notalemming
Fractal Fanatic
MIDI in todays world is kind of a shitty protocol. You run out of CCs in a jiffy with something as complex as an Axe-Fx and have to communicate the rest over MIDI SysEx messages, which most MIDI controllers don't understand or send out of the box. That's why the MFC-101 is Axe-Fx 2 specific as well. With the new controllers it seems that they don't want to support updating the floorboard controller separately but instead a firmware patch for Axe-Fx 3 will also fix or improve the capabilities of the foot controller.
If you want to control an Axe-Fx 2, you can get the MFC-101 for the easiest option or pick any number of programmable MIDI floorboards. I've used a cheap Behringer FCB1010 for years and can do everything I need with it, including controlling the looper. Of course it won't show the right lights or preset names or anything like that but it works just fine for just switching presets, scenes etc. and there are 3rd party programming software that makes the initial setup easier.
I do have an MFC but I did everything I needed to do with an old DMC Ground Control before I got the MFC. The only limitation was only 2 expression pedals. I now use 3.