Mission Flight Stick Compatibility Faq Version 1 By: Billkwando 7/26/01 Billkwando@yahoo.com ================================================== First off, this is my first faq. Don't let that deter you however, because the information I have to convey unto you is pretty straightforward, and hard to screw up. I decided to write this faq last night, because I've owned a pair of mission sticks for about 6 months, and was always under the impression that none of my titles were compatible with it. Wrong. I originally got this impression because the Saturn faqs and pages I found either didn't mention the Mission Stick, or did, but only knew of about 3 titles that worked with it (sometimes all of which were some kind of Panzer Dragoon, hehehe). So, being the industrious sort of fellow I am, I whipped out the trusty mission stick, and after an hour or so of steady disc switching and button pouning, I have a reasonably-sized list of titles with which to try out your mission stick. That being said.....whew! you still with me? On to the info!! ================================================== What's Here: 1. What IS a Mission Flight Stick? 2. Compatible titles (by no means a complete list) 3. How do I know if my game is MFS compatible? 4. Will my Nights (3D Analog) controller work with MFS compatible games and vice-versa? What's missing: 5. What the heck is this thumb wheel for?? 6. The remaining, but as yet unlisted, compatible games. =========== 1. What IS the Mission Flight Stick? The MFS is a flight stick, very similar to the kind used with a PC, having a trigger (the A button), two thumb buttons* (marked B and C respectively), and a thumb wheel (of indeterminate use). It is a two piece design, the stick having the standard square-base, and larger base that sits next to it, attached by a heavy plastic clip underneath. The larger base has all of the buttons on it (A,B,C,X,Y,Z,L,R,and Start, as well as turbo settings for each) and is very similar in button layout to the Virtua Stick. The interesting thing to note is that the stick can be unclipped, and reclipped to either side for left or right handed use. Way to go Sega! Also, theres a port on the bottom for a "sub control" right next to where the stick plugs in (labeled "main control"). This is probably where they intended to add footpedals of some sort, and would be an ideal thing for some hardware hacker to find the pinout for, so that we could wire up our own pedals (if anyone reading this knows about tht sorta thing, please let me know). Also, the port is a simple 9 pin plug, like the ones used for Genesis and Atari controllers, so there's no worries about having to destroy another peripheral to find a dedicated plug. Just cruise on down to Radio Shack. All in all, the MFS is a really great controller IF you like flight sticks, and can usually be picked up pretty cheap, because of it's relative unpopularity. It's a sturdy, heavy, well-built controller, which could easily be used to stun a burglar and still fly straight. It also works great when used on a table or on your lap. * Hilariously enough, I overlooked the B and C buttons on the stick for months, thinking that the WHEEL was B and C. Only after I accidentally hit B, heard the clicking sound, and saw missles fly did I realize where the buttons were actually located. It's such a subtle and comfortable design that you literally don't notice that they're there!! ========================================= IMPORTANT NOTE!! TWO MISSION STICKS DOES NOT A TWIN STICK MAKE!! What do I mean? You know what I mean... Well, if you're the one guy who doesn't, I mean that you can't take two mission sticks, remove the stick from one, hook it to the base of the other (opposite the already attached stick), plug it into the sub controller, and use it as a twin stick for Virtua On. Though it looks cool, the only thing it would be useful for is maybe to stun two burglars, or perhaps one extra-large one. It just doesn't work.... Don't take my word for it though, I certainly didn't when the guy at Funcoland said it to me. Unfortunately, he was right. (however he didn't have the inside track on it's home defense uses, so nyaahh!!) It's also notable that the Total Control adaptor for using Saturn controllers on Dreamcast won't work for the MFS, because they say it can't do analog controllers. ===================== 2. Compatible titles: NOTE: For everyone's conveinience, after testing basically every one of my Saturn games with the MFS, any that worked I also tested with the Nights controller. Games that can use the Nights controllers will be marked with a (N) at the end. Games that function but have button configuration or compatibility problems will be listed with a *, followed by a description of the problem. Problems with the Nights controller will be marked with (N*), followed by a description. This list ONLY covers games that also work with MFS. Also, simply because a game works with the MFS doesn't