My esteemed MudSkikers,
I love hardware. Love it! 3 TM sets, one Virpil Mongoose, 2 MSFFB2 and the Hornet stick by TM.
I own too much but when it comes to new stuff… I thread lightly. Case in point, When the WinWing F-16 Throttle came out i waited patietly. I am not listening to some Youtube salesman(Linus) to “sell” me something. Between some coments here and the review from RedKite i felt good and bought it.
Then i became interested in the WW F-16EX stick. I watched reviews and read reviews. Sometimes what people Dont say is what matters. Nobody said, i love it. Nobody said, i cant live without it. Now as we hear about Virpil also wanting to go in this direction, i wonder if it will be as underwhelming as WW’s release.
Back in its heyday i loved my MSFFB2. In WW2 fighters it gave you an edge. But Salty Microsoft (yes Bill, im blaming YOU) lost the combat sim market and never upgrated the FFB2. ITS SAD.
I went Thrustmaster, Virpil base and now WW thottle. I feel i can fly anything w the Hornet stick(all navy) and Thrustmaster F-16 stick all USAF.
My point being, if you want me to come out of pocket (LOOKING AT YOU VIRPIL) then do it right.
Because in the end, i know when im being spoonfed and i dont like it.
I think there’s a time and place for tactile Feedback- in all its forms.
But I’m not sure this is the time.
Is this a case of “he who dies with the most joysticks wins”?
Were it not for VR, I’d be right there with you. Case in point, I was going through the Hornet shutdown checklist last night and at the point where you turn off exterior and interior lighting. I began spinning five knobs and you know the deal if you spin them too fast, they actually slow down because they are not axis, but two position switches? I have all five programmed to knobs on my VPC throttle and panel. After two, I just went to mouse manipulation for the last three to speed things up.
On the other hand, there are a few non HOTAS items that are too finicky to use a mouse, like the top seat arming switch on the Tomcat, and the HDG, CRS, and BAR/RAD switch in the Hornet UFC that I really appreciate having a physical switch.
No, He who dies w a Real HOTAS FFB, dies happy.
On the WW throttle i set rotaries to. Press, light off, right on or bright, left dim.
Yeah, that’s a really good setup. However there are times, usually at night when I like fine-tuning them. So good to have options. I also have a master external lights on/off programmed on my throttle.
When are we getting an FFB throttle? Or pedals??
Why it always only the stick?
And what about FFB TIR? I want my head shaken and thrown around when under G and doing carrier ops!!!
Why not your…um…rear end?
To me it was always abput knowing if im pulling too hard or not enough. FFB allows you to take it to the edge!
That’s why I love me seat-shaker rig.
[insert appropriate gif here]…oh, there aren’t any
Gimme a second
I would actually like FFB rudder pedals, both for the tactile “dial the force out with trim” while flying props and the AoA induced buffet in the Hornet!
I know Brunner does a set, but not being DX I don’t think they support my second desire above…
For a tech that has been around for decades, FFB is oddly ignored aside from wheels.
Sorry, but that deserves a GTFOut!!!