Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    
    I have WICO joysticks, they're expensive, but they last forever.
    These sturdy joysticks have large metal parts inside, so you can
    fix them yourself if you have to (I've cleaned the contacts a few
    times over the years).    They have a very nice feel, the fire button
    is very responsive, I can hit it more times per second than with
    any other joystick around.  Also it's easier to move them in the
    angle positions, a problem with many joysticks.
    
      I've bought a few other brands of joysticks, in my house they last 
    around three months.
    
    
    

I use EPYX 500XJ because they last long and just as important
    they feel great in your hand. Perfect grip (my opinion)!

    I also like the Epyx 500XJ.  It might be a bit large for tiny hands,
    though.
    
    The Epyx uses real microswitches for it's contacts, as opposed to
    a cheap bubble membrane.
    
    Ed.
    

    Yeah, another vote for the Epyx.  I like its feel.  The good
    construction is a nice bonus.   
    
    Of course you're talking to a guy who actually preferred the sticks
    that came with the Atari VCS, so read my vote accordingly.
    
    Gary

    I vote for quiet joysticks, like the original Atari joystick.
    
    The clacking of some of the leaf spring joysticks really gets to me.
    
    Another thing to look for is two fire buttons on the base, just
    in case left-handed folks want to use it.
    
    I almost bought the Epyx 500XJ, but the clacking... Epyx has a new
    joystick called the Ergo (i think that was it) made of soft rubber
    that is even nicer, but it still clacks!
    
    -dave
    p.s. I don't like keyclick either (yet another reason I used to
    justify buying the amiga instead of an ST or ibmpc)

    I use my Epyx for some tasks and not for others...
    
    The Epyx is excellent for fine control--For object positioning,
    it is easy to ``move by one'' with the Epyx.
    
    On the other hand, I like to use my thumb on the fire button when
    I need to ``fire like crazy''.  The standard Atari 2600 joysticks
    are good for that purpose.  Plus the Atari sticks can take the abuse
    to which irate children subject them.
    
    Steph

    Keep in mind that the Epyx 500XJ is designed to be held in the left 
    hand.  There's no way that a left-handed person (like my wife) can 
    hold it comfortably.

    - Cliff

    I have the EPX 500, but I hate the **LOUD CLACKING NOISE**, also,
    I'm left-handed so I can't really use it (I'd have to press the
    fire button with my thumb!)  I prefer the WICO, well built, quiet,
    excellent feel, (expensive $$$).  It was two fire buttons, one on
    the base and one on the top of the stick.

    I got this thing called the winner 220 (I think thats what its called,
    and it works for me. Yes, is clacks, but here is my soution for
    all clacking: TURN UP THE VOLUME!!! I seem to have have no trouble
    with clacking with Firepower or Jet going full blast (I get into
    my games when I can hear the destruction! :^)
    
    Dave

    Any new additions to the bullet-proof joystick world that anyone would
    care to comment on? The reason I ask is that I've done the impossible;
    broken my Epyx 500XJ. Well, not really broken, more like, cracked the
    red plastic handle off of the sturdy metal shaft. I blame it on Emerald
    Mine II. Heck, I blame it on Kingsoft for both their Emerald Mine games
    in which I've crippled all of my joysticks to date (a Gravis the first
    time). Okay, perhaps that's not totally fair; I admit to being small of
    brain and heavy of hand, so I'll blame the hardware. Why can't the
    joystick manufacturers make the little guy on the screen move
    faster/farther when I bend the hardware past it's physical limits? ;^)

    I called Epyx to see if I could get a replacement handle, but they are
    no longer licensed to distribute that stick in the USA (apparently
    made/sourced by Konix in the UK). Bummer! I really like this joystick
    and although it still functions perfectly, I'd like to prepare for more
    disaster since now the whole family is hooked on mining and a second
    stick would enable us to use the "Teamwork" mode.

    So, has anyone seen any 500XJ's on the shelves anywhere? I scanned some
    mail order ads and a few stores, but have come up empty so far. Is the
    "Ergo" mentioned a few notes back still out there? If not, any new
    nominations for the "ultimate" joystick?

