| Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro Manufactured
By: Microsoft Corp.
Retail Price: $149.99
Review Date: 10-1-98
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SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL! The
MS Sidewinder Force-Feedback Pro (MS FF Pro) is one of the first force feedback stick to
hit the market (CH Products released the CH Force FX stick a year earlier). With the
Microsoft name prominently stamped on its base you come to expect a few things from it:
Support, reliability and compatibility.
It measures up to its expectations with a growing list of supported games.
However, complaints have circulated concerning the noise its cooling fans generate.
There are reports of units shipping from Microsoft without fans to address the complaint
and some people have gone as far as disabling the fans (this is not recommended and it
voids the warranty). No word has been received on how this will be resolved.
The base of the MS FF Pro is larger than most. It needs to be; this is where
the motors that drive the "forces", 16 bit processor, memory and fan reside.
The controller requires a hefty chunk of your desktop. It also has a large
external power pack that can be tricky to plug into a standard power strip or wall outlet
with other computer components.
Like its other digital relatives, you cannot expand your arsenal to include
external throttle, rudder or weapons controls. It does blend well with a Microsoft
Sidewinder GamePad; allowing easy switching between them via the GamePads mode switching
button.
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Features
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- 8 programmable buttons
- 8 way hat switch
- a shift key doubling each button/switch
function
- rotary throttle
- twisting stick rudder control
- digital interface
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System Requirements
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Pentium 75MHz, CD-ROM drive, Windows 95 or higher, game/MIDI port. |
Price
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At $150 investing in the MS FF Pro should not be taken lightly. Unless you
are a diehard flightsim fan that must have force feedback you could spend half the money
on a comparable non-FF controller.
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Performance
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The MS FF Pro uses Direct Input for its force feedback features. The stick
is completely digital in operation making drift non-existent. The performance of the
force-feedback features varies on the game it is being used with.
Games such as MS FlightSim 98 or MotoX Madness really show off the MS FF Pro's
abilities. Running POD or Flight Unlimited is another story. Both seem to
have random shakes and rattles thrown into the game to remind you that you have an
expensive controller. The quality of the force feedback effects is dependent on the
implementation by the company producing the software. Done well, it really helps
with the immersion into the game.
Realize that playing against those that do not have FF puts you at a disadvantage
because you have to deal with factors other players do not.
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Setup -
Using the current 3.02 software, setup is simple. Drivers, game profiles and
help files are all loaded with the software setup.
The same software is used for other Microsoft controllers such as the Sidewinder 3D
Pro, Sidewinder 3D GamePad, etc. making using all Microsoft controllers very
enticing.
NOTE: Some PCI and non-Creative Labs ISA soundcards have difficulty detecting
Microsoft and other digital controllers. Check with your soundcard manufacturer for
possible compatibility issues. |
Software -
The MS FF Pro comes bundled with the stick drivers, profiler software and demos of
MDK and Shadows of the Empire. It also comes with a Special Edition of Interstate 76
with force feedback. Be sure you are using the most current driver software as MS is
regularly updating the drivers. Some of the older drivers use more system resources
and will actually slow down your system in the heat of battle.
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Documentation -
The package comes with sufficient documentation to get your MS FF Pro up and
running. The on-line help files are useful for understanding how to create and use
profiles.
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Overall Rating -
The $150 price tag is steep. The controller is a high quality computer
component that should last for years. If your looking to add another component to
you immersion experience the MS Sidewinder Force-Feedback Pro is worth a look.
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1 Stick
- Not Recommended
2 Sticks - Functional
3 Sticks - Recommended with some issues
4 Sticks - Recommended
5 Sticks - Highly Recommended!
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Buy the Sidewinder Forcefeedback Pro
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