I've been meaning to create this topic for a while, but not seems like the perfect time given the current promo. Anyway I created this topic to ask if having a joystick is integral to the experience of playing a flight sim (probably not really a flight sim but I'm not sure what the genre is actually called) or if I can have the same experience playing with a mouse and keyboard. Also what are your recommendations for a good, inexpensive, joystick? I plan to buy one eventually, but don't know if I should buy any of these games if not having joystick will dampen my experience.

Glad you made this thread. I too want to know what's a good joystick for people with limited budget. I was looking at the Logitech Joystick since it's around 20-30 bucks but will it work well for a year or so?

Thrustmaster Hotas X
Is what I use, it's held up fairly well so far, though I don't use it often. It's deadzones are a bit off, so it's not as precise as I'd like, but it's the most I could pay for a joystick myself.

It's usually a much better experience using a joystick for any kind of flying game, though there aren't many that I would say require it. Unless you like to play on the hardest difficulty or have an aversion to rebinding keys, I'd say go for it.

I've heard good things about Logitech joysticks other than their durability, I'd expect with heavy use they'd only last 3-4 months. I have a friend who has gone through two so far. Logitech Extreme

EDIT: If the links only work in the US or something I'll grab others.

I think having a joy stick isn´t integral to playing flight simulators or any other kind for that matter. Men already do it but women enjoy them as well without one.

............ohh.wait, you meant.......joystick. Nevermind then.

I usually played better with keyboard, though, maybe it´s something you have to get accustomed to......the joystick. Thrustmaster seems to have good ones.

I used to use Joysticks many years ago with my old Amiga computer, they worked better together than Pizza and cheese!

When i switched to the IBM line of computers, joysticks did not go well with them at all, just led to frustration and various joysticks getting thrown across the room until i gave up and until today i do not use them.

I don't have much experience with analogue joysticks, and I never played flight simulators much. Years back I wanted to experience a Descent game with a proper joystick, so I looked into what that might be. The Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro appeared to have some sort of a cult following, so I got me one of those from eBay.

It's a gameport stick, which is a problem for most people. The easiest solution for modern systems would probably be a USB adapter. I think it said somewhere that there exists one specifically made for this one - as it has a mode of operation that makes it superior to generic analogue sticks of its era - but a generic adapter probably works fine too. It wasn't a problem for me since I have a sound card with a gameport, Linux has drivers for the joystick, and I could even use it in real DOS, which I sometimes fiddle with.

Unfortunately I didn't even have the patience to set up controls to that Descent game, it soon got forgotten, and the stick gathered dust for a couple of years. I briefly got back to it about a year ago when I got the original Descent from a GOG sale and set it up on a real old DOS PC, but I was a bit disappointed with the whole experience to be honest. I kept thinking that it would be much more pleasant to play in DOSBox with a X360 controller, authenticity be damned.

For me it's mandatory, but there are probably some people that play with a gamepad or mouse and keyboard. I like the HOTAS sticks though, preferably the Saiteks. I have an X45 with rudder pedals somewhere in my closet I've been meaning to dig out. They aren't cheap though. I think by cheap you mean probably in the $20-$50USD category. Drooling for the X65F with it's force feedback and HOTAS, but at $300 a little high for my tastes. And the warthog at $430, yikes.