    Thanks for any feedback,

    Pete

The joystick I use is an Australian one that is supposed to be 'indistructable'

It has survived my children, and my wifes use (and my own).

I believe it is about $aus50.00 - If you are interested I can find out exactly.


Name:          Star-curser.

Features: Suckers to stick it down.

Button on handle.
Two buttons on box. 
Switchable between 4way and eight way.

Stan.

P.S In case it didn't come thru, I really recommend this one - apart from 
everything else everyone that is sold OS helps our terrible balance of payment.

    For years now my favorite joystick has been a bog-standard Kraft:
    square base, no suction feet, one fire button, small fiddly stick - but
    the best I've ever used.
    
    As it happens, my one and only remaining one died a death some time ago
    and I'm trying to find a supplier that has a stock of these
    since I want to buy a crateful! If anyone knows of somewhere I can go
    (in the UK) or write to... I know the company is in California
    somewhere...
    
    
    David.

    Recent discussions on Usenet indicate that joysticks made for the Sega
    Genesis machines work very nicely on Amiga.  These have features like
    three independent buttons, adjustable rate auto-fire, etc.  No, I have
    not tried one of these myself yet, but it sounds like good candidate...

    I'm in the market (again) for a good joystick.  The vast majority of
    notes here are a few years old, and the "technology" *must* have gone
    somewhere (hopefully improved) since then.  Has anyone got any
    enthusiastic recommendations?  Anyone got/tried the Gravis MouseStick?
    Are there any analog joysticks available that *don't* have to be re-
    wired for Amy?   Do analog joysticks work with anything OTHER than
    flight simulators?  I'm *not* a fan of flying and if that's the only
    place an analog joystick is any good then I don't want to waste my time
    or money.  Do you find having a fire button on the stick to be very
    useful?  etc?  I'd like to hear what's out there and what you prefer to
    use.   Thanks,
    	David

    Whatever you buy, make sure it has autofire possibility.  This is a
    MUST for relaxing games like Turrican! (just point and shoot)
    
    I made my own stick out of a wooden block and a "joystick" switch from
    a local surplus store.  I added auto fire and my fire button is located
    on the deck of the base, I think it's very ergonomic (I would't put
    down MY work).
    
    One of the gravis joysticks does have autofire and tension adjustment,
    I think it would be a good buy.
    
    Jean
    

    The gravis sticks have nice features, but I see a lot that have sheared
    of in the heat of battle.
    							bill

    I think one of the best joysticks is the good old Atari Joystick. But I
    think they're out of the market. You just could let them fall down many
    times and nothing happened to them. (You never know what happens in
    heated battle!) Or maybe I got too used to it.
    Another good Joystick is the Competition Pro 5000 (I guess it was
    called like that). 
    The joysticks I hate or find unuseful are those big JetFighter-like
    controllers with buttons everywhere. They cannot take much punishment.
    It sound like I do throw the Joys around, that's not what I use them
    for, but you never know when one joystick falls off the table or when
    some children play with them and push it from one side to another and
    all you hear is a CRASH, CLICK, CRUNCH...
    
    Regs,
                 Miguel
    

    My old joystick gave up the ghost on Friday night after 2 years of
    faithful service. So I went looking for another one on Saturday. Like
    the previous reply, I like a simple, functional joystick. After testing
    several, these criteria were met perfectly in a product called
    "Zip-stick". It has a small shaft with a ball on the end (ooo-err
    missus), a small square base with a fire button on either side and an
    auto fire switch. Its strongest feature, however, is its positive
    action. The furthest points of stick travel are a very small distance
    apart, and it feels very solid when the stick comes up against its
    stop. This is a nice contrast to my old rubbery stick (more oo-errs,
    fnarr, fnarr, etc). It cost me fourteen quid, comes with 12 months
    warranty, and I thoroughly recommend it. Although the text of this
    note looks like the work of a pervert I must stress that it is all
    technical information and any reference to sexual bits, real or
    imaginary, is entirely unintentional !!! 
    
    Phil Gill.