In Independence War 1, my Microsoft Force Feedback 2 joystick is giving absolutely no auto-centering resistance; I'm finding it impossible to pilot properly as a result. The joystick is otherwise working fine; there are even force feedback effects when I fire my weapons. My joystick HAS auto-centering resistance in other games and even when I'm sitting on the desktop, but it goes away as soon as I launch I-War. I don't see a setting for this in the game options.
Is there any way to adjust this? Is this a problem for anyone else?

I figured out a workaround solution.
If I launch the game, then press the Microsoft key to pull up the task-bar, and then alt+tab back into the game, the auto-centering works properly and continues to work properly for the rest of that game session.