Here's a deep and useful look at some obscure gear: mkdud1 has posted a control map for the 3DO CH Flightstick Pro and a look at how to restore their potentiometers! The distinct CH Flightstick Pro is probably familiar to a lot of classic fans… but fewer know that a version was also released for the 3DO which was explicitly supported by Super Wing Commander and Wing Commander III! Tracking down (or emulating) a Flightstick Pro makes the 3DO Wing Commandering experience a truly beautiful thing. If you'd like to know more, you can find the original thread on Reddit.
Here is a map for the CH Flightstick Pro controls for 3DO SWC. I have updated this on 1-18-26 to include some of the hat functions; this is helpful during combat when you want to send a quick taunt during combat or a command to your wingman. The slightly hidden red printing for the right shift button reads "Right Shift with B = Brake to 0, Right Shift with C engage autopilot. " To Calibrate the stick, hold the stick fully to the upper right position while pushing X and Trigger, then hold the stick fully in the lower left while pushing X and Trigger, then center the stick and push X and Trigger. I'm posting here and referencing this post in the Wing Commander CIC website. I will follow up with pictures of maintenance on the stick. Even if you find an NOS one of these, the pots are around 30 + years old, and can be wonky even if the stick is in great condition.A potentiometer (or "pot") is an adjustable resistor that is used in joysticks for position sensing. As vintage space pilots often learn, pots are the part of the joystick that wears out first leading them to become uncalibrated. Luckily, expert retro gaming surgeons have been learning to replace vintage pots to make old joysticks new again… and here mkdud1 has figured out the information needed for the 3DO Flightstick Pro!
These are 100k post, the PC26 Philmore is the closest modern replacement I have found. I used a medium polishing bit on the wipers with 10% isopropyl on both the wipers and contact base to restore my old pots. Use a flat blade screwdriver to pry the tabs on the pots. Make sure you take pictures to reference how the x and y sections go together in the stick for wiring and mechanics. Feel free to ask me q's if you have them.
