A program that simulates a joystick

[GrandKat]

Hello everyone,

There is an old PC game I would really like to play, called X-Wing alliance, unfortunately it requires a joystick (Cant even start the game).
Is there some program that can simulate a joystick so that my computer would think there is a joystick connected to it?

[anon]

http://www.zophar.net/joy.html

[Expeto]

JoytoKey (http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm)

[jkl49]

It's not an emulator or a program, but in my opinion the best PC joystick or controller is actually a PS2 controller. I used to try out so many different PC controllers, of all price ranges including the higher priced ones and the Microsoft Sidewinders etc, and I always found them to be pretty unresponsive, have poor sensitivity, and just have problems overall, especially for the games I was using and especially in comparison to console controls. Even though I hadn't ever really been a fan of the PS2 controller for consoles, at one point I tried out a PS2 to USB controller adapter for PC and never went back to anything else, the controls couldn't have been more tight, robust, and precise.

If you already have a PS2 controller, the adapter only costs a couple dollars, and if you don't, then buying a controller and the adapter is still cheaper than most PC controllers or joysticks and you'll end up with much better results. Back in the day the adapters used to cost about $10, now they can be found for only a couple dollars, and I can't say for sure if the new ones are the same or just as good as what they used to sell in previous years, but I would assume all it does is a simple hardware conversion anyway so all of them should be equal. Even though they can be found for about $2 total now, it is still the best $10 I ever spent. Some of the new ones now also have multiple controller inputs so you don't have to buy more than one to use with multiplayer games.

[GrandKat]

Thanks guys, but you didn't understand me.
Those programs you gave me can be used if you have a joystick and want to press the keyboard's buttons using the joystick...
What I need is a program that makes the computer think I have a joystick, or even better, a program that makes the computer think I have a joystick and I can press the "joystick's" buttons by using the keyboard.

[Expeto]

once again "JoytoKey" (http://filesharingtalk.com/external/?http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm)
It does what you want. Its capable of working both ways, you can transform your keyboard buttons to joystick buttons with it. But its bit tricky to setup correctly.

i think you might be more happier with something like Vjoy (http://headsoft.com.au/index.php?category=vjoy)

[GrandKat]

once again "JoytoKey" (http://filesharingtalk.com/external/?http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm)
It does what you want. Its capable of working both ways, you can transform your keyboard buttons to joystick buttons with it. But its bit tricky to setup correctly.

i think you might be more happier with something like Vjoy (http://headsoft.com.au/index.php?category=vjoy)

Thanks, Vjoy worked for me...
JoytoKey didn't work because the program didn't start, it said that the joystick was not found, and thats why I said what I said...
but Vjoy works very well, so thank you very much!

[Expeto]

Glad to help,

x-wing is a great game, have fun