LGR - SideWinder Force Feedback Pro
Added 2023-07-19 22:19:59 +0000 UTCWell this one escalated quickly! Started off as a simple video waxing nostalgic about the SideWinder FFB joystick just showing off a few games, annnnd ended up going down several rabbit holes on gameport adapters, DirectInput, patent trolls, and the quiet demise/resurrection of force feedback flight sticks. Would’ve had this done several days ago but I kept digging up fun tidbits to include, and yet still ended up leaving a lot out.
So hey, hope y’all enjoy this one! I can’t imagine this’ll be a “successful” video with the broader public but honestly who the heck knows anymore. Force feedback is a niche topic but I remember these things quite fondly, and I find it truly unfortunate that they’ve all but disappeared over the last 15-20 years so maybe this’ll spark some discussions.
And with that, I’m stepping right into covering the HORSE PACK. A Sims 4 thing of course of course. Likely the final one of the year if recent trends holds true.
Comments
I had the MS Sidewinder but not with the force beedback. It was the USB version that I got SPECIFICALLY to play Descent3. Good times!!!!
CubicleNate
2023-08-31 22:42:43 +0000 UTCWould like to see the trouble shooting and work-arounds you performed to get the joystick working as expected.
Ken Decker
2023-07-29 14:27:47 +0000 UTCI can understand your excitement of seeing the original store sticker. I recently procured a copy of my first PC game — Thexder — which included the price tag from RadioShack, a prime location for getting games for the Tandy. As for joystick-type controllers, the 90s era one I’ve used is the Logitech CyberMan 3D Controller. If batteries were added, it could make some various vibration patterns, but not likely as complex as what this video displayed.
Chad Armstrong
2023-07-21 21:44:51 +0000 UTCI had both the Sidewinder Pro and the Microsoft DSS 80, oh, and an IntelliMouse, Microsoft made some good kit back in the day. I loved my DSS 80 speakers, very rich and bold sounding, you could crank them up to crazy volumes and have little, to no distortion. The only problem I ever had was the occasional drop out of sound if any processor-intensive tasks were happening, early days of USB audio. Had many speakers since and nothing has come close to the DSS 80.
Richard Burgess
2023-07-21 18:23:26 +0000 UTCAhh indeed, I’ve seen others put bits of foam around the base of the stick to show off how it moves on its own
LGR
2023-07-21 00:33:15 +0000 UTCI had a loan of the Logitech wingman force feedback mouse at university for my 3rd year thesis. Been trying to buy one ever since. I did hear that if you covered with hand sensors on a force feedback joystick, you could get it to move/dance around.
DOSGamerMan
2023-07-20 21:24:49 +0000 UTCI had this one back in the day! Fond memories!
Thomas Fuchs
2023-07-20 21:03:22 +0000 UTCI swear the future was yesterday.
awesomepossum
2023-07-20 21:03:16 +0000 UTCIndeed, one SideWinder at a time 👍
LGR
2023-07-20 18:55:59 +0000 UTCOh that sucks! I’d read that it had some kind of rudimentary support, but maybe that was only for basic rumble and resistance rather than full feedback
LGR
2023-07-20 18:55:37 +0000 UTCOoh, y'know I've never actually played one of those games from them. I'll have to see if I can figure out which works with FFB!
LGR
2023-07-20 18:26:51 +0000 UTCMy car does that, it's quite reminiscent indeed! Took me a while to get used to it but now it's weird driving other things that don't feel as "connected" to the road.
LGR
2023-07-20 18:25:17 +0000 UTCOh wow. I've got a recollections of one of the Sierra skiiing demos being so much fun with this joystick. Not sure those games had the best reviews, but the demo of either Front Page Sports Ski Racing or Sierra Sports Skiing was the fun one with this joystick. Worth a hunt whilst Premiere's rendering something.
BobH
2023-07-20 17:32:54 +0000 UTCAlways found these things interesting. I would have liked the sidewinder steering wheel. Now you can get force feedback in actual cars. Lane keeping features increase steering resistance as you leave the center of the lane and shake the wheel if it thinks you're leaving the lane without a turn signal.
paul
2023-07-20 14:54:03 +0000 UTCOne can hope, I’d love to see renewed interest
LGR
2023-07-20 11:05:13 +0000 UTCYeessss that dunka-dunka-dunka-doonka-doonk feeling with a force feedback device is sublime
LGR
2023-07-20 11:04:13 +0000 UTCThis is one of the things I lusted after. It looked so cool! I would love to have one for retro gaming but I don't think I want it for modern games unless I start playing flight sims.
Uncleawesome
2023-07-20 10:47:22 +0000 UTCOh man this is right up my alley. Growing up we had both the steering wheel and the non-FFB sidewinder and we used and abused the crap out of them.
Hernando Heilbron
2023-07-20 10:38:03 +0000 UTCsim racing has taken off lately and i doubt a lot of these new folks know joysticks had force feedback too, which could convert to a lot of views but idk
DuckReconMajor
2023-07-20 10:23:54 +0000 UTCI distinctly remember playing Need For Speed 3 Hot Pursuit with the SideWinder wheel and feeling the force when you drove over the wood bridges in Hometown was really something back then that helped the game feel even more awesome.
