Thrustmaster response about F-18 stick in development

I was having a back and forth with Thrustmaster technical suport about target software not working properly when discord or TS3 were in the background.

I decided to take the opportunity to ask about the F-18 stick since we have not heard anything about it since E3 and this was their response I received about it.

Unfortunately we have no information on the release of a new high end joystick other that the press release (summer 2017). Our R&D department is making sure the new joystick will be just as reliable and feature packed as the current Warthog, if not even more so.

just as reliable and feature packed as the current Warthog, if not even more so.

:megalol:

LMFAO, lets hope it's the later instead of the former. Thrustmaster really needs to step up it's game if they expect to catch up with their "mid-to-high end" competition.

If I was VPC or VKB I would be clamoring frantically to design a "Hornet/Harrier-like" stick to release ASAP...no need for an official license or anything, most anyone with a brain would buy from them rather than TM, given the gap in quality.

Totally this. :thumbup:

:megalol:

 

LMFAO, lets hope it's the later instead of the former. Thrustmaster really needs to step up it's game if they expect to catch up with their "mid-to-high end" competition.

 

If I was VPC or VKB I would be clamoring frantically to design a "Hornet/Harrier-like" stick to release ASAP...no need for an official license or anything, most anyone with a brain would buy from them rather than TM, given the gap in quality.

Any news about a Hornet throttle? Or is it just the stick?

Never a single word mentioned, from any manufacturer, about a throttle to date.

The one exception I'm aware of is the Throttletek one that is ~$1K USD.

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Even if its true, I wouldnt buy it after the WH reputation. I would support vkb/mfg/baur/etc... instead. more reliable, better construction, and frankly, tailor made.

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First company to make an F18 stick gets my money, and probably everyone elses. Looking at you VKB and Virpil !

Hard to believe there is no f18 hotas available for us to purchase.

First company to make an F18 stick gets my money, and probably everyone elses. Looking at you VKB and Virpil !

 

Hard to believe there is no f18 hotas available for us to purchase.

Probably because there isnt a big enough market for one?

I think the problem here is that if you don't use some of the switches on the WH stick, you have the F18 stick. The throttle is a different story of course. FWIW, the DCS/F18-TM press release is still on TM's website.

Probably because there isnt a big enough market for one?

:lol:

I really hope there will be very soon after the EA a full Hotas Hornet system with some switches (like the Hotas Warthog)

Considering that an F-18 for another sim has been around for years and nobody made a full HOTAS for it, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Considering that an F-18 for another sim has been around for years and nobody made a full HOTAS for it, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

That's why I've just made my decision to buy VKB's new MCG complete. Especially for the base gimbals.

I remember when the WH first appeared....many here thought it was the greatest.....and then all the reports of bricked devices. Then the poor construction of the joystick......

My advice, wait a year after release before purchase. With TM wait 2 years. Pay little attention to early adopters. They usually are trying to justify the outrageous money they paid.

They usually are trying to justify the outrageous money they paid.

Good point, make sense. :D

I think that i start to save for throttletek f-18 throttle , not so bad when you pay with euros. And im quite sure that quality will be awesome.

I remember when the WH first appeared....many here thought it was the greatest.....and then all the reports of bricked devices. Then the poor construction of the joystick......

 

My advice, wait a year after release before purchase. With TM wait 2 years. Pay little attention to early adopters. They usually are trying to justify the outrageous money they paid.

I'm always curious why people get some hung up on what others spend on their hobby. Outrageous to me could be chump change to others. Another example is lot of people build the highest performing rigs that others would consider lavish.

I've never had an issue with TM but do think the inner wiring is quite poor.

Anyway, back on track, I think a throttle makes sense, but other than for immersion purposes, VPC, VKB, WH can all simulate every button on the joystick. I think that may be the biggest blocker.

The F14 is sufficiently different in form and function so I could see people wanting to invest in that. But F18 might be 50/50.

Guys. Aren't you forgetting the Harrier which has the same stick and has already been made available to the public? :)

Thrustmaster response about F-18 stick in development

Will most likely end up being a VPC or VKB base for me, unless someone else comes out with something better, and I will own a number of grips (none of which will be the MCG or MT-50): Warthog (A-10C and F-16), Hornet (F/A-18C and AV8B), Tomcat (F-14B). Will rotate them with each flight for whatever I intend to fly. I think there will be a massive market for a Hornet grip, increasingly so because of the Harrier. Definitely a bigger market than there was for the A-10C in 2012 or whenever TM released that HOTAS.

Throttletek F-18 throttle is the leader in the clubhouse for me at the moment for my throttle upgrade, but I'm hoping something very similar will come out but have some extra switches and radio knobs instead...

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If TM doesn't make a Hornet throttle I'll make a conversion kit for the Warthog throttle. I have been casting grips in resin (left hand Warthog grips currently) but finally got my printer (high res SLA printer) to do my own pattern making so will be able to expand to things like this. I'm waiting to see what TM does first because it's too much work if someone else will already be doing it so I've been keeping an eye on this situation.

I'm hoping we see something out of Thrustmaster very soon on the new F/A-18 stick! They had their prototype at E3 2017 and nothing since...we are 30-60 days from the EA on the Hornet. Really would like to pair this stick with my new Virpil base...

And if they don't I hope to see someone else step up and do it instead.

Truth be told I'd prefer a number of other people to make it before Thrustmaster, but I'll buy it from whoever delivers it first.

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And if they don't I hope to see someone else step up and do it instead.

 

Truth be told I'd prefer a number of other people to make it before Thrustmaster, but I'll buy it from whoever delivers it first.

 

 

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I agree I would love to see others step up as well...I also will buy from the first to market.

Since VKB is doing the F-14 Flight stick, I'd love to see them drop an F-18 one as well...

Since VKB is doing the F-14 Flight stick, I'd love to see them drop an F-18 one as well...

Dream scenario

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I think if TM dropped a throttle that was a combination of the a-10c and f/a-18 throttle I'd be into it.

Upgrade the slew nub to be more like a gamepad stick, or just something better.. put the rotary dial in the throttle and and extra button.. keep everything else f-15/a-10c like and i'd replace the heck out of my WH throttle with it...and probably buy the stick grip since I already have a WH base even though the f-16/a-10c stick has more buttons to work with it's pretty nice having a replica of what we're flying. ...unless they seriously improve the gimbal design in which I'd buy the entire stick setup.