Posted by: gbeer
Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 24/02/2004 21:00
You ever use one of those 6DOF space ball type controllers in your shoot-em-ups?
Know anyone who's makes use of one?
Know anyone who's makes use of one?
Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question.
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 24/02/2004 21:44
I actually met the SpaceBall people several years ago in New York at the "M3" lan party. This was back when KillCreek was among the endorsers, and she was still seeing one of the guys from Ritual, before she hooked up with John Romero and got the boob job and did the Playboy shoot. Nice gal. But I digress...
Anyhoo, the only time I ever played with one of the spaceball units was when she let me try out her controller. My impression at the time was that there wasn't enough "snap" speed to them when I needed to do a 180. With a mouse, I can go from north to south in a single frame. I wasn't able to do that with the spaceball. So I elected not to pursue buying one.
Now, that was several years ago. It's possible that they've improved them now so that the feel is better. I haven't tried one in years. And I remember thinking at the time, "if I were a big-time Descent player, this controller would be indespensible." Alas, I was a Quake player and had no use for it.
Anyhoo, the only time I ever played with one of the spaceball units was when she let me try out her controller. My impression at the time was that there wasn't enough "snap" speed to them when I needed to do a 180. With a mouse, I can go from north to south in a single frame. I wasn't able to do that with the spaceball. So I elected not to pursue buying one.
Now, that was several years ago. It's possible that they've improved them now so that the feel is better. I haven't tried one in years. And I remember thinking at the time, "if I were a big-time Descent player, this controller would be indespensible." Alas, I was a Quake player and had no use for it.
Posted by: TigerJimmy
Re: Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 24/02/2004 22:23
I used one for a while for 3D engineering modelling. They're nice, but they were very expensive at the time and I didn't think they were worth it. I can't imagine aiming in a FPS with one of them. The one I used was quite slow.
FWIW,
Jim
FWIW,
Jim
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 24/02/2004 22:37
The ones they made for gaming were quite fast, just not as fast as a mouse when doing a 180. 
Posted by: wfaulk
Re: Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 25/02/2004 09:27
the only time I ever played with one of the spaceball units was when she let me try out her controller
Or maybe something along the lines of "was she happy with the size of your Schwartz?''
Posted by: mvigneau
Re: Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 25/02/2004 11:24
Actually I got one free when I purchased Descent. Never really got into the game but still a good freebie!!
Haven't used it since. It is called SpaceOrb I think. I dropped behind my 300 pound rolltop desk and will eventually get it when I move in a month or 2.
Haven't used it since. It is called SpaceOrb I think. I dropped behind my 300 pound rolltop desk and will eventually get it when I move in a month or 2.
Posted by: gbeer
Re: Hey Tony Fabris... a gaming question. - 29/02/2004 13:38
Actually the Orb's were a very inexpensively built version of the Spaceball. They don't compare well at all.
Ok, I can see the point about not being able to flip 180. Even if the ball was setup with exponential rates and hi sensitivity, there'd be a problem with precisly stopping the turn.
Ok, I can see the point about not being able to flip 180. Even if the ball was setup with exponential rates and hi sensitivity, there'd be a problem with precisly stopping the turn.