From: chow@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Christopher Chow)
Subject: Re: FCS - Worth it?
Organization: Cornell Theory Center
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 12:16:44 GMT

In article <1992Oct3.112338.24548@netcom.com> primus@netcom.com (Robert keng) writes:

As someone who has recently converted from just using a CH FlightStick
to the Thrustmaster FCS and WCS plus Maxx Rudder Pedals setup I have
the following comments:

If you're playing a game which fully supports the FCS, such as 
Aces, things are great. There's nothing quite like flying around
and using the FCS's hat to quickly check your views. 

On the other hand, there are other games which either only partically
support the FCS, such as Falcon 3, or which don't support the FCS
at all except as a simple joystick. Particularily Falcon 3 doesn't 
support the FCS hat, but it does allow switching between A-G and A-A
mode from the FCS, a feature which I've always found annoying to do
from the keyboard. For popular games without full support, someone out
in California has written a TSR, called the pilot's edge, which retrofits
the support and allows you to assign different functions to the hat
and the extra buttons. My experience with the pilot's edge has been
limited to the version for SWOTL, which, also adds support for the Maxx
Pedals. I like it, except it is as expected, not quite as good as 
having built in support like Aces.

Of course, then there's Wolf3D 1.2, which doesn't seem to support
the FCS at all. Anyone have a solution to this?

>
>Here's a few advantages that I've found in FCS over other sticks:
>
>1. Better control over the "aircraft". Most other sticks have this problem wit
>centering (i.e. your plane can never fly straight without you having to put
>pressure on the stick to correct it). Not FCS. Although most sticks let you
>adjust it by giving you them x-y switches (or whatever they're called) it 

Of course, there are non-FCS joysticks which also have this property.
I've never needed to use the trim controls on my CH FlightStick. Indeed,
I find the CH FlightStick to have a higher quality 'feel.'

>
>2. The hat and multiple buttons gives you partial HOTAS, which means you'll 
>be able to concentrate on SA more than fumbling with the KB to find the 
>right keys (too bad I don't have the WCS or RCS too...).
>

You should get the WCS. Not only does it give you throttle control, but all
its extra buttons are also very handy.

>4. It's moderately wide base makes the stick pretty stable (it doesn't move
>all over the place when you use it).
>

Same is also true of the CH FlightStick.

>: P.S.  And it doesn't have a throller slider which I have seen on the Kraft
>: ThunderStick which cost half as much!
>
>Well, that's what the WCS is for.....
>

The WCS is much better. The CH FlightStick also has a throttle wheel, but
I've always found it difficult to use because of its location. Furthermore,
its always too easy to accidently get too high of a throttle setting since
there's no clicks for the transition between Military power and Afterburners.
With the WCS, there is a click-like feel when you're at the transition 
between Mil and Afterburners.
-- 
Christopher Chow
---------------------------   Phone:          518-426-0687
1 Notre Dame Drive - Rm 317   Internet:       chow@theory.tc.cornell.edu
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Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games