I had to customize my controls from the default settings, but when you set them up I actually really enjoy the controller pad gameplay in this game. Just saying for anyone who wonders if they need a stick or not to enjoy the game, totally and awesomely playable with a controller. [I use a controller + keyboard (keyboard for stuff I don't need quick access to, like landing gear)]. Just be willing to mess with the controller settings a bit.

Yeap I used gamepad when I played during beta.

Got very close to buying a HOTAS setup..

..bought a GTX 780 instead.. exactly one month before they announced the GTX 900 series.. and was able to swap the 780 for a 980 for $50 :D

Same here, still thinking about the thrustmaster hotas x for a cheap setup but my combo of wireless keyboard on my lap, DS4 in my hands, and ED on my TV is quite nice. I'm using the controller with yaw option and the two changes I made were flight assist on R3 (I like to be able to quickly disable assist for my attempts at Battlestar Galactica moves) and I switched yaw and roll which I find makes target aquisition with the left stick much better.

I was playing a bit timidly, slowly raising my funds with basic goods trading but since watching the new QL Drew has me persuing the bounty hunter path and I'm having a blast. I upgraded my sidewinder a bit and now I'm taking out less experienced pirates without issue.

I don't have the game, and it doesn't have a demo so I can't test it, but did anyone try to map the sixaxis gyro of the ds4 to head movement? I don't even know if it is possible, but in my head it seems like it can work, albeit pretty awkward. Maybe by having a button to toggle it would help keep the screen stable.

Could you map the sticks to your ship movement and your mouse to head movement? I'm not prepared to take the HOTAS/TrackIR plunge at the moment but I like having head movement without pressing a button on the keyboard.

My flightstick comes in on Wednsday so I've been using DS4 Windows and it's way better than it should be. I can't get all of the movement options I want out of the sticks but it's pretty alright. Not to mention using the touchpad for the mouse is an added bonus.

@skyfire543: Yeah, that works. They really let you customize everything. The default gamepad controls have head movement as a toggle. Click the right stick and it changes the right stick from lateral thrusters to head movement.

The default gamepad controls have been working pretty well for me. I really didn't like the default "yaw on initial roll" setting, and changed it to "yaw on low roll". The only other tweak I've made is mapping frame shift drive to L3.

i agree with the TC. great game with controller

That's good to hear. I was considering getting into this game and only have a controller.

It looks like a good Euro Space Truck Simulator to me.

Yup, it's been great with a controller for me too. Had to change a bunch of button mappings, as the defaults are pretty weird, but after that was done, I never have to use the keyboard (though I do have to access the right hand menu for stuff like landing gear, lights, cargo scoop and that kind of stuff, as there was no room on the controller to map any of that).

I made L3 toggle between yaw and roll (having it go between yaw and roll depending on how much you move the stick felt really weird to me, and I most just use yaw to line up for landings anyway, in combat all I use is roll and thrusters) and replaced the boost with frame shift drive. Kinda wish there was a way to make it automatically boost if you keep increasing thrust beyond maximum, but I've never really had to boost anyway.

Out of curiosity, does anyone play exclusively with mouse and keyboard? I've heard some say its impossible / really difficult, but have watched streams of dudes playing it just fine. Im considering getting the game but don't own a gamepad and dont feel like shelling out the extra cash on top of the price.

Haven't tried this with Elite 4 no, but it was perfectly fine in Elite 2 and 3 which in many ways were more mechanically complex. Of course, you only came across NPC's there, a keyboard player in Elite 4 would probably do fine against AI, but would probably be fucked if someone with a HOTAS and Track-IR setup jumped them during warp.

@splodge

I think the keyboard and mouse controls are amazing. You guys should really give it a shot, even if you don't plan to stick with them. I've heard a lot of people say "I couldn't imagine this game with mouse and keyboard," including Drew during the quick look, and I have to say they're 100% wrong about it being bad. They're really good controls.

It's hard to describe, but basically the mouse is stuck in the center of the screen (unless you go to free-look with middle mouse button) and the farther you move it from the center the more it rotates your ship. So once you move your mouse just a little bit up or down, for example, your ship will be rotating as fast as it can. So there's no need to keep moving your mouse across your mousepad like in past space games. The keyboard bindings are also really easy to learn and natural feeling.

These developers clearly worked very hard to make K&M controls work for this game and they succeeded. Seriously, don't even doubt the controls for a second - they're great.

Thanks for the info! That is what I was hoping for. I have played games with that kind of "targeted turning" before and that is what I was hoping this was like. My main problem with some space games and flight games in the past has been the constant mouse dragging and panning which is unwieldy and inaccurate, especially if you have to aim at another ship.