3D SpaceMouse

MrFaul

Well-known endo
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
82
#2
Oh boy getting that thing to register as a joystick is a complicated mess.
But totally worth it, best piloting I've ever done.

I advice to get a additional throttle controller for the other hand since 6dof doesn't allow for much button clicking... also glue or bolt the spacemouse down.

I think there will be joystick support so anything that can map to vJoy will be usable.
 
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Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
4
#3
Ah, good point! I didn't even think about using it as a flight joystick. I have a HOTAS set up and raring to go, but that could be an interesting test.

Can the drivers be manually added to any game? Sounds like you have some experience making this work. Would be great if SB supported this input device out of the box, but if not do you have any tutorials you could point me to? I don't have alpha access, but once it's available I plan to hop in and start designing ships in game that I've already laid out in Fusion 360.
 

MrFaul

Well-known endo
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
82
#4
I don't have alpha access either but the process is:
1) Screw the original drivers since they are garbage for gaming
2) Get a helper service (Sx2vJoy) that allows you to map the axis to a virtual joystick aka vJoy
3) Make sure the game actually registers the virtual Joystick as input and not from the broken hardware joystick from the device itself.
 
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CalenLoki

Master endo
Joined
Aug 9, 2019
Messages
741
#5
I though about building 6axis joystick for SB...
Probably would be really tricky to make, but not impossible with a 3d printer.

And I haven't seen any made before. I wonder if because it's too impractical, or too hard to make.
Anyone have ever seen 6 axis joystick? I tried googling it, but with no luck.
 

MrFaul

Well-known endo
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
82
#6
There were 6dof "joysticks" out there, even with force feedback.
They where very novel clunky and not very successful.
But the whole "Joystick Device" market is not really profitable so no one has really interst to invest into it.

So making your own is the only option.
I tried that and I've run through countless design iterations.
Build none of them because they always had one or two major flaws or drawbacks that ruled them out.
Building reliable 6dof joystick with a smooth axis feeling is real a challenge.

But using them is another challenge in it self.
Since the stick can move in any direction and rotation you have absolutely no chance to rest your hand so they are very taxing to use for a prolonged time.

I find the spacemouse offers a good alternative.
Know the spacemouse isn't a joystick, it is a small novel 6dof input device with very short travel.
It is so small and sensitive that you can easily grip it with three fingers and if you want to fly straight ahead you can let go of it and rest your hand besides it. (Fun fact: the joysticks of real fighter jets don't have much travel either)
However since the hand will be occupied just with grabbing it to nudge it into your desired directions you'll lose the ability to press any buttons with it.

I have a setup where I have on the left side a throttle from a HOTAS system and on the right the spacemouse.
Additionally I use voice attack for any non vital button presses.
While it is a total pain in the butt to set those up, the result is something very functional and gives you a "piloting edge" i.e. Elite D
 
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