Which joystick to buy?

[Insthink 0]

Ive had this crappy old thrusmaster standard, only a 2 axis 4 button thing

Now ive been mostly playing a ground soldier, but ive started an interest in air transport, you know, getting the troops into place with choppers?

Ive had trouble with my current joystick, like using some buttons for move up and down, but wont work as well as the keyboard, or having to turn around, there is no pivoting axis for the rudders on the joystick, and of course, the smoothness =P

So what are your suggestions for a nice nifty joystick to fly choppers? thanks!

[dayglow 2]

Are you just looking for a nice little all in one joystick to play around in with in OFP, or do you want a all singing all dancing joystick for serious sims?

For a nice stick in OFP either Logictech or Microsoft make some nice sticks, either FF or non-FF. If you are looking for a good sim stick the Saitek x45 looks nice and has intergrated rudder control. The cream of the crop right now is the Thrustmaster Couger, but that's like $250 us and need to buy rudders on top of that.

COLINMAN

[Warin 0]

I love my Logitech WITHOUT force feedback. A lot of people love force, but I found it distracting more than anything else. Make sure you get the one with the twist handle rudder though.

I'd love one of the top of the line Thrustmasters, but they are obscenely expensive.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

I dont use a joystick for OFP. I do have a MS FF2. I love using it for flight sims, and it works great in most games. but, it is awful in OFP, as for some reason the return to center tension doesnt work in OFP. but, if you ask me, keyboard and mouse are perfectly sufficient for OFP.

[timmy 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Warin @ May 10 2002,05:07)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I love my Logitech WITHOUT force feedback.  A lot of people love force, but I found it distracting more than anything else.  Make sure you get the one with the twist handle rudder though.

I'd love one of the top of the line Thrustmasters, but they are obscenely expensive.<span id='postcolor'>

what is force feed back?

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (timmy @ May 11 2002,02:08)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">what is force feed back?<span id='postcolor'>

Force feedback is the simulated effect of ingame forces on the joystick. For example, imagine firing the machine guns on your aircraft and having the joystick rattle from the firing vibrations. Also, it isnt just limited to recoil,some FF joysticks are capable of modeling other kinds of forces as well

[dayglow 2]

For flight sims it helps with the level of immersion because you can feel the effects of g-forces through the stick. Also if the feedback is well done it is easier to fly your plane at the edge of the envolope because you can feel the tickle of the buffets that happen before a stall. You then can stay right at the edge. I had a Logitech FF for awhile. Was really nice, but it broke after a few months. I got a refund and have decided to wait to buy a new stick until LOMAC comes out. I haven't been flying all that much lately and my old original Sidewinder 3D pro still works. Unfortunatly my CH Pro Throttle is gathering dust since I upgraded to XP since the NT code locks the keyboard port to programing devices. Don't understand how this is a secerity feature.

COLINMAN

[jawk2 1]

force feedback or not...

i suggest u to have a FF joystick( sometime it's fun to use)... u have better sensation of what u do.

For me i personnally use the mouse/kbd for plane *i need sharpness*... and SiderwinderFF2 for chopper with Zaxis reversed*i need combined mvt for moving*.

I generally place the FF to the lowest which give me information when piloting and that i cannot see my gunner *ie UH60... u need to slow down when gunner fire a target*.

For the product u may choose i prefer that u choose...*personnally i find that the thruster in my joystick is unuseful and i ve scripted the up/down mvt in other button*.I suggest u to go in some supermarket and see the computer in demonstrate and ask the vendor to try the joystick, u can do this it's normal, just take one that your hand fit well with it

[SlaFs 0]

If you want a allround joystick, go for Saitek 3d cyborg gold.

It´s the most confortable joystick out there, no matter the size of your hands. Force feedback is nice, but then it´s better to get a saitek x45, cost almost the same and you get a true simmer joystick. If you are rich, go for the cougar...

[Sexacutioner 0]

I'd have to aggree with SlaFs on the Saitek Cyborg. It really is the best bang for your buck. I don't use a flight stick in OFP, but I do in flight sims. The saitek has alot of buttons which I think is firstmost important in joysticks. Then it has the throttle and the rudder (twist joystick for analog rudder) all built into it. I've had mine for along time now and with the heavy spring it has, I don't see it breaking any time soon. Plus you can customize everything on it, for hand size or left/right handed people.

[Satchel 0]

I have my CH-F16 Combatstick a couple of years now, and it still works like on the first day i plugged it into my comp. Looks and feels like an actual Fighterstick, no fictional Space invaders design.

Throttle wheel, 6 buttons, 2 coolie hats.

The best joystick around is the Cougar from Thrustmasters currently.

[dayglow 2]

The only problem with FF is that the return springs are the motors that do the FF so they are mushy in the middle. I have noticed this with both the M$ and Logitech sticks. There is a lot of play in the center so they are not that precise. I Wonder how hard it would be to make a FF stick with seperate motors for FF and a spring setup to center the stick, have the best of both worlds.

COLINMAN

[shadow 6]

I just love my Cougar

-Love flying the planes in OFP

-Hoping BIS will tweak the controls a bit more (more realism)

-Looking forward to the new TM Rudders

-Looking forward to LOMAC

[Renagade 0]

whats lomac?? and another thing is does anyone elses joystick cause the rudders to go ddea when in the air.I have a logitech wingman extreme and i got 2 buttons on it assigned to turn the chopper ruders but as soon as i get in the air with the chopper and wobble the joysick,the rudders are dead even when using my normal ruddders keys

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Sexacutioner @ May 11 2002,17:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I'd have to aggree with SlaFs on the Saitek Cyborg.  It really is the best bang for your buck.  I don't use a flight stick in OFP, but I do in flight sims.  The saitek has alot of buttons which I think is firstmost important in joysticks.  Then it has the throttle and the rudder (twist joystick for analog rudder) all built into it.  I've had mine for along time now and with the heavy spring it has, I don't see it breaking any time soon.  Plus you can customize everything on it, for hand size or left/right handed people. <span id='postcolor'>

I used to have a Cyborg. It was a good stick, but I had some issues with the durability of the stick, and it eventually just died. It was a good stick while it lasted (a good 2 years)

[red oct 2]

SideWinder= ownage

I have Force Feed Back II its perfect for games like OPF that arnt the totally realistic flight sims, it may be a little tricky at first if your customed to using mouse and keyboard but its a breeze once you get the hang of it. plays awsome in space combat shooters like Tachyon

[dayglow 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Renagade @ May 11 2002,11:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">whats lomac?? and another thing is does anyone elses joystick cause the rudders to go ddea when in the air.I have a logitech wingman extreme and i got 2 buttons on it assigned to turn the chopper ruders but as soon as i get in the air with the chopper and wobble the joysick,the rudders are dead even when using my normal ruddders keys <span id='postcolor'>

LOMAC=Lock On: Modern Air Combat. It's the next big thing in flightsims. It's being made by the people responsible for Flanker 2.0 and is the first highly detailed study sim of a few planes. It inclueds F-15, A-10, SU-27, SU-33, SU-25, SU-39, and MIG-29 (on both sides, Russia and Germany). Probably one of the most detailed multi-aircraft sims made. The engine is DX8 optomized so it will look amazing on newer cards. Can't wait.

COLINMAN