What happened to Force Feedback Flight Sticks?

Force feedback in one of the most valuable features of a helicopter flight stick. I own 2 sidewinders, one modified and one not. The ability to feel and witness progressive trim, instantaneous trim, feel the vibrations of a stalling warbird, feel the resistance of a sticks elevator movements after taking off due to the wind hitting the ailerons is just amazing. Feeling the flight stick shake when you fire the machine guns in a Fokker DR.1 is really cool too. Force feedback that is in my opinion as valuable as head tracking and I will never understand why it's not a more common feature. It makes modern jets feel boring in comparison cause of their fly by wire design. There's not much purpose for it in modern jets except for maybe a stick shaker or vibration when shooting guns. After looking at the inside of the microsoft force feedback 2, it really shouldn't be as expensive of a feature as some believe it would be. Just a few reliable small motors and a few gears is enough to do the job.

It's a shame it went away. There is nothing like having the feedback from a ffb stick. Others feel dead.

Dude I see the thumbnail one at goodwill all the time

I've been working on designing a DIY FFB flightstick and it's been going pretty well. Hardware wise it's not that difficult, with the exception of some extra complexity for the electronics. I'm dreading the software part though given how little support there is for FFB flightsticks.

I hung onto my old MS Sidewinder 2 until 2015. I used it in a complete bodge-job lash up with the throttle from a Saitek HOTAS and the pedals from a cheapo Logitech steering wheel & pedal set. It was cheap and nasty and glorious! I used it the old IL-2 and it was superb. If I ever got back into flight sims it'd be with DCS or the new IL-2, but the lack of force feedback seems like a backward step.

logitech wingman force! It was actually better than the sidewinder series

You forgot about the logitech wingman force. I use to have that one. It used to plug into the gamepad port in your sound card. Logitech stopped making drivers so I sold it off. Used to love playing wing commander and falcon 4.0 with it.

I've got the g940 and Microsoft sidewinder

Part of the reason why software for Force Feedback sticks is so awkward is also patents. They completely stifled innovation at all levels. I really want to see it come back to life, even beyond flight sticks.

I don't really care about simulation. I just want games like Overload, Mechwarrior or Armored Core to feel better. Tiny sticks with a little bit of vibration don't excite me anymore.

Still have mine, great product & still works fine.

Great video; Very encouraging for us flight Sim pilots. Thank you !

Every invention is an asset to mankind! No one can invent anything if he is not brought up in society, if he is not taught by other people! As soon as there is a man raised by wolves, who independently comprehended the laws of nature and created something, then we can talk about some "right to invention". If a man wants something from society, let him remember that the very possibility to think, his very personality is possible only due to the fact that we "stand on the shoulders of titans", how much does it cost to be a human being?

There's also the cool modes the sidewinder force feedback pro had..for shooting, engines etc

LGR Driected me here in his SideWinder force feedback stick review. Good video, never knew this stuff.

Hi Flight Dojo, if you're going to pinch footage from my channel, I'd appreciate if you at least gave a quick credit/curtsey nod in my direction or ask.

Where can I buy VP Force Rhino?

back in the days i played a lot "MS Flight Simulator", and like most of us a cracked Version, til a big Elektromarket offered a bundle of the newest "MS FS" and a MS Sidewinder FF2 Joystick, so i bought it. I liked it a lot. As i started to play "IL-2" i changed from the Sidewinder to a Saitek X52 FCS, more buttons in reachable distance and for online gaming more competitive because i dont have to overpower the Joystick to make good hits.
The Sidewinder is probably somewhere in my cellar in a Box since at least 15 years....