Computer Joysticks and other controllers
Joysticks have come a long way in the PC gaming world. No longer are they just a 2-button controller with a stick for movement. Today's modern PC joysticks are packed with buttons and features. Many are so complex that they incorporate an additional controller into their design. Now with ForceFeedback technology, the stick actually moves as a direct response to the game, thus truly involving the player in the gaming experience.
in 1982, this controller was state of the art, top of the line, the best that money could buy for the PCs of the day. As you can see, it's nothing impressive by today's standards, but it was a marvel way back in 1982. The most amazing part of this joystick is that it has literally thousands of hours of hard gaming played on it and lots of abuse that I can personally account for, yet this joystick is still 100% functional. That is a LONG time for any piece of electronics these days. Sure, you can still get a basic joystick such as this one, but it will not be as sturdy as this joystick.
This joystick is nearly a museum piece. This is an all analog controller. It has two adjustments to compensate for drift along the X and Y axis, and it also has a "free play" mode where the stick will not automatically return to center. One can really lean into this joystick, it simply does not break. When Wico said this was an Arcade Stick, they were not joking, this is easily as durable as the controller one would fine on an arcade cabinet. The shape of the handle is comfortable. The layout is similar to that of an Atari 2600 joystick except for the addition of an extra button and more "play" in the joystick.
Jumping ahead 17 years to 1999, we now see the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro joystick. This is a modern controller, although it has been replaced by a newer controller that is a USB device. The differences are obvious, although some differences are not shown here. The Microsoft joystick is physically much larger than the Wico stick. The Microsoft stick has many more buttons than the Wico controller. If that was not enough, the Microsoft controller has an external AC adaptor to power the device. This controller is all digital. The buttons are programmable. The differences do not stop there. The reason for the power supply on the joystick is to power the servo motors that control the Force Feedback mechanisms.
Force Feedback is truly an amazing technology. If you have not tried it, let me tell you, it can really involve you into the game. The only down side is that this feature does not work unless the game directly supports this force feedback feature set. Both Nintendo and Sony have incorporated some sort of vibration technology into their controllers. Sony calls their technology "Dual Shock" while Nintendo calls their version "Rumble" and has created this for both their Game Boy and N64 platforms. In the N64 platform, the Rumble Pack is inserted into the controller. In Game Boy titles, it is built into the game itself if I remember correctly. In the Sony Playstation platform, I think it required a new controller. Either way, this vibration technology is very simple, when something happens, the controller vibrates. Yes, it does add to the game, but it is very primitive in comparison to force feedback technology. When I purchased the Microsoft joystick, it included the game Mech Warrior 3, which utilized the force feedback features. The difference became apparent immediately. When your mech takes a hit, the stick reacts to the impact and MOVES appropriately. When you launch missles or fire projectile weapons, the stick moves as if in recoil. When the mech is walking, the stick bounces gently back and forth, front to back. Force Feedback truly involves the player into the game. The depth of realism is dependent on the team developing the software.
While we have talked about joysticks, those are certainly not the only choices available. There are game pads, similar to more traditional gaming console controllers. Some of these game pads are quite sophisticated, there is even one that can track movement, and some with twist functions. There are of course various types of joysticks, some of which cater to a specific style of gaming. For those who enjoy flight simulators, there are joysticks and flight controllers set up as if piloting a jet figther. Also catering to flight simulation fans are more traditional yoke controllers often in combination with rudder pedal controllers. Racing fans are not left out either as there are now steering wheel controllers that typically include foot pedals as well. Some of the steering wheel controllers also support force feedback. Some gaming controllers feature voice and network communications support, while some are merely add-on products that quickly bring a lot of power to the fingertips.
Today, not all gaming controllers use the traditional game port on the back of the computer or sound card. Many of the newer devices are USB devices. Some require power as well. Picking out a gaming controller used to be a fairly simple procedure. With such a large variety of games available and a very large option for controllers, one should think carefully before picking out a controller for their computer. Also, that joystick that is great for playing Mech games might not be so great for playing sport sims. In many cases, people own multiple controllers. There are a lot of choices available so people should be able to pick out the best controller or controllers for themselves once they really figure out what exactly they need.