[7.50 RC4] Strafe forward/backward

[Mikhail]

Hello,

I am not so happy with the flight model as the game lacks forward and backward strafe buttons. For precise combat flight they're essential. Especially if mass now gonna have a real factor. I don't want to always scroll the mousewheel up and down for 1 axis and have keys for the other two axis. it feels completly wrong.
Maybe with the new flight model you will consider implementing those buttons please.

best regards

[alt3rn1ty]

Hello,

I am not so happy with the flight model as the game lacks forward and backward strafe buttons. For precise combat flight they're essential. Especially if mass now gonna have a real factor. I don't want to always scroll the mousewheel up and down for 1 axis and have keys for the other two axis. it feels completly wrong.
Maybe with the new flight model you will consider implementing those buttons please.

best regards

The default keys (which have always been default) are ..

A Strafe left
D Strafe right
W Strafe up
S Strafe down

Mouse wheel forward = Increase thrust
Mouse wheel backwards = Decrease thrust / Reverse thrust if you are already at 0

There is also these ..

Z does the same as Mouse wheel forward
X does the same as Mouse wheel backwards

Are those last two what you mean ?

I have never heard of Strafe forward or backwards before, strafing means :
(transitive, video games) to sidestep; to move sideways without turning. A core mechanic of most first-person shooters.

Screenshot of default keys https://i.imgur.com/HgXQJzD.png

[Mikhail]

No Z and X are the same as mouswheel as you said.

Think of Z and X which behave like WASD

press -> thrust --> release thrust to Zero

With those keys you'll be able to circle a target while shooting at it. It is possible with mousewheel but very confusing because one input is Digital (0,1) and the other is some sort of Axis.
Strafing is just the name in Video games. In reality this is called steering nozzle (hope this is the correct english word). It is used in space flight if you want to dock at the ISS for example. And of course you need it for all 3 axis to navigate. X4 just provides 2 Axis.

[alt3rn1ty]

Think of Z and X which behave like WASD

press -> thrust --> release thrust to Zero

But we can circle a target while shooting at it ..

What you propose goes against what we all are used to, forever .. Its nothing to do with the recent 7.5 beta changes.

Anyway I will butt out, its a dev response needed realy.

[vvvvvvvv]

Hello,

I am not so happy with the flight model as the game lacks forward and backward strafe buttons. For precise combat flight they're essential. Especially if mass now gonna have a real factor. I don't want to always scroll the mousewheel up and down for 1 axis and have keys for the other two axis. it feels completly wrong.
Maybe with the new flight model you will consider implementing those buttons please.

best regards

If I understood your intention correctly, you want to fly newtonian style, blasting forward/backward thrusters to accelerate without maintaining constant velocity.

For that you need to disable flight assist. Then Z/X will no longer increase/decrease throttle but will do just that. Blast forward/backward thrusters. Default key is Ctrl+Space, I think.

Without disabling flight assit you can still circle strafe around ships, using inertia in the new flight model. Basically, accelerate, begin flyby, during flyby, turn, aiming at the ship, and because of inertia, you'll begin orbiting around the enemy. New velocity indicator should help with that.

Generally "FA Off" flying is not very necessary in the game, but you can do that.

[alt3rn1ty]

Many v's has it .. I have had far too much single malt scotch whisky to be a helpful human bean.

[LameFox]

Aren't there also controls for that with FA on? I think the game calls them confusingly "full forward" and "full reverse". I tried to bind these once thinking it meant "set the throttle to full" but it actually only works while held, so basically it's strafe.

[Mikhail]

Hello,

I am not so happy with the flight model as the game lacks forward and backward strafe buttons. For precise combat flight they're essential. Especially if mass now gonna have a real factor. I don't want to always scroll the mousewheel up and down for 1 axis and have keys for the other two axis. it feels completly wrong.
Maybe with the new flight model you will consider implementing those buttons please.

best regards

If I understood your intention correctly, you want to fly newtonian style, blasting forward/backward thrusters to accelerate without maintaining constant velocity.

