Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Yeoman on February 18, 2002, 10:59:22 PM
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What do you guys think is the best Joystick and flaps to get for AH?
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CH PRO all around.
Flaps?
I use the ones that come with the planes.
eskimo
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There are about 100 'best joystick' threads in here.
As for 'flaps', get the ones with the nekkid lady outlines on 'em.
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Yeoman the yaw control is the rudder. You want rudder pedals.
Flaps reduce the stall speed of the wing and add drag.
--)-FLS----
Musketeers
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:)
Using MS Sidewinder but it is pretty difficultt to fly with, not enough resistance and the total area of wich you can move it is too little, makes turn fights unbalanced (pull 1cm is likt epulling 2cm on a good stick, too sensitive to be used good).
I am looking for new aswell, might go with CH PRO, is the resistance good? Can you move it far?
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What I want is something with as much resistance as in the X36 but smaller.
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I'm looking for a new stick as well.My MS FFB Pro just kaput'd...
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joysticks (http://www.compgeeks.com/)
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Originally posted by Yeoman
What do you guys think is the best Joystick and flaps to get for AH?
That depends what you can afford to spend....
A decent budget setup, for under $60 US is Thrustmaster's Afterburner. You get a real throttle lever with its own base, which can be seperated from the joystick base (or left attached). Rudder control is via rotating joystick. Once rudder operation is mastered, it becomes second nature. Indeed, in future jet fighters, rudder pedals will be a fond memory anyway.
I'd stay away from Microsoft sticks - entirely too little resistance.
CH makes the industry's best hardware, but it's pricy. Suncom is also a good manufacturer. They have sent me replacement parts (triggers, springs and switches) at no charge for years.
One more point. If you are using Windows XP, the driver software included with most joysticks will have compatibility problems. Be sure to check if the manufacturer has updated drivers available for downloading before purchasing. BTW, Thrustmaster does.
My regards,
Widewing
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A bit pricey and not available until March 21. Take a look here:Thrustmaster Cougar (http://cougar.frugalsworld.com)
If still interested you can preorder here:
Chips and bits (http://www.cdmag.com/cgi-bin/order.cbi_home?client=127&source=80124&page=catalogs/home.html&newpage=infopages/THRUCH.IH.html)
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Saitek X45 USB, and CH Pro Pedals USB.
It's impossible to argue a better setup.
You can spend 3 X's more on a Couger, and still tap carpet with yer toes.
Spend $175 or less, and have every button ya want, and hoopty-less real rudder pedals with actual brake axis.
(Caution, hooty twisty stick combat trim aces are abundant here, heed advise accordingly)
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i like my microsoft stick:(
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Creamo is right, have x36 for many moons now with no problems.. using hazard drivers of course.......
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See, HooptyJoe is arguing Billy Gates and a twisty Playstation 2 setup...
The saddness engulfes me, I only hope I can change, snif, just one AH player.
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The Saitek does look pretty good.
My sticks are 6-7 years old and the hats are feeling worn. I preordered the Cougar becuase because of TM programmability. I just can't give up the views I use or the logic capability like pressing 3 buttons to bail. Otherwise I'd consider the Saitek.
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Circuit City has X45 for $69 after rebate
add another $99 (online) for CH Pro Peds USB and yer set
from there its the pilot not the hardware :)
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Got an X36 wich I returned, my hands are too small for it so I couldn't use any of the stick top buttons and hats for more then 10 minutes, after that my right hand and thumb hurt so much it was imossible to fly :(
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MS Pre Pro with the Hoopty-Rific twisty rudder control. Spent $60 on it 3 years ago and still works great.
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:)
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How is the X35 connected?
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Airspro are them towels for watching pr0n or something else? :D :eek: :rolleyes:
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And what is that can of foul crap sitting beside the throttle? :confused:
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MS FF stick works good, but I'm afraid to use twisty bit because I get the "Dont move stick so fast" message way too often, which accounts for a quarter to a third of my deaths. I'm getting close to considering an upgrade.:D
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THERE ARE NO GOOD STICKS ANYMORE!
Atleast not any that can be found in Sweden. Returned the X36 I got and now thinking about somehow getting an X45 and give it another try. Allso looking at the Cougar but will be expensive.
Can't find any good sticks in Sweden :(
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lol , he even has the squirt bottle and towel ,woa aint going there
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I have the X36 HOTAS USB and CH Pedals Pro USB, it works great.
However the HATs wear out (mine after one year, guess I look around allot). Fixed the HAT-1 by putting some tape around the HAT knob steel. That works, but not 100% all the time.
ANother problem I had which I was able to repair is a cable breach in the main stick causing several buttons not to work at all anymore.
