Joystick better than Steering Wheel?

Gotta tell ya, we bought both a MS Force feedback and a normal steering wheel. Tried them in Driver and Need for Speed 3. We went back to joystick control. I didn't feel the control translated well to the games. Looks cool, very solid, but just seem to have more control/quicker response with a joystick. Am I missing something? Your thoughts? -- Jim

If you're happier with a joystick, I think you should use it. Powerslides in dirt track games would seem very hard to do. I can't possibly see how you can cut the wheels hard to the left or right, and then give it the gas. In other words, with a stick you can't have full x axis and full y axis at the same time. So, every time you take a turn, aren't you slightly lifting your foot off the gas (so to speak) and slowing your lap times? Slot

>If you're happier with a joystick, I think you should use it. Powerslides in >dirt track games would seem very hard to do. I can't possibly see how you >can cut the wheels hard to the left or right, and then give it the gas. In >other words, with a stick you can't have full x axis and full y axis at the >same time. So, every time you take a turn, aren't you slightly lifting your >foot off the gas (so to speak) and slowing your lap times? I went from a MS sidewinder joystick to a MSFF wheel and got a lot slower at first. A joystick allows you to go lock-to-lock in your steering much more quickly, which can sometimes make you faster because you can correct for more out of control driving in some games/sims. Eventually I found that the wheel made me faster only because I think I could relate to the actions on the screen better with actual driving movements, causing me to 'drive' the sim better which made me faster in the long run. It really is just personal preference, though, I think. AS for the full-X and full-Y simultaneous thing, go into the Windows game controller appet in Control panel and calibrate the stick. Watch the dot and see if it pulls back on the Y axis at full left and right deflection when you rotate the stick through its travel. ~daxe

Missing something? Possibly the two programs you are using for testing aren't the best to make the determination that a JS is better than a wheel overall. BUT maybe if you are used to the JS then you have better control with it and those two games blended better for you. A more in-depth sim might not yield you the same results. .02 Alan

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> Gotta tell ya, we bought both a MS Force feedback and a normal steering > wheel. Tried them in Driver and Need for Speed 3. We went back to joystick > control. I didn't feel the control translated well to the games. Looks > cool, very solid, but just seem to have more control/quicker response with a > joystick. > Am I missing something? Your thoughts? > -- > Jim

The thing is if you have a wheel with gas and brake pedals you can accelerate and brake at the same time, and THAT is impossible with a joystick. To answer the next question : "Hey you idiot why do you want to brake while you are accelerating ?" Well let's say you arrive into a corner, your braking was okay but you put the gas pedal down a bit too early, just slightly touch the brake pedal without releasing the gas pedal and you can make your corner exit" Then the next question would be : "You stupid old fart, why not relesae the gas pedal instead of braking ?" If you relesae the gas pedal you entire car will move UP, the center of gravity will move up, thus increasing roll and making the car slide, if you use the brake the car will go down, generating more downforce...This technique is only useful on quite high cars with quite soft suspensions, like GPL cars or in real life Truck racing....

The thing is if you have a wheel with gas and brake pedals you can = accelerate and brake at the same time, and THAT is impossible with a = joystick..... NOT! I use slider forward for gas, stick back for brake-works great. Rik Anthrax - - "trust the government?? what are you, some kind of moron?"

I'm having a lot of trouble controling my car in nascar 1999 with my nascar charger wheel. I can't seem to stay in line and can't control my speeds. I am considering going to a joystick myself.

The need for speed series must have been programmed to not respond well with racing wheels, NFS4 has the same problem, Any nown patches to fix this? Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.