What do you want to see in a joystick review

[Benjamin J 751]

I know what I find important in a hardware reviews, but perhaps there are other things that I didn't think about. I'm writing a review on the Thrustmaster T.16000M, and have covered the design of the joystick, changing the handedness of the joystick, a very short piece on how to set it up. A piece is also included on how the joystick feels when actually used. I was wondering though if there's any additional things, or specific details that you'd want to know. If so, this is the time to bring it up

[TedG 1]

Yoour timing is good but I am looking at things like the Warthog, Logitech G940, or one of the newer yoke systems to replace my decent but aging current stick/HOTAS/pedals.I always like to read about how individuals tend to set up individual profiles using the available switches/buttons/whatever.

[Robert W 3]

I have the G940, Thrustmaster Warthog and the CH Rudder, Yoke, Throttle Quadrant (yes it's good to be the editor :yahoo: ). I prefer to use the Warthog set-up for flying Mil Jets and use the CH set-up for yoke based cockpits. I'd like to see how the Thrustmaster T.16000M rates against older Thrustmaster models and how it applies to all aircraft operations.

[Benjamin J 751]

Thanks for the input so far!Ted: I'm afraid that's a bit out of scope for this review. I cna devote a few lines to it, but it's not going to be a detailed story.Robert: That I can surely do, up to a point. This is the first Thrustmaster joystick I have, so I can't really compare it to anything out of my experience. A ssuch, I'm not sure how valuable my opinion on that matter would be. I can of course give my opinion on how it is during various aircraft operations.Any more requests?

[Tallguy 9]

maybe test how good one can calibrate it via Windows and if calibration via FSUIPC makes any difference?

[SQUAWKIDENT 3]

Yes always test each joystick with FSUIPC as so many people use it with their hardware.

[Benjamin J 751]

Yes always test each joystick with FSUIPC as so many people use it with their hardware.

If you want me to just say if it works, then I can do that easily, since I already did. However, I will not discuss it in detail, i.e. how to set it up, advice etc. That's not the purpose of the review. As such, a comparison between Windows default and FSUIPC calibration is also something I will not deal with, though I can assure you it works - there is no reason for it not to. If it doesn't work, it means you did something wrong while setting up the axis definitions.Maybe I should be more specific with my request: I'd like to know if people want to know specific things about the joystick itself (details on how it feels when used, whether button x is in reach or the trigger feels sturdy, maybe what TM's HEART technology is or how it differs from normal joysticks technologywise, that kind of thing). Stuff like FSUIPC is too broad a subject to talk about in this review. For that a seperate review should probably be written.

[Rocky_53 1,579]

There is only one stick....

[raymar 969]

If you want me to just say if it works, then I can do that easily, since I already did. However, I will not discuss it in detail, i.e. how to set it up, advice etc. That's not the purpose of the review. As such, a comparison between Windows default and FSUIPC calibration is also something I will not deal with, though I can assure you it works - there is no reason for it not to. If it doesn't work, it means you did something wrong while setting up the axis definitions.Maybe I should be more specific with my request: I'd like to know if people want to know specific things about the joystick itself (details on how it feels when used, whether button x is in reach or the trigger feels sturdy, maybe what TM's HEART technology is or how it differs from normal joysticks technologywise, that kind of thing). Stuff like FSUIPC is too broad a subject to talk about in this review. For that a seperate review should probably be written.

Benjamin,I would like to see some detailed screenshots of the control setup screens before and after. Also, you could explain where the various axes are found in the FSX control screens and how to use the 0 - 100% bar and the reverse feature. Details like that. Maybe how to extend the range of certain features, ie, trim - so it won't be so touchy on one aircraft but not another. Overlap between specs in aircraft.cfg and the specific funtions of the hardware - which can be easily adjusted and which should be avoided for conflicts, complications, etc.You might keep in mind that many simmers do not have the pay version of FSUIPC as it costs more than FSX/Acceleration. Looking forward to your review.Ray

[Benjamin J 751]

