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General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: IcyScythe on December 18, 2006, 07:22:37 pm

Title: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: IcyScythe on December 18, 2006, 07:22:37 pm
What is it? I need one... (note: my budget is fairly limited)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 18, 2006, 08:18:39 pm
I got my ST290 Pro at Wal-Mart (don't know the UK equivalent, sorry) for $ 20 .... It's a good Saitek stick.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Polpolion on December 18, 2006, 08:39:59 pm
Your best bet would probably be a saitek stick. I have a saitek cyborg evo force and I really like it, but I got it as a gift so I don't know how much it cost.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Jeb Hoge on December 18, 2006, 08:50:17 pm
I had an original Saitek Cyborg, pre-USB and everything. Good stick, but it had issues. When I finally got around to replacing it, the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro was my choice. I didn't want wireless, and I didn't want to spend a lot, but the Logitech stick has plenty of buttons (more on the stick itself than the Saitek Cyborg had) and I'm pretty sure the price was under $40. I don't know if the same model is still for sale, but look at the Logitech line.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 18, 2006, 08:54:14 pm
Logitech's pretty good, but Saitek's newer models are sturdier. IMHO, the fewer buttons you have, the better. Too many buttons means it's more liable to break down. Besides, that's what the keyboard's for. What do you need 10 buttons for?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 18, 2006, 09:18:58 pm
With luck I'll have an evo force for Christmas. Retail $70 US. Hard to find locally though. I've seen them for $50 on line.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: throwaway4 on December 18, 2006, 09:33:29 pm
Steel Batallion controller works pretty well.   :p
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Mr_Blastman on December 18, 2006, 09:33:40 pm
A modded HOTAS Cougar with CH Pro pedals - honestly - who on earth wants to touch the keyboard when flying a starfighter?  With a HOTAS you can program every possible function in it - so you actually are flying rather than pressing buttons.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 18, 2006, 10:31:43 pm
You press the same buttons on the keyboard as you do on the stick. Practically all the commands you need when you're flying in Frespace are one-touch keyboard controls. It doesn't take away from flying to press a button. Even pilots of modern-day fighter craft have to press buttons whilst they're flying, you can't get away from it.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Dylnuge on December 18, 2006, 10:32:29 pm
I have a logitech. Serves me well, as it came with a demo of FS2, and that's what brought me here in the first place.  :)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Mr_Blastman on December 18, 2006, 10:58:56 pm
You press the same buttons on the keyboard as you do on the stick. Practically all the commands you need when you're flying in Frespace are one-touch keyboard controls. It doesn't take away from flying to press a button. Even pilots of modern-day fighter craft have to press buttons whilst they're flying, you can't get away from it.

You are correct - modern day jets, such as the F16 - still require occasional switches to be flipped when entering an engagement - like - Master Arm On - but this is simply one flip.  Other than that - there are rarely any other buttons to ever press - except for those on the HOTAS - the throttle and stick.

You can control ALL neccessary combat functions from the F16's throttle and stick - without ever having to touch a switch in the 'pit' - aside from Master Arm On and Eject.

All your Comms you set up while on the tarmac before takeoff - such as radio channel, Dlink for your wingmen, data cartridge with mission information - waypoint variants, CBU burst altitude, bingo fuel, ripple quantity etc.

Perhaps when you are striking a ground target - you might also have to press an mfd page or two to turn on FLIR - but uncaging mavericks to cycling between radar slave to camera mode etc - are ALL on the HOTAS - except switching the laser to ON - but even then - that readies it to lase when appropriate :)

Even after all that above - I haven't listed a single dogfight function that requires a switch press other than Master Arm On - which is a solid state switch which basically tells the jet - if you press fire - really fire vs. simulate firing.


The HOTAS is the quintessential invention of the 20th century for the Fighter aircraft - in addition to the HUD - they work together.  I've played through FS 2 years ago without one - and now with one - and I'll tell you - the HOTAS adds a ton to this game.  Don't knock it till ya try it ;)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 18, 2006, 11:37:33 pm
If only I could get a left handed force feedback version...
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Mr_Blastman on December 18, 2006, 11:45:02 pm
If only I could get a left handed force feedback version...