Opened the thing and found out that all electrical cables from the top circuit boards run to the base of the stick through a tube which also connects the handle to the pods. This wire bundle dragged over the bottom of the base of the stick with every movement of the handle and hence the wires wore out and broke.
Had to completely rewire the whole interior of the stick (which is not easy because all wire ends are not only soldered to the circuit boards but also glued to it). Anyway it works now. But I'm still trying to get extra HAT assemblies to replace the old ones (wrote Saitek a mail and asked for them today)
The response of the stick is great though. I also like the many programmable options using SGE (at the moment only in WIN 98!!).
If Saitek will not deliver the HAT assemblies, I'll buy the Cougar.
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CC Apar, bought an X36 but returned it, right hand died after about 10 minutes of flight, couldn't have my thumb on the hat because of a weird angle, thumb started hurting after a while, could hardly move it afterwars.
Anybody know if the CH Combatstick is very big too?
Allso, can you connect an X35 throttle to a USB stick?
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am thinking about the saitech 45 stick throttle combo , anyone have one , feed back please ty
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Here you go wilbus:
http://www.mamut.com/kea2 (http://www.mamut.com/kea2)
they sell CH-stuff - located in Norway, but greed is international.
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Thanks, do you know if you can connect an X35 to a Sidewinder stick?
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Originally posted by Wilbus
THERE ARE NO GOOD STICKS ANYMORE!
IMO , the Microsoft FFB2 joystick in AH with the forces on is the best that I have used to date .
Now you lose one hat and some buttons over a x36 stick , or would I use it without a separte throttle and pedals .
Wilbus I wrote you back , check your mail .
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haha , towels are covering books that I rest my elbows on , I read about how real fighter pilots locked their elbows into the sides of the cockpit to steady themselves when shooting . Try it , it works . I made my desk longer in two spots to get enough seperation from my monitor while I rest my elbows . Pic attached .
the "squrt" bottel is for my cat when she's bad , plus I use it to clean up her nose prints off the screen :mad:
Raubvogel : I really love these better . Giant Jumbo's I call them :D , the really BIG one on the left .
sidddddddddddieeeeeeeeeeeeeee your JB getting damn low mate , time for you to replace it don't you think ????? lol
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airspro
similar setup but keyboard in drawer under desk and X45 all around...
was wondering how you flew with your arms laying all over the towels ? Unless you have Popeye forearms or something :)
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EAGLER how do you like the x45 im trying to get some reviews on it before i buy it?
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I liked the X36 combo better but X45 is good stick for price, best deal going IMO. I use CH Pro Ped USB with it as the throttle rudder rocker is hard to get used to.
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see thats my main concern is the throttle and rudder rocker ive got rather FAT hands (big) i can only get 3 fingers to fit in the area provided, how are the buttons as well as top hat on it, do they work well any problems etc...? thanks btw
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i put the left front / right front view on the oval hat switch (left/right) on throttle as it is more stable and doesn't wear out as if you had all 8 views on jstick hat.
for $69 at Circuit City($10 rebate), I'd give it a try. I think you can return there without any problems. Dont know about CC but CompUsa and BestBuy offer replacement for $10 for two years which I suggest you get. good stick once you get used to it, has more programming options than I can remember/use :)
I think you really need peds to get the most out of ur hotas. they are $100 online as I haven't found a store that sells them local.
gl
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:) thanks for info will probly get this weekend
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I can't believe no one said anything about the Logitech wingman extreme or the Thrustmaster Top gun Fox2 Pro. Both are fair choices with good tension, easy set up and amble buttons, twisty rudder and you can't beat the price. I use both and have no complaints other than I might need more buttons so I'm looking into adding a throttle combo.
dgator
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had a wingman for years was real use to it, now trying to get use to the saitek 45, i like they button options , i fell the spring tension is a tad bit stiff, love the throttle, hey how do you get the mode options to work so i can have a bomber setup stick , fiter and gv sticks??? anyone:confused:
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x45 stick settings ive been using:)
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pitch
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rudder
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What exact changes does this make from the normal settings? (Normal = lines all straight but going 45 degree angle)
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hi wilbus , this might not be for everyone, what it did for me was make my stick more responsive from the 0 point until midway, i did this do to the fact that the x45 stick has a very stiff spring this has made it easier for me to control my birds.
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I think a good joystick for AH would be any one that's REALLY hard to move (the tougher the better). Also good is to find a stick with lots of travel (again, more is better). You also want throttle control of some sort; AH's keyboard throttle setup is inadequate.
Unfortunately resistance and travel distance are the two things you don't tend to find in 10-dollar discount house sticks of the sort I used in AW. One bad aspect of AH is you often have to spend in excess of 50 bucks just to buy a joystick that makes the game playable (sort of cancels out the "free download").
