Author Topic: Ver 2.2 Firmware for UltraStik with mouse mode and other features (Read 5962 times)

AndyWarne · « **on:** February 03, 2007, 08:53:19 am »

Firmware 2.2 is now available. This implements the mouse-pointer feature and also saves maps to temp storage only, when command-line download is used (unless overridden by the /FLASH switch). I have bound it into the installer for UltraMap.
www.ultimarc.com/UltraMap_1_1_18.exe
Note that after upgrading firmware you must:
Go into Device Manager and right click-on the Game Controller and click "uninstall" (rebooting will not work)
Unplug and reconnect the device
Download a map to it.
UltraMap now contains a supplied map which invokes mouse pointer mode.
Also, for advanced users, you can now manually edit the map files to adjust the locations of the borders of the grid squares.

The mouse mode is implemented using a relative pointer where you nudge the cursor around using the joystick. I did experiment with absolute pointer, where the pointer location exactly follows the joystick location. There is one big drawback of absolute mode: it overrides your ordinary PC mouse so you can only use the joystick.
I am going to "park" absolute mouse mode for now. If anyone is interested in seeing what it does I have special firmware available.

destructor · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2007, 10:05:21 am »

Works OK.
Before instalation UltraMap remember about manually deleting UltraMap previous folder if uninstaller didn't it (if you install to the same folder new UltraMap). In my UltraMap folder were older firmware files and Windows uninstaller didn't deleted it automatically. UltraMap installer was stupid then and still reset PC because it say that UltraMap removed old drivers.

QuixoteQuest · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2007, 02:19:46 pm »

So does it upgrade the firmware at the same time it is installing the new UltraMap?

Does the former UltraMap need to be removed from the hard drive before installing? Any old drivers need to be cleaned out first?

fatfingers · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2007, 02:24:00 pm »

It asked me to uninstall the old UltraMap first.

It does not automatically install the new firmware. It does put the new firmware file on your disk, but you must manually choose to update to that version.

destructor · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2007, 03:58:11 am »

Kowal has problem with new 2.2 firmware. U360 is lost in Device Manager after a few seconds (works few seconds and next looks as disconnected).

rockin_rick · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2007, 01:07:10 pm »

Quote from: AndyWarne on February 03, 2007, 08:53:19 am

Also, for advanced users, you can now manually edit the map files to adjust the locations of the borders of the grid squares.

You slipped this comment in here, but I think that you should have emphasized this more. I think that this is a great feature!

I'm assuming that you can you adjust each column (or row) to have different sizes (like a spreadsheet)? IOW - make the first column on the left be (not necessairily useful values) x wide, make the next column be x/2 wide, make the next be x*2 wide? Or perhaps useful - you could then adjust the middle row and column widths to exactly set the deadband to just what you want using just the center grid position as center? (attached pic is what i mean) Perhaps this has some undesired side effects widening the cardinals, perhaps not...

Quote from: AndyWarne on February 03, 2007, 08:53:19 am

The mouse mode is implemented using a relative pointer where you nudge the cursor around using the joystick. I did experiment with absolute pointer, where the pointer location exactly follows the joystick location. There is one big drawback of absolute mode: it overrides your ordinary PC mouse so you can only use the joystick.
I am going to "park" absolute mouse mode for now. If anyone is interested in seeing what it does I have special firmware available.

(I don't yet have my u360's so this is untested by me...) I think that thumbstick mode is better. I think that it may also work OK as a temporary spinner alternative. (of course a spinner is better, but if you don't have one...) A light deflection is slow spinner movement, and more deflection is faster movement, correct? What is the conversion resolution of this mode? IOW, how many steps (different cursor speeds) are there from full left to full right?

Hey Andy, I noticed that the outputs of the u360 have a (not yet implemented) raw analog out. What are you plans/intentions for this?

Rick

AndyWarne · « **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2007, 11:53:49 am »

Des, Can you ask Kowal to email me as I have a fix for his problem.

Rick, yes that's correct it's rather like adjusting the sell widths in a spreadsheet but at the moment it is only possible by text editing. Maybe a future release will go this in the GUI.

The data sent is standard mouse data in 8-bit packets for compatibility.

The analog out is intended for an interface for connecting these joysticks to consoles but this is not in the design stage yet even.