You can get a left handed CH Fighterstick :)  There's a guy making them - www.ch-hangar.com :)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: [DW]-Hunter on December 19, 2006, 01:31:46 am
I have a Seitek x52, and trust me, the 31 functions/buttons it has really makes a difference, you never need to take your hands off the stick or throtle control :D Unfortunately its made for right handers.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: IcyScythe on December 19, 2006, 04:08:59 am
I've never owned a force feedback joystick. Does it significantly add to gameplay?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Wanderer on December 19, 2006, 04:45:32 am
IMO it doesnt.. when i had FF stick my first action was often disabling the force feedback if it was possible.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: throwaway4 on December 19, 2006, 09:02:26 am
I have a Seitek x52, and trust me, the 31 functions/buttons it has really makes a difference, you never need to take your hands off the stick or throtle control :D Unfortunately its made for right handers.

What's better is when your joystick has a keyboard on it.    ;)

I honestly don't find myself doing throttle stuff that much.  I set it, toggle autospeed when I need it, and adjust with the pedals (afterburner, too).
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: [DW]-Hunter on December 19, 2006, 03:04:25 pm
you dont use the throtle to much because your not competing against other really really good people, where your going to need every advantage you can get over people.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: throwaway4 on December 19, 2006, 03:07:56 pm
Perhaps.  Regardless, I have a throttle stick if I need it.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: wtf_cl0vvn on December 19, 2006, 05:56:29 pm
IIRC, in the FS1 tech room, the animation for Terrans shows a pilot with one hand on a flight stick and the other one on a keyboard-like flight panel.   :)


I have an ST290 Pro...it was about $20...only 6 buttons, but if you have one hand on the keyboard its quite sufficient.

The joystick buttons for things like countermeasures, equalize shields, fire, and switch weapons, and the keyboard for comms menu and targeting controls. the other commands you dont really use as much and one hand on the keyboard generally suffices.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 19, 2006, 06:20:54 pm
I also have an ST290 Pro, but I also have a Logitech G15 Keyboard. I've programmed all the commands into those 18 keys, the three sections of six each pertaining to each wing (If I need more, I'll use the other two modes ;7). The keyboard I also use for equilizing guns/shields/engines, and for jumping out. IMHO, nothing else needed
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: haloboy100 on December 19, 2006, 07:35:19 pm
My Logitech Wingman force feedback 3D is the very reason i so much of HEARD of freespace. it came with a demo that features all of missions on freespace retail disk 2 (ALL of them) and it served me very well indeed, untill it completly screwed itself a year ago. It's very old design though, as i got it when i was still playing Star Wars: X-wing Alliance, and that was about 1999-2000 'ish.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 19, 2006, 08:30:43 pm
X-Wing is the only game that would make me consistently duck when pieces of a ship I had just destroyed came flying at me. I try to simulate that feeling with the fisheye lens look of -fov .9 but it's not the same.

I plugged up my Saitek Cyborg 3D today but it doesn't work right in FSOpen, not too surprising since it uses the gameport and has no XP driver support. I always thought the throw on that stick was too long anyway, I preferred the throw and shorter stick on my Advanced Gravis.

Oh well, I'm just a few days away from my first ever USB stick. Now watch it not work on Vista.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: haloboy100 on December 19, 2006, 08:34:46 pm
X-Wing is the only game that would make me consistently duck when pieces of a ship I had just destroyed came flying at me. I try to simulate that feeling with the fisheye lens look of -fov .9 but it's not the same.


 :D That happens to me everytime something hits me or near hits me in ANY game. especially with freespace. once i ducked so hard i flew underneath my desk head first into the wall behind it  :ick: meanwhile my roller chair went flying behind me and hit the wall.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Harbinger of DOOM on December 20, 2006, 01:18:41 am
Dude, just use a mouse, you'll find it works just as well as a joystick (maybe better).
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 20, 2006, 01:25:18 am
Not for everyone I'm afraid.
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,43895.msg897953.html#msg897953
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: wighti on December 20, 2006, 03:50:15 am
Have the Saitek Cyborg and so far it has been really great. Basically I do everything 'cept sending orders to the wingmen on the stick.

... tho, the throttle switch is flimsy. Snapped it in two after a good month or two of use :(
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Herra Tohtori on December 20, 2006, 04:09:06 am
Heh, I managed to break my Saitek Cyborg Evo's trigger... And it didn't just wear out like the trigger switches eventually do.