Don't concern yourself too much with "features" like twisty handle, hat or buttons. These are all pretty much useless. Indeed, people who use a hat for views are putting themselves at a disadadvantage; hats are miserable for view control. Likewise, twisty sticks cause people to over-use the rudder which is murder on energy management. Proper mapping of the keyboard is much more important than trying to map everything to a joystick button. If you DO get a stick with a hat, it's better used for trim than for views.
J_A_B
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J_A_B I have to disagree with you on the hat switch comment. I don't fly right now mainly because I have a new PC with XP on it so my CH throttle's hats don't work. I just can't fly without all the views I had before.
I have always found the less I touch or look at the keyboard the better off I am.
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Jab, you're very right with the first thing, the stiffer the better, the "longer" movement the better. BUT HAT gives you SOO much more control, I couldn't live without my hat (and yes I flew without hat for 3 years before I went to HAT) so I know what I am talking about.
HAT is GRRREAT
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Hmmm Yessum... keyboard for views is CRRRRRAP IMO +)
I won't buy a stick without an 8 way hat.
I use keyboard for trims (CT 98% to the time anyways) and thats about it.
A decent 8way hat switch is a must for me. I use the saitek cyborg and I can manipulate the hat and with the same thumb at the same time use 2 of the 3 thumb buttons (1 at a time)
All the while with my other hand free to controll throttle, flaps, shift button(up view modifier) and whatever else i feel like mapping to buttons.
Still have 3 buttons i don't use in fighters.
SKurj
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Hey J_A_B,
Wrong, wrong and wrong. Sorry.
I bought my logitech Digital 3d extreme about a week ago. I've not trippled my kills in H2H and doubled in MA. The hat switch is gods gift to man by freeing up you hand on the keyboard you are thinking more about the fight (or run in my case) than where your hands are on the keyboard. I get ALOT more control with both hands on the stick.
As soon as you get over just reacting to situations and begin thinking and planning what you are doing you can begin to stop jerking the joystick around to avoid other planes and get a situational awareness. You don't need a long pull or a hardened stick unless you have REALLY BIG FOREARMS!
The twisty stick is a neat feature as long as you dead band it enough so your not constantly swinging around and crashing.
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Just curious; what keyboard settings are you guys using for views that make the HAT so much better?
The number pad I presume? If that's the case I agree 100% that the HAT is vastly better than the number pad. The number pad is easy to learn, but it's totally miserable for views. Whoever thought of using it in flightsims ranks right up there with the guys who invented call waiting and cell phones.
My views are set up using G (foreward), H (left), J (Down), K (Up), L (Right), M (Back). This setup is odd and difficult to learn compared to the number pad, but it is also highly effective--so much so that I actually went to using this rather than my HAT. The only other thing I really use during a fight is flaps and occasionally throttle; it takes just a fraction of a second to move the throttle (and I can reach it with my thumb anyway) and I don't need to take my hand off the view keys to work the flaps. I have all head positions pre-mapped so I don't need to "move my head" during a fight. "G" is used both for getting foreward angle views and as an alternate foreward view. A set of rudder pedals would be nice, but I don't like twisty sticks.
As for my stick, I have 9 buttons on it but only use 4--FIREBOTH, FIREPRIMARY, ZOOM, TOGGLEGEAR
All opinion, just offering my own viewpoint :)
"As soon as you get over just reacting to situations and begin thinking and planning what you are doing you can begin to stop jerking the joystick around to avoid other planes and get a situational awareness. "
FDisk, I'm not following that line of thinking; are you suggesting that having a preference for more stick pull means I have to suck and/or be a newbie? How long have YOU been playing online flightsims?
J_A_B
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Well JAB, the HAT requires 1 thumb never lifted. On the same hand, 3 buttons under the thumb, of which only one is awkward when using views at the same time, but its a fire button anyways, changing views while gunning is silly g +)
On other hand
thumb controls flaps (1 up , 1 down)
my finger is my UP view modifier, while pinky and friend work the throttle.
My fingers are basically resting on the buttons i need at anytime while flyin.
This fall perhaps I will upgrade to a HOTAS with luck.
The beauty of the HAT is that left = left i mean a physical movement of the switch to the left results in looking left. It took several minutes to adjust to my first hat switch just based on its instinctiveness(?)
So.. I am able to do more with my other hand +Q (non-ah related)
SKurj
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personally jab i like less resistance on my stick,that just me, also my stick is not on the desk as most are. mine is, excuse me , between my legs, i prefer it this way, the only thing i use the keyboard for is text, every thing else i need is on my stick throttle combo, i only posted the setting because another saitek x45 owner was interested in what i was running for my setup. my old stick was a logitech wingman ex 3d i still miss my twisty rudder on it, however i have started getting use to the rudder on my throttle, also i have way more views on my top hat, and seeing as i spend most of my time flying looking out my 6 that helps