Elite: Dangerous - Things to Buy

Having played for a few weeks now i believe that a joystick is a must for this game. i do fly keyboard/mouse in BF but after a time in this game i had to brush the dust of my joystick.

Now i have been loving flight games and have piloted everything from a Sopwith Camel through to Spitfire through to F16 Falcon to the current Hauler.....


so here is a little summary to help those who don't use sticks.

There are 2 main types of Joysticks. there is the single stick or the dual set-up.

the single stick is just that...a base unit with a joystick hand grip sticking out of it.
Most sticks now have a twist feature that is best used for rudder control.
the higher quality sticks also have a throttle slider too.



then finally for the richer enthusiast there are full yoke/cockpit systems.

    

Mid Range: $50 - $90.

This range usually is where the generic brands struggle to keep up. they brand names start introducing more buttons/switches with uprated springs and even customisable components
there are generally software drivers too and even force feedback options. This range has some very good units from Saitek, Logitech and Thrustmaster

below are: Thrustmaster T.1600m - Saitek Aviator Pro - Saitek Cyborg - PC USB Pro Flight Control - Thrustmaster Afterburner


      


Upper Range: $100 - $1000.

Most stick in this range tend to be dual type. Saitek and Thrustmaster are the main two in this arena. the sticks have fully customise-able features and components and are of extremely good build 
quality. some are powered (requiring a power point) for force feed back but also give a better feeling that you are actually controlling the craft. there are more buttons and switches than you can remember what was assigned to them (very handy to not have to keep going back to the keyboard to deploy landing gear etc.).
Mark is one user of such a stick with a Saitek unit. This range also has the most HOTAS sticks (HOTAS - an initialism for Hands On Throttle-And-Stick, is the name given to the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle stick and flight control stick in an aircraft's cockpit, allowing the pilot to access vital cockpit functions and fly the aircraft without having to remove his hands from the throttle and flight controls)

below are: Saitek X52 - Saitek Yoke System - Saitek X55 HOTAS - Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog


      


i hope this helps

more on the Roccat Powergrid. Here is one from a player called MoodyB