Gaming Noob ?s - Joystick Controls

[dalfollo]

I have a new PC and will be loading a new video card (see sig) to actually have a usable gaming machine.....

More immediately I am working to load MS Flight Sim; and work to get my CH Product Flight Yoke and pedals to work (they are set up for a game port and I don't have a game port on this PC)...

My main qiestion is this...looking to get a couple other games like Half Life, Call of Duty, etc.....how best to provide joystick controls for these?

I was in walmart and they had a USB joystick control that looked like the kind typical for PS2 or Xbox...is that the kind of joystick I want to get? or do you all just use the keyboard for these kinds of games?

The WM JS was like $14, USB, and had a retractable cord, and a "vibrator" in the handle to "feel the game".... they also had a wireless one for like $25

So.... any suggestions on a simple joystick for playing FPS games or even for flight simming (until i get my yoke working or replace it with a USB model) would be most appreciated....

Also anyone with suggestions on your top two favorite FPS games, let me know...my brother has informed me that I absolutely must get half life....

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Ditch the joystick for FPS games, right now, unless you want to get your ass handed to you.

Use your keyboard and a good mouse.

- M4H

 

[dalfollo]

Seriously?? using the keyboard is better??

Any suggestions on best games to get??

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: dalfollo
Seriously?? using the keyboard is better??

No, using just the keyboard would be pretty bad. Using a keyboard to move and a mouse to look around is better. A *lot* better. Using a joystick in anything other than a flight simulator (or maybe a driving sim, though there a steering wheel is preferred) is pretty painful.

A gamepad (which I think is what you mean when you say a "USB joystick control that looked like the kind typical for PS2 or Xbox") is slightly better, but still FAR worse than a keyboard+mouse combination.

Any suggestions on best games to get??

A good question for the Software forum. I'd suggest HL2 + DOD:Source and BF2 as the best ones out right now, at least if you like online multiplayer. Single-player, I have heard Quake4 is pretty good, and FarCry isn't bad either.

 

[dalfollo]

Interesting...I would have thought that a game pad would provide better control during a game...i kind of thought mercenary was pulling my leg...

this might just save me a little money for games, then...

thanks for the info on suggested games.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: dalfollo
Interesting...I would have thought that a game pad would provide better control during a game...i kind of thought mercenary was pulling my leg...

The problem is that trying to aim at the speeds expected in most FPS games with a joystick-like device is extremely awkward. In order to get fast enough aiming for competitive play, you have to turn the sensitivity way up on a joystick, and then it makes it EXTREMELY difficult to make precise movements.

With a mouse, you can move it more quickly when you want faster motion, and more slowly when you want slower movement. It's very tough to get a joystick or gamepad to have the same sort of 'dynamic range', so to speak. There are also some physiological reasons -- basically, you have more leverage on your arm/wrist in concert than just your thumb for a gamepad, so you can exert better fast movement control with a mouse.

Gamepads with analog sticks are better than a keyboard for a driving/flying-type game, though, since you are usually not making extremely *fast* movements, but you need the ability to keep it moving at a constant speed (which is hard to do with a mouse). A joystick or flight yoke/steering wheel with pedals is even better.

The general consensus is:

For aiming in an FPS game: mouse > gamepad > joystick (> keyboard, I guess... that would suck.)
For piloting/driving in a simulator: yoke/wheel > joystick > gamepad > keyboard/mouse.

 

[0roo0roo]

lol u can tell who's using a joystick or only kb in a fps.. though its rarer these days. it used to be that u could see their slow arcing turns and such..they just dont have the snasp turn+precision of a mousekb setup. easy pickings. sorta like how easy it was to shoot down people who flew planes in 1942 with mouse/kb... u could easily pwn them with a joystick. use the right tool for the job. consoles get away with thumbsticks because everyone is limited to them, levels the playing field and the games are built to compensate for the less preciise aim.

get a joystick for sims. get a game pad for arcade type games... the xbox360 controller works on pc. use mouse for fps, learn to straff turn.

 

[w00t]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Ditch the joystick for FPS games, right now, unless you want to get your ass handed to you.

Use your keyboard and a good mouse.

- M4H

If i have anything to do with it even if he uses the mouse and keyboard he's still going to get his ass handed to him. 10min in the game he's going to be yelling "cheater" "wallhacker" "aimbot"

 

[dalfollo]

W00t - funny

I have much to learn....today i was walking through WalMart and there was a guy playing "Call of Duty" on what seamed to be an Xbox or something like that...i just had to stop and say OMG....that is so cool...and much more realistic than i remember the last time I played game...

Can you tell it has been a long time since I played a video game??? So now to finish up a couple mods to the PC and I will see what I can do to get a couple games loaded...

Thanks again for the info...