.

[Bakamoichigei]

Aedensin, on 24 December 2012 - 02:46 AM, said:

I know several guys that shelled out $80+ for a new throttle/stick specifically for MWO, no doubt this kind of fix would make that money well spent.

Indeed! Last week I scored a Saitek X36 HOTAS that I stumbled upon on eBay while looking for parts for my control console, for a mere $11.95 shipped! Perfect working order. Heh, I've wanted one ever since I saw a magazine ad for it in like '99-'00...but I didn't play that many simulations...and it was SPENDY; MSRP of $150.

Two more control-related issues came to mind, one a rather irksome oversight, and the other more of a "It'd be cool if...":

Separate free-look control!
There doesn't seem to be a way to assign free-look to a separate control, you're stuck with torso plus a modifier key. You really should be able to map it to a POV hat switch or analog thumbstick. God knows this X36 (And all subsequent models!) has a total of FOUR 8-way POV hats! And pretty much every decent stick I've seen has at least one.

Option to make optic modes 'hold' instead of 'toggle'.
A lot of FPS games these days make the iron-sights zoom selectable, between hold-to-zoom or press-to-toggle. It'd be nice to be able to set thermal to hold-to-activate, for spot-checking.

As an added benefit, users of Saitek stick and throttle setups like the X36, X45, or X52, have a pair of 3-position switches on their throttle which are recognized in games as one of three possible buttons being held down to indicate switch position. If there was a 'hold-to-activate' option for the thermal/NV optics, they'd be able to switch between normal, thermal, and night vision, with just the flick of their left thumb.

UPDATE
It would seem there ARE workarounds for two of these problems, the throttle configuration (Right down to the Reverse-Neutral-Forward option!) and the joystick sensitivity, but I have yet to get the latter working correctly. The suggestion still stands to implement these options in a way that doesn't require notepad.exe though. (I guess I should have literally just searched for my stick maker, instead of more generic terms...)

http://mwomercs.com/...ech-saitek-fix/

Edited by Bakamoichigei, 24 December 2012 - 11:54 PM.