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[wwm0nkey]

I know Valve's Steam controller is aiming at making mouse like movement on a controller possible, but whatever happened to trackball controllers?

I know some people used trackballs on the side of their mouse for aiming but the concept seemed like it could have been applied to controllers easily. Then a few years back I saw that some people attempted this.

and it seemed to work pretty damn well but sadly it looks like there wasn't enough interest in the controller and the project is now gone.

Now I've seen some comments from people on how the Steam controller feels weird and I'm wondering why they didn't just go the route of a trackball instead of a trackpad. So why did this type of controller never catch on?

 

[Anion]

It looks like the analog stick, but without the flat part on top
I wonder how it would feel tbh. But I don't think I have long enough thumbs to rotate that ball

 

[Abounder]

Seems like it would add too much weight and cost; and the trackball would be spinning too much if the controller isn't sitting on a flat surface.

 

[Wreck-It Ralph]

Because no controller ever made it standard.

It looks like the trigger, but without the flat part on top

How on Earth does it look like a trigger?

 

[The Cowboy]

After getting used to using a trackball for gaming on the sofa (a Logitech M570), i really wanted to try this thing.

http://revolvecontroller.com/about.php

BF3 with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MvgUzi0GTI&t=15

Sadly it never got enough funding to be produced :-(

 

[Anion]

How on Earth does it look like a trigger?

Look at the trigger carefully and you will see it is pretty close...
It's just more limiting

 

[BigDug13]

In order for something to become standard on a controller, a game has to truly showcase its greatness. The analog stick became the industry standard because of how brilliant it was at controlling Mario on the N64.

 

[flaxknuckles]

Now I've seen some comments from people on how the Steam controller feels weird and I'm wondering why they didn't just go the route of a trackball instead of a trackpad. So why did this type of controller never catch on?

But the Steam controller can emulate a trackball and more. Why would they limit themselves?

 

[wwm0nkey]

But the Steam controller can emulate a trackball and more. Why would they limit themselves?

Don't see how a trackpad emulates the feel of a trackball? idk I still need to try the steam controller but the idea of a trackball appeals to me more than a trackpad because I hate using trackpads to aim on my laptop

 

[Jon of the Wired]

They started out with a trackball, but found it impractical. There's a talk about it somewhere, but I can't remember where.

 

[ashecitism]

Now I've seen some comments from people on how the Steam controller feels weird and I'm wondering why they didn't just go the route of a trackball instead of a trackpad. So why did this type of controller never catch on?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfN5WK7OzU8#t=3m20s

 

[SystemUser]

But the Steam controller can emulate a trackball and more. Why would they limit themselves?

Don't see how a trackpad emulates the feel of a trackball? idk I still need to try the steam controller but the idea of a trackball appeals to me more than a trackpad because I hate using trackpads to aim on my laptop

People claim that the dual linear resonant actuators with "HD haptic feedback" can mimic the tactile feel of a trackball, but I haven't gotten to try it yet.

After getting used to using a trackball for gaming on the sofa (a Logitech M570), i really wanted to try this thing.

http://revolvecontroller.com/about.php

BF3 with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MvgUzi0GTI&t=15

Sadly it never got enough funding to be produced :-(

That thing needs a kickstarter. I don't know how well it would work on console without real support, but it seems like it would be great for a lot of PC games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfN5WK7OzU8#t=3m20s

I will give them the cleaning. The M570 trackball is easy to pop out and easy to clean, but I have to clean it weekly (if not more often). I am a fairly clean user. People that eat while gaming might ruin their trackball very easily and even if they don't ruin it the cleaning would be constant. The size of the trackball they picked seems too big. I like the M570 and can use it without fatigue for longer than a thumbstick or a mouse. I seriously doubt that the trackball hardware costs less than the trackpad and haptics combined. The required maintenance of a trackball is why it will never be on the standard controller for a console.

 

[Paratek]

This type of controller will never return to the center position, so you'd probably have to keep doing micro-adjustments to keep your view correct

 

[Boombox On]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfN5WK7OzU8#t=3m20s

Beat me to it. Thread ends here.

