Rudder Pedals

F

FenrisWlf

Guest
Ordered P3 and Track IR 4 so now I am thinking about putting rudder pedals on the list next. I have a twist on my joy stick but in can be awkward to use while trying to fly and line up that perfect shot. Was considering Saitek. Anyone have any thoughts on this.

[FONT=&quot]Thanks all.[/FONT]
 
hi,
i just purchased saitek rudders couple days ago. all i can say is, if you can afford it, than buy it. trackir alone adds about 80% of realism to simulations, but the rudders are making the realism complete, since it is completely different from the experience you had. i always thought i am decent sim-pilot playing using twist as rudder or a joypad. since i am using rudders it is much more difficult/more realistic to fly, and it makes you feel how real flying on those days was. for all people who regularly shoot down 5 enemies each sortie and consider themselves as decent pilots, it is a completely different thing to simply instinctivly twist some joystick with the same hand they use the stick to get into position, and to use the stick and using the feet to get into position. completely different. you have to multitask with your hand and at the same time do the right thing with your feet. the first times you try it, if you use your stick, your going to forget using your feet. if you use rudder, you might forget to use your stick. if you use both the proper way, you might forget to shoot at the right moment. so since i am using rudder, i understand why some people were aces, and a lot of people were not. i also was one of the guys tallying 5 kills each mission, but since using rudders a understand really what flying and dogfighting is all about. so if you want realism, buy it.
i don't know the CH pedals, but as far as i can say for saitek, i am completely satisfied. no problems at all.
i hope my post might give you some help.

creaghorn
 
I have been using a pair of CH Pro pedals for about a year now and the only "con" that I can think of is that the pedals are just a tad close together. Other than that they're a great set of pedals. They're well constructed and tough as nails.
I found that (after using a "twisty stick") that flying is much easier with the correct controls. For instance, when you're in a banking turn, chasing an enemy, you're using both pitch and roll input from the joystick. When you add a third axis to the stick for rudder control, it's difficult to keep the pitch and roll in check while using the rudder (for me anyway). Once I got the pedals and took some of the work off of the joystick, my flying skills quickly improved, as did my marksmanship. On a mission last night I got 3 kills and came home with ammunition left, and a 50% hit/miss ratio. That's great considering that I usually had ratios a lot lower, around 15-25%.
I recommend the CH pedals if for no other reason than they are extremely tough and will last a good while.
At any rate, if you want to improve your skills, not to mention improving the immersion, get a set of pedals. Some prefer a "twisty stick" but since I got a set of pedals, my "twisty stick" is in a box in the closet.

Good luck!
CJ
 
What Creaghorn and Cameljockey said. Twisty sticks can get the job done, but pedals are like TrackIR or a good HOTAS---once you use them, you won't be able to do without them.
 
Went I visited Makai over the summer, I had the chance to fly P2 with rudder pedals. P3 was not completed yet, we were still working on it, but Makai had a great set up.

There is a HUGE difference between having and not having pedals. It's 100% easier to fly with them. With the twist stick, I find myslef applying rudder even when I should, just beacuse of the relaxing of my hand.

So I would go for it if you have the extra change. :)

OvS
 
I've got Saitek and am very happy with them. Really I think you'll be happy with whatever brand you choose (as long as it's CH or Saitek). In the end, the only thing that matters is that you get them!
 
Pedals are Definately the way to go, IF you can. Some of us can't, it might be purchase price, or space allowed, or as in my case, physical handicap.

Firstly: Get the joystick, which has the Best Rudder Response, as there are drastic differences. For this activity, you can't beat
( Float view )Shft+F6. Basically to what angle does your rudder deflect, when you go extreme left to right with your twisty stick

Due to the fact that I'm a Force-Feedback Nut. My choices of Joystick are somewhat limited by availablity.
The Micky$oft Sidewinder II is a great stick, if you use pedals it is. If not it stinks BAD.
On the other side is the Saitek Cyclone EVO-FFB, it's Almost as good as pedals

The objectionable use of the Twisty Stick, is you'll always move the rudder, when banking into the Target guns blazing, or you'll bank off target when attemping to shift your L to R axis

My solution doesn't totally eliminate the problem, however my percentage of bullet hits has risen dramatically

Don't FIRE your guns with the trigger, instead use your free hand on the spacebar of the Keyboard.
Granted it'll feel strange, those first few times, but when you start registering more hits, you'll be sold.