For that you need to disable flight assist. Then Z/X will no longer increase/decrease throttle but will do just that. Blast forward/backward thrusters. Default key is Ctrl+Space, I think.

Without disabling flight assit you can still circle strafe around ships, using inertia in the new flight model. Basically, accelerate, begin flyby, during flyby, turn, aiming at the ship, and because of inertia, you'll begin orbiting around the enemy. New velocity indicator should help with that.

Generally "FA Off" flying is not very necessary in the game, but you can do that.

Didn't know that, but yes this button behaviour is what I need. Would be cool to have it independently from Flight Assist.
There are even such strange buttons as Strafe up-right, so why not adding the third Axis to this.

[Mikhail]

Aren't there also controls for that with FA on? I think the game calls them confusingly "full forward" and "full reverse". I tried to bind these once thinking it meant "set the throttle to full" but it actually only works while held, so basically it's strafe.

You are correct ... these are kinda the buttons I'm looking for. Very confusing names.
Maybe rename the Buttons?

[vvvvvvvv]

Didn't know that, but yes this button behaviour is what I need. Would be cool to have it independently from Flight Assist.
There are even such strange buttons as Strafe up-right, so why not adding the third Axis to this.

Spacesims historiclaly follow "plane-like" flight model. The exception is Descent and probably Kerbal.

"Plane-like" means the primary thruster is blasting forward, but you can regulate the speed with thrust gauge. Been this way at least since Privateer 2 though I certainly missed a ton of 1990s flightsims. In practice, normally you'll be controlling your thrust with a "slider" on your flightstick/hotas, and it mimics Throttle lever on real aircraft. It is done this way because spacesims often focus on dogfights, and in dogfights you strafe sideways and try to keep speed constant. "Flight Assist Off" is an advanced mode which is harder to control. It is harderto control because spaceship has six degrees of freedom, and on gamepad, for example, there are enough buttons to controle five of them. Past that point you start running out of buttons and free fingers to press those buttons with.

[Mikhail]

Didn't know that, but yes this button behaviour is what I need. Would be cool to have it independently from Flight Assist.
There are even such strange buttons as Strafe up-right, so why not adding the third Axis to this.

Spacesims historiclaly follow "plane-like" flight model. The exception is Descent and probably Kerbal.

"Plane-like" means the primary thruster is blasting forward, but you can regulate the speed with thrust gauge. Been this way at least since Privateer 2 though I certainly missed a ton of 1990s flightsims. In practice, normally you'll be controlling your thrust with a "slider" on your flightstick/hotas, and it mimics Throttle lever on real aircraft. It is done this way because spacesims often focus on dogfights, and in dogfights you strafe sideways and try to keep speed constant. "Flight Assist Off" is an advanced mode which is harder to control. It is harderto control because spaceship has six degrees of freedom, and on gamepad, for example, there are enough buttons to controle five of them. Past that point you start running out of buttons and free fingers to press those buttons with.

I played a lot Allegiance and there it is common to dodge bullets by thurst forward/backward. It is really hard to adjust to this movement if you're not used to it. If you really fly spacesims you use 2 Joysticks. For Keyboard ... it is a matter of keybindings and training

[vvvvvvvv]

I played a lot Allegiance and there it is common to dodge bullets by thurst forward/backward. It is really hard to adjust to this movement if you're not used to it. If you really fly spacesims you use 2 Joysticks. For Keyboard ... it is a matter of keybindings and training

I haven't. For me the common tactic is to dodge sideways. Left/right/up/down. Two joysticks? I see where you're coming, but for me it wouldn't be comfortable. Typical Stick + Pedals + Throttle cover five axes out of six, that's enough for a plane. XBox gamepad can cover all six axes, one of them will be very hard to use, as it'll have to go to D-pad.

On MKB X4 covers everything. You strafe and roll with left hand (WSADQE), mouse wheel can now accelerate, and mouse cursor covers 2d orinetation. It works.