Flying: What are the best tools out there?

[maradine]

Originally Posted by LegioX

From the newest videos, it seems you cannot freelook while maneuvering the airplane. You have to fly level. I hope this is not true. I don't understand why we cannot look around while turning/ climbing/diving/ whatever else.

I wouldn't read too far into the videos until someone shows off an input configuration screen. There may just be a freelook modifier key.

Originally Posted by Electrofreak

A trackball is even better, IMO. Say what you will but I owned the skies in PS1 with a Microsoft Trackball Optical Explorer, and it also made me a mean sniper.]

The trackball is the Best. Pointing. Device. Ever.

[Electrofreak]

Originally Posted by maradine

The trackball is the Best. Pointing. Device. Ever.

I'm not alone!

[The Admiral]

Joystick is essential for turnabout dogfights and evasive maneuvers. The logitech is what I have, they are cheap and break easily but work well enough otherwise.

[Sledgecrushr]

For $50 I think the Thrustmastes T flight Hotas might be the best bang for your buck. Its cheaper than buying a AAA videogame and will be with you a lot longer.

[ChookWantan]

Originally Posted by Sledgecrushr

For $50 I think the Thrustmastes T flight Hotas might be the best bang for your buck. Its cheaper than buying a AAA videogame and will be with you a lot longer.

Do you own it? I've been looking into getting one..

[Looopy]

Thanks guys, very helpful (I knew this would be a very controversial subject haha) I may get the Logitech one to see if its for me, at 30 bucks there's not much to lose.

[maradine]

We fight because we care.

[Sledgecrushr]

I absolutely lve the thrustmaster. It does this neat thing wher it splits in half and you can have the stick and the thrust control on opposite sides of your keyboard. Its really comfortable, has like sixteen programmable buttons, an 8 position hat switch to freelook around with and what I like the best is the thrust controller has infinite reverse thrust as well as forward so it just makes everything about flying and speed control really easy and accessible on the fly. I love it and the price for me was just right.

Originally Posted by MonsterBone

Evil Pig is a pretty big tool and he flys.

Im looking forward to being the Bosses wingman, as a matter of fact Im looking forward to it.

[disky]

I have that same Logitech stick, and I rarely use it, but when I do it works great. I think a couple of the panel buttons have become a little difficult, but the throttle and the stick itself (and all of the buttons on it, including the hat) are totally fine and have been for years.

I plan on using it quite a bit in PS2.

[SgtExo]

I have used the same joystick for 8 years since I bought BF 1942 and I have been an ace in the skies since then in airplanes and choppers. I have never been successful at flying with a mouse and keyboard, but if you learn to fly with those then you will naturally be better with it. The only thing that I'm worried is about the hovering and how it will map with my joystick. Flying a chopper or a plane is easy, but VTOL aircraft are always trickier when you only have one thrust control axis. In ARMA2 I used the menus auto hover option to start the hover, and in BF2 and 3 it was the negative thrust axis that controlled it, but I'm wondering how it works and can't wait to test it out in beta.

I'm just a bit sad all that all the aircraft are VOTLs because I really like way a helicopter feels while flying and I am very good at strafing circles around a target and outmaneuvering other opponents. I guess we will have to see how the aircraft's hover in this game.

[Sledgecrushr]

I think its mostly going to boil down to throttle control its the main reason why Ive gone ahead and bought a hotas stick.

[DirtyBird]

Good question from the OP, I've never flown and figured in PS2 its something that I might focus on.
Plenty of handy feedback in the thread.