Joystick recommendations

[Onkel Neal]

I decided to order ROF through Amazon, and got Blackshark while I was at it. I need to book some time to play games, no more putting it off! :D

Now, I probably need to anew joystick, my 1999 MS Sidewinder Pro is still my preferred stick, but I am guessing I need a "DirectX 9" compatible stick? What is that?

What stick do you use and why?
Recommendations?

[Dowly]

Saitek EVO Cyborg :yeah:

Sturdy, can be adjusted for left-handed use, buttons in the stick can be lowered/moved to sides, rudder twist. Only complaint is that the #1 trigger button broke, but then again I tend to squeeze the trigger a bit hard at times. :O:

Ow and you want to get the force feedback one, FF is a must. :yep:

http://www.saitek.com/UK/PROD/evoforce.htm

Or if you want to go cheaper, then you can always get the Logitech 3d Extreme. But that felt abit toy-ish when I had it, especially compared to the EVO.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/gaming/joysticks/devices/291&cl=us,en

[Onkel Neal]

So, this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-Cyborg-Force-Flight-PS27/dp/B00068P3O4

[Dowly]

So, this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-Cyborg-Force-Flight-PS27/dp/B00068P3O4

Yes, Sir. :salute:

[HunterICX]

I got that Cyborg Evo Force too, loving it :yeah:

HunterICX

[Spike88]

I use the Logitech Attack 3. Mostly because its cheap. :haha: Only $14-20 dollars depending on where you get it and its really durable. It has eleven buttons and a throttle.

I would like to get the Saitek X52 pro.
http://www.saitek.com/UK/prod/x52.htm

[FIREWALL]

Logitech G940 Hands down the best.


http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Flight-System-Feedback-Joystick/dp/B002G1YPP2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1265056017&sr=8-1

[Onkel Neal]

Yes, Sir. :salute:

Bah, no one stocks it :(

[Highbury]

If you are looking for a -$100 stick I recommend the Thrustmaster T.1600M. It is one of the only sticks on the market (and BY FAR the cheapest) that has Hall Effect magnetic sensors that give 256x the precision of regular sticks. It has a heavy base, good feel, can be adapted for right or left hand.... the only thing that is poor on it is the throttle slider. It is a NON-FF stick, just so you know. I have not tried the latest generation of FF sticks but the last ones I tried I did not like the feel of.

I went from a Saitek Evo to this stick playing RoF and the difference was night and day. ROF is quite dependent on a good peripheral setup to get the most out of it. Going a bit less on the stick will save money if you want to add pedals... throttle quadrant... TrackIR etc.

You will have to register on the forums as part of their SHV-like DRM Neal, if you have any questions about it feel free to look me up there. I am a moderator under the name Bleddyn.

[Onkel Neal]

If you are looking for a -$100 stick I recommend the Thrustmaster T.1600M. It is one of the only sticks on the market (and BY FAR the cheapest) that has Hall Effect magnetic sensors that give 256x the precision of regular sticks. It has a heavy base, good feel, can be adapted for right or left hand.... the only thing that is poor on it is the throttle slider. It is a NON-FF stick, just so you know. I have not tried the latest generation of FF sticks but the last ones I tried I did not like the feel of.

I went from a Saitek Evo to this stick playing RoF and the difference was night and day. ROF is quite dependent on a good peripheral setup to get the most out of it. Going a bit less on the stick will save money if you want to add pedals... throttle quadrant... TrackIR etc.

You will have to register on the forums as part of their SHV-like DRM Neal, if you have any questions about it feel free to look me up there. I am a moderator under the name Bleddyn.

Very cool, I know moderator in the ROF forum :yeah: I joined the forum a couple days ago, is there an Introduce yourself thread?

Thanks for the tips, Amazon just confirmed the shipment of ROF. I know about the DRM, learned about it in the SH5 forum. As long as the game plays pretty reliably, I'm fine with that. :D


I will check out the Thrustmaster T.1600M, this one? (http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-Stick-Resolution-Flight/dp/B001S0RTU0) Nice, looks like my Sidewinder, I like.

Again, thanks for the tip.

[Task Force]

Ive got the extreme 3d PRO which is the same as the one dowly was talking about but with no force feedback...

ive used it every day/every other day (monday, wensday, friday) for the past year+ and no issues with it... reasonably good build quality, still in one peice, which is a mirical, bacause with the way I fly, im supprised I havent ripped its stick off... lol

IMO, very good value for money.

*dcs blackshark is a good game, I think you will like it... I liked it till I installed W7 and forgot my password for there site...:damn: alot to learn. lol

[Highbury]

Yeah that is the stick. I thought it looked a bit light going by the pic online but when I got it I was impressed. Probably 6 - 7 lbs.

As for the forum there is no real introduce yourself thread, people generally just make a hello one in General or Off Topic :D

[Skybird]

If you want to get serious about flight simming, especially with a thing like Blackshark, you may want to consider getting a HOTAS and pedals. You cannot seriously fly any helicopter in realistic mode without pedals, that'S like a car without steering wheel. And if the sim is an orgy with switches and buttons, a HOTAS is highly reocmmended. There even is the first FF-HOTAS out, simHQ just previewed it:

http://www.simhq.com/_technology2/technology_158a.html

If you just play around a bit, simplifying flight models and not caring about realism but wanting quick arcade action, a single stick is okay. If you really want the illusion to handle a real flying thing, you need pedals and separate throttle and stick.

