Using my Microsoft FFB joystick?

[Emile]

Hello,

I do not find how to set the different buttons of my joystick to use it like I use it in FSX .

I there an "how to " available?

Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Er... go to Options and change them...?

[styler360]

Is the force feedback now implemented?

[dbrucem]

No, unfortunately. I use my Sidewinder in Flight as I cannot stand spring centered joysticks. Without FFB the stick floats with no centering at all. If you tweak the null zones it works OK. I don't see MS adding FFB to Flight as there cannot be that many of them in use. I really love FFB in FSX using the FSForce addon which is superior to the MS FFB implementation.

[Emile]

No, unfortunately. I use my Sidewinder in Flight as I cannot stand spring centered joysticks. Without FFB the stick floats with no centering at all. If you tweak the null zones it works OK. I don't see MS adding FFB to Flight as there cannot be that many of them in use. I really love FFB in FSX using the FSForce addon which is superior to the MS FFB implementation.

 

I agree I also use FSForce

 

Thanks for your answers.

[Soul_Warrior]

First post here in nearly a decade of lurking. =)

 

I've found a solution of sorts for the Sidewinder 2 FFB joystick and how it behaves in MS Flight. It's not my own discovery mind you.

 

http://www.vistax64.com/vista-hardware-devices/188123-possible-fix-microsoft-force-feedback-2-joystick-self-center-force-disabling.html

 

or

 

http://scribblette.livejournal.com/643709.html

 

Both links get you to the same registry edit. What happens is that it disables the force feed back but leaves you with a "force" centered stick. I find this much more preferreable than the stick wallowing about with zero centering force. I've had and enjoyed my sidewinder 2 for over ten years now and I searched intently to find a solution for MS Flight.

 

Soul

[dbrucem]

I gave this a try but it didn't help with the centering issue in Flight. Just for grins I launched FSX and found no FFB at all including centering so the edit does work. I wasn't aware that there is any support in Flight for FFB.

[aorgr67]

I got the MS FFB to work in MS Flight (only centering forces) by using the fsforce utility:

1) Launch MS Flight and start your situation/flight/mission

2) Now return to desktop, and start fsforce.exe (through menu, explorer, short cut, ...).

Fsforce will start up and show a window saying it waits for fsx - let it wait ... (do not close this window)

3) go back to MS Flight and the joystick now has centering forces (at least this is how it works for me)

The centering forces keep working for the whole MS Flight session, no matter how many more flights/misions/airplances are loaded. I tried the other way round (first start fsforce and then MS Flight), but this didn't work.

 

I have Win7 64bit.

I use MS Flight in full screen.

[spilok]

I believe there are MANY MORE simmers using this great stick than one would believe. I have purchased several from EBAY because I can't imagine being without this great tool. Using Dirk's FSForce is absolutely mandatory, and FSX is so great when you can feel the touchdown, the take-off, and other forces. I have tried using many other sticks without force feedback, but I can't get used to "no feel". Even if it is criticized by many who think it's not real, I will never be without it.

Flight (Microsoft) simply has to add some lines to their configuration to satisfy us who have "their" stick, and it would be no skin off of anyone's teeth.

 

I hope they do.

 

Stan

[LHookins]

when you can feel the touchdown, the take-off, and other forces

 

I don't know about anyone else, but when I do a particularly hard landing in the Maule I don't need a force feedback joystick to feel it in my gut. :)

 

Hook

[dbrucem]

In response to Post# 8 about launching FSForce and getting centering with the FFB stick, thanks for the tip. This works but the centering force is way too strong. Instead of FSForce you can run the ForceTest utility available on the FSForce support page. This allows you to adjust the centering forces, also other forces such as vibration. The utility can be downloaded at: www.fs-force.com/support.htm#ForceTest. As in post#8, load your flight situation and then start ForceTest. I set the centering forces to 25 which worked very well for me. Now, if we could just get elevator trim to work.

[spilok]

If I use the ForceTest utility for Flight, do I have to make other adjustiments when I go back to FSX? FSX is perfect now with how my FF is working.

 

Stan

[dbrucem]

No, the FSForce utility is not connected to FSForce. It is a stand alone utility used to test your joystick function. I use flight in windowed mode so I just launch ForceTest on my secondary monitor along with GMap after loading my flight. You just tick the desired force after setting the desired force level.

[Bobsk8]

I don't know about anyone else, but when I do a particularly hard landing in the Maule I don't need a force feedback joystick to feel it in my gut. :)

 

Hook

 

Me either...... :o