[Galemp]

Oh God...

I got up from my chair and stepped on my joystick. The handle snapped, suspended only by the data cables.
I superglued it back on so it looks fine and the axes work, but none of the buttons on the stick do.

It's a Mad Catz Panther DX and I love it like I would my own child. The warranty is up, Mad Catz doesn't manufacture PC hardware anymore, and there's nothing on Ebay. It was perfect for Freespace and Descent.

The question now is, what should I do? Is there any way to repair the buttons? Or should I get a new joystick? If so, which? I need a vertical throttle, a hat switch, and at least ten additional buttons to make me happy.

I can't test any of the cool stuff I'm doing in Freespace without it, so help me out, for the sake of the community!

[Blue Lion]

You're better off with a new one, damned if I know which though

[Alikchi]

Try a Logitech Wingman Extreme - good solid design.

[IceFire]

I like my MS Precision 2.  Twisting axis is what its all about.

[LAMBO]

I like the Thrustmaster Top Gun(old model). Just feels solid and was very cheap.

[mikhael]

Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar. If you can't get that, take a look on Ebay and get the Thrustmaster F22-PRO stick and an F16-TQS throttle. more buttons, gizmos and craziness than any sim out there has button assignments for. Besides, you can't beat logical programming for handling context based controls. No macro based stick can beat that.

[LtNarol]

Logitech Wingman Extreme definitely, the only problem i have with mine is that one of the buttons stopped working unless you  press it down and hold it for a good 5 seconds, and sometimes even that doessnt work.  Not the best thing online considering that button is what i have set to fire my secondaries

O yes, features: 6 buttons, 1 trigger, hat switch, throttle, and roll which can be disabled.

[Riven]

Get the Thrustmaster Top Gun Afterburner 2 NOW! 8 buttons, 8 way hat switch, rudder (yaw) is selectable so you can twist the joystick or use a rocking switch on the back of the detachable throttle. The throttle is great, not so much an essential in freespace but amazing for any other flight sim (espc. IL2). It has 3 "stages" push forwards a bit and it goes upto 15% throttle, which is a planes idle, then with a bit more force it goes up and down between 15% and 90%. Then 1 final push is the last 10%, after burner. The throttle can either be attached to the left of the joystick or as a separate with plenty of wire or not have it at all.
The joystick it's self is shear genious. A large rest for the base of your hand, very smooth well fitting curves. The base is very substantial and it has never moved while i have used the joystick. The yaw twist can be locked on and off with a simple screw. The trigger is very "clicky" and responsive. On the base is a great function, you can adjust the resistance of the joystick to make it loser or stiffer to push.
Oh and there's the software. Each of the 8 buttons (4 on joystick and 4 on throttle) and the hat swiches can be assigned a macro. It can be a single key or mouse button or movement or a combination of many and you can specify the dely between each. One button can be used like a shift button to double the number of functions. The setup can then be associated with any .exe and saved so on loading the game it uses that setup. (eg. on IL2 i have a shift button and pressing that and my flaps down button runs a landing macro which is full flaps down and gear down.)

And how much is this beast of a joystick? Must cost the earth?
No, £35 for the standard and £75 for the force feedback.

Everyone reading this should purchase one now! Tell me what you think.

[beatspete]

Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback:
Had it since 1998, cost £120, probably still costs the same, progress eh?.
Worth the money however, ive never had any problems with it, smooth controll, well placed buttons, hat switch and throttle, plus force feedback is always fun... especially in starwars racer, its like G force for your hand.

pete

[Pera]

Am I the only one who uses keyboard&mouse?

[Crazy_Ivan80]

A guillemot Force Feedback joystick... it's what I use (as it is both left/right handed) and it comes at a measily 4 kilos

[Martinus]

Originally posted by beatspete
Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback:
Had it since 1998, cost £120, probably still costs the same, progress eh?.
Worth the money however, ive never had any problems with it, smooth controll, well placed buttons, hat switch and throttle, plus force feedback is always fun... especially in starwars racer, its like G force for your hand.

pete

The MS Sidewinder FF2 is currently £80 in the UK, it's a better JS than the first one and it's USB.

As for fixing your first one, it's very possible you simply pulled the wires off the solderpads. It might be possible to fix it unfortunately I'd need to see it to tell you

[WMCoolmon]

Originally posted by Pera
Am I the only one who uses keyboard&mouse?

Uh...no...

[Eishtmo]

Originally posted by LAMBO
I like the Thrustmaster Top Gun(old model). Just feels solid and was very cheap.

All hail the Thrustmaster!  All your fancy sticks suck donkey balls!

[Martinus]

Originally posted by Eishtmo


All hail the Thrustmaster!  All your fancy sticks suck donkey balls!

Now here's a guy who stands by his stick!

[Blue Lion]

Originally posted by Pera
Am I the only one who uses keyboard&mouse?

 Just KB

[JR2000Z]

Bah. Joysticks always break.

[CP5670]

Just KB

That's the way the true pilot flies.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Originally posted by CP5670


That's the way the true pilot flies.

Command: pilot, we've got a new target on radar, it's closing in fast!
F-16 pilot: copy that Command, I'll engage them if I can find the key to close my landing gear bays.
Command: say agan?
F-16 pilot: Oh damn, my keyboard broke. Sorry command, but lit looks like we'll lose this war.

[Unidan]

Originally posted by IceFire
I like my MS Precision 2.  Twisting axis is what its all about.

Heh, you read my mind. Definately go with the Precision 2.