mean that it's neccessarily BETTER than using the thumbpad, or that the game is any good at all, so please don't go out and buy Scorcher on my account. It's just a list of what works. If anyone has a MFS compatible game that isn't on this list, please let me know at billkwando@yahoo.com If any one of these seems to be a mistake please let me know, but I personally checked all but 3 of the games. I didn't bother checking any fighting games, or platform games, because I didn't see the point. However, if you have one you'd like to add to the list feel free to email me. Afterburner 2(N) (Sega Ages Vol. 1 compilation disc) Black Fire(N?) Congo(N?) Creature Shock* (No custom config, thus the trigger is thurst) Cyber Speedway*(N) (No config, but very playable) Daytona CE*(N=Flawless) (MFS control is odd on this one, can't figure out how to gas or brake) Die Hard Trilogy(N) Enemy Zero(N) Ghen War (A VERY special case, in that it seems to detect the mission stick. Though it has a fixed configuration with all the wrong buttons assigned when you look at the "View Controls" screen, it magically remaps all the buttons to just where you'd want them when you play!) Hang On GP(N*) (GP with the 3D pad is awful) Need For Speed(N?) Off World Interceptor Extreme Panzer Dragoon(N?) Panzer Dragoon II Zwei(N?) (more to research) Robotica* (awkward config but playable) Road Rash(N?) Scorcher (if you already own this, it sucks slightly less with the MFS.) Sega Ages Vol. 1(N) (not sure about the vol. number but the disc contained Afterburner 2, Space Harrier, and Outrun. It sometimes came packaged with the MFS) Sega Rally(K=Flawless) Shockwave Assault(N?) Solar Eclipse (my personal fave MFS game, followed closely by Ghen War) Sonic 3D Blast(N=Flawless) Soviet Strike(N) Space Harrier(N) (See Sega Ages above) Spot Goes To Hollywood* (works good but slow) Virtua Cop* (Why?? The aim is reversed and you cant' reload. Enjoy.=) Wing Arms(N?) World Series Baseball (ALL YOUR BASEBALL ARE BELONG TO US. Sorry... you get a little crazy after doing this for half the night. Move 'Faq', for great justice!) Games marked with "N?" I don't own, except for Road Rash, which I just plain forgot. 27 games! Not bad for a controller that only seemed to have 3 or 4... If you can add any to the list please email me. ========= 3. How do I know if my game is MFS compatible? Simple. If the game doesn't acknowledge the start button, it won't play. No controller swapping that I've tried will help, but if you have better luck let me know. If the start button works, it's 99% likely that it will play, but at least 1 game (Tunnel B1) acknowledged the start button, then game me an "unsupported controller, please remove" message, but that's the only one so far. It seems to be a general rule of thumb that any of the games that work for the steering wheel (Arcade Racer?) will work with the mission stick, but that's only with what I've tried. Individual results may vary. =================== 4. Will my Nights controller work with my MFS compatible games and vice versa? If it's not on the list you'll have to try it and let me know, but so far it seems that Crystal Dynamics games don't like the Nights controller as a rule. ============================ What's Missing: ============================ 5. What the heck is this thumbwheel for?? Or at least that's what I want to know. The thumb wheel is a strange beast, not registering on any of the games I remembered to try it on (not that many really). I've wiggled it aplenty, yet it remains an enigma... Any ideas folks? I suspect it's intended to be an analog L and R button thing, but I don't know yet. It bothers me. Hehehe... =========== 6. The remaining, but as yet listed, compatible games? I only own the aformentioned games, so as I've *subliminally* hinted, I'd like you to email me with any that I don't have listed. billkwando@yahoo.com Subtle, huh? =================================== Final Notes: This is by no means a complete faq (or perhaps not a faq at all? If someone writes a faq that nobody asked for in the woods does it make a sound? These are the eternal questions.....at 7:15am after no sleep anyway...) so if you have any questions, comments, suggestion, or laundry you'd like to send my way, feel free. I'm sure you can find my email address somewhere. Thank you for flying Air Saturn! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DOING! ========== About me: My name is Bill, I own a buncha old systems, I'm a Neo Geo fanatic, and my sign is virgo. I like long walks to the arcade and snuggling with Herzog Zwei. I run a Neo Geo site called Under The Neo Geo Moon. Check it out at: http://welcome.to/undertheneogeomoon http://www.undertheneogeomoon.com "If you believe you're up against a swordsman who is proficient in the Way, you will lose." -Miyamoto Musashi ....until the next time someone cries out "SOMEBODY SET UP US THE FAQ!!".... copyright 2001 Bill Smallwood billkwando@yahoo.com ==== END ====