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I have a Microsoft Force Feedback 2, which has served my loyally through years of freespace dogfighting, lately however it has developed a problem, the roll function(Z axis yes?) is stuck on the maximum to one side.

The Joystick looks perfectly fine, everything else operates perfectly, its just that the Z axis is broken.

EDIT clarifaction, its not twitchy or anything like that, just locked on the maximum roll for one side acording to the diagnostic.

Is there any hope for it or should I get a new one?

Honestly, unless you know a game you really like playing and belive its worthwhile to own a joystick just to play it I'd recommend to simply forget about it. Gaming with peripherals (excepting gamepads do to console ports) is dead on the PC since nobody seems to want to target a niche (joystick owning people) of a niche (space/realistic flight sims) of a niche (pc gaming). So future wise it will get fewer and fewer use.

mmar wrote:Honestly, unless you know a game you really like playing and belive its worthwhile to own a joystick just to play it I'd recommend to simply forget about it. Gaming with peripherals (excepting gamepads do to console ports) is dead on the PC since nobody seems to want to target a niche (joystick owning people) of a niche (space/realistic flight sims) of a niche (pc gaming). So future wise it will get fewer and fewer use.

Then I should buy now before every single joystick is gone?

i disagree, there will be always some joysticks, they are far from cheap but as long as MS will brought every x years a new MS Flight Sim, there will be an interest in producing joystick, just look at all the modifications for the overblown thrustmaster's Cougar, a 250euros piece of hardware, i know a lot of friends that put 200+€ more to have a working piece of equipment...

if you thought to buy a new one: here are a quick review of the potential target (all HOTAS):

Thrustmaster Top gun2: (around 60-70€ i think), does the job, no fancy advanced programming but perfect for your use i guess, i had it and i sold it cause i haven't time to "fly" anymore, if i go back to fligh sim, i'll take one again (or maybe a Saitek one)

Saitek X45:(if shops have it: it should be under 100€ but cannot tell precisely) considered as one of the top HOTAS system, replaced by the X52 but some people still prefer it: harder spring, tougher construction (and it's futuristic design is far from doing unanimity )

Saitek X52:(130€) idem as X45 but: an LCD built in throttle to use as an MFD, more functions to program, soft spring (butter spring say some people) good for warbirds as his great brother

Cougar (199€ + price of a mod): all metal, advanced programming, but shitty electronic, if you are in a remote place you'll have to wait like forever if you want to change potentiometers, gotta check for the mod: they don't have the same effect and some are more adapt to some kind of gaming than another
(Cougar is dedicated to modern jetfighters with FBW most of the times maybe not the best for a space sim)


PS: for you problem, i don't think i can help, you could try frugal's world of simulation if anyone know the reference for the "potentiomètres" (sorry dunno the english word)

Thanks for the help I will look into the Thrustmaster.

BTW after a quick look in a specialised magazine (Microsimulateur hors série: Spécial militaire).

if you want a force feedback there is the
Thrustmaster Top Gun fox2 pro shock USB (the throttle is "dongle" on the base of the stick à la microsoft) (exist also in HOTAS:top gun afterburner force feeback), price are respectively 43€ and 99€


(PS:the HOTAS i was talking about is 55euros here in belgium)

If you can't afford a Thrustmaster or the like, the Saitek Evo Cyborg is a nice joystick for under 60USD. I personally love mine.

Didn't mean to imply there will be no joysticks in the future, but if you look at the games being produced it's obvious that, apart from realistic flight sims (should have put that exception in my original post), they are being carefully made not to require joysticks (look at X3 for example).

Lets put it another way. Back in '00 or '01 when I got my Saitek Cyborg 3d (excellent joystick btw, still serving me faithfully except some problems with the z-axis spring not autocentering anymore) I had almost always at least one game installed in which it was beneficial to use it. Nowdays it sits on a shelf and is not connected to the computer 95% of the time.

Again,