No, I crushed it through the plastic holder that was supposed to keep it on its place, which ripped the switch that registers the triggerpress apart from one of the two cords that relay the signal to the base by closing the circuit... Luckily, the stick is rather easily disintegrateable so I took it apart, re-ensured the broken connection, stuffed the broken plastic parts sufficiently firmly on their place with duct tape packers, put it back together and it works again like always. Duct tape for the rescue...

The gimball mechanism is also starting to show small signs of wearing out - the mechanical deadzone of the stick has grown significantly, but the axis deadzone is still absolutely zero. It's still good to fly with, as the mechanical "deadzone" area offers an area of low friction and fine control. :)

All in all I can honestly say that Cyborg Evo is a stick well worth its price. Other than flimsy (?) trigger, it's rather solid stick.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: wighti on December 20, 2006, 04:13:54 am
Aye, agreed it's well worth the money. Not quite up to date with what version the one I have is. Saitek Cyborg 3D Platinum or summat read on the box. Best thing, it only cost around ~20 euros(might have been some bargain sale, lately been seeing the same stick for nearly twice the cost everywhere.)

The throttle switch still has more than half of it left, so using it is no biggie. Suppose I could glue/duct tape something for extra lenght if the need arises but so far it's good enough as it is.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Grizzly on December 20, 2006, 04:17:04 am
I use either my Lifetec Erazer (bought for €1) or Logitech Wingman Light (bought for €1)

I had a Logitech Wingman Extreme but the fire and misselle button are not working on these.


You can bassicly use any joystick, look of you can "try" before you buy.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: wighti on December 20, 2006, 04:23:56 am

All in all I can honestly say that Cyborg Evo is a stick well worth its price. Other than flimsy (?) trigger, it's rather solid stick.


Flimsy is the word you'd use something that looks all shiny and stuff, but then isnt quite as sturdy as it should be.

... I think!
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Herra Tohtori on December 20, 2006, 08:08:16 am
Well, it's all relative. I tend to abuse the trigger frequently, and it lasted more than year of violent squeezing, and now that it's fixed it'll last even longer.

I think flimsy means jsut something that isn't sufficiently resistant to wear and tear of normal use... I dunno if my trigger finger counts as normal use, though. :D
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 20, 2006, 09:28:14 am
Hmm, I broke the trigger on my Cyborg 3D digital years ago. They had holes molded down the middle of it, a bad design flaw IMO.

I'll have to look closely at the Evo Force now because I don't want to break another one, especially at 70 bucks.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: [DW]-Hunter on December 20, 2006, 10:19:44 am
Dude, just use a mouse, you'll find it works just as well as a joystick (maybe better).

LOL the mouse sucks ass in freespace, no z axis. And it well... just wasnt ment to be in freespace if you get what I mean.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Grizzly on December 20, 2006, 12:59:31 pm
Hmm, I broke the trigger on my Cyborg 3D digital years ago. They had holes molded down the middle of it, a bad design flaw IMO.

I'll have to look closely at the Evo Force now because I don't want to break another one, especially at 70 bucks.

the good point of the simpler joysticks are that they are easy to repair... I managed to "break" my trigger too., but it didn't fell out, and can still be used ;)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Uninvited on December 21, 2006, 02:43:48 am
When I had a gameport card, I used the Wingman Interceptor. 9 buttons, throttle, and 3 hat switches. I had omething mapped into all 8 directions of each hat switch- targeting (bomb, turret, subsystem, etc) on one, wing commands on another, other things on the third. Was splendid.

