[Scuddie]

Well, my old Logitech Wingman Force stick lost its last leg today...  The thing served me well for over five years, although I could tell it was dying over the past few months.  Great handle, intuitive button layout, heavy enough to smash a car in, etc.

I went to CompUSA to see what the currently offered sticks from logitech were, and I was not pleased.  First of all, they abandoned the simple button layout that most of the Wingman sticks were known for.  I knew the Wingman generation was over, but not THAT over.  Who wants three main buttons right next to eachother?  Not me.  I also thought their current Logitech Force 3D was wimpy compared to the original Wingman line.  The only thing good about it was that it wasnt so god damn bulky, like the wingman.  The $50.00 price tag wasnt bad either.

Anyway, as pissed off as I am now, what am I supposed to do?  I want the classic Wingman layout instead of the new crappy 3D layout.  I also want a powerful, responsive feedback motor that will last me plenty long.  Price is something to consider, as well.

END COHERENT POST....


BEGIN INCOHERENT RANT....

Mother****er!  I am so goddamn pissed off right now!  Frikkin 3D sticks, I'll kill 'em all!  No button on the god damn thumb rest??  HOW THE HELL am I gonna easily target with no ****ing button on the ****ing thumb rest?  It frikkin pisses me off!  Ohhhh, look at the button layout!  2 and 3 together, 4 and 5 together?  What the flying **** was logitech thinking when they decided to put 2 identical buttons in the same square half-inch?  Even my wretched Wingman Warrior (god rest it's soul) had a better button design than that.  And whats this?  No passive axis return spring?  Good god!  I hate you Logitech and I want you killed so bad, that you'd wish you were dead!  ****!

This concludes Scuddie's male version of "that time of the month".

[pyro-manic]

I just got a Cyborg Evo from Saitek. Great stick, Although I did slightly prefer the layout of the base buttons on the old Cyborg 3D Gold (mine kicked the bucket a few months back....) I was going to get an X-52 stick and throttle, but I couldn't justify the £90+ it costs...

[Deepblue]

Get the Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar.



*runs*

[pyro-manic]

Got £300 lying about?

[JR2000Z]

Man I had this Logitech Wigman Attack joystick a while back. Unfortunatly it doesn't work with my couputer so I had to get a USP specific one. I got the Logiteck Attack 3 and it has four buttons on the top. One on the thumb rest. I mean how the hell can you rest your thumb on it if there's a button in the way?

Got it for Christmas so I'm not compaining.

[Mongoose]

I agree with the Cyborg Evo.  Of course, if you want the best stick ever made, hands-down, look on eBay for a venerable Sidewinder 3D Pro.

By the way, I also had a Wingman Force 3D, and I've never used a ****tier stick.  Absolutely no centering (even with it turned on), a massive deadzone, poor button placement (none directly under the hat), and the thing went on the fritz after a few months of light use.  Good riddance, I say.

[Nuke]

i got an x-52 for christmas and its a damn fine stick. them moved the rudder to the main handel instead of behind the throttle as with previous models. the spring is the loosest one ive seeon on any controler to date, very gentle to the touch, when i first started using it i had to get used to using far less preasure. another cool feature is the lcd panel, which essentially allows you to load profiles on the fly. it also shows your date and time (in up to 3 time zones), and a stopwatch, guess thats usefull for logging flight time or to see how much time you wasted playing games. they also added 3 toggle switches to the main stick, essentially they act as 2 buttons, can be flipped up or down.i use em for targeting subsystems and stuff. they moved the mode switch to the main stick, you need to use the profileing software for it to be usefull. 4 thum buttns, one of which is under a safety sheild (usefull in cfs3 where i usually always drop my bombs on accident). 3 hat switches, which i feel are too many, but they work like 4 buttons (8 if you care to program them that way). the pinky switch is there as always, now its adjustable and abit more comfortable than the one on my x-32. the trigger is a 2 position switch, pull it half way and its one button, all the way is another function. i have it set up to cycle primaries if i pull it all the way back, and fire in the first position. for cfs3 i hveit set to guns for the first position and cannons in the second, so i can lead with the miniguns and uload the cannon on em when i have a good bead. the throttle only has 2 normal buttons on it as well as 3 trim controls (usefull if you play any realistic flight sims). it also has a fully functional (variable pressure) trackpoint mouse (with scoll wheel on the back) built in . all the mouse controls can be reprogramed for other purposes. the mouse cohntroler can be programed to respond as an extra 2 axes (brining the total to 9 axes), however i dont seem to have a game to recognize them as such.  for freespace i use the mouse and its button to control sheilds, ans the wheel adjust engine power. its a good stick but not many can justify its cost ($130 usd). i didnt even spend that much on my video card

[ShadowWolf_IH]

good choice of stick scuddie, it's what i fly.  ebay man...i know you can find one on ebay....unfortunately then you don't know what you are getting.  

have you tried logitech.com?

