[cnbcad]

I just installed the retail version of fs and the 1.2 patch...  Am currently going thru the initial training sequences...  The problems I'm having is with steering...  I should mintion that I'm relatively new to gaming of any kind...  I have a Saitek gamers pad...  The more I practice trying to bring enemy ships into my sights the worse I get...  It all seems so counter intuitive; everything moves the wrong way....  Is there a trick or any advice you can give?

[StratComm]

Well, lets see.  If you're not used to flight controls (down on your pad will pull your fighter up and point at the space above you, up moves your nose down) that could be giving you trouble.  If you're getting inverted motion horizontally, I don't know what you're doing.  However, to fix either of these things to your preference, press F2 (mainhall or in-mission), go to control configuration, and then ship controls.  Select Yaw and press invert to switch the direction you turn in; select Pitch and press invert to swap up for down.  Though once you learn it the standard method is actually easier across all control devices, I can see where it may be difficult to grasp if you're approaching this with a gameing pad instead of the mouse standby or a full joystick.

[Nuclear1]

I use keyboard.

But I agree with you cnb--the control can be daunting or unusual at first. The flight aspect tends to handle like real flight does. Pull back on the joystick, and the fighter climbs. Push forward, the fighter dives. You'll figure it out after a while. It took me a while, too, but it grows on you.

[CP5670]

I use a keyboard too. I actually can't stand those inverted pitch controls and have always played with the keys switched around, ever since the original Descent. I have to deal with it in FRED unfortunately. I would probably be fine with this scheme on a joystick, but it feels really weird on a keyboard.

[Nuclear1]

It's not exactly bad using the keyboard. The flight controls work fine for me, but I've learned that excessive FS playing is bad for the keyboard. There's a little section of liquid on the side of the keyboard that used to be my Tab button.

[watsisname]

There's a little section of liquid on the side of the keyboard that used to be my Tab button.

  Hahahah, wtf.

I use a keyboard as well, since Descent.  Pretty good at it too.
I've tried using a joystick (Logitech Wingman Attack) and it worked great at first, but then the steering got fuzzy and now I can't even calibrate it. I think the little connections inside are messed up.  

Anyway, if you're having trouble playing with a stick, then either calibrate it again, or maybe you just need to get more practice.  It's always odd at first, but you get better.  Hell, I used to suck at Descent, but now... I'm damn good.

[NeoBasilisk]

I've used the standard keyboard + mouse approach ever since Descent.

[Evo-Lightning]

keyboard all the way....and still no puddle

[Mongoose]

I'll always swear by my joystick-only config.  I can't imagine a keyboard feeling anything close to natural for playing Descent/Freespace.  Using a stick has always added to the immersive experience of those games for me; it allows you to become involved with what's going on in the game on a tactile level.  Plus, a stick gives you a range of different movement rates that an on-off keyboard just can't simulate. I don't dobut that most veteran keyboarders out there could easily smoke my ass, but I know that I'd never be able to play either of these games without a good joystick in my hand.

[Evo-Lightning]

you made that one just too easy Mongoose...

"a stick gives you a range of different movement rates"

"I know that I'd never be able to play either of these games without a good joystick in my hand."

[Cobra]

keyboard + joystick combo.

there's a small dent in my tab button from when i played "The Lion's Den" the first couple of times. (and i'm being serious)

[Getter Robo G]

They can have my joystick when they pry it from my cold dead hands...

(Before someone gets immature, I mean a Logitech 3d extreme)

[Mongoose]

Originally posted by Evo-Lightning
you made that one just too easy Mongoose...

"a stick gives you a range of different movement rates"

"I know that I'd never be able to play either of these games without a good joystick in my hand."

Get your mind out of the gutter, pilot!

[Nuke]

saitech x52 here, the best on the market as far as i know. remember the phrase is pull up. associate the stick movement with the axial movement of the ship. you will notice that the ship rotates in the same direction the stick does. ive been pulling up sence the original starfox. ive gone as far as setting the invert mouse option in fps games.

[WMCoolmon]

Originally posted by Getter Robo G
They can have my joystick when they pry it from my cold dead hands...

(Before someone gets immature, I mean a Logitech 3d extreme)

It's actually a pretty nice stick. I wouldn't mind trying to play with it.

[Nuke]

mines bigger

[WMCoolmon]

It's not the size that counts, it's the way it feels in your hands.

You want one that's strong enough to last a long time, but easy enough to handle that it'll be fun.

[StratComm]

The latter half of this thread makes me feel... dirty...

[Nuclear1]

Originally posted by Nuke
mines bigger

I don't have one.

[Evo-Lightning]

Oh my, what have i started

(i have a joystick, but im not the one who uses it )