Now I'm looking at getting a Logitech Extreme 3D Twisthandle joystick. 12 buttons, throttle, and 1 hat switch. Most buttons I could find on an inexpensive joystick these days. I don't like touching the keyboard.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on December 21, 2006, 03:39:59 am
Xbox360 gamepad.
After that, those who think the mouse isn't sensitive enough, need to think especially about the size of their craft, and realize it's more than a zip zooming paperweight, and that you have to EASE INTO THE CONTROLS with the mouse and then it becomes as sensitive as the joystick is.
Funny how a lot of people don't know this. It's one big reason people break **** all the time, from cars, to gamepads, and joysticks. Sorry, i was heavily reminded of the time my friend played fs2 with a mouse and friskly races it across the mousepad, expecting his craft about the size of a small house to go racing just as fast as he moved the mouse...(dumbass). He got extremely mad, because he was without the knowledge of EASING INTO THE CONTROLS, and LEARNING THE HANDLING. I bet he was wondering why with me moving the mouse ever so contently and gently and have more than enough maneuverability.
Why are people better with a joystick than a mouse in fs2 generally? Well, when you steer your fighter the farther left, up, right, or down you move the stick, the faster you will turn in that direction the more you move the stick in the said direction. Why is mouse so hard? It's not hard, it's different, but overall similar. For as fast as you move a joystick, it'd help to move the mouse slower, and especially helps when you realize that you don't have to use the whole mousepad. When you have a good sensitivity chosen, and i'm not talking about max sensitivity in fs2 and in windows (only idiots do that). The mouse is a more acurate tool, imagine it as the sniper rifle of fs2, it's a lot more accurate, but it can respond just as fast as a joystick...WHEN YOU EASE INTO THE CONTROLS and LEARN THE HANDLING.......yeah.......http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,43895.msg897953.html#msg897953 (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,43895.msg897953.html#msg897953)
Try using your mouse in whole smooth motions that have a degree of restrain and then you'll figure out how to turn your craft at max speed in fs2 with a mouse without racing all over the pad with max sensitivity like a dumb****. Once this is learned, you would have successfully EASED INTO THE CONTROLS and LEARNED THE HANDLING of a mouse. Sorry but that forum was a very sorry excuse for human intelligence...but it was a mac user :lol:  Also when using the mouse, become one with your fighter, all the fighters and bombers in fs2 maneuver like the gentle giants of the ocean compared to an f15 (maybe fighters of fs2 don't perform like whales, but they sure aren't as small, and due to that aren't as maneuverable, move with finesse).
For now i'm weining myself off of the mouse and now using a madcatz xbox360 controller. This due to the fact that i use to be a double ace in fs2 when i was 15 years ago with a gravis xterminator gamepad. Then i started using the mouse for fs2. My skill went away to the point i couldn't even play an fps with dual joysticks. I was too sloppy, the two joysticks confused the **** out of me. Xbox360 controller on fs2 really works fast at getting you used to a joystick, not to mention it's ****ing beatiful with dual joysticks. After that, the xbox360 controller is a great controller. It's got a little bit of everything in it. It mostly resembles the layout of a ps2 controller, except it has a better positioned left joystick, better positioned 8 way dpad, and the top two shoulder buttons are digital with the bottom two shoulder buttons being analog. It's so much better than a ps2 pad. But, no sony just has to keep up with the ps2 design in the ps3, and still have that horrible placement for the left joystick on the new generation of wecantmakenewgamepadgamepads. Also xbox360 controllers don't have digital button pressure sensors (talk about a great way to make peoples gamepads wear out faster in a dumb way). **** pressure sensors on digital buttons, that's what analog things like joysticks and triggers are for. But yes xbox360 madcatz wired controller is good. Comes with the usual 9 foot long usb detatchable cable, invert switch for the right joystick, better shaped than average 360 controller, the joysticks and dpad are overly sensitive like on normal 360 controllers, and turbo for all of the buttons or combo's of buttons. The madcatz biotch is 25$, good gamepad for the money, especially when you pair it with the XBCD xbox 360 driver which will also let you use the xbox360 controller with more power and domination, and on more than just XP ;)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 21, 2006, 01:00:23 pm
San, please tab every new paragraph. Your posts are EXTREMELY hard to read...

I used to play FS2 with my P880 Pad. I found out it was easier to use the one stick for all pitch, yaw, and roll. Plus it's easier to pull manuevers like dive up, quickly roll/drive to the left, then barrel roll up and to the right. I would've broken my P880 (or any gamepad) with that maneuver, but my ST290 Pro took it in stride. And, all the buttons are right there at your finger tips, not a long thumbs' reach away. I also found myself pressing the wrong buttons on the pad because of their proximity. On the Pro, the only thing I'll accidentally do is fire a pair of missiles reaching for the target button (I play right handed typically, and the big fat button in the middle is a little hard to miss...)
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 21, 2006, 02:06:48 pm
What if you could roll using the scroll wheel on the mouse, or worse, the side buttons?

And if someone lacks maneuverability on the mouse, I don't see how moving the mouse less or more slowly will make the ship turn faster.

