trackball or mouse?

[erwin1978]

Until last night I had a working serial trackball. I had a spare ps/2 mouse that I thought I could convert to a trackball. Basically I wanted a ps/2 trackball. Stayed up until 5AM soldering the pieces together and eventually came out with two trashed mouse and trackball. For a split second I thought the mouse on screen moved, but it wasn't to be.

Now I'm planning on getting a new trackball if possible, but ones designed for gaming are hard to find. I want one of those rectangular-shaped ones; the pro look.

Which input device do you use for gaming or other computer related activities? I see Microsoft has a new mouse, capable of 6000 captures/s, and then there's Logitech's dual optical; both are close to $50.

 

[sohcrates]

wow, you can seriously use a trackball for gaming?

*once* i met someone who did that...it was incredible...he was actually pretty decent too

but the truth is that i'd say well over 90% of gamers use a regular mouse.

sometimes, people have both. just sit the trackball aside when gaming, and use it when surfing, etc..

 

[erwin1978]

I've had this trackball for about a year. The design is perfect for my fps games(UT and Q3). I've tried going back to mouse but my precision was thrown off. In UT, when faced with a shock- rifle one-on-one, you have to keep the mouse steady when performing the 2nd-mode shock-rifle shot; with a trackball I can lift my fingers off the ball while pressing the buttons, but with a mouse you can easily move it when tapping at the bottons and you end up receiving a shock blast for your clumsiness.

I also like the fact that my entire hand does not have to move; just my fingers.

 

[Zim Hosein]

erwin1978, I have always used a mouse instead of a trackball, just my personal preference. I've tired the two trackballs you mention and have to say that if I was forced to re-learn cursor movement, I'd go w/ the MS one, seemed more comfortable to me, but then again, personaly preference. WOW, that was one long run-on sentence

 

[Bahelion]

Personally, I like standard mice, the trackball takes more skill than I have. I play quake II and III, heavy gear II and mech warrior II and III. I guess it boils down to preference and skill.

 

[Dewey]

I tried a trackball and hated it. It just wasn't comfortable for me and I wasn't able to operate the ball smoothly.

 

[HeSaidWhat]

I use this on all my machines and I love it. I am pretty decent in FPS games with it too.