Prepare For Descent!

Controllers and Setup for Descent

Controllers

I first played Descent with just the keyboard. At the time I did not have Windows so there was no reason to have a mouse. I found just the keyboard alone to be a very unsatisfactory control setup... so I bought a joystick, a Logitech Wingman. I still have it today, but I don't use it as it has only two axis, and two buttons, plus throttle. (throttles are pretty useless for Descent, IMO) But it was vastly superior to the keyboard alone.
Today we have many more options available to us. I am currently using a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. Compared to the Wingman, the action is sloppy and imprecise, it has mechanical dead zone, and the centering spring is far too strong. However, it does have a hat switch and handle twist (both important considerations for a good setup), as well as a secondary firing button and more top buttons. I also have three MS Sidewinders: one 3D Pro, and two Precision Pros. The Sidewinders use an optical sensor to detect stick position, they are accurate, precise and have a very short throw. The centering spring is light, just enough to hold the stick centered if you let go. These qualities add up to a stick that gives you fast, accurate control! Most players consider the 3D better than the Precision. Unfortunately, my Sidewinders are gameport only, and I don't have a gameport on this machine. So until Grendal and Koolbear start shipping the second run of their 3DProVerter∞ I'm stuck with the Logitech. Actually, it's not really that bad of a stick, it's just not as good as the Sidewinders. Update: the Logitech's hat switch seems to be failing, now it takes a little extra pressure to slide left.

---

Setup

My left hand is on the joystick. The main firing button fires primaries, there is a second firing button on the left side of the stick which is set for secondaries, which I can press with the inside of my index finger main knuckle. However since using it requires me to remove my thumb from the hat switch, I don't use it anymore. The hat switch is set to strafing in all four directions. There are also four top buttons, which are used for cycling weapons, firing the flare, and toggling the headlight. On the keyboard, I use my right hand second finger on the numpad + for forward, and numpad enter for reverse, my first finger fires secondaries with numpad 6, and my thumb pulses the afterburner with numpad 0. This setup gives me all movements, and weapons selection and firing without removing a finger from any control, except forward and reverse which, of course, are not used concurrently anyway.
-WillyPS

---

Deadzone

Joysticks by default have a deadzone for each axis. This means, at the center of an axis' travel, there is a certian amount of movement required before a response registers. Most pilots set their config to minimize deadzone. However there is a utility that works with W95 and W98 to reduce the deadzone further. Go to Stickworks∞, to the file download section and choose CTFJv320.zip. Read the notes, there is another file you might want to grab also.

Update: http://www.planetdescent.com/asp/forum_posts.asp?sectionid=1&forumid=18&topicid=9048∞ In this thread NUMBERZero reports Vortex's setting enable you to crank down the deadzone further. I'll have to check this out, at least for multiplayer.

---

Categories

CategoryD1D2
CategoryD3