Game Controllers review

[HighLordDave]

For those of you who are interested, I have just purchased the best set of game controllers I have ever had the pleasure of using: The Suncom SFS joystick and SFS Flight Throttle.

They are wonderful and if you play flight sims or even shooters, you should buy these if you can find them. The downside is this: Suncom went under and isn't making any more.

The SFS stick is a solid four button, 2 axis stick with a four way hat switch. It's modeled after the flight stick in the USAF's F-15 Eagle and has a heavy, stable feel to it. People with smaller hands will find it big and bulky, but most people won't have a problem using it. There are very few throttle controls out there, and the SFS is absolutely top of the line. In addition to the throttle control, it has two four-way hat switches, three two-way swtiches, and two buttons. The throttle also splits so games that offer dual engine controls can control both the port and starboard engines separately.

Both SFS products us Suncom's keyboard emulation technology for programming the buttons. Each can be programmed for up to four different keysets, and programming is done directly through the stick, not through software (as is done with controllers from Gravis). They joystick daisy chains through the throttle which connects through your computer's MIDI port. In addition the keyboard connects to the throttle, which in turn connects to the PS/2 port. Both products are also available in a USB configuration, but I'd go with the legacy ones myself.

To me the advantage of a throttle with so many controls on it is that I don't have to go hunting around the keyboard for commands. In fact, I've played both Mechwarrior 4 and X-Wing Alliance and had many sessions where my hands never left the controllers.

As I mentioned before, Suncom is now out of business, but my experience in the past with their products is that they have a high level of quality and reliability. In fact, my previous Suncom stick, an F-15 Talon stick ran reliably for over three years of constant use before it died. By contrast, my Gravis Blackhawk Digital lasted only about half as long under less demanding play. I picked up the stick at Electronics Boutique for $6.99 and the throttle for $14.99 (USD), so they're a steal if you can find them.

If you have a favourite controller, please post a review here. Also, write to game controller hardware manufacturers and tell them to make more throttles.

[KidD01]

Due the nature of my current games I hardly use joystick anymore Yet I remember when I purchase Logitech Wingman Extreme - kinda like 8 years ago . The price seems a bit too high for my liking standard, especially when compared with Saitek Megagrip joysticks.

With my lil bro encouragement and the hippe of Wing Commander series + Tie Fighter series that time, I brave my self to try it anyway. Surprisingly this baby last like Energizer batteries, unlike the Saitek joysticks which mostly out of service after a week (I played around 3 hrs a day and my lil bro spend around 5 hrs me thinks). Now that baby just sits quietly next to my monitor awating for another simulation game to emerge

[HighLordDave]

Originally posted by KidD01
Now that baby just sits quietly next to my monitor awating for another simulation game to emerge

Mechwarrior 4 is what you're waiting for.