Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
jfri

Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Flightstick

Recommended Posts

I would like to hear from people who uses this stick which I consider buying. First let me state what I already got. I have CH Flightsim Yoke and their Throttle quadrant and rudder pedals. In addition to that I also have Microsoft Sidewinder stick. I consider getting the stick only (since I already have CH throttle quadrant) and wonder what advantages it could bring over what I already have ?

I know that this stick has 16-bit resolution (65536 x 65536 values) and I think my yoke and sidewinder only have 8 bit resolution. First does FSX P3D2 support this high resolution ?

Is it well spent money getting this stick for FSX P3D ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's good, and I mean really good. The Warthog shows its worth if you are playing air combat games like Digital Combat Simulator. For FSX, if you are only occasionally flying a single engine plane that has a stick, then you probably already have what you need. For helicopters, whether in FSX or elsewhere, the extreme precision of the Warthog throttles is something I think makes the difference between flying well and barely being able to fly at all, because you need to be able to make the very smallest of adjustments to the collective. You just don't get that level of precision unless you have a Hall effect controller, like the Warthog (throttles). The value you get from the Thrustmaster really depends on what you fly, in my opinion.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's a great stick - I've tried them all and finally settled on it over all the alternatives, including some expensive professional-grade ones.  If you're transitioning from CH hardware, it'll take some adjustment, because the Warthog stick is very sensitive, very stiff and very heavy.  So instead of the long "throws" you need with CH (true of both their yoke and their sticks), you'll be making tiny adjustments, exactly as King Ghidorah describes.  And you might find your right hand gets a little tired because of the weight.  But it's worth it for the precision, and not only for helicopters - it's equally effective in high-performance fighters, and the weight feels right for transport aircraft, too.

 

You'll feel the greater precision in FSX or P3D, especially if you calibrate for maximum sensitivity and minimum null zone, either in FSX/P3D or via FSUIPC.

 

I assign axes and buttons/switches directly in P3D - I've never bothered with the Thrustmaster software.

 

The Warthog throttle is also wonderful - good feel and lots of real metal switches that offer resistance, you can't trip them accidentally.  But it's a little limited in axes, so for that reason you might want to stick with the CH quadrant.  I split the throttle on the Warthog and use one axis for prop and one for throttle, with the friction dial assigned to mixture.  The rest, like spoilers, I assign to switches.  I don't get the benefit of dual throttles, though I could if I assigned the prop or mixture to a switch or button.  It forces you to make those choices because it's really not designed for multi-engine piston aircraft.  But if you wind up liking the feel of the Warthog stick, you might at some point want to try out the throttle, too.

 

Hope this helps.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's a great stick - I've tried them all and finally settled on it over all the alternatives, including some expensive professional-grade ones.  If you're transitioning from CH hardware, it'll take some adjustment, because the Warthog stick is very sensitive, very stiff and very heavy.  So instead of the long "throws" you need with CH (true of both their yoke and their sticks), you'll be making tiny adjustments, exactly as King Ghidorah describes.  And you might find your right hand gets a little tired because of the weight.  But it's worth it for the precision, and not only for helicopters - it's equally effective in high-performance fighters, and the weight feels right for transport aircraft, too.

 

You'll feel the greater precision in FSX or P3D, especially if you calibrate for maximum sensitivity and minimum null zone, either in FSX/P3D or via FSUIPC.

 

I assign axes and buttons/switches directly in P3D - I've never bothered with the Thrustmaster software.

 

The Warthog throttle is also wonderful - good feel and lots of real metal switches that offer resistance, you can't trip them accidentally.  But it's a little limited in axes, so for that reason you might want to stick with the CH quadrant.  I split the throttle on the Warthog and use one axis for prop and one for throttle, with the friction dial assigned to mixture.  The rest, like spoilers, I assign to switches.  I don't get the benefit of dual throttles, though I could if I assigned the prop or mixture to a switch or button.  It forces you to make those choices because it's really not designed for multi-engine piston aircraft.  But if you wind up liking the feel of the Warthog stick, you might at some point want to try out the throttle, too.

 

Hope this helps.

 

What are the alternatives you have tried ?   Regarding sensitivity and long throws one question that arise is, how is it with real planes ?

It makes sense that a FSX plane that has a stick like for example the A2A P51 Spitfire or the Realair Lancair Legacy would be more realistic with a stick than a Yoke. But what about planes that has yokes like for example a C182 ? Would the Hotas stick be better there because of better precision ? Or is the CH Yoke the most realistic controller simply because it's a yoke and not a stick ?

The package stick + throttle is out of question because of cost.

