DescentBB

I got a four button track ball just wondering if anyone had a good setup to share??

Logitech Wireless KB/MX700 combo. Can't go wrong there. (or the MX1000 if you want to have a mouse with a REAL laser)

Ive got some pos keyboard I bought from the local radio shack and a first generation logitech optical mouse I got like 3 days after it came out.

hehe sorry ill restate im looking for like how u got the setup on the keyboard, which buttons for what command/action hehe

Moving to multiplayer

I'd use KB for sliding, banking, acceleration and AB, and mouse for direction, weapons and flares. Configs are very individual, but make sure you can slide up/down, slide left/right, steer left/right, steer up/down, bank, accelerate/AB, and fire primary and 2ndary all at the same time.

I use a keyboard and mouse.
Keys ZXCV are (in that order) Rev, Slide left, Slide right, and Fwd. My spacebar moves up
Then ASF are Roll left, look back,and AB
My mouse is used to steer and fire my primary and secondary weapons.
Shift key to drop betbombs.
Bettina

Don't use Bettina's config! If you want to reach your full potential, use something like this:

There are 9 things you need to be able to do at once in D3:

1. 1st axis
2. 2nd axis
3. 3rd axis
4. 4th axis
5. 5th axis
6. 6th axis
7. Fire primary weapon
8. Fire secondary weapon
9. Use afterburner

Items 1-6 (type 1) each require either a physical range of motion or two buttons/keys. Items 7-9 (type 2) each only require one key/button.

The mouse takes care of two type 1 items by moving the mouse and two type 2 items with the two buttons.

This leaves 4 type 1 items and 1 type 2 item for the keyboard. You have 4 fingers and a thumb to work with. Assign each finger a type 1 item with 2 keys. Assign the thumb the remaining type 1 item with 1 key or the spacebar.

A good example config is:
Yaw (turn left/right): Mouse left/right
Pitch (turn up/down): Mouse up/down
Fire Primaries: Left Mouse Button
Fire Secondaries: Right Mouse Button
Bank Left/Right: Pinky Finger (A/Z)
Slide Up/Down: Ring Finger (S/X)
Move Forward/Back: Middle Finger (D/C)
Slide Left/Right: Index Finger (F/V)
Afterburner: Thumb (Spacebar)

This config allows you to do all chording with the 3 middle fingers of your left hand. The rest of the things in the config are less combat-critical.

bet51987 wrote:I use a keyboard and mouse.
Keys ZXCV are (in that order) Rev, Slide left, Slide right, and Fwd. My spacebar moves up
Then ASF are Roll left, look back,and AB
My mouse is used to steer and fire my primary and secondary weapons.
Shift key to drop betbombs.
Bettina

HOLY JESUS Bettina...

Quite simply, it's no wonder you prefer to run and chuck, as you are completly unable to perform some of the most basic descent maneuvers due to that crippling configuration.

The only thing you got right was the mouse...

I'll only point out a few of the GLARINGLY MAJOR AMAZINGLY HORRIBLE flaws in your config:

#1 You must be able to SLIDE in any direction...No ability to slide "down"?

#2 You must be able to Move forward OR reverse while sliding in 2 directions.

#3 You must be able to use the afterburner while moving forward and sliding in 2 directions.

#4 Rolling is difficult for mousers, but you should have roll left AND roll right mapped.

A note on afterburners: The best use of the afterburner is to rapidly tap it, keeping the afterburner between 90 & 99 % at all times when you wish to move quickly. This has several benefits: #1, you never run out of burners, #2 you move faster all the time, unlike the poor sucker who is holding it down, and then needs to wait for it to regen & #3 You've always got some burners in reserve to dodge Keep this in mind if you design a new config.

Oh and Betty, you're never gonna beat ME on your config, and I suck compared to Ingus. Good luck changing! I'm going through a config change myself, and it's taken me almost 2 months to get comfortable with it...and I still haven't gotten back what I used to have.

Suncho, AB overides acceleration, so you don't necessarily need to be able to do both at once.

And word to Bun, not only can she not slide down, but she can't bank left either. Bet, you really do need to change your config. If you do that and play some levels besides Subway/Skybox/Stadium/Waltzin' you'll be improving in no time flat.

Suncho, that looks suspiciously like a quote from the Core Decision FAQ.

Clay: AB may override 'foward' key...but you need to be holding down 'forward' while tapping the burner or you don't end up going very fast, unless you are gonna be tapping two keys in perfect synchronization.

Golly that'd take some skeelz.

Left hand/ Keyboard = Fingers on home row (for easy weapon select)

E = Forward
D = Reverse
S = Slide Left
F = Slide Right
Space = AB
R = Flare
G = Countermeasures.
T = Inventory

Right Hand JS (ms 3dpro)
Twist = Banking
Hat slides up/Down
Button 1 = primary fire
Button 2 = Secondary fire
Button 3 = Cycle primary
Button 4 = Cycle Secondary

And there you have it, the impecable config of ZC

Top Gun wrote:Suncho, that looks suspiciously like a quote from the Core Decision FAQ.

I wrote that entire FAQ. I've been giving people this config for years.

Clayman wrote:Suncho, AB overides acceleration, so you don't necessarily need to be able to do both at once.

What BunBun said.

so suncho does my config meet up with your standards?

Suncho wrote:

Clayman wrote:Suncho, AB overides acceleration, so you don't necessarily need to be able to do both at once.

What BunBun said.

Agreed, but sometimes I enjoy picking on technicalities.

Clay: First ya gotta find better technicality. THEN pick on it, mmmmmKay?

