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trackballs?

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vidmouse:
I started building my first cab this year around March (well, started gathering
parts around Jan-Feb but didn 't build until March).  Originally I wanted to do
a 4-player cabinet with no trackball, but after reading The Book and interacting
w a lot of helpful friendly people on the forums, and finding a decent trackball
on Ebay, I decided to buy one.

And then promptly didn't do anything with it for 3 months.  In the meantime,
I got my cab built, prototyped a 2-player, 2-joystick cab with no trackball,
and had fun.

Then I finally got a free day to finish woodworking on my final control panel
with 2 players and the trackball-install I designed, but didn't have the
computer interface yet.  Again, looked cool but not functional.

Then this month I finally got the time to mouse-hack the trackball and
make it function as my computer mouse -- and omg I will never go back.
It's only been a few weeks but  there's been a 4x improvement in the
"fun" of the cab... been having a blast just playing Missile Command,
Centipede, and even "spinner" games using the trackball.  Plus, I
switch between using MAME and playing pinball games on Visual Pinball,
so the trackball is handy b/c it acts as the computer's mouse. -- Much
better than trying to do it w/ the real mouse I was using in the pull-out
keyboard drawer I made for my cab.

Incidentally, I haven't given up on my 4 player design... just modified it
so that I will add players 3-4 as attachment "wings" to the control panel
when I have 3-4 players come over.

Wonkalow -- see my website for how I did my trackball install, it might
give you some ideas.  I was able to mount mine w/o a trackball
mounting plate (which probably isn't recommended by some but
I planned it out and wanted to see if I could do it) and I describe the
mouse-hack needed, albeit in less detail than the link I give on the
page.  It's not the first webpage in my site, you have to follow a link
to "Trackball" from the menu bar.

Good luck!  And feel free to PM w/ questions, you're not alone in
"first-time cabbing"!

f4phantomii:
I have my 2 player control panel and use two trackballs.

Either one functions as a 3-button mouse in winXP and they allow you to play a lot of the first person shooter games (without a lightgun), as well as spinner games and a lot of driving games (Super Sprint!).

You can also play the usual trackball games centipede, millipede, cabal, tempest, marble madness, etc.

I'd say they are a must for a mutli-game cab.  Here's my CP layout using two Happ rotary 8-way joysticks and two trackballs.  I've got to get around to adding the analog flight stick.  Both of my trackballs are X-arcade trackballs that function as regular USB or PS2 3-button mice.  I've been nothing but pleased with them.


RayB:

--- Quote from: Disturbed013 on July 28, 2007, 02:53:24 am ---Major Havoc with a trackball?  I always played that with a spinner, never saw one with a ball, interesting!  Did up/down actually do anything?
--- End quote ---
It is left/right only, but perfectly playable with a trackball. The version you saw with a spinner was the Tempest conversion. The original Major Havoc uses a left/right roller, so in practice, it's very similar to spinning a trackball left and right. For Kick Man, they used a left/right roller too, but it was round like a trackball.

Disturbed013:
Thanks RayB I have been wondering what was up with those reproduction rollers.  Now I really want one of those...

Zeno:
Don't forget...

ATAXX
RAMPART
ARKANOID
Etc.

Also... as noted before, you will be using the trackball as your mouse.  It just finishes the whole thing.  Do it right and get the damn trackball.

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