 

 

It's good, and I mean really good. The Warthog shows its worth if you are playing air combat games like Digital Combat Simulator. For FSX, if you are only occasionally flying a single engine plane that has a stick, then you probably already have what you need. For helicopters, whether in FSX or elsewhere, the extreme precision of the Warthog throttles is

 

I do have DCS and also A10C and two helicopters and here of course the Hotas stick must be more realistic and better than my  yoke.

But the warthog must also offer advantages in FSX P3D in order for me to justify the cost.

I don't quit understand why the Warthog throttles are so important in helicopters . Do you control the collective with the throttles ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There was a topic recently where the value of mega-expensive, hall-effect yokes was discussed. I use a regular old Saitek yoke, and the comment I made was that I feel some of its limitations specifically when landing a GA plane. This is because when you are landing most GA planes, you want to hold it in the flare until it almost stalls. I found on my Saitek yoke that there is just a little stickiness, and when you combine that with the 8 bit resolution, it is overly easy to either balloon or to plough the nose wheel in like a wheelbarrow, especially if you are just slightly fast, slightly noseheavy, or if you have a crosswind, and you are simulaneously providing aileron. I've found that when flaring a plane all the way to the stall, that is seems the Warthog joystick makes it a lot easier. I see this in Rise of Flight, with the DCS taildraggers, and in any of the planes I use the Warthog for in FSX. But I don't want to fly a plane that has a yoke with a Warthog HOTAS. However if you are ok with that, and sometime have sensed that you could have done a better job flying if only you had a little more precision and smoothness in your controls, then I don't think the Warthog will dissapoint. Obviously you'll still have your yoke and CH throttle and can use those as appropriate for the planes you fly.

 

With helicopters, yes, you will typically use a throttle axis to control the collective pitch, and will benefit greatly from having a high-precision throttle. I can actually fly a craft like the DodoSim 206 somewhat competently when using the HOTAS, but before when trying to use only an inexpensive Saitek throttle, I was all over the place. I just didn't have the very fine control needed over the collective until I got the Warthog. Although less noticeable, I'm sure I benefit greatly from the higher precision of the cyclic (joystick) as well.

 

Then you mention DCS. If you have that, then go out and get yourself the Warthog immediately! And make sure you get the whole thing, not just the joystick! It even has a tiny weeny trackball for your middle finger to slew the sensor heads around! It is just an unimaginably cool controller for the combat sims, and with the A10 obviously, it is tailor made. Works right out of the box, all the controls automatically assigned by DCS for the A10. For DCS helicopters, the same observations about the precision of the collective that I made for FSX applies, and just like on the A10, you benefit from the Hands-on-throttle-and-stick approach to flight/avionics control when flying and fighting with the KA-50

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Once again I agree with just about all of King Ghidorah's points (KG - great screen name, BTW!)

 

To answer the questions the OP put to me directly in the post above...

 

..over the years I've used the CH and Saitek yokes, several CH sticks (including the 4-button Flightstick back before they made anything else), the Logitech G940 force feedback HOTAS, a Thrustmaster Cougar for about two days (long ago when it had teething and setup problems, no such issues with the Warthog), a PFC yoke and a set of Rainman helicopter controls.  All of them had their points, some of them had very strong points.  The Warthog is my favorite out of all of them for its precision and very short throw.  But the choice is very personal - it's like choosing a guitar or a set of golf clubs or anything else that comes down to how something feels in your hand.

 

For what it's worth, several of the A2A developers who are RW pilots, including Dudley Henriques, who's a veteran airshow pilot and past president of the International Fighter Pilots Fellowship, are strong advocates of the CH Fighterstick as being the most realistic one out there when it comes to actually giving you smooth control over the aircraft.  I tried one recently and couldn't get comfortable with it - I couldn't get used to the long throw and to me it felt sloppy, but the A2A guys seem to like the same qualities for the fine control it gives them, albeit with more stick travel.  Their opinions count for me, but so do my habits - like I said, it's a very personal thing.

 

As to sticks vs. yokes for the appropriate aircraft - I used to take that seriously and wound up with multiple controllers and separate controller profiles for each aircraft set up through FSUIPC.  In the end I got tired of the complexity and of trying to work around aircraft like the Aerosoft Airbus X family that likes its controllers set up directly in the flightsim program.  So I pared everything back to the Warthog and don't miss the others.  It's marginally less realistic to fly a yoke aircraft with your right hand... but then, if you switched to the right seat, that's exactly what you'd be doing.  I found I adjusted the same way that a pilot changing seats adjusts.  In the end the heavy metal feel and the precise response of the Warthog counted for more with me than having the exactly right or closely matched kind of controller.

