Share your tips and tricks!

I was working on these thoughts for the HOTAS thread, but you guys...deleted it?

Not sure I have a lot to offer that hasn't probably already been offered:

• Deadzone - Rebind your Pitch and Roll to a different available set of axes other than the X and Y. You can do this in the software for your HOTAS assuming it comes with software that allows you to program buttons. I bound my Pitch and Roll on my stick to the U axis and V axis (there were several options available) and saved them to my stick, then updated the Pitch and Roll axes in the game. Deadzone issue completely resolved.
• Buttons - Bind as many buttons as you can to your HOTAS and considering using a button to dedicated to function purely as "SHIFT" when that button is held. This will allow you to give every button on your joystick an "alternate" function: a press while holding that button, and a press when not. For example, I have my stick setup such that pressing the main trigger is "button 1"...but holding the dedicated SHIFT button and pressing that same button is is recognized as "button 2". The value here should be obvious. I've set up my stick to actually have 3 possible functions on every button based on which one of 2 dedicated buttons is being held (SHIFT or ALT). Through this approach, I have bound about 65 buttons to my HOTAS and could bind 50 more if the game actually had that many keys to bind. The only time I would need to touch my keyboard at this point is if I wanted to type a message in chat or something. 
• Properly setting up your HOTAS with maximum buttons can allow you to avoid feeling like you need to use COMBO buttons. This is ideal because combo buttons can put you in a pitch potentially if you hold a combo button too long and a menu pops up that prevents you from maneuvering or if a double tap happens unintentionally causing a different command than desired. This is, of course, a function of how many buttons and hats your stick has. But the fewer combo buttons you need to use, the happier you're going to be. 
• If you have a stick with more than 15-20 buttons mapped, make an actual map/chart of your button layouts. Most stick manufacturers have a PDF map of all the buttons with space for you to type in what function you're using it for in any given game, allowing you to have your own quick reference guide. Doing this will save you time and guess work when you get to some random menu in the game and the game asks you to press "button 25"...only for you to not remember what "button 25" even is, forcing you to tab out of the game and take time consulting your stick's software to determine what the mystery button press is. With a written out map of your custom settings, you can just reference your print-out or PDF or w/e and see what the button is at a glance. Yes, it'll take you a little extra time and diligence during the initial setup, but it will save you time later when trying to remember buttons (and you will forget some buttons.  It will also allow you to more easily diagnose problems or move buttons around if you aren't happy with where something is.
• Be patient. It can take awhile to get your buttons in the perfect arrangement for your preferences. And it can take even longer to remember them all. Don't get frustrated if you're still changing button positions a week from now. It's all normal.

FWIW: My HOTAS setup is the CH Products Fighterstick + Pro Throttle + Pro Pedals. I have Pitch and Roll on my stick and Yaw on my pedal toe taps. No issues to speak of, everything works great. 

I don't really think I have anything else here to add. Regardless of the button configuration you decide on, you're going to have to spend time getting used to your new control scheme. It will be worth it. 

Good luck, pilots. o7

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@Heavenly-Hammer wrote:

I was working on these thoughts for the HOTAS thread, but you guys...deleted it?

Not sure I have a lot to offer that hasn't probably already been offered:

• Deadzone - Rebind your Pitch and Roll to a different available set of axes other than the X and Y. You can do this in the software for your HOTAS assuming it comes with software that allows you to program buttons. I bound my Pitch and Roll on my stick to the U axis and V axis (there were several options available) and saved them to my stick, then updated the Pitch and Roll axes in the game. Deadzone issue completely resolved.
• Buttons - Bind as many buttons as you can to your HOTAS and considering using a button to dedicated to function purely as "SHIFT" when that button is held. This will allow you to give every button on your joystick an "alternate" function: a press while holding that button, and a press when not. For example, I have my stick setup such that pressing the main trigger is "button 1"...but holding the dedicated SHIFT button and pressing that same button is is recognized as "button 2". The value here should be obvious. I've set up my stick to actually have 3 possible functions on every button based on which one of 2 dedicated buttons is being held (SHIFT or ALT). Through this approach, I have bound about 65 buttons to my HOTAS and could bind 50 more if the game actually had that many keys to bind. The only time I would need to touch my keyboard at this point is if I wanted to type a message in chat or something. 
• Properly setting up your HOTAS with maximum buttons can allow you to avoid feeling like you need to use COMBO buttons. This is ideal because combo buttons can put you in a pitch potentially if you hold a combo button too long and a menu pops up that prevents you from maneuvering or if a double tap happens unintentionally causing a different command than desired. This is, of course, a function of how many buttons and hats your stick has. But the fewer combo buttons you need to use, the happier you're going to be. 
• If you have a stick with more than 15-20 buttons mapped, make an actual map/chart of your button layouts. Most stick manufacturers have a PDF map of all the buttons with space for you to type in what function you're using it for in any given game, allowing you to have your own quick reference guide. Doing this will save you time and guess work when you get to some random menu in the game and the game asks you to press "button 25"...only for you to not remember what "button 25" even is, forcing you to tab out of the game and take time consulting your stick's software to determine what the mystery button press is. With a written out map of your custom settings, you can just reference your print-out or PDF or w/e and see what the button is at a glance. Yes, it'll take you a little extra time and diligence during the initial setup, but it will save you time later when trying to remember buttons (and you will forget some buttons.  It will also allow you to more easily diagnose problems or move buttons around if you aren't happy with where something is.
• Be patient. It can take awhile to get your buttons in the perfect arrangement for your preferences. And it can take even longer to remember them all. Don't get frustrated if you're still changing button positions a week from now. It's all normal.

FWIW: My HOTAS setup is the CH Products Fighterstick + Pro Throttle + Pro Pedals. I have Pitch and Roll on my stick and Yaw on my pedal toe taps. No issues to speak of, everything works great. 

I don't really think I have anything else here to add. Regardless of the button configuration you decide on, you're going to have to spend time getting used to your new control scheme. It will be worth it. 

Good luck, pilots. o7

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Looking for the Xbox one Hotas but its been out of stock for a while. Not so interested in the pedals but I would like the stick over the controller. 

Great post btw