Nostromo Loadout

**fredgwynne** · 08-07-2007, 07:29 PM

So I just picked up one of them there Nostromo speed pads for a finski (the whipper snapper said I could "pwn" with it, whatever that means...) and I'm curious how you all set up your loadouts.

My assault/med one is attached.

**Exploding_Silver** · 08-07-2007, 08:11 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oZUzhWS9ac

this is new gadget to me

does it give you an edge in game, can feel that its better ?

**Anospa** · 08-07-2007, 08:17 PM

I believe Crux and Waffle use them.

**Lorax74** · 08-07-2007, 08:20 PM

I use one as well and love it (once I got used to it), I'll upload the config for it when I get home. As far as an edge goes, in a limited fashion it does. You don't have to stretch to reach certain hard to reach keys (like 8 for 'nades) and you could macros to do certain things. I had one (never could remember to use it) that would pull up the commo rose and left click right away, kind of a one click spot. I also had the same going for the tactical rose to issue orders, I did use that one.

It does take some time and patience to get used to it and your game play may suffer for a short time, but once you get used to it, you really will wonder how you got along without it.

*Edit*

Here you go, let me know if you have any suggestions.

n52 Speedpad Profile (n52 file)

n52 Speedpad Profile Printout (PDF)

Normal Layout:

Red Shift State:

**Zoraster** · 08-07-2007, 09:30 PM

i use the speedpad, and it's awesome. so does ultrablue. I don't use the colors shifts because it gets to confusing in the game, and i don't want to spend a key on a color shift change.

The spot macro is simply Q plus a key click so it makes spotting a bit quicker.

3 is bound to my G5's thumb button, and G is bound to my left and right scroll with my mouse button. I press B and 8 on my keyboard as well as the team button and the score button.

WaffleHousChef · 08-08-2007, 12:12 AM

Yeah, I use one too. I love it now that I'm used to it. Like everyone has said it takes a while to rewire your reflexes, but once you have you'll wonder what you did without it. I have a writeup on my TacticalBlog about it, including my key profile (which is a derivative of Crux' originally.)

I've found that the most important thing on the map is using the swiss cross for weapon changes. It makes things sooo much easier, since you can use your thumb to change items while still moving with your fingers, and never having to move your hand to hit hard to reach keys.

I'm very happy with mine.

**Aruncado** · 08-08-2007, 12:18 AM

I have used one ever since I started and have to say that it is way better than just relying on the keyboard. I'd post my profiles but I don't have a file storage location on the web to link them from.

I will add that I have one shift in my profile for vehicle specific controls though. F1-F6, countermeasures, camera changes, etc. The regular shift I use for all my infantry controls. I leave sprint and VOIP tagged to mouse buttons 3 and 4. The only thing I have to reach to my keyboard for is map and TS push to talk.

Nostromo FTW!

-Arun

Hidus · 08-08-2007, 12:58 AM

I've been through 3 n50's and 2 n52's. I used to swear by them. Never really bothered for 2142 though since it's not a game that uses a ton of keys. Maybe I'll have to dust mine off and give it a try.

**Zoraster** · 08-08-2007, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaffleHousChef

Yeah, I use one too. I love it now that I'm used to it. Like everyone has said it takes a while to rewire your reflexes, but once you have you'll wonder what you did without it. I have a writeup on my TacticalBlog about it, including my key profile (which is a derivative of Crux' originally.)

I've found that the most important thing on the map is using the swiss cross for weapon changes. It makes things sooo much easier, since you can use your thumb to change items while still moving with your fingers, and never having to move your hand to hit hard to reach keys.
I'm very happy with mine.

exactly! i'm extraordinarily quick with the defib to rockets to my gun to my pistol without moving my fingers at all.

FrankHelicoptr · 08-08-2007, 03:12 AM

I just perfected my gaming setup, and I don't plan on updating anytime soon...

