USB Joystick recommendations

Jade Falcon · Post by **Jade Falcon** » 2007-11-15 01:15pm

I'm looking for a decent but not overly expensive joystick for my sim games. My old PC had an older style 'D' connector for my old Sidewinder 3D Pro. My new PC doesn't have this, making me thing I will need a USB stick.

So, any recommendations?

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2007-11-15 01:20pm

Saitek Cyborg Evo or X52/53, depending on the amount of control you want. Despite the naysaying about Saitek being bought out by MadCatz, that doesn't magically affect the current product line. The Cyborg Evo is $40 and is as fully featured a stick as you can really ask for. Fully programmable, 5 thumb buttons, a good throttle, yadda yadda. The X52/53 is much more expensive, but is a solid HOTAS system with a huge amount of configuration power.

Of the two, the Cyborg Evo is the closest you'll get to your old stick, and probably the easiest conversion.

By the way, did you get the old Sidewinder 3D Pro pack with Mechwarrior 2? Oh man, good times.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-11-15 01:22pm

By the way, did you get the old Sidewinder 3D Pro pack with Mechwarrior 2? Oh man, good times.

They sold that with MechWarrior? I only got HellBender

't Was a pretty good stick, though.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2007-11-15 01:27pm

Oh yeah, it was glorious. It was my introduction to Mechwarrior and Battletech, and yeah, the old MS Sidewinder 3D Pro was a god damned workhorse of a stick. I still remember playing through Freespace 1 and I-War 1 with that bad boy.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2007-11-15 01:49pm

*Sniffle* Oh Sidewinder 3D Pro, how I miss you so.

Regarding the OP, I was in the same boat as you awhile back (except I had since upgraded to a MS Force Feedback Pro, another beautiful, indestructible stick) and I ended up getting a Logitech Force 3D Pro. It was a little pricey, but there is a much cheaper version of the same basic stick without force feedback and a couple bells and whistles. I am very happy with it, as it feels very similar to those venerable MS sticks.

Jade Falcon · Post by **Jade Falcon** » 2007-11-15 02:11pm

It was a little known game called Fury that I got with my 3D Pro. It's been a damned solid stick for years.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-11-15 02:18pm

Jade Falcon wrote:It was a little known game called Fury that I got with my 3D Pro. It's been a damned solid stick for years.

Hellbender was Fury³'s sequel. It plays pretty much the same, but the 3D engine is a little less primordial and it's got Gillian Anderson whispering sweet nothings in your ear while you blow shit up.

Joviwan · Post by **Joviwan** » 2007-11-15 02:18pm

I have to reccomend the Saitek Cyborg as well, it's simply made of too much awesome to not be considered.

Man, I still HAVE my mech2 sidewinder. I'll love that thing until the day I die.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2007-11-15 03:54pm

Bounty wrote:
Jade Falcon wrote:It was a little known game called Fury that I got with my 3D Pro. It's been a damned solid stick for years.
Hellbender was Fury³'s sequel. It plays pretty much the same, but the 3D engine is a little less primordial and it's got Gillian Anderson whispering sweet nothings in your ear while you blow shit up.

Someone made a sequal to Fury3? Awesome, can you find it anywhere?

The Jester · Post by **The Jester** » 2007-11-15 04:11pm

Does your 3D Pro still work? It is possible to build a midi-to-USB converter, but you would need some knowledge of electronics and a passionate love for your 3D Pro to go that route.

I have a 3D Pro, but the electronics are buggered and need replacing. I'm considering rebuilding the electronics since the mechanical parts of the joystick are working fine (and are solidly built). Actually looking inside the 3D Pro, you realise just how great a joystick it is, especially with how they used two diodes to detect three axes of motion with the stick.

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2007-11-15 10:31pm

So Hellbender's basically yet another retread of Terminal Velocity, then?

I've got a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro that I bought at a factory clearance outlet for about $13. It's nothing fancy, but it's got the basics covered; plenty of buttons, throttle, hi-hat and twisty-handle. If you're not looking for a force-feedback or HOTAS setup it'll probably serve you well.

I also got the Sidewinder with Mechwarrior 2, but after a year or two something went wrong with the cable and it became unusable. It was still a cool stick, but the buttons on the base were awkwardly positioned and difficult to get at during gameplay. Mechwarrior 2 was also awesome.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-11-16 04:20am

Ace Pace wrote:
Bounty wrote:
Jade Falcon wrote:It was a little known game called Fury that I got with my 3D Pro. It's been a damned solid stick for years.
Hellbender was Fury³'s sequel. It plays pretty much the same, but the 3D engine is a little less primordial and it's got Gillian Anderson whispering sweet nothings in your ear while you blow shit up.
Someone made a sequal to Fury3? Awesome, can you find it anywhere?

There's a copy in my closet somewhere, or you can try eBay. I really doubt anyone is still selling it new. Be warned, it's a bitch and a half to run under XP.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2007-11-16 10:42am

Drooling Iguana wrote:So Hellbender's basically yet another retread of Terminal Velocity, then?

I'm not seeing a problem here.

I also got the Sidewinder with Mechwarrior 2 ... Mechwarrior 2 was also awesome.

Hell yeah.

DesertFly · Post by **DesertFly** » 2007-11-16 10:47am

Heh, I made a thread about this same thing not too long ago. Guess it would have helped if I had actually included some of the information. But anyway, I have a Sidewinder 3D Pro, and I admit that I shed a tear when I realized that I couldn't plug my Freespace stick into my hot new rig.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-11-16 11:54am

Ace Pace

You can get a copy on eBay, they're going for $2 right now. I had it wrong, it runs fine on XP, you just need to bypass an installer check that doesn't recognise XP as Windows or something.

Anyway, I installed the game again since I never got past the final mission, so here's some shots. Ignore the FPS counter, I forgot to turn it off.

Your mothership:

Loading screen:

The Hellbender:

The back seat:

Blowing shit up:

Using the afterburner (with a little thumb animation!):

Dogfighting:

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2007-11-16 12:03pm

MS Sidewinder was a very good joystick and served me well but it broked down due to lack of use.

It wouldn't stay center anymore... If it was still in production, I'd buy another one.

I'm using a Saitek X45 and the only complaint I have about it is that the rudder control on the throttle is a pain in the ass to use. I wish I investigated that part before buying it otherwise I would've bought the X52.

Edit: Fixed an error.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2007-11-16 12:15pm

God the memories, looks like Fury3 with the explosions improved and art style changed.

I'll hunt around eBay. Thanks alot bounty.