[beamer159]

Hi, I started playing Freespace 2 about a week ago (my first ever space/flight sim) and I was having a lot of fun with it.  However, everyone was saying that you have to get a joystick to REALLY enjoy the game, so I went out and got a relatively cheap one (Logitech Extreme 3D Pro for those of you interested).

Anyway, I don't understand how the joystick enhances the gameplay experience.  My main complaint is that it seems MUCH harder to control the ship and aim your guns with the joystick than with a mouse.  After doing a mission with both a mouse, then a joystick, I found that my accuracy with the joystick is about a third as good as my mouse accuracy.  I understand that one reason people prefer the joystick is because it is a more "realistic" controller, but how can I have fun if I can't even get past the third level using the joystick? (in comparison, I got to "The King's Gambit" fairly easily on my "mouse" account).

So, is the joystick supposed to be easier to use than a mouse?  What could I be doing wrong to make using the joystick such a hassle?  I'd really like to enjoy this game at the level that others who use a joystick do, I just don't know how to.  Any advice is greatly appreciated

I'd better mention that I've been playing the game with the following joystick settings: [7] sensitivity & [1] dead zone

[Jeff Vader]

It's the "realism" factor. Many people believe that FreeSpace is so much more enjoyable when you are holding a phallic controller in your hand and steering your mighty, studry spaceship with it.

In reality, it all boils down to individual opinions. You like mouse better than teh stick? Coo. Play with a mouse, then. I play with a laptop keyboard and seriously, couldn' be happier.

[Akalabeth Angel]

    One problem I've found with some keyboard based games is that when you press a certain number of keys they no longer register. Last thing I want is to stop being able to manoeuvre in a dogfight.

    The key to the joystick I think is using both the directional and the roll (twisting the stick, which it seems your joystick has). You really need to employ both to line up targets most of the time. Also having a few buttons on the joystick is handy too. Though I only ever use 3 really (fire, countermeasures and missile-fire). So I'm more of a keyboard/joystick combo.

    I used to play Tie Fighter with the mouse, but honestly doing the "pick up the mouse, drag, pick up, drag, pick up drag" really really sucks after a while. And it ruins your mouse.

[Mongoose]

I would say that you probably do lose some fine-point accuracy while using a joystick, but I've always found that to be more than compensated by the fact that you're able to maneuver your ship much more easily in general, without the need to sling your mouse all over the place.  The aiming accuracy does improve with practice, especially when you start to learn how to compensate for turning too far in a particular direction.  When I'm using a joystick, I usually find myself constantly moving my wrist back and forth a few degrees to keep my reticule centered over a target.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

There is always the joy of a mouse deciding to quit tracking right in the middle of a dogfight.  That usually results in trying to find new places on the desk to use in which can be detrimental to ones beer.  Save a beer use a joystick. 

[FreeSpaceFreak]

The best way to control a fighter/bomber is by joystick. Period. You don't see F-35 pilots messing around with mouse and keyboard either, do you?

[highwayman]

Make sure you have your joystick set up to control your rolling as well as your steering. I had the exact opposite experience as you - I tried to play with my mouse and felt like my control was terrible. With a joystick, I can easily and smoothly maneuver my ship just how I want, and as I've played more, my aim and control has only gotten better and better. Plus I like it much better for the sense of realism - as others have said, flinging the mouse all over the place and lifting it up and dragging just doesn't quite equate to "flying a spacecraft" to me.

[Solatar]

I sacrifice some accuracy for much better evasion/ability to stay put on somebody's six.

Also, it takes some practice to get accurate with a joystick.

[azile0]

I have been using the Numpad since FS1. I just never bothered to change.