Using joystick for helis.

unrealalex · Post by **unrealalex** » 2008-01-12 10:38

Anyone use a joystick to fly helis? Are you successful?
I've been using M/K so I decided to try it with a joystick. It was very wobbly because I kept over correcting the helicopter..in other words, I want it to bank left, and it goes too far, so then I have to bank right again.
It just seems too sensitive with a joystick. I have a Logitech Wireless Freedom 2.4 Joystick, don't know if there's any way to alter sensitivity.

Also another problem with helis and planes is speed control thing on the joystick doesn't work properly. Of the 180 degrees of motion, only the 1st 90 work, meaning thrust is zero when the "knob" reaches the half way point.

Freelance_Commando · Post by **Freelance_Commando** » 2008-01-12 12:00

I've been trying to find a joystick that works for my computer for some time now. However I've been using my, little used, gamepad with has a motion sensor. I've have also found that you do tend to overcorrect, which is bad when you're flying a heli in closed spaces.

I'd say that for accuracey, stick with the keyboard and mouse. But using a the gamepad is still fun

(and you can still use it for Aircraft if you really want)

musp3r · Post by **musp3r** » 2008-01-12 13:05

Most of the time my squad is infantry, so I don't fly as much as i wish online, but I compensate for that in PR_SP and Kashan training map

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Odd start, but, I would never use a keyboard to fly anything, ever since I've bought a stick. It's no fancy fly throttle and stick, but plain Logitech Force 3D pro, but I think the way you handle it is a problem here.

I tend to switch gun, missile, flares, and all necessary buttons to the ones found on left side of my joystick base, not on a stick, because i don't grab the stick with whole hand, but just with two fingers in lower part of the stick.

That way i can make small steps to bank left or right and correct immediately. That means if I'm banking left, I bank for two-three steps left, then one corrective right. The same goes for acceleration, i always push the stick and the pull it backwards to correct the dive.

As for throttle, I'm pretty sure that it is meant to be that way...I can't explain that technically, but reason I think it's right, is when trying to fly V-22 Osprey in Kashan training, then the throttle way down is hover/up, and throttle forward is forward/plane mode flight...

Post by **Nickbond592** » 2008-01-12 13:19

I use the Mouse and Keyboard for are the rotary stuff, and the X-52 joystick/throttle combo for the Jets

Alex6714 · Post by **Alex6714** » 2008-01-12 13:57

I use this for all my flying, jet, heli or otherwise. I would say I am successful, although I do have my accidents. The blackhawk is still a bit hard to control but otherwise great!

daranz · Post by **daranz** » 2008-01-12 15:11

From what I tried, I can fly (land, and even pull loops in) a Blackhawk or an Apache with my joystick, offline, in .7. And I still can't fly it effectively with mouse and keyboard. Yes, the throttle system is annoying, which is why I have to visually check the throttle on my joystick once in a while if I want to keep it in the idle position. The natural reaction to lower the throttle all the way down leads to the aircraft descending at a quite slow speed with all of the controls rendered way less responsive (which I find a bit odd).

Either way, same principles apply as anywhere else. Be ahead of the aircraft, don't overcompensate, etc.

Mora · Post by **Mora** » 2008-01-12 15:37

i use M/K i have a joystick but i really cant fly with it.. for me M/K is way better then a joystick at least for choppers

stewdad · Post by **stewdad** » 2008-01-12 16:19

I don't use anything *but* a joystick for flying choppers, but I use the KB for throttle and rudder inputs. I rarely fly fixed-wing acft in BF2 mods, like PR, because the maps are generally too small, the planes are too fast, and the targeting systems generally suck rocks to be really effective, imho. But fixed-wing craft do have one redeeming virtue--they provide good practice for ship-board or ground-based anti-air missles and CIWS.

stewdad · Post by **stewdad** » 2008-01-12 16:24

Alex6714 wrote:I use this for all my flying, jet, heli or otherwise. I would say I am successful, although I do have my accidents. The blackhawk is still a bit hard to control but otherwise great!

Alex, I like your set-up: Would you say your throttle arrangement suits your flying needs in PR? I'm not all that excited with mine: Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick. The joystick is great, the throttle sucks.

Alex6714 · Post by **Alex6714** » 2008-01-12 17:32

stewdad wrote:Alex, I like your set-up: Would you say your throttle arrangement suits your flying needs in PR? I'm not all that excited with mine: Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick. The joystick is great, the throttle sucks.

Last joystick I had was a standard thing without even rudder twist. Being a flight sim fan, maybe I am biased. But I can say that I love the throttle/joystick combination I have. Its awesome and very immersive. Of course, it is more expensive so you have to ask yourself "is it worth it?".

