Imagine feeling gravitational pull on your joystick as you pull out of a dive in Microsoft® Flight Simulator 2000--similar to what you would experience if you were flying a real aircraft. Now you can get even closer to reality with force feedback devices and the new DirectX 7.0a update,  available for free download.

SideWinder: helps direct those DX "missiles"
DirectX 7.0a works with your system’s multimedia components to enhance a game’s features. It offers better graphics, great 3-D animation, faster true-to-life action, more realistic surround sound, and awesome enhancements for force feedback gaming devices such as the SideWinder line. In fact, force feedback SideWinder joysticks and wheels can recreate over 100 “forces,” from subtle sensations to rugged power surges.

And the hits keep on coming…
To date, over one million SideWinder devices are in gamers’ hands. Microsoft promises three more devices by fall:

• The SideWinder Game Voice, a stereo headset providing communication with others on your local area network (LAN) or the Internet.
• SideWinder Strategic Commander, a left-handed device for strategy games designed to enhance mouse and keyboard use.
• SideWinder Force Feedback 2, an improvement on the debut device, features a rotating handle, realistic throttle, and on-board power. This year’s model comes in new colors, and is smaller and sleeker than the original.

The trio will compliment the existing nine SideWinder devices: Game Pad Pro, Dual Strike, Freestyle Pro, Game Pad, Force Feedback Pro, Precision Pro, Standard, Force Feedback Wheel, and Precision Racing Wheel.

Learn to drive before you dive
Force feedback technology is used in more than 150 games, and the list is growing. Take advantage of force feedback realism by downloading DirectX 7.0a, but remember: close the throttles before you pull out of a dive.

George Legge thinks someone must have installed DirectX and Force Feedback to his car. He says he feels at least 100 different forces every day on his way to work.