PS . . . You'll still Feel the pulse of your Machine Guns :kilroy:
 
For my two cents worth, the CH pedals work great. When you are banking and trying to stay high on the enemy pushing the left pedal up while you bank to the right to hold altitude and glance downward becomes very instinctive.

I also have the Saitek Quad and I think those four items ( pedals, joystick, trak ir, and Quad controller) are the ideal set up for early era prop planes

The quad levers make a significant difference compared to small sliders on the joystick for tuning fuel, mix and trim. A few extra buttons off the joystick help too.
 
FenrisWlf said:
Ordered P3 and Track IR 4 so now I am thinking about putting rudder pedals on the list next. I have a twist on my joy stick but in can be awkward to use while trying to fly and line up that perfect shot. Was considering Saitek. Anyone have any thoughts on this.
Click to expand...

Over the years, I've used rudder pedals, twist sticks, and the Saitek rocker bar on the underside of the HOTAS throttle. Of all these, I prefer the rocker bar.

First I had a set of Thrustmaster RCS pedals that I got about 1995. They lasted me for many years and were overall quite satisfactory, plus give the most immersion because they're like in real planes. But they did have their drawbacks. First off, being on the floor under a computer desk, they get all gunked up with Doritos crumbs, spilled beer, and carpet lint. This was more of a problem back in the day when they used potentiometers instead of the digitial things of today, but it's still a bother. The big problem is that pedals slide around on the floor as you use them, unless you kludge up some sort of anchor for them. This can be more or less difficult, depending on the make/model of pedals you have, whether your desk faces a wall or not, and whether or not you have carpet. Also, unless you use wireless pedals, there's a dangerous tendency to snag the pedal's wire with your toe during intense furballs, or get it caught in the pedals, either of which can put you out of action. Not to mention that the pedals take up space under your desk better occupied by a beer cooler :).

Then I had a twist stick. While this avoids all the above problems of pedals, I absolutely hated the damn thing. I was always giving inadvertant rudder inputs moving the stick for aileron and elevator, and when I did use it intentionally, using rudder in combo with the other controls made my wrist hurt. The human wrist istn't designed for the types of motions required for using a twist stick. My advice--NEVER get one of these.

Finally, I got a Saitek X36 which had the rudders as a rocker on the bottom of the throttle. Before I tried this, I thought it was a stupid idea and really hesitated to buy it. I really wanted another set of separate pedals (the RCS had finally bitten the dust after about 8 years of hard service,). However, at that point in time, the ONLY separate pedals on the market were from CH, and they were still serial, which I refused to deal with any more. And I needed the rudders, and no way was I getting another twist stick, so I finally held my nose and bought the Saitek.

I soon came to really like the rocker bar. It's got zero immersion factor, and does take some getting used to. However, after a couple of days, I got the hang of it and have loved it ever since. It avoids all the problems of both separate pedals and twist sticks, and it has a number of other advantages. The best one is user comfort. With separate pedals, you have to keep your feet pretty much in place for the duration, which in long game sessions gets old. With the rocker bar, you can fly with your feet propped up on a your beer cooler, or cross your legs, or otherwise change your position on long missions. Twist sticks have this as well, but as mentioned, they cancel this out by killing your wrist. I ended up liking the Saitek rocker bar so much that when my X36 wore out, I bought an X45 to replace it.
 
I know most people will say:Go and buy saitek or CH. But only because they do not know SIMPED VARIO PRO pedals.They look like taken from a Me109 and work soooo fine .Just the best.So before you order saitek or CH stuff u better take a minute and google for Simped Vario pro pedals.. GREETINGS
 
I second that: SIMPED Vario or nothing ... if you have the money. But mine are from 1995 and still work like on the first day. So if you calculate that over the years they are cheap :ernae:

Here is an older review on Wings Of Honor. There are more variations now but basically it is still valid what the review says.

