How is the experience playing on mouse and keyboard?

[Iskandar]

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[Gunn]

Originally posted by Iskandar:

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Well you have the game, why not try it?

[startrekmike]

Originally posted by Iskandar:

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While it is technically "possible" to play DCS World with only a keyboard and mouse, it isn't really going to be fun and will likely be more frustrating than anything else. DCS's content is made on the assumption that the player has at least a basic, entry level joystick at the bare minimum. A gamepad can be configured to be roughly adequate as well but it will require some tweaking on your part.

[Sanakan]

Horrible. Bare minimum you're going to want something like an Xbox controller or something with an axis for the rudder and stick. The throttle you can deal with being on a keyboard, but controlling a plane with keys is just not a good experience.

If you don't own a controller, rather than buy one, you're better off putting the money into a joystick.

[Troll Norris]

It is like trying to control real aircraft with mouse and keyboard.

[Basilissa]

I run a mouse and keyboard, and I used to have a t flight hotas x. I switched over to a virtual joystick setup with my mouse acting as a joystick via FreePIE and vJoy, and I fly way better with it over my old crappy hotas. I imagine the top end hotas will of course be superior (especially the force sensing F16 replica joysticks), but the mouse as a simulated joystick is a highly accurate tool. Basically use WASD for throttle and yaw, and mouse x and y axis for roll and pitch, and it's pretty good!

You will need to either know some coding, or be able to just grab the code off someone else that has it all setup already.

[Quarren King of Q]

its mostly fine it seems controller works too

[kalnon]

Don't do it, like others have said, it's technically possible but it will only frustrate you. Due to the hardcore physics modelling DCS and DCS aircraft use, it's nearly impossible to play using keyboard and mouse and be any good at flying.

Using a keyboard for flight controls will severely limit you ability to control the aircraft. The more control you have over your aircraft the better pilot you will be. Even just using a cheap joystick or even a gamepad will give you much better control than keyboard and mouse can.

If you really want to get into flight simulation, investing in decent input (control) devices is very crucial to your success at mastering all the aircraft of DCS World and you will also have so much more fun that way.

[76561199191826839]

Do you have a second mouse? If that's the case, you can try to play with a double mouse setup

[william]

its what I started with. You can fly around but it just about impossible to land. Its worth a try.

[Basilissa]

It isn't impossible to land at all, I would consider the simulated joystick via the mouse to be superior to the cheap hotas options like the t flight hotas x or the t16000 etc. Don't try to fly with the keyboard though, but if you really want to do it, there are people out there who can even dogfight with the keyboard.

Ultimately this game is all about perseverance, as even with a top of the line setup, as a newbie you will just be worse than the top keyboard + mouse player. It's all about learning!

[trooperrob]

guessing your best bet would be to play a modern jet, props or helis would be worse without rudder, but a basic Hotas will make your life a lot easier and more fun.
rudder and throttle.

[evolgenius]

Painful. I tried that and immediately uninstalled. I wouldn't bother getting into it without at least a Gamepad. I didn't find the game ANY fun until I had a HOTAS and head-tracking. It was cool just the sticks but you're not gonna win any dogfights that way - it's just too hard to keep your eye on the enemy while trying to fly. This game wants to be a simulator first and a game second. IL2 was like that as well.

Without flight-sticks, Gamepad might be the way to go. But I held off even getting into it until I had a stick and throttle. After that I was hooked but immediately realized my need for head tracking.

[I'M BATMAN]

How is the experience playing on mouse and keyboard?

Better than playing with mouse, keyboard and eyes closed.

[f1xzor]

Really awful, after two weeks I've bought the Thrustmaster T1600, couldn't handle using the mouse and keyboard, and now that's better.

[Un]

Originally posted by Iskandar:

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It can be pretty fun if you know the perfect, ergonomic key binds. The key binds have to be drastically different from the default. If you can figure it out and get it done you can fly almost as well as the guys with a flight stick or controller. Tip: Left hand is always on the keyboard and the right hand is almost always on the mouse. The only case where the right hand goes to the keyboard is when pressing flight stick buttons in the aircraft or slewing in the MFDs.

I use WASD for pitch and roll, X and C for rudder/NWS, Q and E for throttle, R for countermeasures dispense, Tab for wheelbrake, V for airbrake, T for nosewheel steering enable, R for countermeasures dispense, arrow keys for TMS, numpad for DMS etc.

For some aircraft, like the F/A-18C you need to disable "transpose camera" keybind to quickly and smoothly transition from button-click to freelook using the middle mouse button.

The people here complaining about it didn't even try to configure a proper keyboard and mouse setup. It's not as bad as they say. I've flown DCS with keyboard and mouse for a long time with zero issues. I've mastered the modulation of WASD keys to the extent where outside observers don't even notice that I play with mouse and keyboard. It's second nature to me at this point. I can take off and land the plane very smoothly, engage in effective BFM, BVR execute ground attack missions, use guns for AG and AA targets like its nothing. Right now I fly the F-15E and so far it's the best and easiest plane to fly with mouse and keyboard. You don't have to set up any controller or HOTAS, just start up DCS and play it like any other game.

TLDR: If you're smart enough, you can figure out a way to make mouse and keyboard work.