With so many games and so little free time, I find the ones like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 that would require a significant time investment are often left to one side.
But after the recent Xbox Showcase and the unveiling of World Update 22, something in my mind said “you should finally try this.” Maybe it was the idea of flying by the Grand Canyon, one of the most impressive places I’ve ever been to in real life.
So I jumped in; after all, it’s on Xbox Game Pass, so I didn’t have to shell out anything else to buy it. I started playing Microsoft Flight Simulator about 30 years ago, but it’s probably been 20 or so years since I put any time into it.
So I’m almost a complete beginner. One thing quickly emerged, however; I know why people buy the best flying sticks they can buy, and I find them very quickly.
You don’t need a flight stick, but I feel like it’s a worthwhile investment
I’m currently using a controller after the first attempt at just messing around with the keyboard and mouse turned out to be a complete disaster.
Steering the plane is a delicate task, and with the keyboard button on or off, it doesn’t leave much room for accuracy.
The controller has improved significantly, allowing for a certain degree of finesse in maneuvering the aircraft. Steering isn’t a problem for me, though; and everything else you have to do while you focus on not getting out of the sky.
One of the things I really struggle with is the throttle. Using the controller, you can zoom in and out with the push of a button, but it’s difficult. I find that pushing the button does either too much or not enough, and I get distracted trying to balance the throttle properly and take my eye off the ball.
It’s the throttle management that made me look to the flight stick, or HOTAS, for better timing. A physical throttle with finer control would certainly relieve my one pain point so far.
Another thing I find is that because I’m usually holding the controller with two hands, it’s very difficult to try to look around the cockpit for things like the adjustment wheel.
The steering wheel is another pain point, and in this instance I think it’s how my brain is wired from years of playing racing games with a controller. Using the left and right triggers on the rudder is completely against my muscle memory. I don’t use it when I should, and I accidentally use it when it shouldn’t.
It’s pretty playable with a controller, and I’m not saying it’s bad by any means. But I want to get better and do more, and I feel like sticking to a controller doesn’t give me the good control I need.
Enter the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas One
The next step I will take is the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas One. This particular system seems perfect for beginners like me who are looking to take the next step.
Not only does it come recommended by my colleague, Ben Wilson, it rates as the best budget choice in our roundup of the best flight simulators for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, it’s also lightweight and affordable.
I would prefer the stick to be on the left so that my right hand is free at all times so the mouse doesn’t change, but otherwise, it ticks the big boxes I want.
Obviously there is a stick to properly control the flight, but it also has two options for controlling the rudder – either a twist or a dedicated rocker behind the throttle – and, of course, that manual throttle control. Compatibility with PC and Xbox Series X|S is a handy bonus, too.
For me it’s less about adding reality – although this is a realistic way to play – and more about having a tool for the job. I’m committed to trying to learn Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, so in the same way I use the controller with the rear paddles in the shooters, using HOTAS seems like a logical step.
I totally get it, though, already. I can see why people spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on flight sim machines. I’m more familiar with the race, myself, but the goal is the same. You want to be the best, and having professional controls is part of it.
So I enter. I’ll be back in a few months, maybe to update how it went.
If you have any tips for a new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 pilot, be sure to drop them in the comments below!
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