 

But your mileage may vary.

 

Did I mention it was personal?

 

Again, hope this helps.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 


Then you mention DCS. If you have that, then go out and get yourself the Warthog immediately! And make sure you get the whole thing, not just the joystick! It even has a tiny weeny trackball for your middle finger to slew the sensor heads around! It is just an unimaginably cool controller for the combat sims, and with the A10 obviously, it is tailor made. Works right out of the box, all the controls automatically assigned by DCS for the A10.

 

The whole thing means double an already high cost which seem difficult to justify for one DCS plane even if it is a exact replica of the real A10C.


 

 


albeit with more stick travel

 

Maybe that is how it is in the real plane ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 


Maybe that is how it is in the real plane ?

 

Could well be - though there's bound to be some variation.  Preference also counts - I like tight steering in my cars, but not everyone agrees.

 

For what it's worth, when A2A's C172 first came out, and there was some debate about how the controls were responding, I did some comparisons against a video that A2A posted for that purpose and found that my PFC yoke almost exactly matched the yoke movement in the real aircraft shown in the video.  The PFC yoke has more travel than the Warthog.  

 

Also, search online and you'll find user mods for the Warthog - there are people who feel the travel is too small and who have found ways to lengthen the shaft, or replace the springs, or both, to loosen it up a bit.

 

All of this tells me two things - the CH sticks deserve a good look (A2A's opinion counts with me) and a lot of this comes down to what's most satisfying as opposed to what's most authentic.

 

Frankly, the differences in control feel between any PC controller, even the most "professional," and a real aircraft are so great that even if you throw a fortune at the problem, you may not get an experience that's as real as the real thing.  

 

So again, what you like matters, and budgets count, too.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 


The PFC yoke has more travel than the Warthog

 

This aspect of less travel in the Hotas concerns me a bit. Does this not mean less precision instead of more ? Also does it not make it harder to fly the planes ? What about the CH Fighterstick recommended on the A2A forum. Does it have more travel than the Warthog ? Is it only the Warthog that has 16 bit resolution ?


 

 


..over the years I've used the CH and Saitek yokes, several CH sticks (including the 4-button Flightstick back before they made anything else), the Logitech G940 force feedback HOTAS, a Thrustmaster Cougar for about two days (long ago when it had teething and setup problems, no such issues with the Warthog), a PFC yoke and a set of Rainman helicopter controls. All of them had their points, some of them had very strong points. The Warthog is my favorite out of all of them for its precision and very short throw.

 

I'm curious why you preferred the Warthog over the PFC Yoke ? Since the PFC Yoke is much more expensive you might expect it to be better.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have an old CH Fighterstick and compared it side by side with the Warthog. The travel in X and Y axis appears to be the same. I don't have any idea what has been recommended on an A2A forum, but I simply cannot imagine that somebody would prefer a CH Fighterstick over a Warthog in any regard. I think the CH is a fine joystick in it's price range, but the Warthog is a premium piece of hardware, a world of difference. It is extraordinarily rare in the hobby that I have ever had something exceed my expectations, especially hardware. However, the Warthog did. I'm not too familiar with the Microsoft Sidewinder joystick, but unless it isn't working, I don't have the impression that replacing it with a CH Fighterstick would provide you with many advantages.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No, the Warthog's precision is great, it's just that it takes much less movement to achieve the same effect - you flick the stick slightly instead of really deflecting it.  The low travel goes well with the heavy weight of the stick.  I think that both the Warthog and the CH sticks are well-balanced - heavy and small travel vs. lighter and more deflection.  Again, to me it comes down to taste and "style," for want of a better word.

 

The one point where my reaction differed from KingGhidorah's was with helos - I find them a bit hard to control with the Warthog since the combination of small travel and high precision can make for overcontrol.  I notice that over on hovercontrol.com, a lot of RW helo pilots seem to like the Saitek X-52 sticks, which are similar to the CH sticks in their amount of travel.  When I used the Rainman dedicated helo controls - which involve a full-scale floor-mounted cyclic - the longer axis made for finer control.  But I find that the Warthog is great with, for example, the A2A Accu-Sim single-engine fighters, where the precision is really helpful and, because of the strong

 

Re: the PFC yoke - I liked it a lot but had a series of problems with the pots on the rudder pedals and spikes on the throttle quadrant, and at the same time that happened, I was looking to simplify my rig anyway, so I took the PFC offline and put it in temporary storage.  It might be back at some point.  But if I had to pick one universal controller I'd always pick a stick, since it goes decently well with everything - helos, Cubs, and (with a bit of poetic license) yoke-based aircraft.  And it makes for a cleaner desktop.