[Cyker]

Originally posted by Mongoose
I agree with the Cyborg Evo.  Of course, if you want the best stick ever made, hands-down, look on eBay for a venerable Sidewinder 3D Pro.

Damned straight!

I just wish someone had figured out the Digital Overdrive mode, to get it to work with modern computers

Then there's the fact that a lot of compys these days don't even have joystick ports!!!

[BlackDove]

I was the best in FS2 multi and all I used was a ****ass SideWinder Percision 2.

Don't know if they still make the ****, but it was quite cheap back in the day......

Force Feedback 2 was identicle and I tried it (double the price though), however it was reaaaaaaaally heavy and it had all these sensors and **** (it'd respond to me touching it) and that felt ****ing weird, so I traded it in for the 3bit plastic piece of junk, and owned everyone.

[Clave]

I have a Freedom 2.4, seems ok, only used 2 or 3 times though....

[Turnsky]

Originally posted by Scuddie
Well, my old Logitech Wingman Force stick lost its last leg today...  The thing served me well for over five years, although I could tell it was dying over the past few months.  Great handle, intuitive button layout, heavy enough to smash a car in, etc.

I went to CompUSA to see what the currently offered sticks from logitech were, and I was not pleased.  First of all, they abandoned the simple button layout that most of the Wingman sticks were known for.  I knew the Wingman generation was over, but not THAT over.  Who wants three main buttons right next to eachother?  Not me.  I also thought their current Logitech Force 3D was wimpy compared to the original Wingman line.  The only thing good about it was that it wasnt so god damn bulky, like the wingman.  The $50.00 price tag wasnt bad either.

Anyway, as pissed off as I am now, what am I supposed to do?  I want the classic Wingman layout instead of the new crappy 3D layout.  I also want a powerful, responsive feedback motor that will last me plenty long.  Price is something to consider, as well.

END COHERENT POST....


BEGIN INCOHERENT RANT....

Mother****er!  I am so goddamn pissed off right now!  Frikkin 3D sticks, I'll kill 'em all!  No button on the god damn thumb rest??  HOW THE HELL am I gonna easily target with no ****ing button on the ****ing thumb rest?  It frikkin pisses me off!  Ohhhh, look at the button layout!  2 and 3 together, 4 and 5 together?  What the flying **** was logitech thinking when they decided to put 2 identical buttons in the same square half-inch?  Even my wretched Wingman Warrior (god rest it's soul) had a better button design than that.  And whats this?  No passive axis return spring?  Good god!  I hate you Logitech and I want you killed so bad, that you'd wish you were dead!  ****!

This concludes Scuddie's male version of "that time of the month".

my advice, get a new force 3d or one of a simular layout.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/productlist/AU/EN,crid=2214

[Scuddie]

This is what I had, and just died.  Notice the button layout is easy to use, button #3 is right where the thumb rest is, thus allowing easy targetting in flight sims.  Button #2 is up top (big one) and #4 is just beneath it, and considerably smaller.  The HAT is to the right of it.  All the bulkiness and extra buttons to the left I can do without (I think).  And as for force feedback, do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?  I know its unresponsive compared to standard sticks, but I can feel when I'm flying too hard; "Fight the ocean, and you will drown".

Anything cheap like that?

EDIT:  As I said, I absolutely hate the 3D layout.

[Cabbie]

Want overkill?

http://www.esscoaircraft.com/prod.itml/icOid/15901

Best setup ever. These things are tough as nails and last forever. It is known that grandfathers hand down CH gear to their nephews.

[BlackDove]

Regarding FS2, they are also, useless.

[Cabbie]

Originally posted by BD
Regarding FS2, they are also, useless.

Not useless - overkill.

[Nuke]

i really wish the x-52 had a set of rudder pedals.

[Deepblue]

Originally posted by Cabbie
Want overkill?

http://www.esscoaircraft.com/prod.itml/icOid/15901

Best setup ever. These things are tough as nails and last forever. It is known that grandfathers hand down CH gear to their nephews.

Do not last forever, had a cool set, but it broke. The new ones will not on the other hand considering that they are all metal.

[Janos]

Ok. I have CH F-16 Flightstick. I got it in... 1996? 1997? I think? It still works like a dream and doesn't give a **** about rough handling. No hat, no extra buttons, no rudder control though, but it's very good for handling FS2. I mean, after I had played **** out of WCs and TIE/XW stuff, straight jump into FS games - practically only space shooters for five years straight. And the stick is as good as new.

I guess I will update soon. End of an era indeed.

[Scuddie]

Screw it...  Force feedback, or not force feedback?  That is the question.