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Your controller hardware recommendations for MSFS development

S

Sasa

Messages
138
Country
poland
Hi everyone!

Since MSFS came out I'm still struggling a bit to work out the best controllers:
  • For flying I have an old MS Sidewinder that was always the perfect choice for flying and slewing around in FSX and P3D. Now in MSFS it can barely be used to control the developer camera in a useful way as some features from the seemingly intended "XBox controller layout" are missing. Furthermore its use is limited for flying because MSFS accepts its throttle input only as "full" and "zero" and nothing in between. And once you move it right or left, the pitch completely overreacts, no matter how sensitive I set it.
  • For the developer camera I bought a simple X-Box controller (not the original one) that works pretty decent. For the developer camera that is...
    For flying again I find it pretty useless because the same problem here: Pitch barely reacts when slightly moving it and overreacts instantly at some point.
What are your experiences and recommendations?
 
T

Tzetsin

Messages
38
Country
canada
Hi Sasa, in response to your question, I can't imagine anything other than the good 'ol keyboard and mouse being used for developing. All the movement and manipulation tools are in immediate reach of my left hand, while the right uses the mouse for precise navigation of the UI and placement of the scene assets. Switching from manipulation to typing for renaming and searching of scene elements is much more natural than having a controller which you would have to put down (while being careful not to cause unwanted actions by bumping a joystick or key)

I can see how using a joystick would make camera manipulation more fluid, but the cost of being unable to fluidly manipulate the UI and typing quickly, is too high a price to pay for my work flow.

That said, I've never tried to work with a joystick, maybe it isn't as bad as I imagine. :)
 
rhumbaflappy

rhumbaflappy

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The mouse works best for DevMode development. In combination with the left ALT key you can pan around. I think keyboard CTRL + SPACE gives a top-down view. I use an xbox-type controller for the Developer Camera to quickly move about.
 
virtuali

virtuali

Messages
240
Country
switzerland
Xbox controller is very good, but the best of the best is this one:

SpaceMouse product line by 3Dconnexion

Meet SpaceMouse product family designed to improve ergonomics and efficiency at your CAD workplace. Discover and compare all models.
3dconnexion.com 3dconnexion.com

It works just fine in MSFS, just map all your axes, and the big advantage over an Xbox controller, is that you can just keep your left hand on the 3D mouse, which moves the developer camera in all 6 axes, and use your regular mouse with the right hand, all at the same time. The Xbox controller is just too big to be operated single-handed, and it doesn't have that kind of precision either. Of course, the 3D Connexion works also GREAT with 3DS Max or Blender ( because you rotate the camera with the left hand and edit/select/click with the right, at the same time ) and, once you get used to it, going back to just using a mouse in a 3D modeler feels so clumsy...

I have the Enterprise edition but, for MSFS usage it's overkill, the basic version will work just fine.
 
S

Sasa

Messages
138
Country
poland
virtuali said:
Xbox controller is very good, but the best of the best is this one:

SpaceMouse product line by 3Dconnexion

Meet SpaceMouse product family designed to improve ergonomics and efficiency at your CAD workplace. Discover and compare all models.
3dconnexion.com 3dconnexion.com

It works just fine in MSFS, just map all your axes, and the big advantage over an Xbox controller, is that you can just keep your left hand on the 3D mouse, which moves the developer camera in all 6 axes, and use your regular mouse with the right hand, all at the same time. The Xbox controller is just too big to be operated single-handed, and it doesn't have that kind of precision either. Of course, the 3D Connexion works also GREAT with 3DS Max or Blender ( because you rotate the camera with the left hand and edit/select/click with the right, at the same time ) and, once you get used to it, going back to just using a mouse in a 3D modeler feels so clumsy...

I have the Enterprise edition but, for MSFS usage it's overkill, the basic version will work just fine.
Click to expand...

Interesting! So the compact version will usually suffice for MSFS and 3DS Max?
Wonder if this is something that could also help with modifying larger autogen annotation areas (if that's a feature that will ever come back with the SDK...).
 
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