For me though yes, even just for BF2. With the throttle you get a bigger "arc" of control if you like than a tiny throttle and lots of buttons for various things: flares, VOIP, afterburner, change weapons....

ralfidude · Post by **ralfidude** » 2008-01-12 18:26

i use the logitec that was shown above, and i love it. The only way to get used to the flying is to practice, u cant just fly with keyboard and then switch to joystick and immediately be a pro. It gradually comes to u. But since iv been flying using a joystick, my chopper skills are preety damn good. Sensitivity has nothign to do with the joystick, its how you are reacting to the chopper. Be gentle, the slightest push does alot, and it all alters with different speed, you will get it eventually, challenge yourself.

7eveN · Post by **7eveN** » 2008-01-12 19:49

how do you control the paddles with joysticks?
i tried but its jsut too hard.

AnRK · Post by **AnRK** » 2008-01-12 20:41

I just use the twist function, it'd be nice to have proper foot paddles but only a few specialist manufacturers seem to make them still. As far as I remember they used to be quite commonly sold with joysticks and throttle controllers. If you turn the sensitivity up on the twist function it's not too bad.

Flight Simulators Ltd, UK - Pedals

Those guys sell them but most of them seem to be for full on flight simulators for training pilots, or just for people that really love the thrill of flying a 747 from Heathrow to JFK... Cheapest ones are over £100.

Joysticks are pretty good though once you get used to them, have to be really smooth with them, if you aren't expect to crash.

Wallz · Post by **Wallz** » 2008-01-13 03:34

I tried flying the Cobra with my stick.. Horrible.. I have too stick to m/k for the helo's, and stick with the jets.. It just just too sensitive.. Its impossible to get off the ground.. nvm the throttel...(sry for spelling)

naosednax · Post by **naosednax** » 2008-01-13 10:16

LOL i use an xbox-S controler. I use XBCD to add custom functions to the controler, like switching the A and B buttions to axis Z for thortle. And using the L and R triggers for yaw. It also lets me use the D-pad for navagation, IE; zoom in and zoom out map, bring up big map and switch view to rear view camera.

And one life saving feture i can do is use the right stick for look around, it helps vastly when landing a chopper.(but that part took some time setting up)

Uniquesilver · Post by **Uniquesilver** » 2008-01-13 10:52

guys if u want to play with joystick i am using logitech atk3 and its gr8 for this game- control of all planes and helisin game are brilliant- u will have super control of plane or heli if u have this joy. Joystick Logitech ATK3 en vente sur eBay.fr (fin le 10-Déc-07 12:38:44 Paris)

stewdad · Post by **stewdad** » 2008-01-16 23:01

7eveN wrote:how do you control the paddles with joysticks?
i tried but its jsut too hard.

I don't--I use 'a' and 'd' and very sparingly at that--a tap here, a tap there to keep the nose pointed in the right direction. It's not that hard once you get a feel for it.

stewdad · Post by **stewdad** » 2008-01-16 23:10

Alex6714 wrote:Last joystick I had was a standard thing without even rudder twist. Being a flight sim fan, maybe I am biased. But I can say that I love the throttle/joystick combination I have. Its awesome and very immersive. Of course, it is more expensive so you have to ask yourself "is it worth it?".

For me though yes, even just for BF2. With the throttle you get a bigger "arc" of control if you like than a tiny throttle and lots of buttons for various things: flares, VOIP, afterburner, change weapons....

Thanks! I appreciate your input from a fellow flight-sim fan.

=HR=Drayu · Post by **=HR=Drayu** » 2008-01-17 13:34

AnRK wrote:I just use the twist function, it'd be nice to have proper foot paddles but only a few specialist manufacturers seem to make them still. As far as I remember they used to be quite commonly sold with joysticks and throttle controllers. If you turn the sensitivity up on the twist function it's not too bad.

Flight Simulators Ltd, UK - Pedals

Those guys sell them but most of them seem to be for full on flight simulators for training pilots, or just for people that really love the thrill of flying a 747 from Heathrow to JFK... Cheapest ones are over £100.

Joysticks are pretty good though once you get used to them, have to be really smooth with them, if you aren't expect to crash.

Saitek makes rudder pedals.

Alex123 · Post by **Alex123** » 2008-01-17 13:49

If you think your joystick does not "feel" right you can adjust some settings of it with DXTweak 2. You need to leave DXTweak 2 running in the background. Other than that keep practicing, it takes some time to anticipate what the chopper is gonna do in PR with a given joystick input. It's like learning to drive. The first time you can not believe what you all have to do (shift, clutch, brake, gas, mirrors, rules, speed etc) but after some time it just goes automatically and you wonder why it was so damn hard the first time

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