Trackballs and Spinners without mice

[MajorLag]

I'm doing research for my future MAME cab and I wanted to include 3 trackballs and at least 4 spinners (trackballs aren't built into the panel, they're addon). It seems that the only way to have that many trackballs/spinners is to install special software to allow for more then one mouse, and only MAME Analog+ recognizes these extra mice anyway.

I was thinking, MAME has digital inputs for the trackball/spinner controls that move a set amount when a button is pressed. Would it be possible to rig a trackball/spinner to use these inputs directly, without encoding a mouse-compatable signal? Basically juse send the button press whenever a gap is encountered on the wheel, or something?

[IntruderAlert]

I suppose you could use a couple of these
http://www.ultimarc.com/optipac1.html



or maybe just one + a mouse hack

Features:

    * USB Mode: One USB cable handles up to two trackballs and 4 spinners/rotary joysticks.
    * Serial mode: Two independent serial port inputs to accomodate two trackballs and 4 spinners/rotary joysticks.

[MajorLag]

I was just looking at those. And while it looks like a great product, the trackballs and spinners still act as mice. In fact, if you read the features list, it specifically states "Also works in two player mode (two USB mouse devices) using MAME ANALOG+". The faq says that the serial one will work in the official MAME, but it only supports 2 trackballs, and I was really hoping for 3.   

[JB]

I was thinking, MAME has digital inputs for the trackball/spinner controls that move a set amount when a button is pressed. Would it be possible to rig a trackball/spinner to use these inputs directly, without encoding a mouse-compatable signal? Basically juse send the button press whenever a gap is encountered on the wheel, or something?

You'd lose the entire point of using trackball/spinners. May as well just stick joysticks in.

[MajorLag]

I was thinking, MAME has digital inputs for the trackball/spinner controls that move a set amount when a button is pressed. Would it be possible to rig a trackball/spinner to use these inputs directly, without encoding a mouse-compatable signal? Basically juse send the button press whenever a gap is encountered on the wheel, or something?

You'd lose the entire point of using trackball/spinners. May as well just stick joysticks in.

You think so? I wasn't sure. I figured that if you spun the wheel, it'd by like hitting the button a bunch of times really quickly, so it'd be faster then spinning the wheel slowly, and would feel about right with th right settings.

I suppose I'll just have to live with 2 trackballs.

[JB]

I was thinking, MAME has digital inputs for the trackball/spinner controls that move a set amount when a button is pressed. Would it be possible to rig a trackball/spinner to use these inputs directly, without encoding a mouse-compatable signal? Basically juse send the button press whenever a gap is encountered on the wheel, or something?

You'd lose the entire point of using trackball/spinners. May as well just stick joysticks in.

You think so? I wasn't sure. I figured that if you spun the wheel, it'd by like hitting the button a bunch of times really quickly, so it'd be faster then spinning the wheel slowly, and would feel about right with th right settings.

I suppose I'll just have to live with 2 trackballs.

Hypothetically you COULD code a variant of MAME to use the keypresses as bits in a serial data stream instead of distinct control inputs, but no one has. And I seriously doubt the PC keyboard protocol is up to the task.

[markrvp]

Out of curiosity, what games use 3 trackballs simultaneously?

[MajorLag]

Out of curiosity, what games use 3 trackballs simultaneously?

Rampart.

[markrvp]

Rampart looks cool.  I've never played it.  Let us know how the cab is coming in Project Announcements.

[RayB]

There's a joystick version of Rampart.
(i think)

[JODY]

There's a joystick version of Rampart.
(i think)

Yes, but I find the trackball version much easier to control.

[Kremmit]

Ask U_Rebel_Scum about support for a 3rd mouse.

[IntruderAlert]

Why couldn't you use the optipac in serial mode and hook up a third trackball on the USB with a mouse hack?

[MajorLag]

Why couldn't you use the optipac in serial mode and hook up a third trackball on the USB with a mouse hack?

Because as far as I can tell that would require Analog+ and extra drivers, which I'd rather avoid.

[Tiger-Heli]

Pretty sure standard MAME (later build) under Win98 supports two mice in USB mode without Analog Plus.

Also pretty sure the Opti-Pac in serial mode reques DOS MAME and different drivers for the two trackballs.

Not sure why you seem to have a problem with two Opti-pacs in USB mode or one USB opti-pac and a USB mouse hack and running Analog Plus to get three trackballs.

It's a simple solution to your problem, and I don't think there's another way (well, you could mod the MAME source yourself to make it work and re-compile, but I don't see the point).

[IntruderAlert]

So you could just run everything  USB?
I wasn't sure
That sounds like the best solution to me too

[Tiger-Heli]

So you could just run everything  USB?
I wasn't sure
That sounds like the best solution to me too

At least with Analog Plus you can (up to eight mice, for that matter)

[MajorLag]

I just don't care for the idea of having to use a non-official MAME build. I suppose I'll have to though if I want 3 trackballs.

[Tiger-Heli]

I just don't care for the idea of having to use a non-official MAME build. I suppose I'll have to though if I want 3 trackballs.

I always say this and no-one listens to me (yes I meant the NBA guy, j/k)

Analog Plus isn't a bad build (if Urebel would update it, hint, hint . . .), but you don't have to run everything through it.

Run all your regular joystick/single trackball games through official MAME and then use Analog Plus for Rampart and CABAL and all the dual trackball stuff.  Use a frontend that supports multiple emulators from the commandline and you won't even notice that it's switching to a different MAME version.

[u_rebelscum]

Analog Plus isn't a bad build (if Urebel would update it, hint, hint . . .)

I know, I know.   But with Real Life (and all the new toys) ... slowly plugging away has been really slow. Sorry guys.

WIP