 

@KingGhidorah - you posted while I was typing.  A couple of points: 1) the amount of travel is about the same in the CH and the Warthog, but the Warthog's effective travel is less - that is, you have to deflect the CH stick much farther to achieve the same effect.  

 

As to the A2A forum discussions, here's the recent thread I had in mind.  There are others that track with it.  Just to be clear - I tried the CH stick based on this, and went back to the Warthog, so I didn't find the CH as satisfying as either Scott or Dudley did.  But they're pretty good at what they do, to put it mildly, and they're both experienced pilots, so I figured that in the interests of complete reporting, their opinion was worth passing along.  Hope it's of interest.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I see what you're saying about the amount of physical deflection, but I'm not sure I understand how that can be. Say in the X axis the CH Fighterstick goes from -16800 to 16800. Then the Warthog goes from -65000 to 65000. The CH has full deflection at 16800 and the Warthog has full deflection at 65000, and those both correspond to full deflection of the virtual control surface. Since they both appear to have a similar amount of physical deflection in terms of degrees just by seeing them side by side and deflecting them both simultaneously, I think this just comes down to the amount of graduations possible in between. Maybe the CH has slightly more angular throw, but not much. What I think might be happening is that because the Warthog is much much more stiff, it gives the impression that you have to move the CH so much farther physically, but I'll bet if you measured the amount of degrees you had to go to move the stick to the halfway or full point, it would be very similar. Since the Warthog is taller, I think you actually get a little more linear deflection with the Warthog than you do the CH, assuming they have similar angular limits. If you still have your CH stick put it beside the Warthog and see-I was surprised because I also thought that the throw of the Warthog was less.

 

It hits on that discussion about the A2A mystery slider, where they talked about "pressure" flyers and "deflection" flyers. As you have pointed out, and I agree 150%, so much of this comes down to preference and you can only do so much with springs on a recentering joystick with such a short moment arm. I think stiffer more represents an actual control feel, and like you, I prefer that to the feel of the CH. Maybe with Heli's I'm one of the "pressure" flyers where the Warthog actually resists my urge to overcontrol, and for others, not so much.

 

There is one thing about the Warthog that I've found a little annoying, and I'm sure you (Alan_A) know what I'm talking about, but jfri should know too as a consideration. Being as stiff as it is, and as big as it is, it can hurt the wrist and be awkward on the thumb if you don't position it correctly. If you can position or mount it somewhere lower, where your wrist is straight, and your thumb can cover the highest button naturally, without having to reposition your palm, then it is best. Not that a any joystick sitting on the desktop is ideal in the first place, the Warthog is about an inch taller than the CH Fighterstick, and that seems like nothing, but if you don't have the ergonomics right, you might notice it.

 

Very interesting discussion here, with a lot of good points, btw.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@KingGhidorah - now that I think about it, I suspect you're probably right that the travel and resolution are similar, and the difference has more to do with the weight and stiffness.  I'm almost tempted to set up the CH stick again and try manipulating it in very small increments, the same as I do with the Warthog, and see if the effect on flight controls is similar.

 

You also reminded me to go back and look at the old (4.5 years!) but still relevant SimHQ review of the Warthog.  There are some interesting performance comparison graphs on page 7.  The CH Fighterstick seems to give a very good account of itself, though the resolution on the Warthog is just a bit better.

 

I'd forgotten about that "pressure" vs. "deflection" flyer thread - I ought to go back and have another look.  Am guessing I'd probably come out as a pressure flyer, but that's off the top of my head - I should remind myself what they had to say about it.

 

I agree with you about the stiffness of the Warthog being an issue - I occasionally get some carpal tunnel effects from it, though I suspect that it's not causing them, rather it's aggravating some chronic problems.  I'm a writer and spend all day typing so that's probably the root cause.  About setting it lower - agreed.  A few years ago I shelled out for a pair of Joy-Loc brackets, one for the Warthog stick and one for the throttle.  It moves the bases of the controllers down about 7 inches from desktop level and sets them at a shallow down angle, which makes them much easier to work with.  Unfortunately it looks like they're no longer in production, but it would probably be easier to assemble something similar out of wood or metal without all that much effort.  Recommended for the Warthog, though might be useful even for a lighter stick like the CH.

 

To the OP and others - hope this continues to be a worthwhile discussion.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Re: "pressure" vs. "deflection" flyers, the original post is a bit hard to locate since it's buried deep in an Accu-sim core update thread that's been revised many times since.  But if you look at Scott's embedded comment in this post, you'll get A2A's official take on it.  I continue to think I'm in the "pressure" camp.  More stuff to think about, at any rate...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...