Controllers are fine, but you can certainly get better functionality out of a joystick/or yoke with throttle and rudder. I know this because I converted from using Xbox controller to a Joystick, and the difference is massive.
I’m curious about what functions the default xbox controller will have too. I’ve never played the game but from streams/videos I’ve seen the in game cursor is used when flying to open the tabs at the top of the screen. I did buy a thrustmaster hotas one the other week so I’m wondering if I could use my xbox controller thumbsticks to move the cursor around?
I also downloaded the PLN flight planner app onto my series x yesterday just to play around on it and if I hold down the A button on the world map and move the left thumbstick it will rotate the world, however I couldn’t figure out how to zoom in. Does anyone know if it’s possible to zoom in/out on that app? I plugged the hotas in, but that didn’t allow me to zoom either. Wasn’t sure if a mouse with a wheel would do anything, but I don’t own one so I can’t try it out.
Maybe there will be some info in the Q&A on Wednesday. Hoping the next 30 days goes by fast.
Zoom functionality is a big question mark. On PC you use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out, both on the world map and while flying. It’s an important feature to zoom in on the different instruments on the cockpit, or to see the scenery better. But it can’t be done with purely a controller. Just one of the many features missing from the current key bindings.
I tried to fly several times with only a controller on PC, to see how far I get, but I find it nigh-impossible to use the sim without at least a mouse. Zooming and using the top menu is not possible otherwise. And there you have several important features like contacting the ATC, bringing up the VFR map, refueling, checklists etc. And I don’t even get started on when someone wants to program the aircraft manually, etc. I’m curious how they solve this.
So, after watching today’s developer Q&A, at least some aspects have been cleared up:
There will be some changes to the controller layout! Most importantly they highlighted a more precise control with the analogue sticks, enabling a new assist that helps to prevent “oversteer” of the aircraft. I agree that by default the sensitivity is way too high right now. So this is a good thing.
Also, they said something about the handling of camera, both external and “in the cockpit”. Maybe this is just a sensitivity update as well, I’m not sure. Too bad they didn’t elaborate further on this topic.
My question still stands: what about people with only a controller? Example: I stand at a gate in an Airbus A320neo. How do I contact the ATC and request pushback, with only a controller in hand? (Right now on PC it’s not possible without at least a mouse.) And this is just one example of many.
While the developers have confirmed that the Xbox version will support keyboards and mice, they have to realize that most console players won’t have them for a “console game”. So the product is supposed to be designed in a way that it remains more or less fully playable with the default controller and no additional input device. I regret they didn’t go into more detail about how this will work.
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.