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Force Feedback intermittent
My Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro joystick's force feedback capabilities seem to be working intermittently. Sometimes when I start a ff-enabled game, the forces work, and sometimes they don't. In fact, sometimes the joystick goes "limp", and I have to power the computer all the way down to re-initialize the joystick. I've tried reinstalling the joystick, adding and removing it from control panel, reinstalling the joystick's software, and reinstalling directx, all to no avail. However, except for when the joystick goes limp (in which case the computer indicates that it's not connected (in control panel)), the force feedback tester in control panel works fine. Any ideas?
You should remember that it is a Microsoft product, and Microsoft products are always buggy, but you could try checking the Microsoft site for new drivers...
I have the same joystick and the only game I had a problem with was Shadows of the Empire which has a patch out for it. Other games I've tried I had no troubles with.
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Sorry, y'all...I found the answer after doing some research on Microsoft's and Diamond's websites. It seems there is a compatibility issue between the Monster Sound series of cards, Windows 98, and v1.0 of the Force Feedback Pro joystick. Diamond suggests updating the Sidewinder control panel software to version 3.02, and Microsoft suggests turning hardware-based sound acceleration all the way down. Neither of these solutions works. I wound up buying a Sound Blaster Live! PCI sound card instead....problem fixed!!