The purpose of this post is to explain to those who use a joystick with
gpl what I would deem as the most important feature when making this
choice.
I have been using a joystick to play gpl for the past 6 months and have
become reasonably good with this method - I have raced and beaten the AI
at Grand Prix level. However, since my favourite joystick for gpl (a CH
Combat Stick) needed a new pot, and my current use of cheapo joysticks
(a Logic 3 PC Phantom) required me to get a new one every 4-6 weeks, I
decided to try something different - and hopefully longer lasting - and
bought a Microsoft Precision Pro (MPP).
Anyway, I couldn't fault the MPP for quality, however I was having a
very, very hard time keeping the car on the road despite setting the
linearity completely to the right to make it as non-linear as possible.
With the other 2 joysticks I can drive comfortably with the slider only
2/3rds of the way across. So why was this joystick giving me so many
problems - as a for instance, even looking at my pitboard could result
in the car careering off to the right or the left - when my other sticks
had not caused me such grief?
Well the answer comes from the fact that the MPP has very little stick
deflection - full left to full right deflection is only about 2 1/2
inches at the top of the stick and about 40 degrees - whereas my
previous 2 joysticks have much greater deflections with the PC Phantom
having about 5 inches of travel and 90 degrees and the CH Combat having
about 6 inches of travel and about 90 degrees.
This means that any slight variations in stick deflection were being
transfered as wheel movements in the game and hence making the car much
harder to steer without immense amounts of precise control and
concentration.
So, my conclusions are, if you want to drive gpl well using a joystick,
then make sure you get one that has plenty of joystick travel otherwise
you may just find the game unplayable.
--
Peter Ives - (AKA Ivington)
No person's opinions can be said to be
more correct than another's, because each is
the sole judge of his or her own experience.
Hi Peter,
Im using the MS Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro with GPL, its great.
1.28.00 at Monza, 1.05.75 at Watkins Glen...
I had the same Problems with the MS Precision Pro, way too little
deflection.
You may take advantage of the Force Feedback Effects too.
My settings: Force Feedback Effects at low, Centering medium.
I know, the stick is expensive, but if you give it a try Im sure you will
not regret it.
Kalle
I still swear by the tiny CH Products Mach series. Thumb-tip control
(using small motor skills of the thumb or fingers as opposed to the
wrist). They last forever as well, and are cheap, cheap, cheap.
Stephen
I also have a MS Precision Pro and also find it a bit sensitive though it is
very accurate. It might be my imagination but since downloading the Direct X
7a or whatever it is, the controls seem to be a bit easier.
Chris
I used to use a logitech wingman.
although it was great for GPL with about 90 degrees of throw to it I had the
same problem as you in that it would wear out in a matter of weeks.
so now i use a logitech wingman interceptor.
initially it was no good, because although it has about 70 degrees of throw
the joystick input reached maximum left/right or up/down before the joystick
reached full throw.
as it is digital it was impossible to correct this in clibrating.
also it doesn't use pots.
it has a sort of electromagnetic sensor inside that detect joystick
movement.
i found that by careful placement of aluminium foil i could dampen the
signals and increase the throw required for maximum input.
now it works better that the wingman joystick
--
Rob.
Peter Ives <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> The purpose of this post is to explain to those who use a joystick with
> gpl what I would deem as the most important feature when making this
> choice.
>
> I have been using a joystick to play gpl for the past 6 months and have
> become reasonably good with this method - I have raced and beaten the AI
> at Grand Prix level. However, since my favourite joystick for gpl (a CH
> Combat Stick) needed a new pot, and my current use of cheapo joysticks
> (a Logic 3 PC Phantom) required me to get a new one every 4-6 weeks, I
> decided to try something different - and hopefully longer lasting - and
> bought a Microsoft Precision Pro (MPP).
>
> Anyway, I couldn't fault the MPP for quality, however I was having a
> very, very hard time keeping the car on the road despite setting the
> linearity completely to the right to make it as non-linear as possible.
> With the other 2 joysticks I can drive comfortably with the slider only
> 2/3rds of the way across. So why was this joystick giving me so many
> problems - as a for instance, even looking at my pitboard could result
> in the car careering off to the right or the left - when my other sticks
> had not caused me such grief?
>
> Well the answer comes from the fact that the MPP has very little stick
> deflection - full left to full right deflection is only about 2 1/2
> inches at the top of the stick and about 40 degrees - whereas my
> previous 2 joysticks have much greater deflections with the PC Phantom
> having about 5 inches of travel and 90 degrees and the CH Combat having
> about 6 inches of travel and about 90 degrees.
>
> This means that any slight variations in stick deflection were being
> transfered as wheel movements in the game and hence making the car much
> harder to steer without immense amounts of precise control and
> concentration.
>
> So, my conclusions are, if you want to drive gpl well using a joystick,
> then make sure you get one that has plenty of joystick travel otherwise
> you may just find the game unplayable.
> --
> Peter Ives - (AKA Ivington)
>
> No person's opinions can be said to be
> more correct than another's, because each is
> the sole judge of his or her own experience.