Alyxx the Rat
2023-07-20 10:18:51 +0000 UTCAt first I was so excited to read SideWinder because I thought it's the Dual Strike, but ohh well, we're getting there soon :)
Dukefazon
2023-07-20 08:37:11 +0000 UTCI still have mine, and I remember it mainly for playing MDK with it, using the twist to turn and l-r to strafe. And mine has the working fan…
Olaf Leimann
2023-07-20 06:53:41 +0000 UTCMy goto joystick is still... the force feedback 2. Still great, the main gripe is FS2020 not supporting FFB at all :(
Kilrah
2023-07-20 06:37:37 +0000 UTCThat’s wild, man, I’ve seen so many of those come and go over the years/decades… always wanted to try one, especially now with VR
LGR
2023-07-20 02:30:35 +0000 UTCSpeaking of force feedback, I can remember in 98' after the release of StarCraft: BroodWar, beta testing the Force Feedback Bodysuit. Great concept and design until someone dropped a nuke on you in game and you got sent to hospital for intensive care. :)
Daniel Cayea
2023-07-20 02:19:20 +0000 UTCNot quite, PS5 uses haptics and adaptive triggers, there is no force feedback on the same level as this. The triggers do have a form of feedback but it’s more like variable resistance, rather than actively pushing and moving inputs around on its own by force.
LGR
2023-07-20 01:38:13 +0000 UTCIsn’t force feedback used on the PS5 controller triggers? You could put in the title “PS5 Progenitor” and get a few more views.
Chris Gardner
2023-07-20 01:21:40 +0000 UTCBy the way, nice shirt you’re wearing 🤔
LGR
2023-07-20 01:02:47 +0000 UTCAbsolutely, it’s still the most immersed I’ve felt in a mech game to this day
LGR
2023-07-20 01:01:45 +0000 UTCIt honestly is overkill on the right games, low really does the trick without feeling like you’re compromising much!
LGR
2023-07-20 01:00:26 +0000 UTCStill rocking mine to this day, it's so robust. The power jack on mine broke off a while ago, but since replacements are still being made (Lumberg 1613 10) that was just a minor nuisance. It's seriously overkill. On full FF power it really hurts my arm so I always run it on the lowest settings, which is more than enough.
Danny
2023-07-20 00:47:12 +0000 UTCIt does not, that gameport to USB adapter was specifically made for the Precision Pro. Used to have one of those years back that I tried with this, no luck!
LGR
2023-07-20 00:23:42 +0000 UTCI actually have the Precision Pro instead of the Force Feedback Pro, which is basically the same stick minus the FFB and also roughly HALF the cost. There's a couple things I should mention about mine though which might apply to yours. My Precision Pro came with a serial to USB adapter specifically made for it and I have to wonder if such a thing exists for the FFB Pro, or if the one for the Precision Pro would actually work on the FFB Pro, granted it might be risky to test that given how proprietary such converters tend to be. The other thing of note though is that I got a TON of use out of my Precision Pro and I did notice over time that the more I used it, the less accurate its sensor got, which given that it's optical, leads me to believe that things can deteriorate or get loose/dirty on the inside, so just another thing to keep in mind in the future if your FFB Pro ever loses its accuracy. :B
Kris Asick
2023-07-20 00:22:00 +0000 UTC😂I did it again. Nice video.
50_SHADES_OF_BEIGE
2023-07-19 23:43:09 +0000 UTCI still have my Sidewinder Joystick, but the non-force feedback version. It is still one of the best I've ever tried and it works great with both modern and classic games. I had the first version before that, the handle was so uncomfortable
Frederic St-Georges
2023-07-19 23:29:09 +0000 UTCI had one, I can say that the european power brick, makes that US one look tiny. Best foot warmer I've had. Unfortunately, my force feedback pro developed a really bad click as something broke in it, + the whole gameport requirement, made me eventually throw it away. Best joystick I've ever owned. Really sucks when people take out copyrights on such things that are way too general. Star Wars rebel alliance FTW :D
SantaClaw
2023-07-19 23:14:47 +0000 UTCSometimes I swear you are stalking me...this is at least the 3rd video that you have released about something niche like this within a few weeks of me coming across the same exact thing...I literally just bought one of these exact joysticks about 2 weeks ago at a local McKays! Haven't even gotten the chance to plug it in yet. Looking forward to watching this video shortly!
ThiccLink
2023-07-19 22:30:42 +0000 UTCI loved mine so much back in 2000. Mechwarrior 3 just isn't the same without one!
Panos
2023-07-19 22:29:27 +0000 UTCI wanted this so badly
Evan
2023-07-19 22:28:06 +0000 UTCDude. I had one and absolutely LOVED it!
Mark Bender
2023-07-19 22:21:35 +0000 UTC
