FS2 Noob here. I was just trying out the my Saitek 290 Pro. It's nice, but only has one hat, trigger and 5 buttons plus throttle. I put the adjustable rest in the middle position and my thumb reaches the buttons and hat perfectly. The only problem is the silly backswept bump at the upper end of the handle digs into my palm a bit. Where that bulge continues around the side could be a problem for players with small hands or short fingers. (Like many girls and women. Babes like joysticks, right?
) *rolls right, pitches down and punches afterburners*
My Wingman Extreme 3D Digital has one more button, and one of them can be programmed as Shift, giving it 12 accessible functions onboard. The software also allows all the buttons AND all four axes to be mapped to keyboard buttons so it can be used for games that don't have stick support. Too bad it's impossible to use left handed because it'd be great for secondary functions paired up with the Saitek.
I bought the Saitek because after moving (and still not having all my techy stuff unpacked) I can't find the Wingman.
That's actually my second WE3DD stick. The first one I got off the display at Staples for $20 cuz they weren't going to sell it anymore and the twist wouldn't go all the way to one side. I called Logitech, 'splained the problem and they sent me a new stick, including the USB adaptor. (The one off the display shelf didn't have one.)
Since I didn't have to send the old one back, I took it apart.
There must have been a bit of something stuck in the twist setup because when I put it back together it worked fine. I also checked it over to see where the gobbed on silicone grease could be moved around to other moving parts to smooth it up. There was also a bit of binding in the throttle which some VERY CAREFUL pocketknife work cured. Then I did the same to the new one.
The first WE3DD I sold with a PC I built to sell for some $. (Which made the one I kept better than free.)
The stick I'd really like to lay hands on is an original Saitek Cyborg Gold (or was that Pro Gold?). ISTR it was USB, had not only adjustable 2-axis tilt for the button cluster but also the trigger was adjustable AND the throttle lever could be mounted on the left or right side. The current Cyborg line of sticks is a pale shadow of the original as far as adjustability and left/right hand configuration.
Other sticks I have.
Logitech Wingman. Plain old ordinary 2-axis, 2 buttons on stick, but very sturdy and stable with a big base. Olde gameport type.
Some elcheapo plastiko 2-axis, 2-buttons on stick with selectable autofire. Olde gameport type. I broke the spring hooks on both axes playing Duke Nukem 2. (Shaking off monsters is hard on sticks!) A couple of heated straight pins and some super glue made reinforced metal hooks that never failed!
Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro MACINTOSH version. The last model of joystick ever made for the Macintosh ADB port. Never have gotten Game Sprockets to work with the damn thing. I should eBay it... when I find it. Probably in a box with the WE3DD.