Clayman wrote:

Suncho wrote:

Clayman wrote:Suncho, AB overides acceleration, so you don't necessarily need to be able to do both at once.

What BunBun said.

Agreed, but sometimes I enjoy picking on technicalities.

Technically you need to be able to hold down forward while you tap the afterburner.

Zer0Cool wrote:so suncho does my config meet up with your standards?

It does. I wouldn't use it, but it lets you do all the basic maneuvers. For tighter handling and quicker response you might want to make the following changes:

Zero0Cool wrote:E = Forward
D = Reverse

This means same finger does forward and backward. That, in turn, means you can't change from forward to backward as quickly as you could if 2 separate fingers were doing it. You might want to bind backward to the "A" key so you can use your pinky for that.

Zer0Cool wrote:Hat slides up/Down

Using the hat to slide certainly works, but I wouldn't recommend it. You might want to buy a USB keyboard for the floor and use your 2 big toes. One should slide up and the other should slide down. Pry off all the surrounding keys. It's only around $8.

If you play Subway Dancer you will need to use one of your pinky toes to fire countermeasures because in that level it is critical to be able to fire primaries, secondaries, and countermeasures (butt missiles) all at once while flying normally. If you have to stop doing something else in order to fire a butt missile you're screwed.

So THAT's the secret of the big-leaguers! toe buttons!

but i play with shoes on...oh well, it's worth a shot. I find it to be the most comfortable config for me. As for the E forward D back, not being very fast. It takes a fraction of a second, i don't think that's gonna hurt in the long run. I appreciate the constructive critisizm though. Thank ya much.

A= Forward (left ring finger)
Z=Backward (left ring finger)
R= Slide Left (left index finger)
T= Slide Right(left index finger)
W= Bank Left (left middle finger)
E= Bank Right(left middle finger)
S= Afterburner (left middle finger)
Pad - = Slide Up (right thumb)
Pad + = Slide Down (right thumb)

Was a mouse config that I used to use.

That's bad Johnny because you can't afterburner and bank at the same time.

Ok, since Alex is giving free commentary, here's my setup.

Stick up/down/left/right = ship direction
Twist = bank
Trigger = primary
Button 2 = 2ndary
A = acceleration
Z = reverse
Spacebar = AB
Slide left = s
Slide right = f
Slide up = e
Slide down = d

I'm not a Dancerite, so I've never really used countermeasures to speak of, but I could theoretically use 2 of the buttons on my hat for 2ndaries and countermeasures. My other guess is that you'd mention that having the same finger slide up and down slows me down ever so slightly. The same argument would apply to forward/reverse as well.

Keyboard?? WTF is that in Descent?? better be a Keytronic

Back in my Pre CH Pro days D1/D2
and my 5 keys at once Keytronic

F = FWD
R = REV
D = ALT Slide L
G = ALT Slide R
T = Bank R
E = Bank R
Z = Alt Pri Fire
X = Alt Sec Fire
SPACE = AB
B = Rear View
V = cycle prox
N = Drop measure/prox
H = Flare
Y = Energy Transfer

(weapon selection was 1-0 or cycle depending on the time of day)

3D Pro
X/Y = pitch/yaw
R(twist) = Roll
B1 = (Trigger) = Pri Fire
B2 = (Thumb)= Sec Fire
B3 = (Top side = Sec cycle
B4 = (Lower side) = Pri cycle
Hat = Slide

I still use the above config for FPS's but bank is replaced by lean and pri and sec alternates are crouch and prone

Clayman wrote:My other guess is that you'd mention that having the same finger slide up and down slows me down ever so slightly. The same argument would apply to forward/reverse as well.

Yep that is what I'd say.

If you're using a mouse I would just steal Birdseye's config (didn't he post it somewhere?)

It's a proven product..

Clayman, our configs are a lot alike, except for a couple of things - mine is moved a key over to the left, and I use the space bar for forward. So:

Left hand (movement)

forward = space (thumb)
back = Lshift (pinky)
AB = Lctrl (pinky)

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

Then right hand is pivoting and weapons on the joystick with twist for roll.

The only downside I've found with this config is that my thumb gets tired after 3-4 hours of play. On the other hand, you can tab AB with the pinky while keeping forward pressed with the thumb. What I'd really like is a foot switch for forward.

I don't see how anybody can play with the mouse, what with no roll control with the right hand. Plus using the mouse makes me seriously queasy.

For a while I tried a two joystick config, playing as double sligar. So the left hand js was set up for movement, with twist being up and down. I also tried the left hand trigger for forward, etc, but I just couldn't play as well like that. It was really good for precision movement though. What you need in descent is rapid direction changes and full speed all the time though, except sometimes with aiming the MD or vulcan.

Darktalyn1 wrote:If you're using a mouse I would just steal Birdseye's config (didn't he post it somewhere?)

It's a proven product..

I use Birdseye's config. It's definately not the best mouse config, but I like it. Just a matter of taste.


A = slide left
S = slide right
D = slide up
C = slide down
Z = reverse
Left Shift = AB
Caps Lock = bank right
Tab = bank left
Space = secondaries

Mouse right = forward
Mouse left = primaries

Suncho wrote:That's bad Johnny because you can't afterburner and bank at the same time.

Yes I know. Thats why I switched to 3dpro now. I do not use mouse now anyway heh.

Darktalyn1 wrote:If you're using a mouse I would just steal Birdseye's config (didn't he post it somewhere?)

It's a proven product..

Just because birdseye overcame deficiencies in in his config doesn't mean every mouse user should.