PC Trackball instead of a real one

[Richardgregory]

Ok, I don't think I necessary want a dedicated Trackball on the CP, but for the occassional play of a game like Centipede per se, is it possible to configure a wireless PC Trackball with the game?  I"m not sure how and what special configurations are needed to have the PC trackball work with trackball games.

Anyone?

[PL1]

For MAME input purposes, a PC trackball = a mouse = an arcade trackball.

You may need to enable mouse input in mame.ini and adjust the sensitivity based on the resolution of the trackball, but nothing else special AFAIK.


Scott

[UFO]

I've often thought about this, but the only problems I have foreseen are:

a) there would none of that "run on" like when you spin it and let go and it carries on - for example in bowling or golf games...
b) never seen one that I could hack for use in a CP...

I'd be interested to hear is anyone has found one suitable...

[paigeoliver]

The Compusa Crystal Trackball used to be suitable for hacking, but Compusa and their serial trackballs are both long gone.

The "run on" has little actual use in any games, including the Golf and Bowling ones, your swing speed is already established when that hand comes off the trackball. Also the amount of run on varies wildly from one arcade trackball model to the next. The Wico/Imperial trackballs barely even do it at all while the happ ones do it a lot.

Your main problem is that a decent PC trackball costs as much as the cheap arcade trackballs that some of the vendors sell and those are better for gaming, so you might as well get that.

[UFO]

The "run on" has little actual use in any games, including the Golf and Bowling ones, your swing speed is already established when that hand comes off the trackball.

I never knew that!