Analog controls in Puzzle Bobble 2/3/4?

[Martoon]

In MAME, Puzzle Bobble 2, 3 and 4 all show as "yes" for trackball support, and have in-game settings for analog control, and in Mame32 Plus, they're listed in the DIAL control category.  I have "Enable mouse input" checked in the game properties.  In the game, the bubble shooter is controlled only by the directional input (mouse has no effect).  I looked in the Service menu, and there's settings for a number of different things, but nothing related to input.  Am I missing something?

Thanks!

[u_rebelscum]

Old "bug".  It's using a driver-wide generic input list that includes a trackball, even though the game doesn't.  

The driver should be changed, but I suggest waiting until inputs are settled down a bit before submitting anything.  

HowardC, did you try fixing this one but it didn't get added?

[Martoon]

Ahh, thanks.  I was afraid it might be something like that (since I've seen phantom inputs in a lot of other games).  I was hoping maybe there had been some variants on the Puzzle Bobble hardware with a spinner.

[Howard_Casto]

Old "bug".  It's using a driver-wide generic input list that includes a trackball, even though the game doesn't.  

The driver should be changed, but I suggest waiting until inputs are settled down a bit before submitting anything.  

HowardC, did you try fixing this one but it didn't get added?

Yeah... the last two batchs of fixes that I did a few months back didn't get accepted at all.  In all honesty I think they just got lost in the shuffle. And where I always have so much stuff on my plate I rarely get to checkup on stuff like that.   I do keep a record of all the changes I do though.  If anyone would like to go over the offending games after .85 is released (tons of input related changes now)  I can send them the list.  It's about 35 games or so and due to the new input ports they would probably have to all be re-done.  

Btw, you would be surpised how common a problem this is, especially on older systems (like mid-80's).  The dipswitches are the same on a series of games and since the input scheme is generally stored in the same macro they just copy it for all 12 games if the controls are "close" enough.  This usually means 8way input for 4way games and extra buttons, but sometimes it can be severe like having trackballs and lightguns that aren't there.  

[Minwah]

Btw, you would be surpised how common a problem this is, especially on older systems (like mid-80's).  The dipswitches are the same on a series of games and since the input scheme is generally stored in the same macro they just copy it for all 12 games if the controls are "close" enough.  This usually means 8way input for 4way games and extra buttons, but sometimes it can be severe like having trackballs and lightguns that aren't there.  

Yeah I've noticed this.  What I find annoying is when the input type is listed as say trackball, but the game has no analog inputs at all - PITA...

[jerryjanis]

Yeah, I tried cleaning up the driver and submitting it as a fix a while back, but it was never accepted either.