Joystick axis as lateral thrusters

alexheartnet · Post by **alexheartnet** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:59 pm

So I have a T.Flight Hotas X + T.1600M double joystick setup specifically for moving in all six directions (Forward/Backwards, Turn Up/Down, Turn Left/Right, Sideways Up/Down, Sideways Left/Right, Rotate Clockwise/Counterclockwise). One of the joysticks is for left-handed use, allowing me to have a flight stick in each hand. With 9 axis controls, 26 buttons, and two hats available to use, I should have all the control over a spaceship I would ever need. My plan was to base the control scheme off of the one I had for a game called 'Edge of Chaos', so instead of coming up with a whole new layout, I just had to modify it.

But then I ran into the limitations of Allegiance's keybinding.

Allegiance does not seem to have an option for assigning axis controls to lateral (side) thrusters! Seems I can only assign lateral thrusting to a button, defeating the purpose of me having two flight sticks. So I look at freeware mapping software thinking I'll just assign axis controls as keyboard presses. No good options. PPJoy + PPJoyJoy proved to be too difficult to set up. Xpadder was much more user friendly, but only seems to allow a maximum of four axis at a time, and I couldn't get it to just ignore my first joystick. I couldn't find any good options.

For reference, the control scheme I wished for is as follows:

Right Joystick: Turning, rotating, Forward/Backwards, Side Left/Right (it's a 5 axis joystick)
Left Joystick: Side thrusting, Forward/Backwards (for when I take my hands off the throttle/side thrust controls on the right joystick)
Right Hat: Zoom In/Out.
Left Hat: View Left/Right/Behind/View Target

I would have complete omnidirectional control over my craft beyond anything a mouse/keyboard user could possibly have if I could only figure out how to assign side thrust to axis controls! Anyone know of a software download or similar to work around this?

Axel Kolle · Post by **Axel Kolle** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:16 pm

Good luck with that one. I don't know if what you want is possible but certainly an interesting idea. Will do some research. Meanwhile lie on the couch and tell me what ppjoyjoy did to you (grin).
The steps are:
Click on ppjoy.
Click add.
Select Virtual joystick. This should now appear under Game controllers.
Now:
Open PPJoyJoy. Keep it open when you play allegiance by the way, and do not minimise.
Accept the standard options it presents, except for the number of Axes. Select as many as you need on this Joystick Mixer. Note that you will have to experiment, for Directx may limit you.
From the Dropdowns choose for each button and Axis:
The Joystick and:
The relevant Axis on that Joystick for each virtual axis. Save your ini file.
Do the in game setup. I just hope Alleg will not read both the virtual and the real axis at the same time.
I suspect though that that would make a nice feature request for R6, the next version of Alleg.
Alleg accepts axes from more than one joystick. You should not actually need PPjoy. It will tell you axis 0 joystick 1, for instance. So yes, good luck.
Post and let me know.

alexheartnet · Post by **alexheartnet** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:28 pm

While I appreciate the help, that doesn't solve my problem. I need to assign a joystick axis to a BINARY BUTTON or similar, as the allegiance keybinder does not accept axis control for side thrusting, just binary button control for side thrusting and both binary and axis control for normal turning, forward/backwards, and rotating.

Elzam_ · Post by **Elzam_** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:41 pm

The answer is towards the bottom of the list. You can set the hat to be used as thrusters in I believe the first of the 4 controls.

alexheartnet · Post by **alexheartnet** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:55 pm

That's for assigning the hat as either directional viewing (what's behind me?) or as buttons. Furthermore, it seems I can only assign one hat to each.

I CAN assign 'Hat as buttons' to the four different side thrust buttons, but that precludes me from assigning them to something else, like zoom in/out (as I can't use both hats as buttons) But that's not even what I want. What I want is to be able to assign Joystick X and Y axis to side thrusting. Side thrusting, as in moving sideways, not turning.

This is sounding like something that could be added to R6?

Elzam_ · Post by **Elzam_** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 10:05 pm

I have the same joystick as you, and I'm pretty sure that what you're suggesting is impossible without a mod. I do not believe what you want has been created as a mod yet, you'd have to ask someone to make it for you.

As for R6, without the sufficient demand for it, I highly doubt that someone would put it in because one person asked for it or "just because."

alexheartnet · Post by **alexheartnet** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 10:11 pm

Joysticks. Plural. I am using two of them. Two different ones, even.

The T.Flight Hotas X is a 5 axis joystick. Assuming that is the one you have, YOU could make use of this feature if it was implemented. Just assign the fifth axis to side thrust left/right.

I am willing to bet some other joystick users have access to more then 4 axis controls as well, and just can't use the extra axis due to the current keybinder limitation.

EDIT: Durp, guess what industry-standard controller has 6 axis controls? The Xbox 360 controller, which is considered the standard for PC controllers. Four axis controls for the two thumb sticks, two axis controls for the two 'analogue' buttons (that you can vary how much you push in).

Hellsyng · Post by **Hellsyng** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:37 am

Alex Heartnet wrote:QUOTE (Alex Heartnet @ Jul 22 2011, 05:11 PM) Joysticks. Plural. I am using two of them. Two different ones, even.

The T.Flight Hotas X is a 5 axis joystick. Assuming that is the one you have, YOU could make use of this feature if it was implemented. Just assign the fifth axis to side thrust left/right.

I am willing to bet some other joystick users have access to more then 4 axis controls as well, and just can't use the extra axis due to the current keybinder limitation.

EDIT: Durp, guess what industry-standard controller has 6 axis controls? The Xbox 360 controller, which is considered the standard for PC controllers. Four axis controls for the two thumb sticks, two axis controls for the two 'analogue' buttons (that you can vary how much you push in).

I've personally tried using an xbox controller setup, the problem is without using your keyboard you are very limited to what you can do.

Can you cloak, drop prox and chaff while side thrusting and turning and then try to ripcord out without leaving your joysticks? Probably not, it might not even be a good example but Alleg gameplay requires you to multitask a hell of a lot. But that still doesn't even include what keys you need for targeting and inventory options. I would recommend ditching one of the joysticks to free up a hand so that you can use your keyboard more freely.

Two cents from a mouse user.

alexheartnet · Post by **alexheartnet** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:12 am

I have 28 joystick buttons to work with (and two directional hats). That is far more functions then single-joystick users have. I can fire weapons, boost, side thrust, backwards thrust, set throttle output to '0' and push a key to forward thrust, drop prox/probes, vector lock, zoom in/out, view left/right/behind me, reload, engage autpilot, and cloak, all without touching a keyboard button. I have complete control of movement on all six axis, just not the way I originally wanted.

I also have literally a dozen targeting controls assigend to my joystick. Target hostile or friendly constructor/miner/bomber, target friendly pods, target friendly station, target next/previous enemy fighter, target closest enemy ( which is quite usually the one attacking me), and target ship in center (Too versatile to NOT have mapped)

Only things I need the keyboard for is in-flight inventory management, F1-F12 keys, and actual typing. These are generally the sort of thing you won't do in the middle of a firefight anyway.

Two joysticks really are better then one, even if you can't use the axis controls on the second stick.

MrChaos · Post by **MrChaos** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 8:16 am

Alex

I am enjoying your enthuasism for gaming in general illustrated by the two joysticks approach to playing Allegiance.

you might have a photographic memory but mapping all of the availible key bindings for Allegiance seems to me to confuzzle things quite a bit. If your simply looking to bind the side thrusters to another stick then Im pretty sure your SOL.

In the future I'd guess this belongs in the help forum.

MrChaos