Joysticks: Guide to Setting Up

Cholly's guide to Setting up Joystick Configurations in Oolite 1.90

Introduction

This guide deals only with assigning in-game functions to the axes and buttons on a joystick/throttle.

For setting up an axis profile (to correct a drunken bias - or to achieve more precision in flight) - read Dizzy's guide to Setting up Joystick Axis Profiles

Some definitions

1. stick, 2. base, 3. trigger, 4. extra buttons, 5. switch (2-way), 6. thumbwheel, 7. hat switch (4-way), 8. suction cup

Hat switch in green at top, Thumbwheel in yellow at bottom

• Axis

An analog-type input where the axis setting selects the amount of change (not available for purely keyboard inputs)

There are at least 4 types of axis:

The usual two axes of a joystick (forwards <–> backwards & left <-> right) - x & y above right

Some joysticks have twist as well (clockwise ↔ anti-clockwise) - z above right

A thumbwheel - 6 above left

A mini-joystick - not shown above - can look identical to the hat switch, but with very different operation - will add two more x & y axes

• Button

On/Off: Either (i) keep pressed for the effect (Fuel Injectors) or (ii) press for on and then press again for off

There are at least 6 types of button:

A button that looks like a button! - 4 above left

A switch (operates like 2 buttons) - 7 above left

A trigger (operates like a button) - 3 above left

A hat switch (operates like 4 buttons) - 6 above left

A button incorporated into a mini-joystick - not shown

A rotary switch where one turns the knob to select one of a number of options - not shown

• Hat switch (used to be called a coolie hat switch) - see buttons
• POV switch (Point Of View switch – same as hat switch) - see buttons

Examples

note right fore-finger on trigger & left thumb on throttle

Joystick Map

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro

• The Logitech joystick has a 3-way axis for the stick (including the 3rd twist axis) and another throttle axis on the base.
• There are twelve buttons: 6 on the stick (including the trigger and button 2 on the left of the stick where the thumb rests) and 6 on the base.
• The hat switch on the stick is actually an 8-way switch which can function as a mini-joystick giving another 2 axes if desired.
• The software for the Logitech joystick allows the buttons to be programmed to operate macros if so desired.

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Cody's settings: Cody uses this joystick with a keyboard.

• Axis 1 - roll (left/right arrows)
• Axis 2 - pitch (up/down arrows)
• Axis 3 - not used (twist): Cody favours the Rollers in the Roll vs Yaw crusades
• Axis 4 - not used (throttle)
• Axis 5 - (hatswitch) used instead as buttons - for views - left & right (F3 & F4)
• Axis 6 - (hatswitch) used instead as buttons - for views - up & down (F1 & F2)
• Button 1 - (trigger) - fire laser (a)
• Button 2 - docking - request docking clearance (shift-l)
• Button 3 - missile - arm missile (t)
• Button 4 - missile - fire missile (m)
• Button 5 - take snapshot (*)
• Button 6 - missile - cycle missile (y)
• Button 7 - next ASC compass target
• Button 8 -
• Button 9 - docking - Blue Danube docking computer (c)
• Button 10 - docking - fast docking computer (shift-c)
• Button 11 - Activate .oxp equipment (n)
• Button 12 - Prime .oxp equipment (shift-n)

Links

• Dizzy's guide to Setting up Joystick Axis Profiles
• Joysticks and Gamepads