I also don't understand why some folks here insist on believing that those of us with a slow mouse are ignorant of anything.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 21, 2006, 02:33:54 pm
It's not to turn the ship faster, it's to turn the ship more accurately. The ship, when you use the mouse, reacts to the mouse being off-of-center, just like a joystick. The more you move it right, the more the ship moves right, but if you leave the mouse to the side, the ship will keep moving to that side. People don't understand that in Space Sims, the mouse reacts this way; in FPSs, when the mouse moves, the character follows, when the mouse stops moving, the character stops moving. A slow mouse has almost nothing to do with it. Most mice sold today have high sensitivity. Plus, you should be able to program the mouse to be more sensitive using the mouse options in the control panel.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Cobra on December 21, 2006, 10:18:00 pm
If you ask me, it's more like which model car is better, Chevy or Ford. If he find a joystick he fancies, it'll work well for him in Freespace.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on December 21, 2006, 11:14:58 pm
Alright, rolling your craft with the scroll wheel would majorly suck. Rolling your craft with a mouse that has side buttons would also suck. This is why when you play with a mouse you program rolling left and right to two buttons on the keyboard.
The mouse is just plain different than the joystick although it is similar. So, when you use the mouse, you really can't use it in the same fashion as the joystick. That's why the mouse requires different motions and movement. That's why when you play with the mouse, you have to calm down and get use to it, so you ease into the controls. Another thing with the mouse is that your craft does not keep turning endlessly if you pulled into a turn. Jacking up the mouse sensitivity only does so much for the mouse in fs2. The mouse in fs2 isn't a joystick layout for a different device, it behaves differently in a huge way. Pulling on the mouse smoothly and not so fast will be no different than playing with a joystick. It's really the same fashion as being smooth and contented with the joystick. Moving the joystick in quick panicky motions doesn't get you anywhere except a more broken controller and not very good handling of your craft at all, and the same applies to the mouse on the handling of your craft part.
Anyway, people who must jack up the sensitivity in fs2 and windows for the mouse...i don't want to know how those people will handle a joystick, they will most certainly never touch my stuff.
It's like what everyone says, fight with your gf at her place.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 22, 2006, 01:38:40 am
I'm gonna try one more time, since no one will address this:
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,43895.msg898012.html#msg898012

Ares III said (and he's not alone):
Quote
In case I was not clear enough before:
I have the mouse sensitivity cranked up to the maximum setting both outside freespace and in the fs2 options, and yet the Perseus handles like a potato.

It is not a matter of freespace flying technique, nor is it a matter of an inexperienced ignorant user who is unfamiliar with control panel or game mouse settings. Just because the first 100 people may not have this problem does not mean that the 101st and 102nd do not.

Capiche?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Black-Devil on December 22, 2006, 06:42:55 am
i like my Logitech Force 3D Pro, but the Saitek Cyborg 3D was althoug a good thing :D
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: IcyScythe on December 22, 2006, 03:33:39 pm
Ok so I got a joystick with a throttle (not HOTAS it's on the actual joystick)... how do I get it to work in FS2?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: neoterran on December 22, 2006, 04:47:13 pm
wait the madcatz 360 controller works in fs2 ?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Cobra on December 22, 2006, 10:31:28 pm
If you cross a few wires, a PC can pick up an Xbox/Xbox360 controller.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 22, 2006, 10:37:59 pm
The 360 controller is supposed to work with a PC's USB port without modification.
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/productdetails.aspx?pid=091
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on December 24, 2006, 12:07:03 am
Cobra is talking about the xbox controller which you have to cross a couple of wires for. The xbox360 controller is made to work on xbox360 console and on pc's. Even the wireless version can work on pc's now because you can buy a little usb wireless receiver dongle for it.
But yes the madcatz 360 controller works great in fs2. If you're going to play with an xbox360 controller on your computer, plug it in, then use the XBCD drivers that were rewritten for the xbox360 controller. XBCD drivers own man. You mainly want the XBCD because the microsoft driver is extremely lacking, while the XBCD gives you 100% domination of the settings of the gamepad. Also, the madcatz 360 controller is better form fitting, it's 25$, and has much better positioned analog shoulder and digital buttons. It's absolutely great for fs2.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 24, 2006, 12:28:25 am
Awesome. From what I've read, the new xbox 360 controller is damn near perfect. I don't know why, it looks like a Playstation controller LOL.

