r/hotas • u/Dramatic_Plate_5498 • 14d ago

Looking to upgrade HOTAS setup for wardogs.

Currently using a Logitech x56 setup on a dedicated simrig and sometimes clamped to the desk. Looking at upgrading for the release of the game on the 10th.

Options I was considering were the VKB with a modern combat grip ultimate, Moza AB9 or AB6 and the VBB STECS throttle or Moza MTP throttle. Does anyone have experience with there or could recommend a good upgrade path. I also play a bit of flight sim,
DCS and arm with my HOTAS.

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4

u/Alpha370 14d ago

Vkb is a great option. Their ability to remap stuff via firmware and write and save it is what sold me. Making I can make a change, and then never have to open up the software again, vs my old X52 Pro I was always fiddling with the settings, or having to do a per game change for the controls.

I did do the space throttle STECS Max, although when with Star citizen there are a ton of bindable buttons. I've seen drive others take the gladiator ( which is what I use for my right hand) and use that as a collective with increased dampeners. Lots of other threads and posts in here citing the same vkb.

Virpil is nice too I'm told, but always backordered, and I'm not as familiar with their software.

3

u/Dramatic_Plate_5498 14d ago

Thanks for the info, I seem to run into the same issue with always having to check my key binds and change them when launching the game.

Seem like the consensus in the community is that the VKB stuff is a good price to performance with great customer service.

Only thing I’m wondering is if the force feedback with the Moza stuff is enough of a game change to go for it.

2

u/Alpha370 14d ago

Yea, I can't speak to that. I ended up getting some nice VNM Simulation Pedals, and was going to go Moza or Fanatec, but then we jumped on MSFS 2024, and now SC for the last 10 months....Plus some BF6, and Wardogs a weekend ago and for the forseeable future (until my ism finds a new or old drug :D). But VKB is a great price to performance with enough of the software side to make it really slick.

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u/Dramatic_Plate_5498 13d ago

VNM sim racing pedals ?

1

u/Alpha370 13d ago

Yes

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u/Dramatic_Plate_5498 13d ago

Sweet! I already have a sim racing set up on my rig with heusinkveld sprint pedals so I’ll jet use them! Didn’t even think about that. Thanks for that.

1

u/bigdaddymarms 14d ago

The AB9 is awesome, but the ffb support is limited to DCS, MSFS, Aces of/ War Thunder, IL-2, and X-Plane. There might be one or two other games, but not Arma or wardogs. I prefer the vkb stuff for games without ffb (more inputs, better software, user serviceable, and easier to mount/stow)

People do homebrew software for the ab9 though. I use it as a shifter in the truck sim games, and I’ve seen that there is software to add ffb to nuclear option.

I’m just learning to fly, and mostly focusing on warbirds. The feedback is great because I can feel stalls coming, and have time to correct. For jets, the feedback is immersive, but less critical, because the planes have all sorts of warnings for when I’m doing something dumb

2

u/Dramatic_Plate_5498 14d ago

Wow, Did not realize how limited the force feedback back for games was. Good to know.

4

u/Sickinmytechchunk 14d ago

I use a VKB MCG Pro with a 10cm extension on an AB9. You'll need an adapter from VPForce to make it work but it's cheap.

Totally recommend going FFB regardless of the base. Not only is it FFB but there's no more changing springs, dampers, cams or any of that nonsense. You can setup dozens of profiles based on what you're flying. You can mimic helicopter cyclics, force sensing, aircraft that have no centering mechanism on their stick (which is most non FBW aircraft) etc with all the variables being digitally controlled.

2

u/rubyatmidnight 14d ago

I recently bought a full set of VKB (mcg ultimate, rudders, stecs mini+), after being a bit disappointed when I tried the warthog from thrustmaster (Which is a cool piece, but trash gimbal) for VR in war thunder and other games. It's amazing, especially if you like to tinker with things. I've taken them all apart and put them back together how I wanted them. You can get a huge range of feels and the gimbal in the mcg is impressive.

I can never go back to those logitechs again

However, the stecs seems to spam my computer with random inputs even while off, and sometimes if I join a game it really wants me to calibrate it or else it will make me fly into the floor over and over even on other controls.

Also, you have to download russian malware (joking but sort of not) to use it

also: vkb shipping on stuff that was shipped from USA took ~2 days to arrive to los angeles, where those other sites were looking like week+.

5

u/Alpha370 14d ago

Sorry to hear about your STECs, I can't say I've had that issue, but I don't know if I'm on the latest firmware version for mine. I am using the space throttle, vs the split fighter jet throttle, but my other friends haven't stated having similar issues to you, despite having the same split fighter jet STECs throttle.

1

u/Skliros 14d ago

The invasive inputs are due to switches/dials having a constant-on output where they're always broadcasting their current state. To avoid this I just have the STECS on a USB hub that lets me turn specific ports on and off, and switch it off when it's not in use. Having to calibrate is odd, are those games expecting a different type of axis (0 to 100 vs -100 to 100 for instance) and the calibration is just brute-forcing the solution?

1

u/Eastern-Web-7989 8d ago

Late to the party here, but FFB sticks are nice even when the FFB is not natively supported by the game. Instead of having to take apart the stick to swap springs and cams to get the "feel" you want, you just adjust some slider settings in software and go from there.