- #MICROSOFT SIDEWINDER FORCE FEEDBACK WHEEL GTA V SERIAL#
- #MICROSOFT SIDEWINDER FORCE FEEDBACK WHEEL GTA V PRO#
The stick is programmable within Windows, using the same interface as Microsoft's other sticks. I found it no trouble to use with Janes Longbow, for example, or in Flying Corps.
#MICROSOFT SIDEWINDER FORCE FEEDBACK WHEEL GTA V PRO#
The Sidewinder FF Pro has a built in throttle wheel that is about as good as its going to get for this approach. One of the drawbacks of the Force FX is that if you want to program it you also need the CH Pro Throttle which will store the info for each button. You're used to the TM F22 Pro? No problem, we have a setting for you! Oh, your last stick was a light weight Gravis, fine. This provides the effects and also allows you to set different levels of stiffness. The FF Pro mounts two DC motors in the stick's base. The tendency of the machine gun to pull upward while firing surprised me! When I took a hit I almost lost my grip on the stick.
A number of forces are modelled including impact, recoil of the main gun and machine gun, and even some gravity forces like the tilt of the tank as it jostles over an obstacle. I had a chance to check out an early alpha of Spearhead with the Sidewinder FF Pro. You can count on the same support for Flying Nightmares II and Confirmed Kill. DiDs F22: ADF MAY support force feedback. What about simulation titles? Zombie Technology's coming armor simulation Spearhead will support the Sidewinder FF Pro, as will Activisions coming Fighter Squadron: Screamin Demons Over Europe. I am almost certain that the problem lies with the game itself and NOT with the stick. Interstate '76 has some nice effects, like different vibrations for on-road and off-road terrain and a cool flat-tire effect, but for some reason the effects were on again off again. The Shadows of the Empire: Battle of Hoth demo is better: running under 3d acceleration via my STB Velocity 128 the framerate was good and the stick simulated pulling g's in the snowspeeder. The MDK: Mission Laguna Beach demo causes the stick to sway with your alter-ego's footsteps. Its a bit difficult to tell just what this stick will do via the games that are packed with the stick. However, the new games that are in development now will support Microsofts technology through DirectX 5 and DirectInput. Games that support the Force FX will not support the MS stick. The motors give it some solid weight but a glass filled handle would have been nice.Ĭompatibility with older games will be an issue with some. The feel of the stick is actually quite good. In my case, with a PII system cooled by rejects from a laser printer sitting eighteen inches from my eardrum, I really didn't While it occupies less real estate on the desktop, it does have a built in cooling fan that may bother some people. Microsofts stick isn't perfect in this department either. It did have a sometimes annoying buzz, however. (You can expect to pay less through wholesalers).įrankly, I didn't mind the large size and weight of the CH stick. Microsoft redesigned their Sidewinder stick to incorporate force-feedback technology, dropped three games in the box, and slapped on a less daunting price tag of $149.95.
#MICROSOFT SIDEWINDER FORCE FEEDBACK WHEEL GTA V SERIAL#
I tend to favor the underdog.īut you have to give Microsoft credit for creativity, and they did a nice job of doing away with the need for a serial port and reducing the cost. I'll be honest, I'm no great fan of Microsoft. Unfortunately, the price point hasn't been right, and some gamers have been hard pressed to find the extra serial port that the Force FX required. Not only did I hear the "thup-thup" of the Vickers gun, I felt it! And when the engine rpm changed, I felt that too! Testing the stick in Fighter Duel I began to rely on my hand to tell me when I was nearing stall speed or pulling too many g's.įorce-feedback is one of the most exciting areas of growth in computer gaming hardware. The first time I engaged force feedback was in Flying Corps early this year. If this doesn't capture your imagination, it may be because you've never used one of these gadgets. And those explosions that are rocking your fighter will be transmitted physically to your hand and wrist.
If you are about to stall in your aircraft, you'll feel it. If you are diving too fast in your Spitfire, you'll know it by the rapidly increasing buffet. First, in suspension of disbelief, the feeling of "being there." Second, for the increased situational awareness. The potential for force feedback for simulation play is tremendous.