Joystick preference?

[Jim_Gordon 0]

I am looking at purchasing a new joystick for flying (mostly choppers) in AA. Looking for opinions/recommendations. I currently have an MS sidewinder, but it has seen it's better days.

Regards,

Jim

[frederf 0]

Saitek Cyborg Evo is only about $30, has rudder twist and throttle, built solidly, and is customizable for your hand.

[NeZz_DK 1]

have you thought about a joypad? Im using a MS X360 controller and its great for flying and driving, the two analog sticks give you the ability to fly on one and use the other to look around.

[ArmaVidz 0]

I have a Sytek Evo like above, it is solid for sure. Great control for a cheap joystick. The hi-hat is aweful for head movement in ArmA though. It's very jerky. Still highly recommended for flying though.

I think it might have something to do with the way the joystick is designed in that the hi-hat almost appears to be made up of "buttons" rather than an analog-motion full 360 degree control. Like the rest of the joystick.

I wish I could use my mouse while flying, it's so much more fluid.

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

Just gotten a Speedlink Black Widow flight controller... Definitely is nice to have rudder at throttle and set as axis... Now all I need to do is practice to get to grips with ArmA's 1.08 flight model But I'm sure I'll thank my acquisition once I've got the feeling on it!

[-1stHssr-Batesy 0]

I have the saitek joystick, I love it. It's fantastic, it feels great and you can adjust various things to make it more comfortable

I would definatly buy it

[snowdawg 0]

I have both the EVO and the X-52 sticks by Saitek. Both are good, but if your in to flight sims, the X-52 is the way to go.

[Mak 0]

I am looking at purchasing a new joystick for flying (mostly choppers) in AA. Looking for opinions/recommendations. I currently have an MS sidewinder, but it has seen it's better days.

Regards,

Jim

What you need is this:

This is the CH Fighterstick by CH Products. A little pricey at $149.99, big, but has all of the features you need and MORE. The precision on this baby is amazing, and how do I know this? Because I own one. These joysticks never fail. If they do, its more likely a component inside the stick - No worries, CH has the solution. Not only do they make great joysticks that last forever, but they sell replacement parts for cheap so you can easily fix what has gone bad or been broken.

They also have rudder pedals which you don't need, but I would recommend them for any other flight sim and also the immersion factor. I have had this joystick for 4 years now. It has been one of the best investments I've made in PC Gaming. It also comes with X and Y axis trim controls for your more advanced flying.

Games I have played with this stick are:

IL2 Sturmovik

IL2 Forgotten Battles + Expansion

Pacific Fighters

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 - A Century of Flight

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Operation Flashpoint

Armed Assault

Not only have I been able to play these games with this joystick, but I have been able to play them WELL.

It is understandable that it is a little on the spendy side, but they do offer a Combatstick 568, which has the same performance with fewer buttons for about 40 dollars less.

[rundll.exe 12]

Im looking for a joystick too, also for flying ArmA, but I think I want ForceFeedback too.

Is saw the Logitech Force 3D Pro (affordable) and the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 Joystick wich is allmost twice as expensive.

andy tips and experiences? And is FF worth the extra $$?

[super64 0]

I have the Logitech 3D Extreme Pro. I'll have to say, I really like what it gives me for the price. It has a very solid, heavy'ish feel to it. Its fairly precise. It has 12 programmable buttons. And works easily with any game. You can use the Logitech Profiler to assign key binds to it. Or, a freebie program called Joy2Key.. which I use. It uses less memory and programs easily. Pretty much all I do in ArmA is fly. So if the 3D Extreme sucked, id buy something new in a heartbeat.

[Mak 0]

Im looking for a joystick too, also for flying ArmA, but I think I want ForceFeedback too.

Is saw the Logitech Force 3D Pro (affordable) and the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 Joystick wich is allmost twice as expensive.

andy tips and experiences? And is FF worth the extra $$?

In my opinion Force Feedback is just a gimmick like Playstation 2's Dual Shock or "Rumble" is to their controller.

It doesn't enhance your ability to play, only the immersion factor. To be honest, I am one of those gamers who always turned the Rumble off because it was a distraction and it was also annoying. You pay a lot of extra money for the force feedback and in the end, you might not even care about it.

[Mak 0]

Double post, sorry

Here is the link to Newegg, in which you can get the CH Fighterstick for only $102

3 4-way hats and an 8-way hat, plus many other buttons. You won't be let down if you purchase this. And they last - Read some reviews on there and some people have had it for almost a decade.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826169102

[rundll.exe 12]

I own an (old) logitech wingman extreme but one of the potentiometers failed quite soon and now gives a strange behaviour..

