

Peripheral Vision: The Guide to the Latest 3DO Gear.

CH Products Flightstick Pro
List Price: $129.95
Recently released to the 3DO community, CH Product's Flightstick Pro probably takes the cake for the 3DO Gee-Whiz award. It's big, it's  heavy, has lots of buttons and is a lot of fun to just move around. It's also expensive. List price is about 130 bucks, but street price takes it down to around $90( give or take.).
	So, do you really get that bang for your buck with the Pro?
	Well, it depends on what you play. I was looking forward to getting the Flightstick Pro for games like VR Stalker and( especially) Super Wing Commander, but it also works with games like Need for Speed and Return Fire. And, at first, I had a lot of problems getting used to the flightstick. For those unused to this kind of controller- most console systems gamers, probably- the Flightstick Pro takes some getting used to.
	It takes practice to use FS Pro with the games that it was designed for. Practice and a sensitive touch. The first thing about the Pro that you'll notice is how sensitive it is. You'll probably find that overcontrolling runs rampant at first. Until you gain proficiency with the stick it can be hard to feel when you're over reacting, especially at first. So, be sure to take the time to get acquainted with the controller. It might take a while, depending upon your playing skill and experience, but it's well worth it.
	Flight sim controls, once figured out, are much easier to utilize with the Pro. Especially VR Stalker- everything except the pause function is handled on the actual stick and speed control has been delegated to the left dial on the base. This system allows for exact speed control, but makes afterburner control a bit of a hassle at times. Super Wing Commander works superbly and fully utilizes the stick.
	Super Wing Commander does, however, have vastly more complicated controls then VR Stalker and the manual doesn't give all that much information on how to use it( See my control listing sidebar for a complete listing of SWC's and others flightstick commands.). Incidentally, the manual that comes with the Flightstick Pro is terribly inadequate. CH should have taken the time to include quick start guides for games like VRS and SWC.
	The Flightstick will not work at all for games that weren't designed with it in mind- remember that. The 3DO won't even acknowledge it's existence if the game you're playing doesn't support it. So, no Total Eclipse, no Shock Wave( it does support JumpGate, though.), no Burning Soldier, Crash 'n Burn or even Off World Interceptor. It's a shame, but there it is.
	What it does support, however, it does with varying degrees of success. Aside from the obvious titles like Wing Commander and VR Stalker, the Pro supports: Mega Race, Need For Speed, Return Fire, Rebel Assault and Shock Wave: Operation JumpGate. New and upcoming titles will be utilizing the Pro as well.
	Super Wing Commander, VR Stalker, JumpGate and Rebel Assault all tended to control a bit too loosely at first. Though, this flaw disappears with practice( for most games, anyway.). With Wing Commander especially, you'll soon be wondering how you could have ever played the game with a normal controller- the flightstick almost starts to feel like an extension of your arm. Need for Speed and Return Fire were titles where I felt the Pro really made an instantly noticeable improvement in game play. For Need for Speed, it also depends upon which car you choose( I found the Lamborghini much better with the Pro then the Porsche, for instance.). However, Need for Speed's touchy chase view control was still sometimes troublesome with the Flightstick, so stick with the driver's seat view and go all out. Return Fire also controls excellently with the Pro, though the helicopter is still a bit trying at times- no matter which controller you use.
	Overall, the Flightstick Pro is a very welcome addition to the 3DO family. For a lot of gamers used to coin-op and console system controllers, the Pro will take some getting used to, but it's worth the time it takes. If you have the opportunity to try out some of the flight sticks that are available on PCs then you'll have an idea of what to expect here. The CH Flightstick Pro is a sensitive piece of equipment and, for flight sims especially, it takes some finesse to really get the most out of it. And, of course, control accuracy also depends on how well a specific game title supports the stick. Also, the Flightstick Pro is not equipped with either a headphone jack or a joystick passthrough port. Consequently, if you listen to your 3DO with headphones, you'll need to hook the Pro up through controller 1's pass through at all times. It does have a 10 foot long cord, however.
