Oolite Bulletins

Recommend me joysticks for Oolite, Pioneer, I've Found Her and the likes. I'd like 'stick to have throttle control, three axis + some buttons, hat control and USB port. More importantly, 'stick should be reliable and properly aligned to center. Tell me price too.

I used to have Logitech 'stick that had all the controls and buttons I desired, but some axis were not centered properly which meant that spacecraft would turn or roll when 'stick was resting without my hand on it. Major reason why I have avoided space/flight sims and joysticks past 5+ years.

I use one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003 ... GH963WS4ZZ

£10.99.

I'd never previously been a gamepad fan but I really like this.

Two analogue thumbsticks means I can use one stick for roll/pitch and the other for yaw.

loads of buttons means I can program fire, injectors, torus, ecm, speed up, slow down, target, arm, fire missile and the four views all on the pad itself - I almost never have to touch the keyboard.

For me the best thing is that it worked on Ubuntu from the moment I plugged it in as well as working just fine under Windows and Oolite is happy for me to programme all the buttons!

EDIT: I've just noticed the review - don't know what's going on there - I've never had it not work on anything I've tried it on.

I use a Logiteck Attack 3 which is excellent (and works on Ubuntu out of the box). Cheap and cheerful.....it's cheap and I'm cheerful 'cos it really is good.

Smivs wrote:

I use a Logiteck Attack 3 which is excellent (and works on Ubuntu out of the box). Cheap and cheerful.....it's cheap and I'm cheerful 'cos it really is good.

No hat control and at least two buttons are on wrong side of the 'stick (right side on the base, difficult to reach with left hand). Does handle rotate (twist)?

No... no third axis (twist) on the Attack 3. Have a look at this one, maybe.

El Viejo wrote:

No... no third axis (twist) on the Attack 3. Have a look at this one, maybe.

I already have that one. Its axis are not properly aligned: when 'stick is resting without my hand on it, spacecraft turns anyway. Major reason why I have avoided space/flight sims and joystics for 5+ years. Of course 'stick might have worn off... in which case I want more durable joystick.

I have a Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS. LOVE IT!!!!! But it's not for everyone's wallet... Combined it with a pair of CH Products foot pedals.

I use this one when I’m using a stick. I'm on a laptop so I only use a stick at home, and even then, only on some of my characters. Hard to carry a stick with you in a laptop case. . . This has a twist axis for yaw, throttle, hat and lots of buttons. centers just fine in Debian Linux

Gnudoll wrote:

I use this one when I’m using a stick.

Does handle twist?

Matti wrote:

Gnudoll wrote:

I use this one when I’m using a stick.

Does handle twist?

Yes, it does. Note that I mentioned a twist axis for yaw. . .

We've got about 50 Logitech Extreme 3Ds at work - they stand up pretty well to students abuse (civilian and military) - Twist, throttle, 11 buttons, hat switch. They do fail to centre eventually though, but our military students do tend to use them as digital devices i.e. Hard left, hard right...

I endorse the Saitek X-52. Drift-free HOTAS system, loads of buttons and controls. Not one, but three hats. It's a twist stick, yet the twist axis has a strong centering spring so there's little chance of going into a roll accidentally. But it's costly: I paid $100 US for mine, yet it's worth every penny.

Price is not problem, but HOTAS is overkill for me. Is either X-52 or Cougar available without throttle unit? Or do they work without connecting it? How long have you used them and what is expected lifespan before axis go out of alignment?

I use one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Sidewin ... 044&sr=8-1

But it's an old piece of kit. One of the first optical joysticks made, I think. Under both Ubuntu and Windows, it has always worked pretty much perfectly. Might be the best thing Microsoft ever made. LOL It runs off gameport or USB with the adapter that was originally included. (If the adapter is missing, you can make one, if you can solder a bit. But if it's missing, try for a better price. LOL)

I'd check second-hand shops and etc before buying one of Amazon or etc, though. I got mine for 3 USD and 5 USD that way. One is my "backup" since it's in "like new" condition and came with the box. The somewhat scuffed old one I usually use still hasn't failed or broken even with many many hours of "less than careful" use. LOL

Like I said, it's "old kit" that they don't make anymore, but if you can find one, I can highly recommend it for longevity and just handling really sweet.

I have a Logitech Extreme3Dpro - had slight drift on some of the axis, but configuring deadzones & sensitivities in Logitech Profiler cured those problems.