🚀 go-pugleaf

Well, I just bought this new joystick, and it's PHENOMINAL!! Ok, well,
I haven't yet tested it with my games, but I will soon. Since, from the 
absent of messages dealing with this joystick, I will list a number of
characteristics of the joystick. So here goes.

It is big! Since I only have the CH Flightstick to compare it, the base is
much bigger, and much, much heavier. You don't have to worry about it
moving around.

The joystick I got was the Shanghai Black color, which is basically a
charcoal grey. There looks to be other colors available, Grunge Red, and
Burnt Orange.

The cable is about 7 feet long, but it does not have any screws to
connect to your joystick port.

It has the 2 normal axis trim controls.

It has a sculpted grip, which IMHO is the best part of joystick. It also
makes it very comfortable.

It has a trigger(duh..), and 3 other buttons. The bigger of these 3 is
the 2nd button, and the others are about the same. It also has a 4-way
hat. These 3 buttons and the hat are all meant to be accesible from your
thumb, and they are not really too hard to reach. Also, each button is
made of some kind of soft rubber, which makes them easier on the thumb.
All these buttons are suppost to be Thrustmaster FCS compatible, but I
have yet to test this out.

The joystick control itself is really fluid, and it does not have the
tension of the Thrustmaster joysticks. Comparing it to my Flightstick, I
would say it is a little more stiffer, and it does not use the separate
X and Y control like the Flightstick. It also has a rubber boot covering
the stick between the grip and the base.

Of the stuff included with it, there was a tiny 7 page booklet. It gave
info on what all the controls were, using it as the only joystick, using
with another joystick on Y-adapter cable, calibrating it, and some
troubleshooting techniques. Also, a game compatiblity chart, and where
to get technical support, basically from anywhere in the world. There
was also a trobleshooting addendum, with more help on problems. It also
gave some compatiblity issues, like that it is compatible with Thrust-
master Weapons Control System, and that the 4-way switch does not work
with Falcon 3.0, and you would have to contact Spectrum Holobyte for
an updated version or a work around solution. It also gave a list of
the pin connectors of the original IBM PC game control adapter.

All in all, from the looks and feel of the joystick, I would say it is
defintely a winner. The reason, for the price of this joystick(SRP $70)
you get a Thrustmaster FCS compatible. Also, I think the feel is much,
much better than the Thrustmaster FCS. But, I won't give a total judge-
ment until I get to play with my games.

Tommy McClain
mcc...@osuunx.ucc.okstate.edu

P.S. If you want the list of compatible games included with it, I can
     email it to you.

P.S.S The price I paid for it was $54.99, and this was at Software Etc.
      Also, their regular price was $59.99, but it was on sale for a
      promo. I have seen this joystick for no more than $50, through mail
      order, but add the cost of shipping and it is about the same as
      what I paid for it.