Worst Flight Controls Ever! Too much dead zone, no joystick control, the moving cursor with the mouse is very difficult, and white is a terrible color for a HUD because you can't see it half of the time (give us HUD color options or just use green or red

[Dr. Strangelove]

This game is awesome and highly addictive. So much to do and so little time! Definite win on your part, developers. Except this:

The ships in this game are unnecessarily difficult to control with mouse and keyboard and it makes dogfighting a needlessly frustrating experience. The free-floating mouse cursor is the worst possible setup for space flight controls. Use a fixed cursor so that the ship moves directly in response to mouse movements instead of moving (with considerable lag) in response to where you move the cursor. Moving the mouse faster turns the ship faster, and the range can be set with the mouse sensitivity. A movable cursor serves absolutely zero necessary purpose. It provides zero advantage and only disadvantages the pilot by making the controls terrible.

There's absolutely no allowance for precision movement of any kind with this setup. I turn the ship to the left to track an enemy in my sights. But then when I try to STOP turning left, I can't help but oversteer half of the time because I can't even see the HUD reticle and cursor (in white) against the background of a light-colored planet. I end up turning right without wanting to, completely destroying my attack.

It's not me, either.

I've been playing space flight simulators since the mid 1980s. I've played X-Wing with a mouse and keyboard, I've played Tie Fighter with a 2-axis 1-button joystick with terrible deadzone; I've played both Descent Freespace games with mid-level sticks; I've played Evochron with HOTAS; I've played everything in between. I've logged so many flight hours it's sickening. So, I know what I'm talking about.

I also have a gaming mouse with up to 5 completely tunable sensitivities (between 200 dpi and 12,000 dpi in 1 dpi increments), so it's not like the mouse sensitivity is off.

[Measured]

Ships get easier to control the more you upgrade the pulse drive system. Have you tried adding a few upgrades?

[MechWarden]

You can go into the settings and turn off the tethered fight mode, as well as adjust the mouse sensitivity for flight. I'd highly recommend this since default settings just don't work for most people. (even if you do have 20 DPS mouse settings, use what is available)

However, don't expect this game to be like Wing Commander, or like any other similar game. This is mainly an exploration game, and not a flight sim, nor an arcade shooter. There just isn't enough depth into the jetplane-like dogfighting, in space, to warrant joystick controls. After a few ship upgrades, most jet fighter star fighter combat is fairly easy.

[Maestro Rugosa]

Veteran sim pilots like you should be able to master space combat with a few ship upgrades, and a tweak of the control settings. Personally, I have little hand-eye coordination, and I dread fighting multiple pirates at once... but I've gotten pretty good at it.

But the design emphasis is not on space combat, it's true.

[🐾]

Originally posted by Dr. Strangelove:

This game is awesome and highly addictive. So much to do and so little time! Definite win on your part, developers. Except this:

The ships in this game are unnecessarily difficult to control with mouse and keyboard and it makes dogfighting a needlessly frustrating experience. The free-floating mouse cursor is the worst possible setup for space flight controls. Use a fixed cursor so that the ship moves directly in response to mouse movements instead of moving (with considerable lag) in response to where you move the cursor. Moving the mouse faster turns the ship faster, and the range can be set with the mouse sensitivity. A movable cursor serves absolutely zero necessary purpose. It provides zero advantage and only disadvantages the pilot by making the controls terrible.

There's absolutely no allowance for precision movement of any kind with this setup. I turn the ship to the left to track an enemy in my sights. But then when I try to STOP turning left, I can't help but oversteer half of the time because I can't even see the HUD reticle and cursor (in white) against the background of a light-colored planet. I end up turning right without wanting to, completely destroying my attack.

It's not me, either.

I've been playing space flight simulators since the mid 1980s. I've played X-Wing with a mouse and keyboard, I've played Tie Fighter with a 2-axis 1-button joystick with terrible deadzone; I've played both Descent Freespace games with mid-level sticks; I've played Evochron with HOTAS; I've played everything in between. I've logged so many flight hours it's sickening. So, I know what I'm talking about.

I also have a gaming mouse with up to 5 completely tunable sensitivities (between 200 dpi and 12,000 dpi in 1 dpi increments), so it's not like the mouse sensitivity is off.

I do no think a better flight control is necessary, consideing the simple ship combat the game has.

[PancakeWizard]

Make sure that:

a) you've tweaked the mouse smoothing settings.

b) that your issues aren't related to the fact you have an ship with no upgrades, or using a hauler class.

If you're already using an S fighter class with decent pulse drive upgrades and still find it sluggish, then we'll talk!

