[est1895]

Will Windows 7 Pro 64bit recognize a game/midi port?

[Nuke]

dats '90s tech.

[est1895]

Are you saying it won't Nuke?

I got another question.  Can you simply copy the Freespace 2 folder to a disc or flash drive and paste it on a new OS (Windows XP 32bit - Windows 7 Pro 64bit)?

And any technical info to make this work would be greatly appreciated. 

[deathspeed]

I did some research a while back about finding a gameport to work with windows 7 64-bit, because I wanted to use my old Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro, but I never found anything that would definitely work.  Apparently MS removed support, and I could not find any home-brewed drivers.  Plus it was hard to even find a sound card with a  gameport these days!

I also researched gameport to USB adapters, but I didn't want to spend the money for something not guaranteed to work.

Good luck, though!!

[est1895]

The Joystick is a simple PC Raider (model SV-206), from Performance I think.

What about this handy gadget?  http://sewelldirect.com/USB-to-Gameport-Adapter-for-Joysticks-Controllers-and-Gamepads.asp?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc

[Nuke]

Are you saying it won't Nuke?

there are adapters. if it just uses the traditional 4 axis 4 button configuration, then most adapters should work. some of the sticks towards the end of the game port era were pretty advanced. they had tricks like sacrificing axes for buttons, or using the buttons as a synchronous serial interface (sidewinder did this) to excede the limits of the interface. some sticks even just used the midi interface. supposedly you can get an adapter for sidewinders. its not like its hard to build one either. your typical arduino has everything you need to talk to one of them.

[Fury]

The Joystick is a simple PC Raider (model SV-206), from Performance I think.

What about this handy gadget?  http://sewelldirect.com/USB-to-Gameport-Adapter-for-Joysticks-Controllers-and-Gamepads.asp?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc

Just get new controller.

[est1895]

Are you saying it won't Nuke?

I got another question.  Can you simply copy the Freespace 2 folder to a disc or flash drive and paste it on a new OS (Windows XP 32bit - Windows 7 Pro 64bit)?

And any technical info to make this work would be greatly appreciated. 

What about this question?

[The E]

You can just copy and paste FS2.

[Grizzly]

I have had tried to get joysticks to work with a gameport on Windows XP and higher, without any succes. This included working with adapters and the like.

With the risk of sounding defeatist, I highly recommend that you get a new joystick.
If only because most new ones now include a rudder handle which can be quite usefull.

[est1895]

I did find this on Youtube:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf-WZzzs9ow

What do you think?

[Mongoose]

Gameports were still supported in XP, though not well with faster hardware, but Vista and up (or at the very least 7 and up) finally ditched them.  If you're talking about the MS Sidewinder controller lines specifically, those won't fully work with a generic gameport-to-USB adapter, but a member of the Descent community came up with a working custom adapter for the venerable 3D Pro, and a few others have extended it to the Precision Pro and a few other MS controllers.  The sticky threads in this folder have most of the info on that.

[Nuke]

i looked up his stick, it was one of those no budget mid 90s sticks (the box says "supports dos and windows 95"). those things are purely analog. the cheapest game controller adapter should work for it.

of course when you consider you can get a newer better one with a usb connector for less than the cost of the adapter, id just ditch it.

just because you have a box full of 20 year old computer hardware, doesnt mean you should connect it all to your primary rig.

[Dragon]

He might be attached to it, much like I was to an old Quickshot I was once using. It was roughly like what he's using, two buttons, manual trimmers and an autofire switch. I actually went through two of those Quickshots (the centering spring was weak and broke after a while) before switching to WingMan Force 3D and finally to CH Fighterstick. Now I've developed a much more sensible attachment to the Fighterstick and the assorted throttle and pedals.

[est1895]

On more thing to say...  Some people have told me to get Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit and then the adapters will work.  How does this sound to you?

[The E]

Like a really stupid idea that you can follow if you want to cripple your computer just for the sake of holding on to old pieces of hardware that you would be able to get modern replacements for for less than what the necessary adapter costs.

[Dragon]

Yeah, get an USB joystick, even a cheap one would be better than what you have. Trust me, I don't miss that QuickShot. You'll be much better off with a new stick.

[est1895]

Listen guys.  My brother has already said that he won't upgrade to Windows 7 if he can't use those old joysticks.  And if I remember XP support runs out this March.  He's afraid to break the new ones out there.  And he has 3 of the same old ones (he got for a $1 each).  What kind of stick would you recommend for him to get?  (tough and similar configuration).

[JGZinv]

There's an old thread around here on how I did it with Win 7 32 bit, but it's not possible on 64 bit due to no drivers existing for add on boards or old audio cards that
have gameports, being signed and 64 bit compatible.

Trust me... I exhausted all routes and custom drivers when I did it a couple years ago. Even though it worked, you lost force feedback.

So you either have to run an old machine or get a new stick. That's the bottom line.

[Dragon]

This old stick doesn't seem like it has FF. So no problem with that, at least.
For a cheap USB stick, I suppose you could look for Logitech WingMan Force 3D. Not a similar config, but it did serve me well until I got the Fighterstick. It's pretty basic, but does it's job and has nice FF.