I got a Razer diamondback mouse today for Christmas, it is freaking fantastic. My microsoft mouse is OUTTATHERE!
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: miskat on December 24, 2006, 03:11:18 pm
Alright, I think I see something wrong here:

In that thread that keeps getting brought up, I noticed a few people complaining about the problem with a mouse being the drag->pick-upthe-mouse->move-to-top-of-pad->drag again style of play.  This is the problem I always had with the mouse.

A joystick controlls off-of-center, but a mouse does NOT in my game, which is been the ENTIRE problem.

I guess the question is: howdo you make it work?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: spartan_0214 on December 25, 2006, 09:59:14 pm
Sorry, I don't get that with my (extremely sensitive) Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 5000....
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: IcyScythe on December 26, 2006, 02:05:34 am
So err... does anyone know how to get the throttle on a joystick to work in FS2?
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: neoterran on December 26, 2006, 02:32:05 pm
you have to map it in the settings.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: neoterran on December 26, 2006, 02:33:06 pm
Alright, I think I see something wrong here:

In that thread that keeps getting brought up, I noticed a few people complaining about the problem with a mouse being the drag->pick-upthe-mouse->move-to-top-of-pad->drag again style of play.  This is the problem I always had with the mouse.

A joystick controlls off-of-center, but a mouse does NOT in my game, which is been the ENTIRE problem.

I guess the question is: howdo you make it work?

I have the same problem with the mouse. You can NOT leave it to the side and it keeps moving. If you could, it would be great.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Huggybaby on December 26, 2006, 02:51:46 pm
Same here. Although I have slowed down my movements and started easing into the controls as S-99 suggested, which helps. Still, I run out of space, especially when the enemy does that thing where they circle me at max speed.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: IcyScythe on December 26, 2006, 07:45:20 pm
you have to map it in the settings.

I have a Thrustmaster Top Gun Fox 2 Pro. What do you by map it? I tried in game but couldn't find anything.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Jeb Hoge on December 26, 2006, 09:04:10 pm
Control config, find the "Absolute Throttle Axis" label (or something like that), click Bind, and move your throttle. It should recognize the input.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: bizzybody on December 26, 2006, 09:27:12 pm
It's in the control configuration. Select the Throttle, click Bind up near the upper right, then wiggle the throttle control on your joystick.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Trivial Psychic on December 26, 2006, 10:32:52 pm
Just a note, to anyone thinking of getting themselves an X52, just not right away, you may want to hold off until the X52 Pro (http://www.saitekusa.com/usa/prod/x52pro.htm) supersedes it.  On the other hand, if you're gonna pick up an X52 this week at some super-mega-uber discount, by all means do so.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on December 29, 2006, 05:19:54 pm
Yes that is the secret to playing with the mouse :) After that, mouse is more accurate and fun to play with (i really don't mind the dragging and picking up), but you will forever run out of mousepad with fs2 :lol: That happens to me all the time :D I suggest you opt for a desk made out of mousepad, nerf, or ratpad, either one would be great to drag the mouse all over on and have more   mouserange in the game :nod: When it came down to things, it's not too much of a ***** staying confined to a ratpad (like i said i don't mind the *****y necessities of the mouse...drag drop, mousepad boundaries :D)
Any, i used to have a saitek p2xxx gamepad, i had 6 normal buttons, 2 joysticks (horribly confined in a square area of movement), 2 huge ass useless shoulder buttons, a dpad, and that dual function button that turns on a red led (which i used when i couldn't see in the dark). It's a good controller for emulation of console games, and that's about it, that thing i could just not make a good configuration in fs2 for it. If you get a saitek gamepad, at least get one that has the 4 shoulder buttons, those are extremely important, and then maybe that gamepad would be good in fs2.
One reason the xbox360 controller is the greatest gamepad in the world, is a little unsuspecting. It has awesome buttons, good grip and ergonomics, pc and mac compatibility as well as linux, awesomely positioned joysticks, digital shoulder buttons as well as analog. It's really nothing like how the ps controller is. The overall usability of the x360 pad is just awesome, it works great, after that i don't know how to explain it, there is an aspect to the controller people don't know how to put in words why it's so awesome.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: neoterran on January 25, 2007, 10:45:32 am
Someone should talk to one of the developers that's more active (*cough*TAYLOR*cough*) about having Freespace Open display data for the X52 Pro's MFD (Multi Function Display).