Cheers
 
Thanks to all, for the great input. DerMo Those Simped's look exceptional. Looks like they may be hard to get hold of, as it seems that the only place to get them is from Germany. I could be wrong but the bit of searching I did seemed to look that way.

I would also like to take a minute to mention what a great community this is. It seems that allot of you are like me starting way back with the old school Dynamix Red Baron on the 286. I have longed to relive that feeling anew and would like to extend a heart felt thanks to the OFF team for thier work. I have been playing P2 for some time and just wish I would have found you guys a long time ago.

Thanks for all the great enjoyment and happy flying.
 
Just a little voice of been there, done that. If your pedals shift around on you, they make a self adhesive Velcro 2" wide and about 4' feet long.
Cost about $8 at Home Depot or Lowe's. The 'A' on the Pedals, the 'B' on the floor. Those pedals ain't moving anymore. Right now velcro stops my Joystick from sliding around on my desk :kilroy:
 
Mine will be propped against my sub woofer. Be like force feed back rudders.
 
Hey guys, I too have been thinking about rudder pedals but can't part with the A$250 for getting saitek ones. I did however find some cheapies on ebay Au$35 (the postage being more at $37) by a chinese company called KINFO. Is there anybody out there who has these? There's a voice that says to me 'don't do it, they're cheap for a reason' but another saying 'how bad can they be?' and then another that says 'remember when you bought that cheap chinese steering wheel from a company you never heard of and the little plastic gear changing paddle broke on the very first day and you had to take it back for refund and you said to yourself 'you knew this was going to happen''.

Anyway - here's the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/USB-Rudder-Pedals-Flight-Simulator-Ideal-Training-Aid_W0QQitemZ250359251145QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Input_Peripherals?hash=item250359251145&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
 
Pedals are better than T I R?

Ok, so I got my CH pedals first, and liked the feel it gave me, better than TIR. However, I did cotton onto TIR a little more, when I added the PRO CLIP. If you do get TIR, get the PRO CLIP. Still fly missions with just Pedals, and not TIR, if I'm putting a Mission together, as it's just easier to set up, ( already is).

PS Saitek X 52, FFB Joystick and separate Throttle, the only way to go

Cheers,

british_eh
 
Like OVS mentioned I have been using the CH Products setup of Rudder Pedals, Fighterstick, and Throttle control for years and I have been very happy with them. They are rugged and have a lot of options for customizing your controls. I used a twist stick for a long time until I went flying with my Brother-in-Law in a tail dragger (Scout) and he had me in the front seat and my feet didn't know what to do. Very embarrassing. I know what I wanted the plane to do but my feet were dumb and I kept trying to twist the stick. He had me get right down over the deck on a twisty road out in the desert and gave my rudder education a good workout. I got a set of rudder pedals for my flight sims right after that. When I flew the Scout again a year later it felt very natural. I didn't have to think about what my feet needed to do.
I think it makes all the difference in the feeling of realism in OFF or in any flight sim. If nothing else it will keep you from developing any bad habits in case you find yourself at the controls of a real plane.
 
My CH pedals are great and I'd been using a non FFB CH stick which is also solid and precise. Someone has given me a Logitech Force 3D PRO stick which is fine and I like FFB.
The problem is the Logitech has twist grip rudder which I can't seem to turn off even though the CH pedals are plugged in and working.
This means that any inadvertant twist of the grip gives rudder input (not ideal).
Please does anyone know how to disable the twist rudders?
 
You need to start OFF, go onto the Hanger Page, Control Options

Rudder Axis - Delete

The twisty stick has no effect in OFF anymore

The pedals work through the computer itself :ernae:
 
John Green said:
My CH pedals are great and I'd been using a non FFB CH stick which is also solid and precise. Someone has given me a Logitech Force 3D PRO stick which is fine and I like FFB.
The problem is the Logitech has twist grip rudder which I can't seem to turn off even though the CH pedals are plugged in and working.
This means that any inadvertant twist of the grip gives rudder input (not ideal).
Please does anyone know how to disable the twist rudders?
Click to expand...

Interesting, topic .
Confirming: I have the logitech F3Dpro, so it is possible to install CH pedals and still use this joystick (and that f@#$%*& rotated twist can be disabled) :woot:
 
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