The quest for realism
We play a lot of games here at Maximum3D, and not just the standard first person shooter that many sites swear by, mind you. Everything from flight sims to Mechwarrior can be found running on our boxes throughout the week, and for this reason, we are very particular about our controllers. I have often stated that I enjoy force feedback controllers, and when properly implemented, it adds a completely new facet to gaming. Until recently, our reigning Force Feedback stick of choice has been the aging AVB Top Shot Pegasus, a big, bulky stick, that worked well. Times are changing, though, and Logitech’s new Wingman Strike Force 3D has landed on our desktop, and it doesn’t look like it will be leaving anytime soon. Thanks to advancements and refinements in the technology, Logitech’s Wingman Strike Force 3D takes up nearly half the desk space as our reigning champ, and delivers the same level of force effects.
The Strike Force 3D is a full featured stick, including a twisting rudder, unique throttle control, nine programmable buttons, and two hat switches. While the base is larger than that of a non-force feedback stick, the layout of the buttons and throttle make good use of the extra space. Power for the force feedback motors is provided through a typical wall-wart type plug, not our first choice since it takes up two plugs on the surge protector. The stick connects to the PC via USB port, so serial port users are out of luck. Of course, if you are still using a PC that has no USB ports, maybe you should go out and buy a USB add-in card and join the rest of us in the 21st Century.
Four of the buttons are on the stick, arranged in something of a fan-shaped array across the top. This layout puts all of the buttons within reach of the user’s thumb, without the need to readjust his grip on the stick. The two hat switches each have a different texture, to avoid confusion during a game. The remaining 5 buttons are clustered on the base in an unusual, yet surprisingly functional design. Two large, flat buttons flank a scroll wheel similar to that found on mice. The scroll wheel acts as three buttons, and work well once the user adjusts to it. The throttle is designed to be controlled by the players left thumb, and has a wide range of motion for fine throttle adjustments. I would have liked a detent for idle, since Mechwarrior 4 left me searching for the zero throttle position, and I spent a lot of time inadvertently going in reverse. Flight sims and racing games were unaffected by this, since they don’t use the lower end of the throttle axis as reverse. The twisting rudder worked as advertised, and I liked the addition of a locking screw that disabled the twist. The grip itself is very comfortable, and features a supportive palm rest that helps fight fatigue during extended gaming periods. The grip also contains a small IR sensor that switches the force effects on and off, which is an excellent addition to the stick, and should be standard on all force feedback devices. I’ve seen force feedback sticks knock themselves off the desk because they were left unattended and plugged in, Logitech’s design completely solves this problem.