1.) It's a premier stick used by enthusiasts
2.) It really is the prefered Joystick for this game
3.) It would be really cool to see Freespace2 stuff show up on that thing - make the game really feel more modern.

Since any work done to implement this would probably work with other Saitek Joysticks going forward, it might be cool.

*edit* the MFD glows either red, amber, or green. If this could programmatically be set, then imagine - Green for Terran ships, Amber for Zod Ships, and Red for Shivan ships (ie, the dragon / terran mara) !!!!  :D
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on January 25, 2007, 05:49:11 pm
That sounds cool.
For myself I have moved onto the logitech rumblepad 2 wireless gamepad. I was going to buy the saitek p2900, but all two reviews on the internet showed it off having very bad wireless connectivity, so i got a logitech which did have good wireless connectivity. Playing with the xbox360 controller was really nice, but if you install the microsoft 360 controller driver, it makes it so ****ing difficult to install the much better xbcd 360 driver. On top of that getting the 360 driver in linux to compile would not do so (i think that was on part of me owning the madcatz gamepad pro 360 controller). After that my friend who has an ibook who owns a 360 said he was having trouble making the macosx driver work for it (again i think it was the fact that it was a madcatz controller). All on part of the madcatz controller if you want to use xbcd 360 driver, you have to find the one from the user who has modified it for madcatz support (which was like only one person on some other site). Unless you have windows or an xbox360, it's a great controller to have, but from the way microsoft makes it only cooperate with XP and vista actually does get in the way (it's all part of that games for windows campaign..of which there is great hardware for, but made in such as truly only to work on xp, vista, and x360). The most ease with that controller was using win2k with the xbcd 360 drivers.

For now the rumblepad 2 wireless is awesome. And speaking of saitek controllers and joysticks, saitek loves to put blue and red leds on there ****, which is all cool and stuff, but just like MFD of the x52 how it changes red, amber, or green, that'd be cool just to have on any joystick or gamepad where the leds would change color depending on which species ship your flying.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Wobble73 on January 26, 2007, 05:24:08 am
I now use a PS2 pad, which pwns!! I used to use a Gravis Xterminator Gamepad which was cool but the PS2 pad has one extra button and one extra analogue stick which I have mapped to roll and throttle. SWEET!! :D
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on January 26, 2007, 02:09:39 pm
Speaking of programming joysticks for functions, does anyone else know the lacking ability of fs2 to map any other function to an axis. I've tried fs2 throttle on joystick that's when it gets too sensitive and goes up and down in speed too much when i just simply roll my fighter with the same stick. What i wish was the ability to map afterburners to an axis, then again, i want the ability to put any control in fs2 on an axis. My right joystick left-right is for rolling, all the way up brings my fighter to a stop, all the way down lets me use burners and still roll my fighter at the same time, and of course the joystick button is for max speed. I like my joystick to do all of that, and it's extremely useful, i can make the gay ass logitech profiler do that for me, but like i said ,it's gay, that **** even ****ed with my games.
Wobble if you love the ps2 pad so much, you should get a logitech rumblepad 2 wireless, it's fashioned after a ps2 pad, 100hours on 2 AA, 30 foot range, goes to sleep when not using it, and it's not sony.
Pretty much, its from a good brand, but saitek makes better **** than logitech, it's just that logitech made a much better wireless pad than saitek did, fashioned after the famous old ps2 pad (the ps2 pad and fashioning really is not that great), i can use this thing from wherever i want in my room and i'll  probably replace the batteries in about 2 months.

As for the natural ps2 pad, well, that's where the xbox360 controller isn't that much different and improves upon the ps2 pad. 2 of the damn shoulder buttons are analog, and the other 2 are digital....that's an improvement and feature addition over the ps2's 4 digital non analogue shoulder buttons (and that button mashing with a pressure sensor under the button is so cheesy and will make you buy newer controllers more often than you wish). The other feature was the repositioned primary joystick, the fact that it's above the dpad, and not all cramped to close to the middle of the gamepad like the ps2 pad. Anyway the 360 pad has those 2 improvements over the ps2 pad.

