X-52 Pro just arrived :D

[LionOfNarnia]

With all these new x52 owners can I just say....

Don't play the game until you are 110% happy with your setup and know where everything is....

Test in the tutorials......Till you can hit the button/switch/hat without thinking.....

It'll take a while....But hitting the wrong thing in game will cost you.....

ABSOLUTELY!

After 3 days I've only just started even attempting the basics - sitting in-station using menus/gui/services, take-off, SC to next station, landing in solo play.

The tutorials are fine up to a point, but soon you need to be flying your own ship with the new set-up.

Re-training your muscle-memory takes time & patience - especially for those of us who've been around a decade or two longer than the average console-jockey

I've accepted that it could be a week or two before I can fly with the same confidence as with the old T-Flight. But that doesn't matter 'coz E : D will continue getting bigger & better for years to come

[Cmdr Kharma]

And once that muscle memory is in place after a few months.....Should you decide to change a button/switch....Woe betide you....

[LionOfNarnia]

That's why real-world pilots need to do separate certifications for every aircraft type that they fly.

[JohnLuke]

The UPS man brought me my shiny new X-52 Pro on Wednesday.

I've been busy since then getting it setup, and learning more than I ever wanted to about Saitek software and control bindings.

I wanted to share a few things, that hopefully will save someone else a lot of grief and wasted time.

So.... I thought I'd be smart and download the software from Saitek's website, instead of using the CD that came in the box. That's the latest version, right? During the install, my PC froze for quite a while, and I ended up having to reboot. NEVER a good thing during a software install. After the reboot, the PC was unstable and presented a BSOD a few times. I rebooted to safe mode, and used system restore. Luckily all was well after some anxious minutes.

So then I decided to use the Saitek software from the CD. It installed fine.... without a hitch. After reading some various forum posts, I found out that many others have had the same trouble with the software on their site.

Now that I've got the software installed, I went through the profiler to unprogram the necessary buttons, and create a 'blank 'profile as explained here.

Then I went into E-D to check bindings. the default was pretty good and I was starting to scratch out some notes as to what button does what. Way too confusing..... Can you say "overwhelmed"?

Along the way, I noticed that the "i" button on the throttle make the center light blink on the POV hat 1 on the stick. Weird.... and I couldn't bind "i" to anything. Aarrgg!!! Did I get a defective X-52? I did some research and found that you need to go into game controllers in Windows, and right click on the joystick device and choose 'game controller settings' then 'properties'. Then you want to turn off "clutch mode" on the 'MFD' page. That will allow you to use the "i" button on the throttle, instead of it being used to change flight modes. Ok, now I can use the "i" button, and my X-52 seems to be fully functional. I can breathe .....

But that got me thinking.... what is the Saitek software doing for me at this point? I know that it seemed to be needed to 'unprogram' several buttons, but in 'game controllers' in Windows, they seemed to work fine, before the whole Saitek software mess. So, being the nerd that I am, I used MSCONFIG to stop the Saitek from loading at boot up, (couldn't find anything within the program's settings to do that) and rebooted. Without ANY Saitek software running, I went into E-D. You know what???? All of the buttons were available for binding!

So you know what that means.... I wasted about 2 hours installing their buggy software from their website, having a heart attack when my PC crashed, and recovering my PC's operation for nothing! (... looking for the 'bangs head against wall' emoticon)

I am not using the Saitek software or profiler at all, and am configuring everything in-game just fine. If I wanted to use a macro I would need the Saitek profiler, but I'm using all of the buttons for in-game controls.

The moral of the story is..... don't waste your time on the Saitek software. Just plug in the stick, wait for Windows to recognize it, turn off the clutch in 'properties', and go into the game and choose your bindings. The default X-52 configuration in-game is pretty good. I'm using it with 7-10 changes.

Here are some links to useful binding maps that I found in my hunt. they have certainly helped me setup my bindings and be able to have a visual reference next to me on the desk until the ol' muscle memory kicks in.

Blank JPG for flightstick
Blank JPG for throttle
95% of the default bindings in E-D for the X-52 (this was VERY helpful in getting started!

After referring to the default bindings webpage and making some changes, I used a graphic editor to add button labels to the JPG's that I linked to above. After that was done, I had nice reference sheets on the desk with my bindings for an easy to use visual aid. I am finding it to be extremely helpful to improve my learning curve.

Hopefully this info will help prevent someone else from struggling to get their X-52 setup correctly, without wasting a lot of time on needless nonsense.

BTW.... love, love, love the X-52! I got a little stick time last night (get your mind out of the gutter!) and know that it will be great once I get more comfortable with the controls.

[Flip]

If you want to use macros, I'd suggest you to have a look at VoiceAttack. It's much more flexible and powerful than the Saitek software, and you can trigger the macros with a key or a bouton and not use voice commands at all.

[Cmdr Kharma]

Oops.....

I forgot to mention don't use the Saitek software......Coz it's shit....

Had the same prob with DCS A10C...In the end ditched it and used joy to key I think it was.....

[JohnLuke]

If you want to use macros, I'd suggest you to have a look at VoiceAttack. It's much more flexible and powerful than the Saitek software, and you can trigger the macros with a key or a bouton and not use voice commands at all.

Thanks Flip. I'll take a look at it after I settle in with the X-52.

[LionOfNarnia]

I'm starting to get 'comfortable' with mine at last

Began doing some grindwork for Zach in solo, to fine-tune my bindings.

Think I've come up with a pretty ergonomic layout, making best use of the controls that some posts about the X-52 elsewhere describe as 'useless'. As in, the lower rotary is for landing gear & lights; the upper for supercruise/hyperspace; & the 'mousewheel' is for scanner zoom. I just have to suss out the thumb slider & the 'mousepole' now

What is becoming an increasing concern is the 'problem of stability', i.e. how to stop the damn things from sliding across my desk when the heat of combat strikes?

Up until now, I've had to satisfy myself with using large gobs of 'bluetack' but that's just no long-term solution for a former engineer. So, with a bit of research, I have a crafty plan.

By the middle of next week I'll be able to attach the controls firmly to my desk in seconds, in a manner which doesn't interfere with any other uses of the desk. Might even post a cheeky pic of my 'cockpit' when I've finished.

Want a clue?

4 x M5 x 60mm socket bolts
4 x M5 wing grip caps (for above)
4 x M5 x 13mm Screw-In Threaded Insert For Wood (Type D)

Simples!

[Loriath]

.....
What is becoming an increasing concern is the 'problem of stability', i.e. how to stop the damn things from sliding across my desk when the heat of combat strikes?

Up until now, I've had to satisfy myself with using large gobs of 'bluetack' but that's just no long-term solution for a former engineer. So, with a bit of research, I have a crafty plan.

By the middle of next week I'll be able to attach the controls firmly to my desk in seconds, in a manner which doesn't interfere with any other uses of the desk. Might even post a cheeky pic of my 'cockpit' when I've finished.

Want a clue?

4 x M5 x 60mm socket bolts
4 x M5 wing grip caps (for above)
4 x M5 x 13mm Screw-In Threaded Insert For Wood (Type D)

Simples!

4 Words for you: VESA MONITOR POLE MOUNTS
2 of them. And your chair's arms. There saved you a Google.

[LionOfNarnia]

That's quite a neat solution, if a little on the expensive side.

Wouldn't work for me though.

My chair is even more 'wrong' than yours for that, but the controls have to be on the desk anyway.