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Win Xp to Win 98 Problem
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on July 14, 2002, 12:08:28 pm ---Yeah the datastreams thing is a bit annoying. It's actually a security measure to make sure your machine doesn't have any shoddy components connected to it.
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Yeah, I know. But it's more for professionally built business hardware with proper drivers (the NT roots). XP is improving at gaming as more drivers are written, still has a little way to go before matching 98se. Especially crashing, 98 & Me are way better at crashing. ;)
--- Quote ---(In other words professionally built hardware with proper drivers only.) Unfortunately in this hobby almost everything we connect is shoddy for normal computing standards as we've hacked it. As for the mouse issue I still think the solution is to write drivers for a mouse that makes it a windows joystick.
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LOL. These sentences don't flow together very well. ;D
But I agree it looks like the only way, ATM.
--- Quote ---It's unfortunate that I don't have the skillz to write windows device drivers or I would have done this already.
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You and me both; if I could, I would. [sigh]
Howard_Casto:
Yeah that really stinks. If any talented programmers or technicians are listening we need one of two things from you.
Either:
A device drivers that turn any interface device into a joystick.
or:
A usb piece of hardware that is a analog joystick from windows's perspective, but uses mice optics to get the stick's values.
btw sorry for getting so far off topic, but that's what I'm here for. ;)
tom61:
If you could find 360 degree potentiometers (POTs) and turn them with a trackball or a spinner (sorta like how the old MS mice worked), then hack them to a Joystick (either an old analog one, or a Sidewinder Dual Strike).
This would probably require a special version of mame, but that shouldn't be too hard (just need to hack it to see going directly from max value to zero as a continuous movement).
Howard_Casto:
That's a great idea. Actually I though about that one and I was concerned about the added friction. Optic wheels move very freely on their rollers and I don't know how well a pot would spin. As for the mame hack, it would be a VERY simple one. Poll the value normally, but store the last value in a variable. If it jumps from the max value to 0 in one move then its moving right and it's moving left if the opposite occurs.
The hardware thing might be better though, although it would definately cost more and be harder to pull off. Instead of directly changing the values sent via pots, the value to be sent would be stored in an eprom chip. Traditional mouse circuitry would be used to determine the direction and rate of spin. Those values would be examined by some mystery circuit and then translated to analog values. When the tb is rapidly spinning in one direction, the circuit would simply "hold the stick" all the way in that direction until the spinning slows down and the stick would gradually center itself. A great deal of work I know, but it would make for a very authentic feel.