324 replies to this topic

[Sug]

I recommend that before you buy anything you go to an actual store that sells joysticks and see how they feel in your hand.

I bought a Thrustmaster Hotas off Amazon and had to return it as it was too small for my hands. I kept hitting buttons accidentally by just holding the stick.

I ended up with a Logitech extreme but even then I had to dremel the primary trigger down so I wouldn't hit it with the side of my middle finger during play.

[Hartsblade]

Paul Inouye, on 09 December 2011 - 05:04 PM, said:

I play with this everyday at work.

http://www.logitech....ks/devices/5855

Hey Paul, great setup! Santa actually just dropped on off this Christmas!! Not sure if you are a flight sim guy or not but if you are you want to take a look at Rise of Flight it is the best flight sim on the market right now (IMHO)...and it's WWI aircraft which for me are so much fun to fly. The G940 works great with RoF and I'm hoping that it will work in MWO as well

[Mason Grimm]

TOPIC MERGED AND MOVED TO OFF TOPIC

Too many Joystick topics going on! Start using the SEARCH feature!

[Paul Inouye]

Hartsblade, on 28 December 2011 - 04:20 PM, said:

Hey Paul, great setup! Santa actually just dropped on off this Christmas!! Not sure if you are a flight sim guy or not but if you are you want to take a look at Rise of Flight it is the best flight sim on the market right now (IMHO)...and it's WWI aircraft which for me are so much fun to fly. The G940 works great with RoF and I'm hoping that it will work in MWO as well

Will look into this. I love flight sims but have been a little let down by modern combat sims.. lock on from 25 miles out.. fire missle.. wait 5 minutes for the missile to hit... repeat ad naseum. A good old fashioned dog fighter is always worth investigating in my books. Thanks for the heads up!

[macfarlane]

REDSLATE, on 18 December 2011 - 10:42 PM, said:

I haven't used a flight chair by Playseat, though I do own a Playseat Evolution.

I purchased it primarily because I wanted a sturdy platform to hold a Force-Feedback Wheel as the default plastic "desk mounts" are not secure. I did a lot of research before purchasing this product, and I managed to get a great deal on it. The Playseat Evolution does an excellent job of securing both the wheel and foot pedals to the frame. I can throw the wheel around to achieve tight turns and stomp on the gas or brakes. The frame ensures that the device stays put regardless of the amount of force being applied. The chair is pretty comfortable too. It feels like an authentic race seat (which it is not), but it also provides cushion and support. It is made of a synthetic leather material (which is very nice) and the stitching and artwork are top-notch.

The office chair you are looking at (in the link) has wheels on it. This may not be the best choice if you plan on using foot pedals. You may come to find yourself sliding slightly backwards each time you use the pedals (depending upon their stiffness). Playseat does offer a chair designed specifically for flight simulators, though it doesn't mount the pedals to the frame either. Regardless, it seems much better suited for mounting a joystick and throttle as the "arms" appear to be much sturdier.

Hope this input helps!

Actually helps a lot! Thanks for the info and you know I totally brain farted the potential issue with rolling due to the wheels. I like the up right chair style of their office chair, I wonder if I can set up the wheels to lock so that won't be an issue. Or replace the wheels with locking wheels. Thanks for bringing that issue up and the feedback in their products.

[macfarlane]

CyBerkut, on 19 December 2011 - 09:01 AM, said:

Well, you have to evaluate what best fits your needs/wants.

- Do you intend to use rudder pedals? (Swiveling office chairs on wheels do not work so well for rudder pedal use).
- Do you want the chair to swivel?
- Do you want the chair to roll around?
- Do you want the seat to recline?

If you intend to go with a twisting stick (ala Saitek X52 / X52Pro) and not use rudder pedals, here is something you might look into:

http://www.getyourmo...-gaming-chairs/
http://www.getyourmobo.com/
http://www.getyourmobo.com/photos/

They aren't selling a chair, but rather a way to adapt a typical offic chair. The first time I ever saw their stuff mentioned was over on SimHQ. Back then, I don't think they had the removable keyboard tray... just the arm rests. The interesting thing (that doesn't appear to be well featured on their site these days) was that the arm rests fold. The mouse pad platform, and it's counterpart on the other arm, folds back over the arm rest for a more compact arrangement (if desired) when you are not using it. It would probably be easy enough to adapt that setup to hold a Saitek X52 (and perhaps even a smaller footprint keyboard between the Throttle and Stick). You might even be able to fit a keyboard that has a touchpad, or trackball mouse, to round out your controller needs.

Playseats are nice, but you may have noticed that they are not cheap. As someone else pointed out, if you do intend to use rudder pedals, they do make a version that does not swivel or roll. But then, if you are going to use rudder pedals, you might want to look into picking up a car seat and adapting it. ( You will be well on your way to making a full blown 'pit !!! )
.

Thank you for the feed back, bookmarked those sites. I do like of adapting an office chair for the gaming since there are some really nice and comfortable office chairs out there. I do want to use the rudder/throttle/joystick set up again so the wheels rolling are an issue. Tho I think with locking wheels I could manage it. Basically when I am playing the wheels would be locked and when I wasn't and was doing other things they would be unlocked. Money isn't so much an issue as space is, if that makes sense.

