can't get sidewinder 2 joystick to work-Help!!

Are there any joysticks that are pre-configured to work out of the box with FS 2020? I just got new computer and installed FS 2020. I figured I would start off simple and use my 18 year old micro soft sidewinder 2 which I used for FS2002, FS2004 and FX and of course it needs to be configured with FS 2020, which I don't know how to do. I'm really regretting now going down this rabbit hole now...new computer and can't play the game. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

I have the Sindewinder II (although force feedback doesnt work anymore)

Its working fine in MSFS but i had to configure it manually

check tutorials in youtube

I have the Sindewinder II (although force feedback doesnt work anymore)

Its working fine in MSFS but i had to configure it manually

check tutorials in youtube

 

Same, it is a bit of a PITA to set up but it does work.

I have to say, I was in the same boat hoping to use my Sidewinder. Requires a lot of set-up and in the end it really was not ideal (knowing how it works with perfection in the other sims). Finally managed to get a new joystick (Thrustmaster T16000m) and it was like night and day compared to the Sidewinder in this sim. The sim recognizes the T16000 and it was plug and play without changing a single setting. Best of luck.

As with some of the other replies, my Sidewinder 2 FF works fine with FS2020, albeit without force feedback.

 

As this photo shows, it still has pride of place in my cockpit control setup, to the right of the Honeycomb Yoke. (this shot was taken in FS2020.)

 

It runs really well in both Sims, though you need to create individual saved control profiles, with the yoke enabled and the joystick disabled and vice-versa, so that they don't clash. I also have separate profiles for the Joystick with it's twist stick rudder enabled , and also another with the Pro Flight Rudder Pedals, so I can use the stick with and without pedals.

 

I still find it to be the best stick, built like a tank, with very realistic force feedback in xplane (with an addon), so it will be good when the FS2020 FF support gets enabled. (as has been indicated).

 

I generally use it with microlights and very light planes, and when used with a VR headset (in XP), the immersion is really good.

agree Sidewinder II is the best joystick, bought mine in 1999

rudder is great on axis Z hat switch, sensitivity giving some counter-pressure etc

Thanks, going to buy one (if I can find one) right now.

As with some of the other replies, my Sidewinder 2 FF works fine with FS2020, albeit without force feedback.

 

As this photo shows, it still has pride of place in my cockpit control setup, to the right of the Honeycomb Yoke. (this shot was taken in FS2020.)

 

It runs really well in both Sims, though you need to create individual saved control profiles, with the yoke enabled and the joystick disabled and vice-versa, so that they don't clash. I also have separate profiles for the Joystick with it's twist stick rudder enabled , and also another with the Pro Flight Rudder Pedals, so I can use the stick with and without pedals.

 

I still find it to be the best stick, built like a tank, with very realistic force feedback in xplane (with an addon), so it will be good when the FS2020 FF support gets enabled. (as has been indicated).

 

I generally use it with microlights and very light planes, and when used with a VR headset (in XP), the immersion is really good.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]222086[/ATTACH]

 

nice glider66

but unless you enjoy more being the copiltot I would switch places, sidewinder to the left and throttle pedestal to the right

As others have reported, not having the program recognize "old" but familiar joysticks has been a disappointment in FS2020. However, mapping my (and your) MS Sidewinder FF 2 is not hard.

Here is how I did it

 

Of course, the force feedback does not work.

Hope this helps.

nice glider66

but unless you enjoy more being the copiltot I would switch places, sidewinder to the left and throttle pedestal to the right

 

It was a tricky decision, ideally it needed to be in the centre, but I use the yoke much more, and being right handed it seems much more controllable than using it with my left.

 

Another reason is that the whole under desk contraption (panels,yoke,pedals,joystick,quadrants) is on castors, so slides easily to the right when I'm not simming or when I'm using my g940 heli gadget. (just visible folded up underneath the left hand end of the desk).

 

I'll have to take a photo of it to explain it more clearly. It's an old Logitech G940 force feedback joystick and pedals that I've heavily modified for helicopter use. The stick has been extended to about 15 inches with a bent tube giving much more precise movements, and the throttle stick has been mounted on a horizontal arm to mimic the collective control.

 

When I'm using that, I'm also able to use the saitek panels just to the right of it.

 

You've just made me realise that means I'm sitting in the left hand seat of the Helis, which I guess is usually the copilot position as well !!

As others have reported, not having the program recognize "old" but familiar joysticks has been a disappointment in FS2020. However, mapping my (and your) MS Sidewinder FF 2 is not hard.

 

Of course, the force feedback does not work.

Hope this helps.

 

XPForce has a version for MSFS2020. I don't use my PP2 these days, so I don't know how well it works, but I did like XPForce in X-Plane. The FSForce developer is apparently also working on a version for MSFS2020.

As others have reported, not having the program recognize "old" but familiar joysticks has been a disappointment in FS2020. However, mapping my (and your) MS Sidewinder FF 2 is not hard.

 

Of course, the force feedback does not work.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks, that's very helpful. What sensitivity and null zone settings did you use?

 

Did you find that the configured Sidewinder worked well for FS2020 or would you recommend a different one?

I'm not at my computer at the moment to check on the null and sensitivities, but my recollection was that I left them at default settings. I do recall that I had major problems when I tried to fine tune the throttle (Joystick slider-X), so I'd suggest leaving that one alone. In response to others in the forum, I did fool around with the sensitivities for the other variable controls, but found that a more linear response was more intuitive for this non-professional FS pilot. Others may well suggest otherwise.

My set up still leaves you with one button available (#4) for your choice of binding.

The Sidewinder does what I need and expect it to do, so if you already have one and after you configure it and it is working for you, I do not see a reason to purchase another one. You might want to spend that money on a yoke or other fancy gadgets, as is well demonstrated in the photos.

I gave my sidewinder away years ago. Bought it packaged with Mechwarrior 2. A great stick for that game and any using a rudder. Mine wasn't force feedback though. My Sidewinder wheel is. That SW wheel was built solid, and still functions great in a few games, but MS does not want to support thier old USB devices in Win10. There is no means to configure settings as there was in '98-7. MS has a tendency to screw over gamers on a regular basis. I bet many here remember when MS put out a patch for Win98 that bricked everyone's KB HOTAS setup for ever. That day over a million people wanted to knock Bill Gates out for good.