From willday@rom.oit.gatech.edu Mon Jul 31 11:19:23 EDT 1995 Article: 35015 of rec.games.mecha Path: gt-news!not-for-mail From: willday@rom.oit.gatech.edu (Will Day) Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha Subject: Re: Tim & Activision. MWII Joystick problem. PATCH soon? Date: 31 Jul 1995 11:19:17 -0400 Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, OIT Tech Support Lines: 75 Message-ID: <3vis9l$2t9@rom.oit.gatech.edu> References: <3vemhm$rp7@ni1.ni.net> <3vhvst$gsq@nnrp2.primenet.com> Reply-To: willday@rom.oit.gatech.edu NNTP-Posting-Host: rom.oit.gatech.edu Status: RO A short time ago, at a computer terminal far, far, away, Tim Morten wrote: >keyboard are fine. But with a joystick? The "auto-centering" is >HORRIBLE.> > >Sorry you're unhappy with the joystick autocentering; this is >not a bug. Not a bug, just a poor design decision. Or at least, one that I (and others) disagree with. >I recommend using a mouse if you don't like the >feel of joystick play. I tried using the mouse for torso control and targeting - and you know what? I loved it!! Now my question is, simply, why is wanting the same level of targeting control with the _joystick_ such a far-fetched concept?!? Besides, suggesting I use the mouse rather than the joystick for torso/targeting is, at best, an inadequate solution. Until I evolve another hand (hey, don't think I'm not trying! :), the two I have are already engaged with the joystick and the throttle - I don't have any to spare for controlling a mouse! Reaching for the mouse during battle will get me killed. And unless you can show me a mouse with 4 hat-switches, 5 buttons, and capable of programming my TQS like my FLCS is, I'm not able to replace my joystick with a mouse. >the way Activision deals with this issue.> > >I understand that you are very unhappy about this, however many >users are using joysticks and prefer autocentering. We also >had specific requests for autocentering in the design phase. Well, now you're getting specific requests for non-autocentering. :) Providing a choice for the gamer sounds like it's in order. (Although - I haven't seen anyone post who prefers the auto-centering. Either they complain about it, or they say "I prefer mouse and keyboard!" which makes it clear they don't have an FLCS/TQS.) In fact Tim, I remember you saying that, despite your Thrustmaster setup (is it an FLCS or FCS?), you prefer to use the mouse and keyboard. I can't help but wonder if you yourself might use the joystick if it didn't autocenter. :) >I really wish we could make everyone happy; I'll certainly look >into offering both choices. However I am familiar enough with >our joystick code to know that this is not trivial addition. I can imagine that it wouldn't be exactly trivial. But then, using the joystick for effective targeting is, in itself, not trivial. I'd like to repeat and further strengthen mine and other's appeal to you and the other programmers to offer a patch that removes (or offers a choice to remove) the autocentering. _Please_. This is crucial to me, if you hadn't been able to tell. :) I just can't get the kind of accurate targeting I desire, and that I _know_ is possible! (just look at the mouse! Just look at VWE! Just look at EarthSiege!) >In any even, I do hope you still enjoy the game. > >Tim. I do, and I thank you and the others for your efforts, and especially for your time on the newsgroups. I hope you won't disappear _entirely_ in the next couple of weeks. ______________________________________________________________________________ Will Day OIT, Georgia Tech, Atlanta 30332-0715 willday@rom.oit.gatech.edu http://rom.oit.gatech.edu/~willday/ =-> Opinions expressed are mine alone and do not reflect OIT policy <-= Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Assembly, Nov. 11, 1755