Is there any way to get more modern flightsticks like a saitek cyborg evo to work with all the buttons in wing commander 1? So far the game only recognizes one button, I've tried using a keyboard emulator but it doesn't seem to work with dosbox.

Not that I know of. The joystick controls are what they are, no option to remap them.

It was frustrating for a while, but once you get used to the one-button control, it's not too bad. Be sure to check the manual if you haven't already to learn them.

You could try Xpadder. It's a free program that lets you map keyboard keys to your joystick. I use it for flash games sometimes, but I've never tried it with DOSBox. Let me know if it works.

Using an X52, it's easy to use the profiling software to trigger keystrokes with joystick buttons, but I don't know if there is such software for the Cyborg.

Come to think of it, I'm not using dosbox, so maybe it wouldn't work with that... I've been playing the windows version from the Kilrathi Saga.

confirmed: xpadder works w DOSbox and is a sweet solution to using modern joysticks; xpadder works with a grand (grand, graaand) majority of devices and its a matter of registering buttons for mapping individually: map the F keys to the hatswitch directions for view, and register all buttons without the axis of the stick itself (as WC naturally recognizes). map to keys and enjoy!

edit: for reference, I'm using a 12 button logitech Extreme 3D Pro (dont judge lol) 12 button setup, although mapping throttle is impossible using the slider (using buttons instead)

Oh hey been awhile since I last checked this thread. Any ways thanks for the tips,I tried the free version of Xpadder but unfortunately it does not work with windows 7 and the mapping software for saitek sticks doesn't work with Dosbox either any other suggestions for keyboard emulation software?

I've a Saitek X52 pro, and the software works fine... anyway, don't forget that DOSBOX itself has a built-in keyboard mapper that, while not terribly user-friendly, gets the job done and support joysticks with multiple axis and buttons.
You might want to have a look here: http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Mapper

After you save a new configuration file (a simple .txt) you can then specify that in the .CONF file of your game of choice

OK then some thing must be wrong here,I've tried the Saitek mapper and I've bought Xpadder as well and the buttons are not working in game, I know the software is working since I've tested it using notepad. any ideas of what might be going on?