Did anyone have difficulties with logitech components? (maybe be just production error in mine)

about the force feedback: some ppl say you get more "Feeling" of the vehicle you steering, but I dont know how well this is implemented in ArmA...

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

Yeah I had a Logitech Wingman Extreme 3D which also gave up after some time, was superseeded by the Gravis Blackhawk Digital, which was the last Joystick I've seen that enables you to have the middle finger also with a button to press...    I wish every joystick would have a button for the middle finger instead of so many for the thumb which besides two or more other buttons also has to handle the now universally standard hat-switch...  

I just recently got the Speedlink Black Widow because I acknowledge that it's necessary to have twice the axis of a normal joystick, to besides direction also handle thrust and rudder control, also it is USB, so it should simplify my life finally...

[ernie247 0]

ive got a logitech wingman forcefeedback and its still going strong

annoying thing is though it doesnt have a twist axis on the joystick. You could set the z-axis as the throttle but its not the same for helis

[twisted 127]

get saitke joytsick and throttle combo. lovely. customisable. great control and really immersive. then get TrackIR for complete immersion (but careful it's very fragile).

[F-16 0]

i have the saitek and i love it most of all because its the best left handed stick on the market. The x-52 is nice and all but its expensive and if you happen to be like me it will degrade your flight performance for a while while you re-adjust yourself to right handed flying

[jasono 0]

I have the saitek cyborg evo force (2nd reply to this thread) and like others said its comftable, I can't agree more.

It has many buttons and force feedback (if you get the force feedback one). I got it for £25 in the UK just under 2 years ago now.

[Mak 0]

I can't believe that no one here uses CH Sticks. What a bummer... you guys are really missing out.

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

I can't believe that no one here uses CH Sticks.  What a bummer... you guys are really missing out.

To each his own, I guess...

[Greyco 0]

I'm using the Thrustmaster Top Gun Fox 2 Pro.

Best joystick I've ever had. I do advice you to stay away from logitech when it comes to joysticks. Saitek has some kickass joysticks too, like the X52. Though those are a little bit more expensive then a Thrustmaster.

CH Products is more for the hardcore simmer isn't it? They're a lot more expensive then the needs of an average gamer.

[JAMF 0]

Tsk tsk. Toys.

IL-2 Sturmovik is where I hail from, which is 1946 in it´s current incarnation. When you are serious about flying, you have a modded Thrustmaster Cougar. It´s up to you wether you are an F-16 realisme fan and pick a force mod (FCC or FSSB) or go for a durable precision movement in the form of IJ´s Ü2-NXT.

[bravo 6 0]

I am looking at purchasing a new joystick for flying (mostly choppers) in AA. Looking for opinions/recommendations. I currently have an MS sidewinder, but it has seen it's better days.

Regards,

Jim

What you need is this:

http://www.chproducts.com/retail/joysticks/fighter_usb_lg.jpg

This is the CH Fighterstick by CH Products. A little pricey at $149.99, big, but has all of the features you need and MORE. The precision on this baby is amazing, and how do I know this? Because I own one. These joysticks never fail. If they do, its more likely a component inside the stick - No worries, CH has the solution. Not only do they make great joysticks that last forever, but they sell replacement parts for cheap so you can easily fix what has gone bad or been broken.

They also have rudder pedals which you don't need, but I would recommend them for any other flight sim and also the immersion factor. I have had this joystick for 4 years now. It has been one of the best investments I've made in PC Gaming. It also comes with X and Y axis trim controls for your more advanced flying.

Games I have played with this stick are:

IL2 Sturmovik

IL2 Forgotten Battles + Expansion

Pacific Fighters

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 - A Century of Flight

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Operation Flashpoint

Armed Assault

Not only have I been able to play these games with this joystick, but I have been able to play them WELL.

It is understandable that it is a little on the spendy side, but they do offer a Combatstick 568, which has the same performance with fewer buttons for about 40 dollars less.

Does this joystick have forcefeedback?

I think its crucial to have forcefeedback. Though BIS didnt implemented arma with much Forcefeedback in the game, sadly.

[memnoch 0]

These joysticks never fail.  If they do....

Optimism and then resignation, almost in the same sentence.  

I can't believe that no one here uses CH Sticks.  What a bummer... you guys are really missing out.

When I do, I use a Thrustmaster F-16 FLCS and TQS.

[rundll.exe 12]

So is the Force Feedback that arma delivers worth the money?

since ArmA is the only game I play