What's your setup for game control?

[gnomike]

I'm looking for inspiration... How are people controlling the gameplay in FSX2018? Do you have a touchscreen pc/laptop? Voice control using something like voice bot? Ipad? Regular mouse and keyboard on a table nearby?

My sim build was paused for the summer as my business is too crazy then... but now I'm getting back to it! I've got things in a playable state and am demo-ing FSX2018 and really like it... except that at the moment my room is unfinished and using a mouse/keyboard lying on the floor is getting really old really quickly lol

I tried finding a thread on this but came up empty... Thanks!

[inorkuo]

you could make a foot pad with an arcade controller kit and map the joystick and buttons to the keyboard with joytokey or other similar software.

[gnomike]

Thanks inorkuo! That's a cool idea. I had not even considered this option. I should be used to foot control... I have a box of old guitar effects foot pedals somewhere collecting dust lol Maybe I should map my old orange distortion pedal to the sim haha

[mmlincon]

I"m using an air mouse/keyboard and it works pretty well. I have a touchscreen which works well but is its 1080p and I can't get full 4K on my projector if I use it even with dual screen.

[gnomike]

mmlincon Thanks for that idea too! Which specific air mouse / keyboard are you using? would you recommend it or another? Also, is your touchscreen android or apple? I haven't moved to a 4k projector (yet!) so wouldn't have the same issue...

[mmlincon]

The touchscreen is just a dell monitor so not running an OS. I like my mouse/keyboard a lot but I tried to find another one a while back for a backup but couldn't locate one. I've had other but this one worked the best. It has a android symbol on it but that's about it. I'll see if I can track it down again.

BTW, I've used voice control in ProTee in the past but if you like to play music or have people over it doesn't work very well. It would be super easy to setup with the new keyboard shortcuts in FSX2018 though.

[mmlincon]

Ha, just found it. Here is what I have https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4GHz-Mini...Fh:rk:125:pf:0

[Golfbeat]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OZES766/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0756XFFJZ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[gnomike]

similar to what I have... thanks for the links

[BWJones]

I have a small wireless keyboard with built in mouse pad on a very small lightweight stand that I can move easily.

[gnomike]

This was the route I had intended to go... until I read mmlincon suggestion of the air/fly mouse/keyboard... now i'm in review reading/viewing mode trying to sift through all two billion models! lol It seems like a good option though...

[Baller]

I have a little air mouse that is use that works pretty well when i use it, but haven’t really needed to lately. I just have a little computer cabinet with screen, keyboard and mouse ont top directly behind me, which makes it really easy to use if I need to between shots.

What do do you find yourself needing to do while playing other than change your aim?

[gnomike]

Baller Fair question... I'm new to sim use, and only have an evaluation copy of FSX2018, so I only have limited experience. My sim room is now funcional, but very rough around the edges.. e.g. I only have a cheapie wireless mouse keyboard combo that are currently lying on the floor behind the hitting mat lol... temporary of course... OH, and my 'depth' space is very limited

I was going to just get a small table/keyboard stand on wheels, but thought I'd start this thread for other ideas... now I've got voice control & air mouse as attractive options

Back to your question, I think that aiming is clearly the main requirement, but I'd like easy access to most if not all the hotkey functions e.g. fly over, putting grid, periscope, practice mode... you name it.

As a side note, I seem to only be able to aim by opening the mini map and not by clicking on the screen.... is a touch screen needed for that, or is it a bug in FSX software?

[Baller]

I got a pretty nice looking and not expensive computer cabinet that I put my desktop in along with other components and my screen keyboard and mouse sit on top.

For green grid, once you turn it on in a round, it stays on.

For aiming, you can use a touch screen, the mini map, or the left right arrows on the keyboard.

That is the extent of what I find myself doing.

[gnomike]

Baller Ha! You are the man... I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't even think to try the arrow keys for aiming... I was using the mini map which gets to be a pain for every shot. I figured touch screen was the way to go, but haven't set one up yet... thanks for that

[vrpunk]

Air Keyboard App for iOS/Android, I use an ipad Mini on a stand with custom layouts for TGC / FR1.

[gnomike]

vrpunk thanks... another good option to consider!!

[Ookie]

Right now, keyboard and mouse on a table.

On the list is one of these: second monitor mount with keyboard and mouse stand.

https://www.ergotron.com/en-us/products/product-details/24-198#/

https://www.ergotron.com/en-us/products/product-details/bzd06cgcg4#/

They are known in hospitals as a "cow" (computer on wheels). For golf sim, they make a great option if you don't have a wall close to you.

[gnomike]

Ookie That is one cool product! I was looking at a much cheaper and much less functional version of the cow. Space for me is limited, though, so will probably opt for another solution. The one good thing about a small sim room is that I have an overabundance of nearby walls lol

[gnomike]

I just ordered a couple of products to demo, thanks to the input from the great peeps on this forum! I'm going to try air mouse/air keyboards. I made sure to buy versions that have a microphone as well, since I want to see if it's practical to use them for voice control too... I figure the smaller remote I could pocket between shots, while the bigger one would be handier as a keyboard when needed... If I don't like 'em, I'll keep one for the TV room

http://a.co/d/2A4gizu

http://a.co/d/8DbvMIZ

voice control: https://www.voicebot.net/

If anyone has any experience with any of the above, or suggestions, please chime in

[Solstice72]

I just ordered a couple of products to demo, thanks to the input from the great peeps on this forum! I'm going to try air mouse/air keyboards. I made sure to buy versions that have a microphone as well, since I want to see if it's practical to use them for voice control too... I figure the smaller remote I could pocket between shots, while the bigger one would be handier as a keyboard when needed... If I don't like 'em, I'll keep one for the TV room

http://a.co/d/2A4gizu

http://a.co/d/8DbvMIZ

voice control: https://www.voicebot.net/

If anyone has any experience with any of the above, or suggestions, please chime in

Hey there my sim was finished in October and I'm in the same position computer and keyboard on the floor lol. What have you decided for your strategy to control. Voice or air mouse? What do you recommend? Will those are mice work with any new PC?

[Solstice72]

The touchscreen is just a dell monitor so not running an OS. I like my mouse/keyboard a lot but I tried to find another one a while back for a backup but couldn't locate one. I've had other but this one worked the best. It has a android symbol on it but that's about it. I'll see if I can track it down again.

BTW, I've used voice control in ProTee in the past but if you like to play music or have people over it doesn't work very well. It would be super easy to setup with the new keyboard shortcuts in FSX2018 though.

I just bought a Dell touch screen ignorantly and the 1080 resolution doesn't match my projector as I'm running a 4K simulated picture. Are you doing the same thing? Did you ever solve the touch screen issue besides paying for an exorbitant touch screen 4K? Is that are Mouse now your preferred way to control? Lastly I do want voice control how did you do it you need a microphone and something like voice bot? Thanks Your solution will probably be my solution