Drag 'n' Drop, LOL, good one!

The word "impossible" has disappeared, leaving behind only the spurious insults ... I would definitely mark that down as "progress".

The "Gold Barrier" is as easily dismissed: the game at one time actually supported the joystick controller as an option; that means the code is in there to support it. If it's already coded, "going Gold" has little to do with whether they decide to activate it. Do you think they went in and deleted the source code? Do you think they even commented out the source code? It's in there.

Remember that they disabled joystick support as a marketing gimmick: they didn't want to scare away people who didn't want to use one. They didn't want anyone to perceive the humble flight control as a "requirement". The barrier to its use is not technical; it is psychological. Therefore it stands to reason if they slip the support back in quietly, unobtrusively, there is no psychological damage done to the keyboard / mouse people: out of sight, out of mind.

It is rumored they'll accomplish this via a "patch" they'll release some time after the game hits the stores -- in fact that's probably already part of the plan, even before "Going Gold" -- but I'll believe it when I see it.

Bottom line: it's in there, they said so themselves ... all they need to do is switch it on. Once the non-flyers have bought a few copies and the "Stick Scare" issue is negated they'll give us old Privateer fans what we've been wanting for five years: new ships to fly and a new world in which to fly them!

I'd like to know where you actually got your information because from what i've heard directly from the dev team it was all mouse from the start of development.

No stick for you!!!! lol

I think they are giving this old Privateer fan what he wants. I can live without the joystick. Not a major issue with me. The interface sounds really slick.

EB, that makes too much sense. They would also have to completely rebalance the game for joystick support. Not something you want to mess around with for a patch.

How did I know this would turn into another joystick thread? Hmm...maybe because it appeared minutes after his "Joystick Luddite Speaks" thread was locked. Oy, Cap'n, give it UP, please. DA considered the 'stick and said no. Deal with it.

Aye Cap'n, they prolly disabled joystick so that the j/s people wouldn't be bizzowning the kb/mouse jockeys all day long. This way, there will be alot less accusations of cheating in MP games. At least.. at first. I've played lotsa games that provide support to both. The majority of players use mouse / keyboard. The majority of people also suffer from the lack of skill. This game is apparently made for where the most $ obviously is. Those of us Privateer/Joystick fans whove been waiting on a sequel for the better half of a decade have only 2 options... buy it, or don't. If you do buy it and still want j/s option enabled one day... start a petition as a registered user. That may (hahahahaha) get some attention and get the ball rolling. I personally am all for choice. But you gotta think... once the j/s comes in.. the kb/mouse ppl will get owned and power whine then quit. Then sales will drop. So, they lowered the performance bar to the lowest common denominator. Let the flames begin, lmao.

Ok, um....this WHOLE "joystick is just disabled" bullcrap came outta no where. Dont let this spread. JOYSTICK IS NOT IN THE GAME IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM! Plz, dont just pull things out of the air and say its true.

semantics, dissabled/removed/whatever.. net result is the same.. no joystick. The rest, though, would be difficult to argue against. After all since there is no joystick feature in FL, can't really put up or shut up. However, I do spend most of my time in MW4:Vengeance or Mercenaries. Anyone is welcome to bring their 1337 mouse skillz and discredit me. That, or I'd be happy to reinstall my ancient copy of XvT . Name on zone is _Ali_Bubba_.... at least currently .

Aye Capn, you are a troll, no doubt about it. You came in here knowing exactly what type of response you were going to get and then you knowingly created this thread with a baited beginning and then started the whole issue over again. We are all sick and tired of having to defend the control issue time and time again to every hotdogging joystick jocky who feels his re-hashed ideas suddenly have more weight after they have been mentioned for the thousandth time.

d00d, why you bashing him, he's been inquisitive yet civil. So you call him names, and impune "joystick jockeys". Sounds like you got a bad case of joystick skill envy. Look me up on the MS Gaming Zone.

YARGH! LOL, well i really dont like these types of topics. And look, we even managed to generate a false rumour concerning joystick in FL. Good job. FL has no joystick. Microsoft will not consider adding it. If FL flops cuz of its lack of joystick (which i find HIGHLY unlikely) then MS will let it flop.

Yes, Freelancer lacks joystick. No, it will never have joystick.

*click*

Besides, this is offtopic.

Because he has in fact insulted the intelligence of those who use and like the mouse a few times. That's not acceptable on any issue. By the way, mouse users would have quite a large tactical advantage over joystick users. You would be hard pressed to find equally skilled players who, in some alternate universe were using mouse vs joystick, where the joystick player would win.