Getting started

[Throttlehappy]

I posted a mess. on a different forum, then found this one. I am new to flight sim and I need a little help getting a list of what I'll need to get started. I know I will need a yoke, but should I get a stick for combat games and a regular yoke for flight? Also need suggestions for what's good and bad as far as controllers. Also, do I need to have pedals and throttle control? I will be mostly flying combat games.
:-hmmm

[aigean]

if youre flying combat sim, you'll obviously want a joystick. if i were i'd just get a decent joystick (not cheapest) try it, you can fly fs2004 with a stick. thats what i do, as do many others. if you have the desire to buy a yoke and pedals you always can later.

you dont *need* pedals or throttle quadrant. stick will have throttle control on it, and should have a twist axis for the rudder, so you dont absolutely need pedals. many of us dont use pedals etc. although im sure its wonderful (just $$).

it sounds like a stick is an absolute must, so why not just start there and see if its enough for you.

[Throttlehappy]

Thanx for the heads up! I would've waited until I got pedals and a throttle before I started. I looked at joysticks at compUSA but they only have 3 different kinds. Any suggestions as to where I might find a better selection?

[aigean]

if you fly ww2 combat sims, you might enjoy a nice force feedback stick. this will give you some thumping on the stick while your guns are blazing, a little resistance when you are turning, and some thwacks when you're plan is getting hit with enemy fire. not completely neccessary, but i think its fun.

i have a microsoft force feedback 2, and my only quip about it is that the force feeback is not supported correctly in fs2004 for my particlar joystick (which is comepletely ridiculous). im hoping the update will fix that. so in the meantime, i just fly fs2004 with force feedback turned off.

for that reason alone, if i were to buy again, i'd look to see what logitech had available for around $80. im sure there are other good sticks, maybe someone else can chime in.

[airkevin]

For Flight Sim, I would suggest you start flying with the keyboard before you actually try a joystick. My friend tried the joystick before the keyboard, and he couldn't even land the plane. I started with a keyboard, and actually made better progress.