Recommend me a HOTAS please )

Good day forumites I need your input if you don't mind. Mrs Tolemac is looking at buying me a HOTAS for my 50th birthday on Friday "Old bugger I know ". The only two I have looked are the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X and the Logitech X52. I am a leftie so I think that would count out the T-Flight. I will be playing Elite Dangerous. Many thanks in Advance. Budget is £130 max

Tolemac

You want mine the Thrustmaster 16000m as the joystick comes with a left peice in it and you can possibly still use the TWCS that you put with it with your right hand and Happy Birthday I just turned 51 on Saturday

Belated birthday wishes mate and thanks for the advice it's in budget as well

Are we going all flight school and forming an OC3D wing. Guess I should start looking at one too, though I'll probs buy the warthog.

Wraith said:

Are we going all flight school and forming an OC3D wing. Guess I should start looking at one too, though I'll probs buy the warthog.

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That would be awesome having an OC3D Squadron

I think SuB would be top of the food chain for this, he's been playing ED longer than anyone I know.

Ooh. Elite Dangerous squadron. Sounds good to me. Have we got a Private Group? I tend to play in Solo at the moment but it'd be nice to interface with some people I can trust.

Logitech X52 Pro, Mine is solid as a rock, Brilliant !

Daiyus said:

Ooh. Elite Dangerous squadron. Sounds good to me. Have we got a Private Group? I tend to play in Solo at the moment but it'd be nice to interface with some people I can trust.

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I'm sure we can make one . There are a few of us that game and chat together from here and there is a discord channel. So shouldn't be too much hassle . I'm just learning mind so bear with me.

Thank you all the X52 seems the one i'm drawn to even though i'm left handed I will learn.

I had to google to learn what a hotas is lol

Excalabur50 said:

You want mine the Thrustmaster 16000m as the joystick comes with a left peice in it and you can possibly still use the TWCS that you put with it with your right hand and Happy Birthday I just turned 51 on Saturday

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I have this setup, and while the joystick comes with parts for lefty conversion, the throttle won't work right handed, unless the user is dexterous enough to use controls with a pinkie finger. On the right hand side of the throttle, there are several switches and a button that are meant to be thumb-operated, not to mention it's shaped for left hand use. It would be almost impossible to work right-handed.

Bartacus said:

I have this setup, and while the joystick comes with parts for lefty conversion, the throttle won't work right handed, unless the user is dexterous enough to use controls with a pinkie finger. On the right hand side of the throttle, there are several switches and a button that are meant to be thumb-operated, not to mention it's shaped for left hand use. It would be almost impossible to work right-handed.

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Thats what I saw is the issue with it so decided on the X52

Tolemac said:

Thats what I saw is the issue with it so decided on the X52

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Nice! Enjoy Elite Dangerous, and if you really get into it, enjoy your pending divorce.

Wraith said:

Are we going all flight school and forming an OC3D wing. Guess I should start looking at one too, though I'll probs buy the warthog.

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Warthog isnt very good for ED, great for everything else. mainly because of the lack of rudder.

Leftie HOTAS is going to be difficult, as all the throttle hats are located on the right hand side of the throttle slider for thumb activation and if you swap the stick and throttle sides you're going to have a very angry little finger! Could always go for dual joysticks and reverse one of them.

O7 Commanders! CMDR J€DI

Davva2004 said:

Leftie HOTAS is going to be difficult, as all the throttle hats are located on the right hand side of the throttle slider for thumb activation and if you swap the stick and throttle sides you're going to have a very angry little finger! Could always go for dual joysticks and reverse one of them.

O7 Commanders! CMDR J€DI

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Thanks but i'll go for the X52 and use it right handed. The only thing I do right handed is hold my knife and fork or use tools . The problem i'm going to have is shoulder pain as my right shoulder is fudged due do a car accident 29 years ago when I dislocated my humerous and snapped it. It can get very painful especially in cold weather.

Bartacus said:

I have this setup, and while the joystick comes with parts for lefty conversion, the throttle won't work right handed, unless the user is dexterous enough to use controls with a pinkie finger. On the right hand side of the throttle, there are several switches and a button that are meant to be thumb-operated, not to mention it's shaped for left hand use. It would be almost impossible to work right-handed.

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Yes you are right about the TWCS mines packed away ATM so forgot what it looked like but a lot of people are finding it better to use dual joysticks and two T16000m's would work well as you can easily convert one to left and away you go

Tolemac said:

Thanks but i'll go for the X52 and use it right handed. The only thing I do right handed is hold my knife and fork or use tools . The problem i'm going to have is shoulder pain as my right shoulder is fudged due do a car accident 29 years ago when I dislocated my humerous and snapped it. It can get very painful especially in cold weather.

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Are you handy, as in wood working and things like that? It might behoove you to build a mount so that you can keep your arm lower, with your elbow resting on your chair arm while you play. That made quite a difference for me, even though I went full retard and spent serious $$$ on MonsterTech mounts to clamp to my desk. They cost over double what I paid for my HOTAS, but were well worth it, since I'm not handy at all.

Add me to the list for the OC3D Wing.

I use an X52 - purchased in around 2005 and still going strong although a bit squeaky at times.

The TM 1600s are getting great reviews and are super affordable.

If it's only space sims you play then dual stick is great. You can get a left hand conversion for a lot of sticks including the warthog although it adds to the price. Two TM 1600's would be awesome as they have throttle sliders. I don't love the idea of controlling the throttle with a return to centre stick as you're always having to put pressure on it to fly forward so if you're considering dual stick then the separate throttle control would be good for the wrists. Most dualies use Pitch/Yaw on one stick, Roll/thrust on another. Use a hat for the vertical and horizontal thrusters.

Personally I'd either look at the VKB Gunfighter range or warthog for my next upgrade. In saying this I have Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals so I can go for a rudderless stick. I mainly use the twist rudder in ED but pedals for all other flight sims. I play DCS and IL-2 (both badly) but for immersion you can't beat rudder pedals. I'll see if I can use the pedals for the SRV in EliteI think that would be cool.

The only thing keeping me switching to dual stick is muscle memory. I find it weird because that's not how real planes work. Of course if you've only ever played with a game pad or don't play flight sims then it would be pretty natural to pick up.


-edit - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

There's also the immersion factor in Elite using a throttle, since your avatar uses one.