Analog Flight Stick Big Disappointment

[rdagger]

I just picked up a new Happ heavy duty analog flight stick.

[AlanS17]

What method does it use for centering?

[rdagger]

What method does it use for centering?

It appears to have 2 springs.

[ultramagnus]

looks like any low range analouge joystick to me...

if your supposed to be able to fly with that thing im a outermongolian...

[rdagger]

Anyone have any recommendations on analog joysticks?

[AlanS17]

Springs would definitely explain the tight corners. That ought to loosen up with time, though. Don't go calling it worthless before it's broken in.

[Kremmit]

The older version of those sticks used one great big spring mounted on the bottom, instead of the two yours uses.  Unfortunately, they didn't feel entirely even, either.

Sounds like you're pretty particular about the feel of your analog joy, what are you trying to do with it?

Have you ever had a go at an Afterburner joystick?  The feel is entirely different from the Happ product, as the two axes move independent of each other.  Feels more airplane-ish than arcade-ish, if you know what I mean.

[rdagger]

Sounds like you're pretty particular about the feel of your analog joy, what are you trying to do with it?
Have you ever had a go at an Afterburner joystick?

[Kremmit]

It was a Sega game, but I dunno if Sega actually manufactured the stick.  It was also used on Space Harrier, G-LOC, and some hellicopter game I can't remember the name of. 

I don't know if it would suit your purposes or not.  You can definately feel the center point on both axes, and as I said earlier, each axis is independant of the other, mechanically speaking. 
a pic may be worth a thousand words here, so here's one from KLOV:



You can see the cutout in the control panel for up/down movement.  Side-to-side movement happens by leaning the handle right or left, which causes the shaft to rotate inside the panel.  So, it's great for precision control if you want to feel how far you've moved each axis on their own, or be sure you're only moving one axis while not disturbing the other.  But it's lousy if you're trying to make perfectly smooth, round circular movements.  I think one of these would be awesome for hardcore flightsim players, but I dunno what you need for game development purposes.

[Xiaou2]

 Actually, Ive used both.   The Afterburner stick really isnt all that great.  Its a little too clunky and slow to react.   Was harder to move than other analog sticks.. which throws off your physical accuracy.

 There is another typle of analog stick out there that is much better.

 Instead of the springs being internal.. there is a metal spring that attaches to the bottom of the ball of the analog stick... and the other end attached to a metal frame that is about 6 inches deep.   This keeps the force easy to overcome no matter which direction you go in... because the spring force in perfectly centered and pulling downwards.

 Now... you may just be able to modify your happ stick to operate the same way.
Just remove the springs.  Then drill a mounting hole on the bottom of the shaft.  Stick a metal pin thru the shaft..  the attack the spring to the pin.   Actually, Before that, drill a hole in the center of the pin.   Then the spring will go thru the center of the pin's hole.   While you could attach the spring directly to a hole in the shafts side..  it would eventually wear down and ruin the shaft.  This way, if the pin wears down.. you can easily replace it.  Also, it will center the joystick better.

 Then you will just have to build a small 6"  deep bracket that you will attach the bottom of the spring to.   Make sure to use a strong thick spring about 3 to 4" and is an expansion spring.

 Or, you could look for these joys on ebay.  They show up once in a while.  I think came from one of the later atari space fighter games.   

 The last option.. might be to try to build a centering spider simular to Sinistar's.
But mount it on top of the joystick rather than underneath.   This method will give you the most amazingly precise results, if you can pull it off.   I did it with a PC based joystick, and the added control was unbelievable.  I used Bike tires as the rubber bands, and gromets to put the together.    The happs analog's shaft is much thicker though... so comming up with the perfect way to make a spider for it will take some figuring out.