Using Hardware controllers with Ship Simulator

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[deanpca]

Has anyone in the group used computer gaming controllers with Ship Sim? I have downloaded the demo and the settings seem pretty limited for external controllers. I have a background with MS Flight Simulator and have hardware switches, knobs and controls for almost every function. It would be nice to do the same thing with Ship Sim, but again the options seem very limited. Does anyone have experience, thoughts or ideas on this topic?

Thanks

[HudsonC]

I am using a Logitec Formula GP wheel and pedals the work great after the patch 1.8 select steering wheel, accelerator is forward brake is back

[muns]

Hi,

What do you want from a "Hardware controller" that can be used with Ship Simulator?

- Ships Wheel / Rudder
- Port & Starboard Engine Controls
- Bow/Stern Thruster controls
- Horn

- Programmable keys (to simulate other functions).

Anything else? Any iseas?

Regards

Mark.

[jalapino]

Attached is the layout of the control panel I am building.

It uses the USB interface and appears as an HID game controller.

It has slider controls for port and starboard throttles, steering and bowthruster. These work on the absolute position of the slider.

It also has buttons for throttle up, throttle down, throttle centre and wheel to port, to starboard and centre.

Further buttons provide horn, chart zoom in & out, tie up, cast off, next/previous WP/vessel, Show/hide chart, show/hide objectives, hide all controls.

I can create additional buttons and assign them to any keystrokes.

In the settings I have had to select the Saitek AV8R-01, as this seems to be the only one that recognises the full set of controls. It does not seem to distinguish between bow and stern thrusters - it operates the two together (on the cruiseliner at least).

Anyway, I have successfully prototyped all the above and now will build the sliders and buttons into the panel.

Hopefully ShipSim 2008 will bring improvemenst not problems.

Any comments or suggestions are welcome

[Wonko_The_Sane]

Looks like this won't be available until next year, and will probably cost about 3 times what I want to pay, but it looks like it will be wild!

Desktop Ship Controller (http://raildriver.com/products/shipdriver.php)

The train simulator version costs about $170, US.

[muns]

What sort of price would you consider paying?

[jalapino]

Much the same as the train version, so probably similar price. At this, it is good value for what you get. And - there is nothing much else like it available.

[Sam]

I am maybe going to build my own for something like €20.

It is verry easy! a half a day of research is enough.

[oldie]

There is another one. Try www.simw.com They have a Ship Control Unit.
It's about £250  and looks quite impressive. For anyone who read my other post about using the Thrustmaster wheel and pedals, I managed to sort my problem out so I can use the wheel to steer and the pedals to accelerate and brake ( i.e. go into reverse). The buttons I have programmed to change the views. I needed to disconnect the other joystick, normally used for Flight Sim, and keep the Thrustmaster screen open but minimised. That got it going OK.