Proper HOTAS support

[Brainspiller]

I really hope that this one will have proper joystick and HOTAS support. In Mercenaries it was possible to support other configurations but it was a huge husstle to setup axis and buttons.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jjTBBtES-wnbChVzDqH7nUZGiOa8ZT0WD3fSVxAA5G8/edit
Mainly because one had to restart the game after each change in the remap-file for another test run. Also, the limitation for around 25 buttons per hardware was quite limiting.

To give some perspective: while, playing with mouse and keyboard gives you much better aim compared to a stick, the immersion when you turn your Atlas with your feed (rudder pedals), and having all those buttons on the stick and HOTAS in muscle memory is so much more rewarding. Your just feel like sitting in the Mech.

Due to the success of Microsofts Flight Simulator, this kind of hardware is not as much a niche as it used to be.
So devs, please give us an easy way to setup additional input hardware.
Thanks

[dragonflyer]

I do use HOTAS for MW5, and it's great for immersion. You lose a bit of precision (less than with a gamepad), but you've got all the controls under your fingers. No great performance degradation at all, maybe except if you compare to unrealistic levels of precision mouse players get. Real armored vehicles actually use a thumbstick not unlike on a gamepad.

[Spelljammer]

+1 for having proper axis binding menu in the game. MW5 was the only game I played that did not really support this, so the community had to go through config files you linked about. extremely clunky.

the argument that it is better with mouse aim does not really apply, in that case one could say that it is even better with throttle + mouse + rudder pedals for the benefits of both worlds.

[Conqueeftador]

+1 for HOTAS. Even though I have a HOTAS that has built in support, it's honestly the most immersive way to play. My HOTAS will probably be supported at launch, but I dont want any other mechwarrior homies losing out.

[Bullitt]

+1 and VR support would be a nice addition.

[Drages]

Originally posted by Starker:

This is extremely unlikely. Almost nobody uses a HOTAS for MW because doing so massively degrades your performance.

Gamepad support is what they are focusing on for now because Clans is being developed for a console-PC simultaneous release.

Lol.. you should add some immersion to your sad, simple life. Who cares about precision shooting when you can use those mechs as they should be?

[pkz19]

Originally posted by Starker:

This is extremely unlikely. Almost nobody uses a HOTAS for MW because doing so massively degrades your performance.

Gamepad support is what they are focusing on for now because Clans is being developed for a console-PC simultaneous release.

Speak for yourself. The old Mechwarrior Mercenaries had HOTAS and pedal support, and it was awesome. For some of us, the immersion is more appealing than a slight increase in performance.

[Reaver]

Actually Russ Bullock supported HOTAS and Joystick support for MechWarrior 5: Mercs. I have been looking for mention of it's inclusion in MechWarrior 5 Clans. I would assume it is as there is a large group of MechWarrior 5 and MechWarrior Online players who will only, or at least strongly prefer playing with a Joystick to pilot the Mechs. But, never assume anything about unreleased games. I would like verification of joystick support before I pay any money however.

Old school, you couldn't sell a MechWarrior game without Joystick Support. Period. And actually the Mech control setup supports joysticks better than flight sims do.

[Dark (-z-) Light]

I only use HOTAS for Mercenaries - if support wasn't included, I probably wouldn't play it at all. I just wish they went more down the simlite rather than arcade route now and again.

[Shai`tan]

I miss the day when I used my Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback stick for Mech games. The only area seemingly taking steps forward these days are Visuals. Every other area took 3 steps back.

[Dark (-z-) Light]

Originally posted by Starker:

Originally posted by Shai`tan:

I miss the day when I used my Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback stick for Mech games. The only area seemingly taking steps forward these days are Visuals. Every other area took 3 steps back.

Not really sure where you're going with this. Every mechwarrior game has lacked mass appeal until now. PGI is overwhelming doing most things right, the market says so.

Dumbing down for mass appeal is not what fans want, but I guess its what they need to do to keep afloat.

[Liquid]

+1
will refund the game if it doesnt have HOTAS or HOSAS proper support - for hardware like Virpil, VBX etc. not just old thrustmaster which is not great.

[StoneGolem]

+1

I have played the main campaign of MechWarrior 5: Mercs with dual joystick setup. It was my best Mech piloting experience on my 47 years of life. However, setting up dual joysticks was extremely hard for me.

People would never understand how it is until they use one and prefer mouse/keyboard because they can aim better with mouse. For me, it is never about having an easy aim. It is the feeling of mech piloting.

I hope developers add proper joystick support this time.

[Espio0]

MW5 Mercenaries is what made me invest in a dual VKB Gladiator setup in the first place, I don't want to play with mouse and keyboard anymore. Turn off aim assist completely, tune in your sensitivity to your liking and practice, it becomes second nature over time.

I hope for more out of the box accepted models though,not just Logitech/Saitek and Thrustmaster, but VKB,Winwing,etc aswel.

If not, I can at least accept if we can reuse the .ini file settings from MW5 Mercenaries.

[Jonny*Combat]

I hope the support for HOTAS is a lot less DIY than the last game. It worked, but it was a proper pain in the backside to sort it out.

And saying that no one uses HOTAS is just complete rubbish. We're not all min/maxxers.

[pinkfloydinspace]

I actually bought HOTAS for Mechwarrior 5. I’ve been using flight sticks since Mechwarrior 2. They always worked great until Mechwarrior 5 which I was able to configure to be at least decent. But no longer are they the best option to use unfortunately. I don’t think anything is going to change at least for now.