[Gattling Fenn]

I've already come to the conclusion that I will be purchasing a joystick to play MechWarrior Online. It's nearly mandatory if you want to be any good, I only used a keyboard and mouse in 2010 when I re installed Mercenaries for the first time in nearly 5 years.

Now what I need help deciding, is what joystick should i purchase? What is optimal for piloting a mech?

I've been looking at these two models in particular...

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16826102203

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16826280020

The only reason that I have no yet purchased one, is because I'd like the input of the community first, along with any potential recommendations.

[Vulpesveritas]

What you don't want to control it with your brain?
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16826100006

[Shadowstarr]

I'm looking for a new stick but don't want to buy one just yet. All depends on what MWO options are. Hell I may just play on my 360 controler if possible. Given the crappy support for win 7 and joystick, from what I've researched is abysmal, I may go duel-boot with an older OS. But yah can't really go wrong with a low cost, decent stick. A few months from now I am hoping we might learn some more about what kinda goodies MWO will support, (track IR, custom simpit style controls, ect) so folks can make a informed purchase.

I know its doubtfull but i'd love to see one of the gaming hardware comps would try and market a quality fuly compatable stick for MWO, I doesn't have to have a big MWO logo on it or nothing. Just so long as it gets a nod from PGI, saying basicly "Hey this works in our game"

If I win the powerball I'm gonna carry a sack of cash to MS HQ and demand someone make my sidewinder FF pro work in win 7 or make a new one that does.

-SS

[SoulReaver DA]

The usb logitech joysticks are by far the best out there atm. I own an use the Logitech Extreme 3D PRO.
The main thing to consider is your reach, and hand size, along with comfort of wrist angle and finger placements too.
So what i'm saying to you is to test fit any you can at the stores. If It hurts to use or is incompatible with your hand an reach, How cool it may look or the ratings being published won't matter.

[Gattling Fenn]

SoulReaver DA, on 07 January 2012 - 01:36 AM, said:

The usb logitech joysticks are by far the best out there atm. I own an use the Logitech Extreme 3D PRO.
The main thing to consider is your reach, and hand size, along with comfort of wrist angle and finger placements too.
So what i'm saying to you is to test fit any you can at the stores. If It hurts to use or is incompatible with your hand an reach, How cool it may look or the ratings being published won't matter.

This post makes me so happy, because I literally ordered that joystick off newegg an hour ago. XD

[Reno Blade]

im using the Saitek x52, but im still not used to not using the keyboard with one hand.
i used to play all MW games with mouse untill i had a interceptor and then used it for all of them.
back in that time, i used the left hand on the numpad to stear the mech and use the corner keys on the numpad for the weapon groups, while i controlled the torso and aiming with the stick.

now i try to get used to steering the mech with the z-rotation of the x52 stick and trottle with the left hand

[Bernardo Sinibaldi]

I used to use a Saitek X52 but it broke on the rotational axis and couldn't be fixed. It didn't last all that long to be honest. I ended up upgrading to a CH FighterStick and haven't looked back. No rotational axis on that but I have pedals too so that's no problem. It's honestly a very good stick with more than enough buttons to satisfy most.

[SoulReaver DA]

In any piloting type of game that supports Joystick I always use both Stick and Keyboard both. Relying on using one can make for serious response issues and death. lol Besides at my computer hutch the only place for my Joystick is on my right hand side. Cant imagine trying to hold the Joystick in my lap! lmao.

[Rapax]

I use a fairly simple joystick, the logitech attack 3. But I use the G13 gamepad along with it, which really componsates for the simplicity in the joystick. That works for me.

[Steven Frost]

Personally after playing all the games, I have to say the best set I have found are the saitek x- flight set series with the throttle secondary control. highly programable, usaully have set-up with throttle and turning on one control , the firing options and torso twist on main control. you just can not beat having those kind of dual controls. one hint, it seems that if you buy remanufactured set from saitek themselves they are "upgraded" with heavier duty springs on triggers and so on. I have had several sets (x-32, the short lived x-40, x52) main issue seems to be the main trigger assembly spring. as it has several weapon triggers you can work around if it croaks. What ever brand recommend highly spending the extra cash for a "flight" type set, with pedals being a bonus if you really want to spend.

[Mchawkeye]

Aren't there many subjects like this already?

That said, X52, I have it and I love it. Very much.

Lights up and everything.

[cmchinni]

I have had a Saitek Cyborg 3D Gold for 10 years and used it in every MechWarrior game with no major issues. It can be configured either Left or Right Handed, has a throttle, Z-Axis and plenty of programmable buttons. Also has native windows support since XP.

Good luck finding one though...

Chris

[Prohibitor]

I have been using the Saitek st290pro for years
it has 6 button and a 8 directional top hat

[LabMaus]

i just hope my old joystick is still working as it should

but if not oh well time to spend around 30 €