Barefoot Bandit

Ohhh... That looks very, very nice... Looking forward to seeing how this all develops! Z...

That MCG Pro looks sweet. Time to dust off the old credit card and have it do some heavy lifting I think... Z...

I'm a touch confused... How are you guys activated activating so many buttons with your thumb *at the same time*? I can only ever really activate one binding with any digit at any one time... Z...

That's fair enough, sounded more like you didn't want to try it out of habit, rather than the authenticity route - respect. Z...

Oddly, I am the opposite. Finger mini stick would be odd... Because I'm used to the CH Pro throttle. Honestly, you'll adjust. The "I wont change because it's different" attitude would have kept us in caves without fire, if every one thought that way. I also have the Warthog throttle, and can adjust to a finger ministick, except the nipple is a poor implementation for space sims - too hard to get fine control. Z...

Credit card standing by... :pilotfly: Z...

I suspect he means the base/gimbal, not the grip. Z...

You're in Tokyo? Love the place, was there just a few weeks back (I try to go there twice a year). It's one of the few places where I have "3 dinners"... Interesting. I'd agree the grey plastic "looks cheap", there is a black option, but not convinced I want to pay extra for black switches I'll never look at mid game. My own switches are all very positive and tactile, they all work nicely - and, after the Warthog, that often feels like I've pressed a button but nothing happens, it's a bit of a revelation. VPC are very on top of the customer service thing, and suspect there will be replacements in the mail shortly. For the cams - I'd say it's worth the effort to try and pull the rough one out and give it a once over with some wet & dry. MY first cams were quite rough, but had it sorted in about 5 minutes with 400-800-1200 grit, and they were super smooth. Currently using the no-centre cams, though I may yet give the soft centre cams a go. IT takes me about 5 minutes for a cam swap, now that I know the procedure, the first time did take about 30 mins, as I didn't want to screw anything up - and also ended up unplugging everything form the circuit board. Also not sure why the video I saw wants you to undo the top cover, you can access those screws regardless, it's a bit of a waste of time form my point of view. Re the dust covers - I think they were only for people that got pre-ordered originally, and was a "thanks" for being patient. Z...

I remember there being a time when Warthogs were nigh on impossible to get hold of, no matter how much money you had to throw at it. In fact, Apple have issues producing enough iPhones to meet demand when they launch their new phones. Every. Single. Year. Z...

That's my timeline too. Xmas is crazy for me for work, so getting the time to get it sorted... :helpsmilie: Z...

Good job on that addition, I think you have a darn good design there. Z...

Oddly enough, I have actually come up with a near identical design to use as a desk top base - though a longer front section that goes down to the bottom, with a cut out for the cable. I have not yet had a chance to make it. Z...

Using both a Warthog and Mongoos T50, I agree here. The Warthog doesn't have the finesse around centre that a T50 has (Can't comment on the VKB as I don't own one yet), it is much easier to get fine movements near centre, especially as I have the "no centre" cam installed on mine. The Warthog has it's benefits, I truly love the grip, and think it's probably the most comfortable grip to hold and use (even in winter, when it's freezing cold...), but the springs and buttons are way too heavily damped. I'd love to have the switches used in my VPC also used in the Warthog grip. In fact, I'd pay for a "Warthog internals package" from either VKB or VPC. Z...

Certainly looking forward to it, but the longer it takes, the more cash I have to throw at VKB... Z...

Having had a think about it, I think the fine folk at VPC should consider a digital lever on the bottom of the stick. In the heat of battle, it is well suited to chaff/heat sinks etc. I do like the dual 4 way hat + press - this is awesome. Dual stage trigger - not sure about this one, I have not found a useful way to map it in E: D, would have been wonderful if you could use the first stage to keep multi cannons spinning, and second stage to fire, thus avoiding the spin up, but it's not something Frontier seem to have thought about, and not something they will likely implement, either. Having said that, no idea how the other space "sims" will work in this regard. Would be nice if the second stage trigger had an extension of some sort, though, to allow discrete use of the second stage. These ideas may be too late to implement in the budget stick, but would be awesome if they were considered for a higher end stick... Just a thought. On a side note, may be worth making an account on the Elite Dangerous forum, also perhaps the Infinity Battlescape one and others, though I've already posted threads about the throttle and stick on the Elite Dangerous forums. Pedals to a second stick? No, the idea is the second stick replaces the throttle. stick 1 = pitch+roll, stick 2 = thrusters up/down +left/right. Forward and backwards thrust would be bound to a two way switch most likely. Though, honestly, Elite doesn't really reward throttle use, so binding 0, 25%, 5-% 75% and 100% is about all you need, and reverse thrust. As for a cheaper base... If effectively making a sealed, non adjustable base with metal cams, and a "budget" grip could knock the price down to roughly mid way between a TM T16000M and a CH Fighter stick, I think they'd have a winner. Z...

I'd be using it with the rift, too. The surround sound *should* follow your head movements. Haven't had a chance to test with DCS, but it works in Elite Dangerous, so I'd like to think it has been coded for DCS, too. Z...

Same, a pinky switch, though, would have been a possible addition. Still, as an entry level model, to me this means a possible higher end model, along with... ...An entry level base on the drawing board? :pilotfly: Z...

Reading in to this a bit, I think there is a hint there of na entry level base on the drawing board. Looks interesting to me, as an Elite: Dangerous player. I hope the LED can be disabled, as I find directly lit LED's fracking annoying on a stick, Anyway, about to head off, but will share thoughts later... Z...

Which Pioneer system is it? Do what I did, set it up in the bedroom... Z...

Wait.. You swapped out Kef speakers in favour of Pioneer speakers? Z...

Nope - I'm doing what you're not really supposed to do - I made up a quick baseplate form a spare VESA mount I had for an Intel NUC. No extension, just the stick, sitting to my right like an F-16 style set up. No center cams, softest springs. It's nice and msooth, I don't feel like I am arm wresting it like I am with the Warthog. It's also very smooth, no sticktion. I'm currently in the process of making a simpit, and am not 100% sure what the mounting method will be (apart from it actually being mounted the way it is meant to be), but I suspect I'll be making up a steel bracket that uses the existing screw holes for the mount. The Virpil desk mounts look great - if you have a desk. I don't... I'm not too worried about the base mount for now, I'm on an exploration trip, and the movements are all nice and relaxed, so not likely to be stressing anything. I'll be staying out of DCS or any heavy duty flying until it's properly mounted. Z...

Yup - I am, though the mods got grumpy with me putting the name in my sig (nearly two years after I did it). Using a Mongoos T-50 and CH Pro throttle until the VPC throttle is released. I may get a second for T-50 stick to give dual sticks a go, though I'm trying to spend more time with DCS. The learning curve for E: D is nothing compared to DCS! Z...

I seem to remember reading that they were developing one? Or did I just imagine that? Z...

VKB or Virpil. Virpil have the advantage of an actually modern fighter grip and base you can buy *today*, and a known throttle design that will be released Soon™. VKB also have an awesome base, with an amazing looking grip near shipping ready. They say they have a modular throttle Coming Soon™, the thought of which sends extra blood to my nether regions... Z...

Hahah - welcome to the thread Graxxor! Another E: D convert :joystick::thumbup: Z...