**Lorax74** · 08-08-2007, 08:41 AM

The shifts are not that difficult to learn and get used to, at least no more so than it takes to get used to using the n52 itself.

With just one "momentary" shift state I have almost every key I use without having to switch to the keyboard for much of anything, other than function keys or the esc key. I have VoIP mapped to my G5's thumbkey, commander comm to one of tilts (as well as the n52 big red button, which I find cumbersome), and TeamSpeak's push-to-talk mapped to the other tilt.

One thing I used to do was have a green toggle shift state that was a mirror to the normal state but reversed the rockets and defibs, when I was using the default assault rifle I used this a lot. I also had blue toggle setup for a weird engineer config for the thumb pad putting the SMG (2) where the assault rifle was (3), the Philum where rockets usually were, motion mines where the med hub was, and bait or emp mines where the defibs were. I activated the different toggle states with the wheel, once up would switch to green, up again would toggle back to normal. The same was true for blue and down on the wheel. That's probably the only time I've actually used the wheel in 2142.

Now all of that did take a bit of getting used to, but once I had it all figured out and down to reflex I was rocking and rolling and unstoppable - right up until I reinstalled the OS to fix an issue I was having and forgot to backup my config file. It was a painful process trying to rebuild from scratch, and I never got it back to the original state I had it in with all 3 shifts (plus normal), but I find how I have it now to work very well for me.

One thing I do suggest playing with is the palm rest, it is adjustable to I believe 2 positions. I found moving the palm rest back a position to be much more comfortable fit. You could also totally remove the palm rest, but that didn't seem comfortable to me at all.

**Superfast** · 08-08-2007, 09:14 AM

I have to check this out, this looks so cool. Order placed! Thanks for the tip.

**fredgwynne** · 08-08-2007, 11:35 AM

Thanks, guys. I think looking over the names of the posters in this thread is enough to encourage me to stick with it through the adjustment period... it seems to be favored by the TG All Stars.

One question: What's the color shift functionality? I bought my n52 used and sans instructions, and that's a function I haven't figured out yet....

EDIT: Ignore that last bit. I figured it out. Related question: Do you guys shell out of the game to switch loadouts when you switch kits, or do you use the color shifts? I agree using the D-Pad on the n52 is way cool for weapons, but obviously the combat medic D-Pad weapons aren't going to work when you're support....

**Lorax74** · 08-08-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredgwynne

One question: What's the color shift functionality? I bought my n52 used and sans instructions, and that's a function I haven't figured out yet....

You may find this helpful then...
http://www.belkin.com/support/produc...&pid=F8GFPC100

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredgwynne

EDIT: Ignore that last bit. I figured it out.

Great, but I'll chime in with a bit more on this anyway. There are two types of shift state: Toggle and momentary.

Toggle: In a nutshell, when you press and release a toggle shift state button, you toggle that shift state on or off.
Momentary: In a nutshell, when you press this key you shift into that shift state and when you release it you revert back to the prior shift state. In order to use this type of shift state, you need to keep the shift state key depressed while pressing the key(s) you want. For instance, pressing a certain direction on the d-pad will equip the rifle (3), pressing the momentary red shift state button and pressing the d-pad in the same direction will pull out the pistol. When I release the shift state key and press again, I'm now back to the rifle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredgwynne

Related question: Do you guys shell out of the game to switch loadouts when you switch kits, or do you use the color shifts? I agree using the D-Pad on the n52 is way cool for weapons, but obviously the combat medic D-Pad weapons aren't going to work when you're support....

Never. With practice you will learn and remember exactly where you mapped each kit's items to on the d-pad and switching to the desired item will become almost like a reflex. One of the things that I like about the shift state is it gives the d-pad the full 8 weapon slots rather than only 4. This allows me to use any kit and have full access to everything with hardly any effort. I had no luck trying to use the diagonals reliably on the d-pad.

Thanatos · 08-08-2007, 12:27 PM

I want one