Consider TrackIR, if budget allows it. It's worth it, really.

[Onkel Neal]

Can't afford any of that now.

I got Blackshark today, and my ol' Sidewinder still works. I went through two of the training modules, ahem, let me just say, I will be opting for the easy start up mode, you know, where you push E to start the engines and get going. This sucker has a million switches and they all do something. I'm going to have to get used to flying with my right hand and mousing all the switches with my left. A real helicopter would be easier to fly, lol.

[Task Force]

Can't afford any of that now.

I got Blackshark today, and my ol' Sidewinder still works. I went through two of the training modules, ahem, let me just say, I will be opting for the easy start up mode, you know, where you push E to start the engines and get going. This sucker has a million switches and they all do something. I'm going to have to get used to flying with my right hand and mousing all the switches with my left. A real helicopter would be easier to fly, lol.

Oah yes, that game has tons of switches and buttons.:yep:

[Skybird]

This sucker has a million switches and they all do something.

For a moment I was tempted to make that my new sig. :D

[Onkel Neal]

Haha, don't bother, I'm famous for being a noob in flight sims :har:

[Shearwater]

I have this one http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Extreme-Joystick-Silver-Black/dp/B00009OY9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265257071&sr=1-1.
I got it because I was looking for something with a twist handle, and I quite like it. Good quality so far (though I don't use it excessively). Some might find it a bit stiff though.

[weeksatsea]

Hi Guys . Excuse the high level of noobishness - I'm considering buying RoF and a joystick .

I don't know if pedals are necessary . From reading the thread it seems twisting the stick replaces the pedal action. Is that right ?

Could I handle RoF with just a stick ? Thanks for any advice .

[Skybird]

I do not know RoF, but I used to have a Sidewinder Pro stick years ago, before I got pedals. Used the twisting grip as pedal replacement in Flight Simulator and IL-2. It simply lacked the needed precision to aim shots precisely. In fact that handicap was what made me buying pedals back then.

A twisting stick should be considered a provisional solution only, I think. It'S no full replacement for pedals.

[Schroeder]

Actually I have been flying with a twist handle for years and got used to it. There is no accuracy deficiency in my opinion. But that is just like Force Feedback. Some say it's a must have others say it's unnecessary and just throws off your aim. If I was you I would start with a twist handle simply because it's the cheapest solution if you feel like that isn't enough then you can still get the more expansive pedals.

[Hitman]

A drawback in those twist joysticks IMHO is that you get used to fly like that, twisting it in almost every maneuver to compensate, accentuate, etc, and if you like flying and go for pedals later, you have lots of bad habits.

My experience is that a good quality, solid joystick with throttle and then a pedal set is the best combination for less money.

[FIREWALL]

@ Amazon.com CH Products Pro Rudder Pedals $100.00 New

2yr Warrenty

Free Shipping You won't beat that anywhere.

Buy thru SubSim also. :yep:

[weeksatsea]

Ok I sourced a cyborg evo second hand for a good price.

Its my first flight sim so I'll try it out, and If i'm completely hooked I'll look at pedals down the line. I'm sure I can break any habits if I put my mind to it.

Thanks for the info.

[weeksatsea]

A drawback in those twist joysticks IMHO is that you get used to fly like that, twisting it in almost every maneuver to compensate, accentuate, etc, and if you like flying and go for pedals later, you have lots of bad habits.

My experience is that a good quality, solid joystick with throttle and then a pedal set is the best combination for less money.

Edit ; sir you were right !!

I just realized that my driving wheel pedals can work in ROF . (Forehead slap)

So this evening I used pedals for the first time with my Albatros. What a difference. Now I'm really flying. Might have been the Cyborg Evo twist action - very stiff . I was fighting it all the way. Now with pedals it is a real pleasure to fly, and I do need to undo those bad habits.

Better late than never.

[karamazovnew]

My Sidewinder FF 2 has received a bit of abused and the FF just broke. The stick itself still works but there's no more "spring" tension to it and even though it's the most precise stick in the world, I decided I had to buy a new stick.

So I went for the Saitek CyborgX as it was less than 40 euros. I expected it to be decent and went for it mainly for the dual throttles. However I had no idea I'd just bought the best laptop stick ever made.
- detachable stick
- folding base
- light as a feather

I don't know why they haven't advertised these features! And these are all on top of the 12 buttons, 2 throttles, trim wheel (actually 24 buttons,4 throttles and 2 trim wheels with the SHIFT button pressed). The shape of the stick can be customized very easily. The best feature is the adjustable length of the stick. This basically makes the spring feel lighter and it's superb for helo sims. It's way more precise than I expected from a spring stick with an almost zero deadzone and very good linearity.

The only downsides are:
- rudder is a bit too stiff, i had grown accustomed to the light rudder of the Sidewinder. You actually feel that you're controlling another axis and it takes a few hours to combine movements. But after 10 years using the old one, a few hours is actually ok :hmmm:
- the base is so small that it tilts forward when you push the stick beyond it's front limit. But this depends on the stick's initial tilt (customizable) and it's far less annoying than it sounds. You can still reach the full travel without problems.

After a week of playing multiple sims, I've come to love this one. It's best used for commercial plane sims like FS or space sims. It does a better job on helos than my old one. In fighter sims it's a bit more stiff than I'd like it to be. So you could surely do better with other more expensive sticks, but if you have a laptop and want a good full size joystick that can easily be carried, this is by far the best thing on the market.