Energy/throttle presets #3 and #4

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Energy/throttle presets #3 and #4

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Mark_Farlander
Rebel Alliance
Posts: 580
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:47 pm

Post by Mark_Farlander » Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:30 am

Hello skilled pilots, starship designers and tactical officers.
I was wondering if it's possible to have 2 more energy/throttle presets ready to be used in addition to the usual 2.
It's pretty obvious that having 4 energy/throttle presets ready instead of just 2 can give the player an important aid in battle, especially when playing at Hard level, and this is why I'm asking this question.
Of course this is not a request. If such a mod/edit has already been done, I'll be pleased to use it; otherwise I'll be fine with 2 presets anyway.
I don't judge tactics. The Battle is the best and only Judge.

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keiranhalcyon7
Lieutenant JG
Posts: 599
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:41 am

Post by keiranhalcyon7 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:46 am

There is a potential hack, if you have the right hardware - my joystick's (Logitech Wingman Extreme 3d Pro) software bundle allows joystick buttons to be assigned to macros. One could create additional presets "relative to" existing presets, by having a macro pick an existing preset (say, even energy/full throttle) and then manipulate it with additional changes (like, F9 F9 F9 F10 F10 F10, for full power to engines). I use this feature to assign some of the tedious squadron menu commands to my joystick's base buttons.

There are probably ways to do similar things even without the "right hardware". Low-effort search: https://www.google.com/search?q=directi ... oard+macro

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Mark_Farlander
Rebel Alliance
Posts: 580
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:47 pm

Post by Mark_Farlander » Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:53 am

I have always used gamepads for X-Wing Alliance, because I'm much more familiar with gamepads than joysticks.
I also found that playing X-Wing Alliance with a joystick doesn't make you feel the difference between a fighter and a light transport that much.
Fighters and light transports have completely different flying mechanics when it comes to turn left/right, because light transports behave in the same way as crafts in Starfighter.

Now I'm using a Nacon GC-100XF gamepad and I find it great. I switched from the Logitech F310 to the Nacon GC-100XF when I found that the broken "Invert Y axis" setting affected the Logitech F310, but not the Nacon GC-100XF.
However, even after that problem had been fixed, I never turned back. The Nacon GC-100XF is simply superior.
The point is that both these gamepads don't have any programmable buttons.

I have a keyboard with macro keys and this is amazing when I have to give orders to my squadron, but when it comes to energy/throttle presets during a mission the biggest problem is that I was not born with a third hand.

Thank you anyway.
I don't judge tactics. The Battle is the best and only Judge.

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keiranhalcyon7
Lieutenant JG
Posts: 599
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:41 am

Post by keiranhalcyon7 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:02 pm

Well what keys would you even bind for presets 3 and 4, then?

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Mark_Farlander
Rebel Alliance
Posts: 580
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:47 pm

Post by Mark_Farlander » Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:09 pm

My idea is to add 2 new commands for each preset. These commands need to be accessible to all users with every kind of keyboard, therefore they cannot be located on macro keys.
There are very few letters not assigned to anything yet, but 2 of these ones are "D" and "K".
A viable solution could be
K Use power redirect preset #3
Shift+K Save power redirect preset #3
D Use power redirect preset #4
Shift+U Save power redirect preset #4

With these 4 new commands ready to be used, the last part of the upgrade will be a piece of cake.
Game Controller Options/Remap Joystick Buttons and all I have to do is setting K and D to 2 Joystick Buttons.
Of course you can do this regardless of the kind of gamepad/joystick used, macro buttons or not.

And there will be no need for a third hand anymore.
I don't judge tactics. The Battle is the best and only Judge.

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