Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Timoe on May 01, 2005, 11:28:53 am
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Do you use the Track Ball with your left or right hand?
I would think if you're right handed you would want it on the right side of your CP for use with your right hand. Like your mouse.
But I look on the SlikStik site and all their CPs have the track ball on the left with the trackball buttons on the right.
What is the norm for a right handed person?
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Do you use the Track Ball with your left or right hand?
Yes.
Quite often I will even use BOTH at the same time.
I'm left-handed though, so I can't answer any of your other questions.
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I'd much rather use a trackball with my right hand a la Missile Command
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I learned to use the trackball with my right hand because of Centipede and Missile Command.
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Depends on where the buttons are. :P
Seriously, back in the day, when you walked up to the machine, you just used it the way it was mounted and never thought about it. Today, I find I don't care, probably because I had to be ambidexterous back then.
On the other hand (he he), back then, I used to prefer a right-handed joystick, until all the games standardized to left-handed joys. At first I hated it, but eventually had to get used to it, and now that seems normal.
So I guess what I'm saying is, if you don't know which way you prefer it, you probably will get used to it however you mount it with no problem. So, just mount it the way it looks prettiest, and learn to play it that way.
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I equate the trackball to the mouse, so for me It is important to have the trackball on the right and the buttons on the left.
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Right.
Cant even think of a game where I used it w/the left hand.
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I bought a SlikStik panel and had them reverse the trackball and buttons (trackball on right side). I love this setup, wouldn't want it any other way.
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My trackball will have 3 buttons in the "missile command" a few inches above the trackball. They'll be perfectly usable for gameplay, but they'll be more for when I need to navigate Windows rather than getting in a good game of Missile Command. For that I'll probably prefer to use the player 1 buttons. I suppose a leftie would feel more at home using the player 2 buttons though. The mouse buttons will be there more for administrative purposes than gameplay (even though they can be used).
So in short, as long as you've got a set of 3 buttons on both sides of the trackball, the ball can be used with either hand. Being right handed, my default preference is to use my right hand. If you're left handed, you may feel more comfortable using your left hand. It probably won't make much difference in games like centipede and missile command, but if you're playing Golden Tee Golf or World Class Bowling, you're gonna really want your pitcher's arm! :)
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In general you want the more difficult control to in your right hand (for righties, less important for lefties because they tend to have a lot more dexterity in their off hand than righties do, comes from a lifetime of living in a right handed world).
So that means Analog sticks, trackballs and spinners go on the right. They require fine control.
8-Way sticks don't require fine control, the buttons are usually more of the fine control item with them, so they go on the left.
Many 4-way games only use one button (and often require more exact movement than 8-way games), thus sticking the 4-way stick into the realm of the "fine control" area, which is why many people (myself included) do 4-way on right, or are ambidextrous with 4-way games.
A lot of right handed people simply cannot handle a trackball in their left hand properly, especially righties who use a trackball on their computer (like me). You also get into problems with right handed people trying to play custom lefty Streetfighter layouts. I can play a 2 button game on a lefty layout with no problems, but I would be useless trying to play a 6 button game on a reverse layout.
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I agree with Paige - except - as a Lefty, I prefer to use my left hand for fine control track ball games (Centipede, Missile Command). But for games where I wanted maximum spin and distance (bowling, golf), my right hand would feel more natural. Just my preferences, though.
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I'm a righty, and I usually use my right hand. There are times when I prefer my left or both equally, though:
Marble Madness I use both equally.
If I need to roll the TP left or down-left very quickly (and, if used, the CP has buttons on both sides), I roll better with my left. So I'll often switch on the fly to my left if I think I'll be going left or down-left for a while. FWIW, I can do up-left equally well with either hand, so which hand I use for this direction depends on what direction I'm rolling before.
So my CPs I built have buttons on both sides if I have the space, and buttons left TB right when I don't.
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Hey Timstuff, can you reply with the dimensions of your control panel? I really like the way you have laid it out. Also, why 8 buttons per joy vs the standard 7?
Thanks,
specfire
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I use my left hand when playing with my ball.
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I have some buttons above my trackball like that and I can tell you, you will not want to use those for missle command! I have tried and they just don't feel right. They do work well though for moving around windows (if they are setup for mouse clicks), just move them closer to the TB.
I always use my right hand, never my left.
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I use my left hand when playing with my ball.
LOL :laugh:
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I have some buttons above my trackball like that and I can tell you, you will not want to use those for missle command! I have tried and they just don't feel right. They do work well though for moving around windows (if they are setup for mouse clicks), just move them closer to the TB.
I always use my right hand, never my left.
Yeah, they're more or less there just for windows. They'll be wired to my mouse hack. For actual gaming though, people will probably want to use the player 1 or 2 buttons.
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Tims, I have 3 buttons above the Trackball so I can use them for Missile Command and others. Plus I use my trackball as a mouse. You'll be surprised how comfortable having 3 buttons above the trackball is...
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I use my left hand when playing with my ball.
Tommy, you only have one ball?
Doh! Must...resist...urge...to...be...a...smarta@@
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I'm left handed........
I prefer using my left hand, but living in a right handed world I can use either..........
lefties have rights too..........
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Why do people insist on adding extra buttons just for the mouse? It is pointless. You can use 2 or 3 of the player 1 / player 2 buttons for this purpose.
Wade
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You should use your most dextrous hand: (if right-handed, use your right. If left-handed use your left.
The reason that it's reversed for joystick games (usually) is that you need your dextrous hand to press buttons quicker.
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My trackball's in the center 'cause I'm right handed and my wife is left handed.