[🐾]

Originally posted by PancakeWizard:

Make sure that:

a) you've tweaked the mouse smoothing settings.

b) that your issues aren't related to the fact you have an ship with no upgrades, or using a hauler class.

If you're already using an S fighter class with decent pulse drive upgrades and still find it sluggish, then we'll talk!

Why would a hauler have worse maneuverability than a fighter?

[MechWarden]

Originally posted by Jimmy:

Originally posted by PancakeWizard:

Make sure that:

a) you've tweaked the mouse smoothing settings.

b) that your issues aren't related to the fact you have an ship with no upgrades, or using a hauler class.

If you're already using an S fighter class with decent pulse drive upgrades and still find it sluggish, then we'll talk!

Why would a hauler have worse maneuverability than a fighter?

Because they do. The in-game listed stats show it.
https://nomanssky.gamepedia.com/Starship
Think of it like a fight between typical heavy-duty truck (hauler) and a sports car (fighter).
Both can be high performance in their jobs, but it isn't a hauler's job to fight other ships. This is countered some by the fact haulers have a buff in shielding.

[Centisteed]

I've been avoiding the dogfights for the most part. I think I'll need a lot of upgrades to get the flying part easier. I just get pounced in a dogfight so far.

[PancakeWizard]

I should also say having properly read your OP: Get a gamepad! The game is much easier with one and you seem to be mad there's no joystick support.

[PancakeWizard]

Originally posted by Centisteed:

I've been avoiding the dogfights for the most part. I think I'll need a lot of upgrades to get the flying part easier. I just get pounced in a dogfight so far.

They can seem tough at first, but literally a couple of shield upgrades (any class) and photon cannon upgrades (again, any class) and you'll find them easy.

Also if you have a combat frigate with your freighter and your freighter is in the same system, it'll come and help you out in the fight.

[Maestro Rugosa]

You can always just boost your way out of a dogfight. It might takea few minutes, but eventually, they stop pursuit.

Consider taking a commission to destroy a low-risk pirate. It's a controlled situation... the moment you leave the space station, the feeble pirate approaches, and you can take your time learning the ropes of combat.

A few tips (which might be obvious, but I had to learn the hard way!):
1) Once you take a few hits, hit X to bring up the recharge menu and spend Sodium Nitrate to bring your shields back up to full. Your enemies do not remember to do this: take advantage of their foolishness. (Always carry spare Sodium Nitrate in your ship for deflector recharging!)

2) Acquire a second weapon for your spaceship so you can quickly shift when the first one overheats.

3) I am a terrible shot, so I always need to splash the sky with fire... but if you can aim, target the little circle associated with the enemy -- it predicts where he's headed.

4) The enemy's guns seem to be on a bloody turret, whereas yours must fire directly forwards. As a result, you may find it adventageous to slow down -- don't try to out turn the enemy. NMS ships have the ability to fly IN REVERSE in space, so let him get way out ahead and blast him when he comes around.

Happy hunting.

[🐾]

Originally posted by MechWarden:

Originally posted by Jimmy:

Why would a hauler have worse maneuverability than a fighter?

Because they do. The in-game listed stats show it.
https://nomanssky.gamepedia.com/Starship
Think of it like a fight between typical heavy-duty truck (hauler) and a sports car (fighter).
Both can be high performance in their jobs, but it isn't a hauler's job to fight other ships. This is countered some by the fact haulers have a buff in shielding.

With 6 S class engine modules a Hauler will reach 600 manuverability. I was under the impression that 600 is max for all ships when it comes to manuverability. They start with different stats (fighter higher manuverability than hauler), but both a fighter and a hauler can reach max manuverability. Only difference being that a fighter does not need as many upgrades to reach max. So at max, both a fighter and a hauler will have the same manuverability, which is 600. Am I missing something?

Edit: I found my answer on Reddit. Fighters can go higher on the manuverability stat.

[Noodle]

git gud

[dashiichi]

For joysticks, install x360ce[www.x360ce.com]. It enables a USB joystick in the game using the game's X-Box controller hooks. I had an old Saitek that I never cold get yaw working on but it's sweet with a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro (silly name).

If you decide to try it, be sure to look closely at the dead zone settings. The default setup had huge "anti dead zone" set in, so anything at all off of top dead center meant a significant amount of drift. Fixed that and it's good to go.

[Wylie28]

Every other game, and community, in the entite industry say the exact opposite. "Free floating cursor" controls are SIGNIFICNATLY better in every single way. Wtf kind of mouse pad/arm do you have where you can use the other method while retaining any kind accuracy? Or are you one or those cluess idiots thst think lower sensitivities are better?