This is probably going to sound like a stupid question but you aren't actually letting go of the stick are you? The MS FF stick has a sensor (at the bottom of the grip on the front part of the stick) which if it doesn't detect a hand on the stick it disables the FF part of the stick (though the stick will still be read).

I think we also vary the "stiffness" of the stick depending on the how fast the plane is moving and possibly some other factors. This would only be if you had the FF option selected under the F/A-18 options, otherwise I think it just uses the default values for the stick.

I'm also a happy user of the MS Force Feedback. No problems either. But what FF settings are the most realistic? I want to make the stick feel as it would in real life.

Your settings Elf?

I think I just turned everything to full. I'm not sure what would be considered "realistic". With the FF I just like the extra situational awareness.

IvanHoe,

I do programming on computer games, including this one. I've been doing it for 10 years now (actually 10 years as of today). I think the EA web site has employment info.

Maxing out all the FF settings, but how about the deadzone settings? As "stiff" as possible? How does the real stick feel? Have you touched the real F/A 18 stick?

(this sounds a bit weird...)