Benjamin,I would like to see some detailed screenshots of the control setup screens before and after. Also, you could explain where the various axes are found in the FSX control screens and how to use the 0 - 100% bar and the reverse feature. Details like that. Maybe how to extend the range of certain features, ie, trim - so it won't be so touchy on one aircraft but not another. Overlap between specs in aircraft.cfg and the specific funtions of the hardware - which can be easily adjusted and which should be avoided for conflicts, complications, etc.You might keep in mind that many simmers do not have the pay version of FSUIPC as it costs more than FSX/Acceleration. Looking forward to your review.Ray

Thanks for your input, just some questions: Control setup screens before and after what exactly? After I set it up according to my preferences?While many of your ideas are good, I'm afraid much of your suggestions don't quite fit with this product review. After all, it is a product review, written to give an opinion on the TM T.16000M. As such, I don't feel that more general instructions on controller setup should be a part of it. However, your suggestions could be kept in mind for a possible future article that one of the staff reviewers culd write on the subject. Might be beneficial for newbies and more advanced users alike

[raymar 969]

Thanks for your input, just some questions: Control setup screens before and after what exactly? After I set it up according to my preferences?While many of your ideas are good, I'm afraid much of your suggestions don't quite fit with this product review. After all, it is a product review, written to give an opinion on the TM T.16000M. As such, I don't feel that more general instructions on controller setup should be a part of it. However, your suggestions could be kept in mind for a possible future article that one of the staff reviewers culd write on the subject. Might be beneficial for newbies and more advanced users alike

Benjamin,Yes, the FSX dropdown Options/Settings/Control/ boxes. If you are adding hardware to FSX, I think a review should certainly be more than 'Yep, works just fine on my system'. I always try to give the reviewer more than he paid for, a little extra that makes him/her think "I didn't know that", or "Finally, someone tells me how to do that" or "Boy, I am so glad he added those screenshots to explain what he was talking about".I just think it would be difficult to explain your setting without showing the before and after control screens. Here is an 'after' shot for the Saitek Cessna trim wheel.Ray

[Michael Cependa 17]

The most important criteria is range of motion. Most joysticks for computer flight simulation have an absurdly small range of motion that makes them almost completely useless for controlling the aircraft with any kind of precision.

[Benjamin J 751]

Thanks again for the replies!Ray: It depends on how far you want to go. For this product review, I don't want to go further than a cursory inmspection of my controller setup, which is sort of what you suggest in your most recent post. That's fine. It's the other stuff that you suggested that I don't think would fit very well inside the review.Point is though that I set everything up within FSUIPC. I hardly use the default FSX assignments because FSUIPC gives me the flexibility I need to succesfully fly a wide range of aircraft using multiple control and engine setups. While I can show some shots of what my FSUIPC settings look like and I can explain my motives for setting everything up the way I do, I don't want to go any further than that though. Explaining the function of each of the FSUIPC controller options would be too detailed an explanation for a review that's not about FSUIPC, but strictly about the T.16000M.Michael: Just for my own frame of reference, what controllers do ypou think have too little a range of motion? I have the Saitek Pro Flight System Yoke, the Logitech 3D Pro, the T.16000M and a long time ago a McAlley joystick, and haven't had any problems with range of motion.

[Michael Cependa 17]

I don't recall off the top of my head which ones I found inadequate. I am using the same yoke as you, and really I think it's too sensitive in pitch. In a real aircraft you would have many times more movement. It's not easy to flare the NGX without over controlling with this yoke. I know you can tweak the sensitivity in various ways, but you end up either losing full deflection of the flight surfaces or get excessive sensitivity towards the end of the range. I sometimes use a CH Flightstick Pro, that moves through a greater angle than most. I have had (as well as tried out in shops) other sticks that were terrible in this respect and I think I gave them away or they have simply gone into a storage bin somewhere.

[gizmosellsbunnys 106]

Review joysticks measure the wear and tear it can take and its ease of setup, confrontable to use on the hand. Its smoothness in rotation and responsess also. Being a left hander went to yokes as joysticks are built for rigth handers mostly