What kind of joystick for CoD ?

[MikkOwl]

I have an old CH Combat Stick with CH Throttle, both from 1996. They don't work anymore. When they did work, the throttle was way too loose and the stick also was far too loose and light. They also wore out and started flickering nervously.

I have a Logitech 3D Precision Pro or whatever it is called. It is a simple twist joystick. Has a little throttle flap on it. For the price, it is pretty good. Very ergonomic and easy on the hands. Takes up minimal space. Easy to set up. I think it is the ideal starter joystick for someone who is not yet 100% converted into flight sims, or does not have the space, money or effort to set things up.

I have a G940 which I have written extensively about in the past. It is a complete package with stick (force feedback), throttle and rudder pedals. If it did not have the reversal bug, it would be a great package. But currently, all axes have that reversal bug except the joystick X/Y and it takes a lot of fun (and precision) out of flying. Rudder is a disaster to try to use with any accuracy what so ever. The reversal bug makes the rudder behave so that, let's say you are using a bit of rudder to aim at something or keep a certain course - the moment you think "I put a little bit too much rudder, so I'll gently ease off it", it makes a BIG jump in the opposite direction rather than easing off. And when you think "oh xxxx, that's too much" and apply a bit more, it makes a jump right back. The whole airplane is violently shaking its nose to the left and right due to these large sudden inputs and you swear in frustration. It is nothing what so ever like real mechanical linkage - it is the exact opposite of it - like some force is strongly boosting the movements you do, but only when you change direction from one to the other.

The force feedback is supremely awesome and I really don't want to go back to a joystick without that. It gives actual feedback of what is going on and things just feel so much more alive. Some people who fly in reality say it doesn't really make things more realistic, but the same can be said about force feedback steering wheels (which I also have, and since I have actually raced cars I have something to compare to). Most of the feeling in reality is felt in the body, being pulled and shaken around. The steering wheel (and I guess airplane stick) is less than this. But it is there. Mainly the looser and tighter stick when going different speeds - buffeting and how it losens totally in stalls, violent shakes while on the ground or when flying with gears down on final approach (then the stick is very loose and at the same time rocking around - it feels scary!)

In IL-2 it takes a bit of adjusting to get the force feedback to work properly, at the right speeds, range of stick throw and stuff like that. They tightened up the force feedback a lot (as users requested) in the firwmare upgrade in May 2010 but quite a few people didn't properly set up their FF settings and were asking how to go back to the old firmware.

If I wasn't stuck with my G940, I would today choose the Thrustmaster Warthog and buy separate pedals. Much more expensive than the G940 but the feel of it and probably quality should be much higher. The G940 has been a major headache for me and I'm still unhappy how Logitech hasn't bothered fixed the major bugs of it. All they need to do is to remove the reversal bug and it would be great fun. They might get around to it. Or they might not.