How playable is this with an Xbox One controller/Keyboard and Mouse?

[Graeve]

I've read that playing with anything less than a flight stick can be really tedious? Is this true? If so, how bad is it?

I'm not above buying a flight stick but I'd like to buy/play the game before the sale ends.

[CaptainKINGPIN]

Very playable, Xbox controllers are quite capable of flying but you won’t be able to outfly a player using a flightstick very easily. Keyboard and mouse is difficult but entirely doable as long as you rebind some of the controls

[alt]

Flying with a stick could be more tedious compared to xbox controller I would say. Space ships in elite have more degrees of freedom in terms of throttle axis than planes. I notice many people run dual stick setup for elite. The xbox controller has 2 axis by default, which makes it actually better for flying elite.

Keyboard and mouse no idea, but I suggest simply go for a xbox 360/one controller (or any other standard controller).

[Graeve]

I appreciate the input everyone, I think I'll try it.

[Wicked Recluse]

Originally posted by Alt:

Flying with a stick could be more tedious compared to xbox controller I would say. Space ships in elite have more degrees of freedom in terms of throttle axis than planes. I notice many people run dual stick setup for elite. The xbox controller has 2 axis by default, which makes it actually better for flying elite.

Keyboard and mouse no idea, but I suggest simply go for a xbox 360/one controller (or any other standard controller).

Not really true. The lack of buttons on a controller makes for probably the worst control option of all. That said, the combination of M/KB would be ideal. Still, nothing beats a flight stick and throttle, especially not a console controller.

[RICK BO]

I've been running on a 360 controller since I started playing a few weeks back and I've been hesistant to get a HOTAS because the controller handles well enough. There are multiple Hold-button-press-Dpad configurations preset that make many functions simple enough to engage. Headlights: B+< Switch firegroup: X+LB Next hostile target: A+> Landing Gear B+V etc.

That said, I do want to take it up a notch and am currently looking at flight sticks.

[Wicked Recluse]

Originally posted by RICK BO:

I've been running on a 360 controller since I started playing a few weeks back and I've been hesistant to get a HOTAS because the controller handles well enough. There are multiple Hold-button-press-Dpad configurations preset that make many functions simple enough to engage. Headlights: B+< Switch firegroup: X+LB Next hostile target: A+> Landing Gear B+V etc.

That said, I do want to take it up a notch and am currently looking at flight sticks.

True. As I have tried to use my controller as well, the lack of buttons and overall missing features make it a no go for me. I personally much rather use KB/M. That said, I have used the X52-Pro until my cat knocked it off my desk a few times and eventually broke it. It was the most superb way to play the game, especially good if you have really good "hand-eye" coordination as myself. I haven't used many other flight sticks, except a few lower end models from Thrustmaster that I wasn't very fond of mostly due to quality issues.

[Swans]

I have a full HOTAS and pedal setup as I play a lot of sims, but found it was overkill for ED, so simply use my XB1 gamepad, which suits the game perfectly.

Flight in ED is quite arcade-like, so you don't need HOTAS gear. ED has very flexible binding and so can accept combinations - e.g 'A + B = open cargo hatch', so there are ample buttons on a XB1 controller.

A lot of people do use HOTAS gear, but it's more for their own feeling of immersion rather than any functional need.