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another newbie needs controller setup advice.
paigeoliver:
Trackball buttons on the right are incorrect. Anyone doing that has no idea what they are doing. It would be like putting the turn signals in a car on the right side, THEY DON'T go there.
Most people are right handed, right handed people use their right hand to control fine control things such as mice, trackballs, guns, etc. The average left handed person is also fairly competent with doing things with their off hand due to the fact that we live in a right handed world.
Now if you are right handed you can try this experiment yourself. Go ahead and start using your mouse with your left hand. Now try to play Quake that way.
When you put the buttons on the right side of the trackball you force that majority of the population into a fine control with a hand that isn't trained to fine control situation.
A trackball isn't the same as an 8 or 4 way joysticks. Those are crude, you just point them in the general direction you want and you are using your whole hand. The buttons are the more difficult to control item there, which is why joysticks go on the left and buttons go on the right. With trackballs it is the other way around because a trackball requires more precise control than buttons do.
LeedsFan:
--- Quote from: paigeoliver on November 01, 2004, 02:27:03 am ---Trackball buttons on the right are incorrect. Anyone doing that has no idea what they are doing. It would be like putting the turn signals in a car on the right side, THEY DON'T go there.
Most people are right handed, right handed people use their right hand to control fine control things such as mice, trackballs, guns, etc. The average left handed person is also fairly competent with doing things with their off hand due to the fact that we live in a right handed world.
Now if you are right handed you can try this experiment yourself. Go ahead and start using your mouse with your left hand. Now try to play Quake that way.
When you put the buttons on the right side of the trackball you force that majority of the population into a fine control with a hand that isn't trained to fine control situation.
A trackball isn't the same as an 8 or 4 way joysticks. Those are crude, you just point them in the general direction you want and you are using your whole hand. The buttons are the more difficult to control item there, which is why joysticks go on the left and buttons go on the right. With trackballs it is the other way around because a trackball requires more precise control than buttons do.
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure I agree with this.... but I may just wire up two buttons on P1 side as well just in case. What about a spinner then? Would you use this with your right hand?
By the way... I'm left handed for writing but right footed for kicking. I play pool left handed, but throw a dart right handed.
I haven't actually played a trackball game properly yet. But just rolling the ball seems more comfortable with the left hand. Wiring in two extra buttons on P1 side is not exactly difficult though, is it?
paigeoliver:
You are left handed, so there is no way you are going to be able to really grasp the GIANT difference in manual dexterity right handed people have between their two hands. Yes, trackball in left hand will feel more natural to a lefty, but a lefty can deal with off hand stuff a whole lot easier than a righty can.
Since everything is designed for right handed people you will find that the left handed people are much more trained in their off hand. You yourself say you kick with your right foot and throw darts with your right hand. Better not ever give a rightie a dart in his left hand, he would be lucky to hit the wall, much less the dart board. We don't really use our left hands for anything other than as a supporting hand.
Or I could be wrong, along with every arcade game designer ever, since pretty much NO trackball games were ever released that placed the only buttons on the right.
pointdablame:
As a righty, I have to agree with Paige... there isn't really a need for that button to the right of the trackball.
My girlfriend is left-handed and plays sports right handed, and just overall can do things pretty well with either hand. Me on the other hand, my left hand is damn near useless for precise work. If you ever see me, don't give me a dart in my left hand or I'll have to prove that Paige is right :)
Minwah:
I have mixed feelings about this 'trackball side' issue. Paige is ovbiously right in terms of how real arcade machines are layed out...
For a mixture of reasons I have ended up with the trackball more or less in the middle of my panel, but the buttons are to the right. Now while I am right-handed and as a rule *totally useless* with my left hand, I am more than comfortable using the trackball (& spinner) with my left hand. The exception are golf / bowling / horseshoes games where I use my right hand (buttons don't really need to be used at the same time as the ball).
So I am not saying it is 'correct' to have buttons to the right of the trackball, but it may not be 'incorrect' :)
I do find it interesting that joysticks are usually to the left of buttons - I agree that a joystick is not as complex to operate as say a trackball, but it is certainly more difficult than pressing a button...so on that basis buttons should be to the left of joysticks...in practice I find stick in left hand is easiest tho.