Yes...YES!!

[GP*]

Look what just showed up at my door.

I keep changing sticks. Hopefully this is "the one."

 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Prefontaine

[Jaeger55]

Nice! I was thinking of getting one myself. What controller were you using?

[GP*]

Various Saitek sticks for most of the last decade (no HOTAS ones), then CH, then a brief stint with a MS FFB2*, and now the Warthog. I really just wanted something with the right feel and build quality. I never thought I'd spend so much on a stick, but this one definitely rocks. I wish the throttles felt as solid as the stick (the throttles themselves...the base of the throttles is rock solid), but that's a minor complaint and I still think it's a great product.

 

*I bought a MSFFB2 off eBay recently, and I think it's an outstanding stick. I would have stuck with it, but FFB in general doesn't match aerodynamic cues 100% (accuracy varies by game), and it still felt like a toy. Warthog doesn't feel like a toy. I still think the FFB2 is the second best stick out there though, and I plan on keeping mine and finding another use for it .

[J2_Trupobaw]

Congratulations! Please let us know how exactly it compares with CH, I'm thinking on getting either for sims that lack good force feedback support. 

[GP*]

More than happy to. I'll give you my first impressions. I just played about 2 hours of BOS and I played about an hour of IL2 1946 earlier today. I'll describe my impressions of the Warthog by itself, and then compare it to my experience with CH. 

 

The stick itself is wonderful. As I've said in many other threads (I'm going to sound like a broken record soon), I really just need a stick with strong resistance. In my opinion, it allows you to fly by thinking more in terms of "pressure" than actual stick travel. I know many say that lighter sticks are more precise, but for me, the opposite is the case. I can easily make small adjustments to turns (easing or tightening) just by thinking about pressure changes, and re-orienting your lift vector is easy with resistance in roll as well. It just suits me well. In addition to all of that, the stick feels incredible (so to speak  ) due to its all metal construction, and the buttons are the best I've ever experienced. It just all feels very well put together and "solid" (I'd say "tight," but I'm quickly running out of unintentional innuendos). It's not without fault, however. The hat switch by your thumb has a bit more play than I'd like. Other than that, all the buttons are great. And if you use a hat for trim like I do, I can tell you that this is the first trim hat that I've used that even comes close to what one feels like in a real fighter (still should be "stiffer," though). 

 

Moving on to the throttle, things are still good, but I don't think it shines quite as much as the stick when it comes to feel. However, it more than makes up for it in functionality. All the switches have a great feel and offer a dizzying number of possibilities. The base is very solid (wicked heavy as well, wow) and the green lighting is a great touch. However, the throttles themselves feel a bit cheaper than the rest of the unit, and the throttle-to-base connection is a little bit wobbly. I had hoped for slightly more for $450. It really doesn't matter once you get going though, because as a whole, the product is just that good. There's always room for improvement (whether it be a game or the controller you use to interface with it), so I can't fault them for not producing something perfect. I'm sure there next iteration in x years will be even more impressive (ie more expensive as well).

 

Now, compared to CH. I'm probably not the best to ask given my bias for controls with a lot of resistance. The problem with CH isn't that it doesn't have enough resistance -- it's that it has hardly any at all. Their sticks have a huge throw and feel like they're meant to be used by children rather than grown men. The throttle feels the same way, and whoever thought the linear (as opposed to arc) throttle travel was a good idea...I just don't know. And I'm still stuck with their pedals until I get can my hands on some crosswinds (I'm stuck waiting until Feb), but the center zone is incredibly apparent, the pedals are really close together, and again they're just too light when it comes to resistance. Add on top of that that their plastic construction detracts from immersion, IMO, whereas the Warthog adds to it. 

 

Now that I've slammed CH, let me mention what they excel at -- my list is no different than anyone else's. They have tons of switches (doesn't really matter when comparing it to the Warthog) and will last you a lifetime. Their software is outstanding as well. Additionally, many of the points I don't like about them are seen as desirable to others -- many prefer a lighter throw for accuracy...or other reasons I'm not aware of. Also, CH gear looks pretty decent as well (again, no Warthog, but compared to Saitek it's no contest). 

 

One last note -- I'm one of many who wish there was a good (read: Warthog quality) FFB stick out on the market. I only used my FFB2 for a few weeks before needing to upgrade to something with more buttons, and a stick that didn't feel like an arcade toy, but the effects of it were great and, honestly, just fun. The fact that the one I bought was about 12 years old is pretty amazing as well.

 

I hope this helps. Hopefully I didn't ramble too much, and I hope you can sift out the insight you need out of my bias. 

[Zettman]

S!

 

Welcome in the club. But your journey waon't end here, soon you will start looking for something new/better, like changing the Warthog base against a Fat Black Mamba base or getting the FSSB R3.

 

Zettman

[pilotpierre]

I still prefer a stick that sits on top of the desk rather than the underside of the desk, or is the photo upsidedown?

[J2_Trupobaw]

Thanks, you've just helped me decide. I also prefer to have stick and hand work against each other, so Warthog suddenly seems a better choice for me.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Trupobaw

[GP*]

I still prefer a stick that sits on top of the desk rather than the underside of the desk, or is the photo upsidedown?

It's just because you're in Australia

[dburne]

I have been using my Warthog for well over 2 years now and still love it.

[Feathered_IV]

I still prefer a stick that sits on top of the desk rather than the underside of the desk, or is the photo upsidedown?

 

That surprises me a bit.  I always feel like I've got little T-rex arms when the stick is on the desk.