Control panals

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Question. Doesn't anyone else find it rather inefficient to have a helm with no control stick? If I understand how the helm is SUPPOSED to operate, you manually enter the three digit X,Y,Z axis you want, then enter the speed, then "enter". Not a big deal for regular operations, but in combat, by the time you get all those coordinents entered, you need to manuver again, because your enemy is already somewhere else. They finally had a "joystick" in Insurrenction, which was by that time completely ridiculous, but you see my point?

I think we've had a discussion related to this before.

I think there are pre-programmed manuvours or command, like hotkeys, that they can use. "Press ctrl+i to intercept the enemy."

[Mark]

Question. Doesn't anyone else find it rather inefficient to have a helm with no control stick? If I understand how the helm is SUPPOSED to operate, you manually enter the three digit X,Y,Z axis you want, then enter the speed, then "enter". Not a big deal for regular operations, but in combat, by the time you get all those coordinents entered, you need to manuver again, because your enemy is already somewhere else. They finally had a "joystick" in Insurrenction, which was by that time completely ridiculous, but you see my point?

I think we've had a discussion related to this before.

I think there are pre-programmed manuvours or command, like hotkeys, that they can use. "Press ctrl+i to intercept the enemy."

Such as evasive pattern "Riker Alpha" ?

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Question. Doesn't anyone else find it rather inefficient to have a helm with no control stick? If I understand how the helm is SUPPOSED to operate, you manually enter the three digit X,Y,Z axis you want, then enter the speed, then "enter". Not a big deal for regular operations, but in combat, by the time you get all those coordinents entered, you need to manuver again, because your enemy is already somewhere else. They finally had a "joystick" in Insurrenction, which was by that time completely ridiculous, but you see my point?

I think we've had a discussion related to this before.

I think there are pre-programmed manuvours or command, like hotkeys, that they can use. "Press ctrl+i to intercept the enemy."

Such as evasive pattern "Riker Alpha" ?

Uh...sure.

[Sionnach Glic]

But that in itself is a problem. If you have pre-programmed movements, then if the enemy recognises one of your maneouvers he'll know what you're going to do.

[Grundig]

Yeah, I know we've talked about the joystick before, but I just want to say again... They should have saved it for a parody. It was embarassing to watch. Why not have something cool like the Klingon scope-chair thing in ST V?

[Aaron]

Yeah, I know we've talked about the joystick before, but I just want to say again... They should have saved it for a parody. It was embarassing to watch. Why not have something cool like the Klingon scope-chair thing in ST V?

That would be the chair that let the Captain frig around shooting things rather than command his ship?

The joystick is a perfectly valid way to control the ship, how Riker could tell what he was doing without a display to show his position etc, I have no idea.

[Mark]

But that in itself is a problem. If you have pre-programmed movements, then if the enemy recognises one of your maneouvers he'll know what you're going to do.

Plus, no two conflicts are quite the same. Your certainly going to use different tactics and manuvers against a smaller and faster ship as oppesed to a heavely armed, snail slow, juggernaught. And evasive manuvers would NEVER be the same, for the reason Rochey listed above. Just seems to me to be VERY inefficient.

[katefan]

I don't think you would need a joystick if you had two seperate controls to manipulate pitch and yaw, much like American Naval subs have two seperate controls to manipulate depth and attitude. You could use arrow keys and/or a mouse on your keyboard to do pretty much the same thing, I do it all the time with my flying characters in City of Heroes.

[Mark]

I don't think you would need a joystick if you had two seperate controls to manipulate pitch and yaw, much like American Naval subs have two seperate controls to manipulate depth and attitude. You could use arrow keys and/or a mouse on your keyboard to do pretty much the same thing, I do it all the time with my flying characters in City of Heroes.

You'd need three in space. X Y Z pitch yaw and roll I think. Get's tricky without a joystick.

[Mikey]

Most people I know have trouble with their cars in two dimensions after topping 200 mph or so. You expect a human to control a starship moving at 25% of c with a joystick?

[Captain Seafort]

At those sorts of speeds, or at warp, you'd need the normal control panel. It's the slow relative speeds most battles are fought at that the joystick would be useful, where reaction time is more important than precision.

[Sionnach Glic]

Indeed, it's those instances where you need immediate reactions. Pulling on a joystick and tapping controls onto a console are two very different things, and the joystick offers more immediate responses.

[Teaos]

Well we know the Universal Translator can read peoples minds so maybe helm has a similar thing. The pilot thinks moves and the computer does them.

[Mikey]

Well we know the Universal Translator can read peoples minds so maybe helm has a similar thing. The pilot thinks moves and the computer does them.

Then why would they have control panels at all?

[Teaos]

Log in? Set some general battle orders? Play solitair?