[FrikgFeek]

I know I'm going to get looked at like an infidel for it, but I actually use a gamepad(A Logitech F510, a proper PC gamepad, none of that xbox nonsense). Even beat pretty much everything I played on Insane with it. It gives you the fast turning of a joystick and good-enough precision to actually hit things at longer distances. I have a joystick, but I can' fly anywhere near as well with it.
Though with all the fancy new features like gliding and lateral thrusters I needed more bindings than my F510 had so I just bound them to my racing pedals with Xpadder. And of course, all the stuff you don't need at your fingertips is still on the keyboard. Can't have all 100 targeting and faffing about with the energy levels stuff on the gamepad.

I keep the afterburner bound to the clutch pedal just so I can chuckle when I fly at missiles and dodge them at the last second without using countermeasures. A "clutch" dodge indeed.

[jr2]

Twist axis is the ****.  The rudder rocker on my x45 is... adequate, but damn do I miss my cyborg 3d gold.  I once made a guy in multi kill himself trying to follow me as I flew a uly through one of the Ganymede dogfight maps.  I also remember racking up 20-30 kills per mission back in the day.  Can't come anywhere close to that any more.  I constantly overshoot in dogfights, I used to be dead on all the time.  Not sure that is the result of the joystick, skill atrophy, or this mysterious change in joystick behavior under windows 7 (vs. XP) that I have seen people post about before, but don't understand at all.

I have an X45.  I used it a couple of times; it now sits in storage.  It was the first actual joystick I'd tried, and I basically realized I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn while using it.  Like you said, dunno if it's the hardware, software, (Saitek, OS, FSO), or some combo.

[Vrets]

It could be worse for you.

The twist axis on my flightstick went permanently insane a few weeks ago. There's no telling what result will be produced if I attempt any kind of complex evasive maneuver. If I just take my hands off the stick, the ship will do infinite barrel rolls. Although the cockpit of my ship is coated in vomit, the infinite spinning doesn't actually make aiming much harder, nor does it make me harder to hit. This whole experience has taught me that barrel rolls are mostly a worthless maneuver in space.

[Mongoose]

By any chance is it a Logitech stick?  I had an old Wingman Force 3D die in that exact same fashion.

[Vrets]

By any chance is it a Logitech stick?  I had an old Wingman Force 3D die in that exact same fashion.

Yes, it is a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro.

I think I finally killed it by playing X-Wing Alliance on Hard difficulty during spring break.

EDIT: Oh my god, Logitech still makes these things and you can order them on Amazon Prime for $30.

[jr2]

Are they good?  (AKA should I get one, or get another one?)  At $35 + free shipping that's a good deal price wise but is it a decent performer (accuracy and quality)?

[TechnoD11]

I had the opportunity to open up a brand new extreme 3D pro just a week ago and i can tell you that they seem fine to me. I've tested it against my X52 and found little difference. "Clickyness" in the buttons is still the same from the old models

[jr2]

What about sensitivity?  Can you manage to change directions without wallowing?  In other words, follow a fighter in a dogfight and stay on him while he constantly changes directions, and then switch to a different target with ease?  My X-45 would overshoot time and again as if I'd set the deadzone too high (which I wasn't able to fix, it could be it was worn down, I hadn't found the tutorials on messing with the sensors in those yet)?

[Vrets]

I have no idea.

This is my current Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Experience.

[jr2]

O.o  That doesn't seem conducive to beating missions...

[Vrets]

You'd be surprised. In 3D space combat, a non-insane twist-axis is not too important.

Nevertheless, I think my pilot is developing a stigma with his squadron. While everyone else maintains precise formation, ensign "Vrets" is always doing a barrel roll. It makes promotions and other advancement opportunities difficult to achieve.