Fighter or Fodder?

[Sionnach Glic]

Indeed, it would be almost unfeasable to try to switch to a completely different control system now. I was just saying that it was stupid to switch to them in the first place.

Teaos, what I meant by 'conventional design' was something along the lines of modern fighter control systems. Far simpler and easier to use.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Wow... I didn'tr think I was going to open a can of worms quite this size... not that I mind!

My point was originally not to espouse the merits of the console over the joystick - I frankly agree that a joystick makes more sense to me, for atmospheric and orbital speeds at least.

What I was trying to say was that a console-based system should be included - either to replace OR to co-exist with the joystick system - because every pilot in Starfleet besides Tom Paris has training and experience with it. Whether or not the joystick system is actually better on its own merits, the net result will be worse if nobody can fly the damn ship effectively.

So have a center console in the center position and have the joystick positioned to the side like a F-16? That could work. I never liked a center-positioned stick. Even at home I set up my 'cockpit' like an F-16. As for the issue of feed-back in atmosphere, even a fly-by-wire system could be set up with a forced feedback system. A friend of mine has a joystick with that, very high priced but the point is that if a 21st century computer and joystick can do it a 24th century computer should have no problem.