Another thing is that like i said it's sony. They're **** is designed to break down, overheat, and just plain old break after a certain period of time and average handling. If you have bought more than one ps2 console for yourself, plz do a good job thinking why people with an xbox or gamecube have not needed to buy a new one (most of the money from ps2's was from people replacing they're old ps2s). Also the ps2 game pad, intuitive, but just as deceivingly bad as the ps2 console, like i said that whole pressure sensor under the buttons to simulate a throttle axis on the ps2 pad, talk about unnecessary and a great way to wear the game pad down. It's one reason why microsoft with the normal xbox which had the same thing on it's gamepads removed that feature in the xbox360 controllers (it's just unnecessary).
I'm not *****ing here too much, i'm just saying it's smart to question whatever the hell you buy from sony. Sony products have a high reputation for breaking (and if you're **** didn't break then you're probably one of the few people in the world who actually takes care of their **** like my brother and his ps2 taking it out of a cabinet whenever he plays and being gentle with it). And don't forget other sony products, it's them who have put a rootkit that installs itself to your computer when you pop in a sony music cd (now you have to be careful listen to 50 cent).
Other than that ps2 is a fine console, it'd have an even higher user fanaticism going along with it if sony products were more reliable and not depending on the customer to go in and buy another and another to make money.

But the logitech rumblepad 2 wireless, with it's ps2'esque, the inner joysticks aren't too bad when you get use to them, then again this pad fits my medium sized hands great, but the primary joystick is something that could always be repositioned, and this pad is tons more comfortable than the ps2 pad. I remember my gravis xterminator gamepad, talk about awesome, that thing didn't even need a second joystick, that thing had the best shoulder buttons in the world, you could actually use them all with independent fingers at the same time. Plus the other thing was that it included everything that the expensive honking joysticks had like pov hat (it had a dpad and an itty-bitty 8 way pov hat too) and 2 analog shoulder buttons you could use as rudders or whatever.  WTH happened to gravis/kensington? I was considering getting another xterminator too.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: ChronoReverse on January 26, 2007, 07:51:04 pm
I don't have much issue with pick up and drag on my mouse...  because it has programmable buttons.  I program two buttons to either up/down or left/right (pitch or yaw iirc).  Basically, I use the buttons to continue the motion when I pick up the mouse.

Lousy workaround?  Yup, but it works well enough.  It's too much hassle to pull out my old Sidewinder Precision joystick =/
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: neoterran on January 26, 2007, 09:02:07 pm
It's true, it's all true, Sony's quality control sucks
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on January 27, 2007, 12:19:06 am
This today also sony put up gran turismo 4 trailer on the psp, and all the trailer had was footage of project gotham racing 3. :lol:
And nothing new but was funny and rather sad that the ps3 doesn't have a 1080i/p upscaler built in. Which means playing a ps3 on your hd tv will really decide if your playing at 480i/p 720i/p and 1080i/p.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: Wobble73 on February 12, 2007, 04:26:18 am
I remember my gravis xterminator gamepad, talk about awesome, that thing didn't even need a second joystick, that thing had the best shoulder buttons in the world, you could actually use them all with independent fingers at the same time. Plus the other thing was that it included everything that the expensive honking joysticks had like pov hat (it had a dpad and an itty-bitty 8 way pov hat too) and 2 analog shoulder buttons you could use as rudders or whatever.  WTH happened to gravis/kensington? I was considering getting another xterminator too.

It's true what you say about the Gravis Xterminator, I still have mine but unfortunately have lost the USB converter that I got with it and therefore can no longer use it, (on my new computer, I still use it on my old that still has a gameport). But it is a great pad and I have had mine now for oohhh....6 or 7 years now! Button 1 (or button 0 in some games) is a little loose but then that is because it is the most used, it still works though, just too easily depressed.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: S-99 on February 14, 2007, 01:21:06 am
Idk, go to amazon and like order another xterminator for like 10$ or a little more or something. There not that expensive.
After that, the gravis mapping software was really good, it's not all gay like logitechs, saitek has better joystick software, but they all require to be an active program in memory which isn't necessary for gravis software.
Title: Re: Best joystick for FS2?
Post by: jr2 on February 14, 2007, 02:24:28 am
When I had a gameport card, I used the Wingman Interceptor. 9 buttons, throttle, and 3 hat switches. I had omething mapped into all 8 directions of each hat switch- targeting (bomb, turret, subsystem, etc) on one, wing commands on another, other things on the third. Was splendid.
IIRC, you should be able to get a gameport -> USB converter for your stick inexpensively...