[poll] gamepad / joystick X-axis

[lammatt]

Roll or Yaw

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while most plane games have the gamepad or joystick X-axis mapped to roll

i found it's indeed easier to a plane in this game with the x-axis mapped to yaw (you dont want to set yourself into a spin which is very hard to regain control in this game... do you?)

i tried to have it the normal way in which roll and pitch share the same analog stick with a huge deadzone on the roll axis (but then the yaw control doesnt feel right when the ship gets into orbit...it's fine in the atmosphere; every plane game flies like that anyways... but in space it just doesnt feel right when you try to chase the velocity vector with your heading marker.)

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so here is my question

do you set roll + pitch on the same stick or pitch +yaw on the same stick?

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i am now using pitch +roll (with a relatively large deadzone and low sensitivity on the roll axis)

my pad has 2 sticks only...and i cant afford having the roll on another stick; because i want my second stick be mapped to the RCS translational thrusting

Edited July 31, 2013 by lammatt

[AnalogAddict]

Its personal preference on how you like to use your controller.

I use pitch + yaw on one stick with translate forwards/backwards and roll on the other. when it comes to docking though nothing can beat the control of using both hands on the keyboard; WASDQE IJKLHN are invaluable for controlling all degrees of freedom in space.

[Torham234]

pitch & roll on the stick and yaw on the top buttons on the stick. I almost never use yaw on planes, and I fly the rockets with the keyboard.

[Anton P. Nym]

I suppose a die-hard flight-simmer would insist on mapping roll + pitch together, using the other stick as rudder pedals for yawing, but if I do ever get around to plugging my Xbox controller in and calibrating it I'll probably do pitch + yaw together as that more closely mimics the other games I've played with the controller.

(As RCS is binary on/off, rather than throttleable, I'd probably map RCS translation to the D-pad for up/down+port/starboard, and the shoulder buttons for fore/aft. As the main engines *are* throttleable, probably the triggers for them.)

-- Steve

[draeath]

Definitely pitch+yaw with rockets. Aircraft get pitch+roll as they only have one vector suitable for high-delta pitch changes (up) and can roll quickly. Yawing causes them to "skid."

None of this applies to rockets, and generally your roll inputs are corrective only.

[TheHengeProphet]

I use the controller for aircraft flights and keyboard for spacecraft flights, meaning I use pitch+roll and tacked the less important yaw onto the bumper buttons of my gamepad.

I use my right control stick for easy camera control, since I often don't use a mouse when playing, so I get a good analogue input for camera angles.

[Loerelau]

I am missing the 'keyboard only' option. I did not even knew that you could play Kerbal with a joystick... Does it improve things;(? Sometimes I am already missing a couple of fingers. Should try it sometimes.

Complaint about joysticks: I am a lefty and most of the joysticks are for right hands only.... (Figured it out after I spent EUR 80...)

[TheHengeProphet]

The nice thing about using a gamepad over a dedicated joystick is the freedom to choose handedness, due to that they often have two sticks, nowadays. I fly left-handed, and was able to configure my gamepad for such. I use an X-Box 360 controller.

I do not use analogue controls for spaceflight, due to that when operating outside the imposed forces of atmosphere, which often requires constant adjustment in minute ways, I want precice directional control in solid pitch, yaw, and roll. A slight slip of the wrist (or whatever) can impose an unwanted pitch or yaw, when asking for only one of those directions.

[aeon-lakes]

I have a 3-axis joystick. I prefer to fly aircraft with roll mapped to the x axis and yaw on the 'twist' axis but fly rockets with roll mapped to the 'twist' control and yaw on the x axis. I'd really like to be able to set up the two different joystick maps and switch between them on the fly  that way to best accommodate changing in flight for a spaceplane launched on top of a stack of boosters.

Edited July 31, 2013 by aeon-lakes
spelling

[Schweehog]

A very very common joystick is the Saitek X52. It has roll, pitch, and yaw all on one stick, with a separate throttle. Even though I have that stick, I don't use it. I find using a keyboard gives me more control.

[Exothermos]

I have an old Saitek EVO (which I love love love.. don't ever fail me) and yeah it is a 3 axis stick. Pitch and roll on the main axis, yaw on twist, and separate throttle. I use it pretty much exclusively for atmospheric flight and for the last stages of a lander's decent. Otherwise I use the Keyboard, such as with simple rocket launches, docking mode, orbital maneuvers, etc. That said, i realize now that I am thinking about it that when I transition between Translation mode and Rotation mode in the Docking panel, I tend to transition between the keyboard and the Joystick too... IDK, two decades of flight simulators have made a joystick just like a third hand to me.

Grabbing the cheapest 3 axis joystick you can find will greatly enhance your atmospheric flight experience at the very least.

[eskimo]

I primarily fly rockets in KSP, and I just started using a gamepad for it. Left stick gets yaw and pitch. Right stick gets translation on the lateral and vertical axis, while the left thumbstick click is translate forward, right thumb click is aft. Roll, not as important for a rocket IMHO, gets the shoulder buttons. Seems to be working out pretty good so far.

[Captain Sierra]

A very very common joystick is the Saitek X52. It has roll, pitch, and yaw all on one stick, with a separate throttle. Even though I have that stick, I don't use it. I find using a keyboard gives me more control.

X52 Pro FTW! BTW, you are forgetting the slider and two rotary dials on the throttle piece (mapped as my translation XD)

That thing is wicked. If you want killer joystick, go Saitek. Nothing better.

I have an old Saitek EVO (which I love love love.. don't ever fail me) and yeah it is a 3 axis stick. Pitch and roll on the main axis, yaw on twist, and separate throttle. I use it pretty much exclusively for atmospheric flight and for the last stages of a lander's decent. Otherwise I use the Keyboard, such as with simple rocket launches, docking mode, orbital maneuvers, etc. That said, i realize now that I am thinking about it that when I transition between Translation mode and Rotation mode in the Docking panel, I tend to transition between the keyboard and the Joystick too... IDK, two decades of flight simulators have made a joystick just like a third hand to me.

Grabbing the cheapest 3 axis joystick you can find will greatly enhance your atmospheric flight experience at the very least.

Again, Saitek FTW. I still am trying to get a separate mode setup for planes and for rockets. I want traditional aircraft setup (like above) on planes and I want pitch yaw for rocket mode. Anyone know how?

[lammatt]

X52 Pro FTW! BTW, you are forgetting the slider and two rotary dials on the throttle piece (mapped as my translation XD)

That thing is wicked. If you want killer joystick, go Saitek. Nothing better.

Again, Saitek FTW. I still am trying to get a separate mode setup for planes and for rockets. I want traditional aircraft setup (like above) on planes and I want pitch yaw for rocket mode. Anyone know how?

i know you can assign 2 sets of axis into one stick on some logitech's sticks and pads and you can switch between the modes