Andy

Fozzy The Bear · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2007, 07:47:09 pm »

Quote from: AndyWarne on February 05, 2007, 11:53:49 am

The data sent is standard mouse data in 8-bit packets for compatibility.

The analog out is intended for an interface for connecting these joysticks to consoles but this is not in the design stage yet even.

Andy.. I need to ask, how good these sticks are at behaving like an analog flight stick, when used in a PC game.... for example as a flight stick for say Falcon 4 or Microsoft Flight Simulator?? will that work well??

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

AndyWarne · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2007, 04:11:18 am »

It will work fine. The feel is not quite the same though with slightly less travel and a lighter, smaller handle but perfectly playable.
Andy

JustMichael · « **Reply #9 on:** February 06, 2007, 04:39:24 am »

Any way to turn off mouse mode?

destructor · « **Reply #10 on:** February 06, 2007, 07:08:02 am »

Why you want turn off it?

rockin_rick · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2007, 12:15:11 pm »

It's my understanding that mouse mode is applied with a different map. You can then 'turn off mouse mode' by applying a 'normal' map. Correct?

Quote from: rockin_rick on February 04, 2007, 01:07:10 pm

(I don't yet have my u360's so this is untested by me...) I think that thumbstick mode is better. I think that it may also work OK as a temporary spinner alternative. (of course a spinner is better, but if you don't have one...) A light deflection is slow spinner movement, and more deflection is faster movement, correct? What is the conversion resolution of this mode? IOW, how many steps (different cursor speeds) are there from full left to full right?

Andy - unless you purposely sidestepped this question, perhaps you could address this? Is the stick position resolved down to a single bit for the movement distance resulting in a full 9 bits of mouse movement speeds or 'steps'? (8 bits of movement, along with the 1 sign bit sent in the first byte of the packet)? Perhaps this is not important if the stick works smoothly...

Thanks,
Rick

AndyWarne · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2007, 12:17:28 pm »

Rick,

Thats exactly right on both counts.

Andy

destructor · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2007, 02:30:33 am »

After some tests.

About 3 weeks ago I begin to play on Wonder Boy 3 and Double Dragon 3 using 2.2 firmaware, and sometimes my guy turn right or left without me. I don't touch joystick in direction where guy turn. I remap 8-way map, made bigger dead-zone, still the same.

I back to 1.7 firmware and all is OK.

Aurich · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2007, 11:23:54 am »

Hey, ya, I forgot to bring that up, I'm getting the occasional L or R signal too, but I noticed it because sometime Mala would randomly switch game lists (mapped to L and R).

AlexKidd · « **Reply #15 on:** March 09, 2007, 04:18:16 am »

I also switched back to the 1.7 firmware due to phantom right direction presses, even when the joystick was mapped to only up and down

Aurich · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2007, 11:15:52 am »

Talking with Andy about a fix, he's on it.

destructor · « **Reply #17 on:** April 12, 2007, 05:58:58 am »

Quote from: destructor on March 08, 2007, 02:30:33 am

After some tests.

About 3 weeks ago I begin to play on Wonder Boy 3 and Double Dragon 3 using 2.2 firmaware, and sometimes my guy turn right or left without me. I don't touch joystick in direction where guy turn. I remap 8-way map, made bigger dead-zone, still the same.

I have (and test) new firmware 2.3 from Andy about one month. Works fine, no bug from 2.2.

fatfingers · « **Reply #18 on:** April 12, 2007, 04:07:35 pm »

Quote from: destructor on April 12, 2007, 05:58:58 am

Quote from: destructor on March 08, 2007, 02:30:33 am
After some tests.

About 3 weeks ago I begin to play on Wonder Boy 3 and Double Dragon 3 using 2.2 firmaware, and sometimes my guy turn right or left without me. I don't touch joystick in direction where guy turn. I remap 8-way map, made bigger dead-zone, still the same.
I have (and test) new firmware 2.3 from Andy about one month. Works fine, no bug from 2.2.

Aurich · « **Reply #19 on:** April 12, 2007, 04:24:43 pm »

Ya, I can report that 2.3 fixed the bug for me too.

2600 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 12, 2007, 05:40:59 pm »

Any word when if it is going to be released to the general public?

destructor · « **Reply #21 on:** April 13, 2007, 03:52:31 am »

I think Andy will be not angry if I attach it here.


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