I need a Joystick..

[turbo_skylane]

I need a joystick..
I need something of good quality, something that has rudder (my saitek don't have rudder )
reasonably priced... something I can configure..
What do you guys reccomend.... I'm lost.. :-/

[ppgstf]

I use a Saitek ST290, very reasonably priced with a number of controls you can set on the buttons.

It does very well for me.

[jimcooper1]

I need a joystick..
I need something of good quality, something that has rudder (my saitek don't have rudder )
reasonably priced... something I can configure..
What do you guys reccomend.... I'm lost.. :-/

My joystick of choice is the Saitek Cyborg Evo.

[Cessna93]

Saitek X52 Flight Control System.

Joystick is twistable for rudder use has a missle launch switch for combat games hat and toggle switches and the thorttles are amazing.

Heck read it for yourself.

http://www.saitekusa.com/usa/prod/x52.htm

[sonic]

I have a sitech aviator AV8R-01 and really like it so far used it for about 3 months now.

[HugoCampos]

I have the old Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 and, boy, it's still awesome. I would never buy a joystick without force feedback. It helps you trim the plane, it shakes while you're taxiing, etc.... it really gives you the feeling that you're inside the plane and touching the real joystick or yoke. And the other good thing is you can always turn the Force Feedback off when you want to fly with a fly-by-wire Aircraft like an Airbus.
If I were to buy a joystick now I would probably buy a thrustmaster or a logitech with force-feedback. But what I really want to buy is a yoke and the rudder peddals so I can fly cessnas and boeings more realistically. The only problem is that the yoke and joystick cost like 500 bucks which is a lot for that type of hardware I think. My joystick was like 100 EUR when I bought it like 3 years ago.

[DonAlfonsoRoKil]

Force Feedback is sometimes a good, sometimes a very bad thing!!!
Many aircraft aren't configured correctly so perhaps your joystick is shaking left and right while you're flying a (fly-by-wire) Eurofighter..............
But of course this can be fixed!

I personally wuld buy a Thrustmaster Joystick, I myself have a Thrustmaster Fox II Pro, which is wondeful!

Here some tips:

You DON'T need AS MANY controls as possible!!!!!!!!!! This just makes it harder to find them with your fingers on joystick while flying!
But you ALWAYS must have these:

Every new joystick should be USB,
X, Y axis every joystick of course has,
if you don't want to buy one with a big throttle on it because of the big price,
you should make sure you have a small throttle control at the platform of your stick.
No Z-axis in FS???? Impossible! This are the rudders.

One very important thing: Every joystick has a spring in it to make sure the joystick rolls always back to center after you've turned it. This spring should make you feel that it'll live very long and don't get to weak to fast. And look for a stick that allows you to change how strong the spring is!

The platform of the joystick needs to be large or very wheight to amke sure the joystick has a good stand.
Hmm I think that's all.

Ah no!!! One very important thing:
You MUST have a 'coolie hat'!!!!! This is a small mini-stick on the stick you can turn the perspektive around.

I myself don't like Saitek, they seem so ramshackle
Sorry for my English, but I hope I helped you!

[ctjoyce]

The only two sticks I can recommend are the Saitek X52 and the Cougar Thrustmaster HOTAS.

Personally I have the HOTAS and its the best stick I have ever owned.....however it came with a $200 price tag.

Cheers
Cameron

[Fozzer]

For all-round, reasonable price, every-day use, flight sims and other things, I like my Saitek Cyborg Evo Force twist joystick. (with Force-feedback always turned OFF!).

..anything else, (including rudder pedals),  is a very expensive luxury... ...!

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/cyborg_evo_force.htm

Paul...with a nice stick of joy!.... ...!

P.S For anyone who still has the lovely Microsoft Force-Feedback 2 Pro Joystick...lucky you!....Mine failed years ago...and I still miss it!

[Brett_Henderson]

Pedals are a must. If you've ever used them, you wouldn't disagree. Turn coordination, ground steering (including differential braking), slippping and cross-wind landings are done with your feet... it can't be done with a twisting joystick, anymore than elevator/ailerons can be done on a keyboard. You miss out on a huge aspect of the simulation, without them.

They're every bit as important to simming as a good monitor; cost half as much, and last twice as long.

[Fozzer]

...in the end...

..it all comes down to how much money you have stored in your Piggy-bank....how important you think it is to your enjoyment of any, and all, of your "Games" ....and how much you can afford... .. ...!

The choices are endless......!

Paul..(Captain Sensible)... ...!

Brett....get this bleedin' Cessna 177RG Cardinal, of yours, (for FS 2004)...sorted out!...Ta!...LOL... ...!

[Mictheslik]

One very important thing: Every joystick has a spring in it to make sure the joystick rolls always back to center after you've turned it. This spring should make you feel that it'll live very long and don't get to weak to fast. And look for a stick that allows you to change how strong the spring is!

Nope, my Forece feedback 2 doesnt

.mic

[Brett_Henderson]

..it all comes down to how much money you have stored in your Piggy-bank....how important you think it is to your enjoyment of any, and all, of your "Games" ....and how much you can afford... .. ...!

All too true.. I guess the guy with a 5 monitor simpit in his basement, would think all of us desktop aviators are wasting our time..

[Chris_F]

I have a Logitech 3D something or other.  It was about $30 when I bought it, has X,Y,Z, and throttle.  No force feedback.  I do NOT like this stick.  It's "noisy" as hell.  In other words, leave the stick in the neutral position and watch the controls in Virtual Cockpit.  Sometimes they'll stay still, but sometimes they'll jump randomly as if the joystick were sending out random control inputs as if it had a bad solder connection or something.  And this always occurs to the left, on both the X and Z axis (alerons and rudder).  It sucks.  I've tried updating the drivers, rolling back the drivers, reinstalling, etc.  It never goes away.  When the stick works it works just fine, but every now and then it goes "noisy".  Sometimes it even loses the ability to turn right (give right aleron or rudder input).  Odd.

[Fozzer]

I have a Logitech 3D something or other.  It was about $30 when I bought it, has X,Y,Z, and throttle.  No force feedback.  I do NOT like this stick.  It's "noisy" as hell.  In other words, leave the stick in the neutral position and watch the controls in Virtual Cockpit.  Sometimes they'll stay still, but sometimes they'll jump randomly as if the joystick were sending out random control inputs as if it had a bad solder connection or something.  And this always occurs to the left, on both the X and Z axis (alerons and rudder).  It sucks.  I've tried updating the drivers, rolling back the drivers, reinstalling, etc.  It never goes away.  When the stick works it works just fine, but every now and then it goes "noisy".  Sometimes it even loses the ability to turn right (give right aileron or rudder input).  Odd.

Chris...

Trust me...

I had exactly the same problems with my new? Logitech joystick...

...put it back into it's box, buried it in my back garden, (with a suitable wooden cross), and purchased the Saitek Cyborg Evo Force joystick instead, (described above)......!

The only prob with the new Saitek Evo joystick is that it needs to be moved through it's extreme travel, (stick and throttle), before finally taking-off in the Sim...every time...!

...no problems then... ...!

Paul... ...!