Falcon 4.0 Allied Force (Mac) - Joystick behaviour problem

[robegian]

Hello,

I have a problem with my just bought (on App Store) Falcon 4.0 Allied Force for OS X: when I try to calibrate and use a joystick (Saitek Cyborg 3D), though correctly centered in rest position using the "center" button on the Controllers panel in the application, the rudder, cursor X and cursor Y controls behave incorrectly. I put on line some screenshots showing the problem.

This is what the panel regularly shows when the joystick is pushed to the extreme left:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/7680997/img/7680997.png

Joystick on the extreme right:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/7681014/img/7681014.png

Joystick all forward:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/7681069/img/7681069.png

Joystick all backward:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/7681075/img/7681075.png

Joystick "rotated" left:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/7681046/img/7681046.png

Joystick "rotated" right:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/7681060/img/7681060.png

Joystick in rest position:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/7680826/img/7680826.png

In short, the behaviour in all "axes" is not symmetric — in example the value when the joystick is "far right" is much greater than when it's "far left", so the joystick is not usable in the game.

I link one more picture, showing all the previous pictures overlayered:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/7680980/img/7680980.png

Of course, the joystick works flawlessly with other games and flight sims.

Is any of you using F4AF with a joystick without problems?

 

[Huntn]

It's been a long time since I've played with a joystick. When you say "calibrate" are you using software to do this? I forget if Saitek has a Mac driver with a calibrate feature? Or does the game have a calibrate feature? I know this does not help, but thought I'd ask.

 

[robegian]

When you say "calibrate" are you using software to do this?

No drivers needed, the calibration is done within the game. The accompaining screenshots (linked above) are from the Controllers panel of the game itself indeed

 

[kd5jos]

It sounds like you've figured it out...

No drivers needed, the calibration is done within the game. The accompaining screenshots (linked above) are from the Controllers panel of the game itself indeed

If the controller is fully functional in another game, it isn't the controller. If there isn't a driver, you've proven it's the software (unless my troubleshooting skills ain't what they used to be). If you've tried adjustments in the software (if any are available), and it doesn't work, I'd call it buggy software and contact the vendor? This is of course assuming you can use the same computer, with other software (other games specifically) and it works.

I plaid a game called Falcon 3.0 back in the day... Is this a continuation of the franchise? Also, does F4 allow you to set the joystick to handle more realistically (exponentially instead of linearly like in the real Falcon)?

 

[robegian]

Actually I contacted Graphsim support a couple of days ago, and they have just replied — with bad news for me:

"Unfortunately, this stick will not work with Falcon. The issue is that
older joysticks read ranges differently than newer ones. Any post 2007
stick will work. Maybe some from 2005-2006 as well, but definitely anything
post 2007. If you purchase something a retail store has on their shelf now,
you'll be safe. If you purchase online, look for the release date of the
stick. You can get one comparable to your current stick for $30. The
newest Cyborg models work well. Just make sure the replacement stick has a
hatswitch. You'll need this for views within the sim."

Looks like it's time to buy a new joystick...

Any suggestion?

P.S: It's highly likely Falcon 4 is a continuation of the franchise — and I played Falcon 1.0 on my Atari
Wikipedia gives some hints: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_(computer_game)

 

[Huntn]

No drivers needed, the calibration is done within the game. The accompaining screenshots (linked above) are from the Controllers panel of the game itself indeed

Interesting. I thought the idea of a calibration program was for you run the stick around the outside limits and the calibration program says, ahh, ok and makes adjustments accordingly.