 

[SystemUser]

This type of controller will never return to the center position, so you'd probably have to keep doing micro-adjustments to keep your view correct

Have you never used a trackball? My Logitech M570 is dead when I take my thumb off. Trackballs are always at center position.

 

[purdobol]

This type of controller will never return to the center position, so you'd probably have to keep doing micro-adjustments to keep your view correct

^This.
Basicaly limitted use. Just like Joystick, Wheel etc. Controller has to be universal for all kind of games. It doesnt mean it's the best way to play but at least it's universal. I can't imagine playing Centipede without trackball for example but I also can't imagine playing banjo kazooie using the trackball either

Arcade sticks on the other hand... propably they cost too much for mass production.

 

[Coffee Dog]

Analog sticks are easier, which is basically the only reason they took off in the first place.

Trackballs require a lot of spinning and rotating, something that most people find too much work (see: Kid Icarus). Holding a direction for a bit is waaaaay easier, despite its inaccuracy.

 

[Meffer]

Trackballs wear down and wouldn't work overtime.

 

[wwm0nkey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfN5WK7OzU8#t=3m20s

Thanks for this video actually, didn't know they started out with trackballs at first and then moved to the pad but not until they tested it to where it was better than the trackpad

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Look at the trigger carefully and you will see it is pretty close...
It's just more limiting

Ok.................what 'trigger' are you talking about?

 

[SystemUser]

It looks like the trigger, but without the flat part on top
I wonder how it would feel tbh. But I don't think I have long enough thumbs to rotate that ball

Okay first post doesn't always win. What does this mean?

 

[Nzyme32]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfN5WK7OzU8#t=3m20s

Yeah that's what I was gonna point people to. Hoping the trackpads idea of the Steam Controller lives up to my expectations

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

I tried them and they felt awkward to use. But I have really big hands and bulky fingers so it might work for somebody else.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

Ok.................what 'trigger' are you talking about?

I think he must mean "analog stick." Like if you took the stick part off of the stick, there's a spherical thing underneath, but it doesn't have the unlimited movement of a trackball so I still have no idea what he's trying to say.

 

[Tigress]

I know Valve's Steam controller is aiming at making mouse like movement on a controller possible, but whatever happened to trackball controllers?

I know some people used trackballs on the side of their mouse for aiming but the concept seemed like it could have been applied to controllers easily. Then a few years back I saw that some people attempted this.



and it seemed to work pretty damn well but sadly it looks like there wasn't enough interest in the controller and the project is now gone.

Now I've seen some comments from people on how the Steam controller feels weird and I'm wondering why they didn't just go the route of a trackball instead of a trackpad. So why did this type of controller never catch on?

Trackballs are fine for computers where people can choose not to use them. But some of is absolutely hate trackballs and find them hard to use for precision even when we aren't playing a game and don't need to make quick, precise movements.

I've never had a controller be a deal killer in a console but if some one did that it might be a first for me.

 

[laxu]

For controlling the viewport I think the Steam controller might be the first gamepad to do it right. I always felt that on the PC the mouse acts essentially as having an arrow (or vector if you will) pointing towards what you are looking at and the mouse controls the tip of that stick. Imagine it as an arrow sticking out from between the eyes of your player character By comparison using a gamepad the analog stick is the arrow and it feels like it is in the back of the head of your character so at least for me it never feels natural to control the viewport with that. I imagine the trackball would have a very similar feel just without returning to center. Does this make any sense to you?

I never felt trackballs were particularly accurate to use as it was very easy to go too far.

 

[SystemUser]

I think he must mean "analog stick." Like if you took the stick part off of the stick, there's a spherical thing underneath, but it doesn't have the unlimited movement of a trackball so I still have no idea what he's trying to say.

Okay. It makes sense now. He accidentally called the thumbstick trigger instead and doesn't know what a trackball is.

 

[Anion]

Ok.................what 'trigger' are you talking about?

Okay first post doesn't always win. What does this mean?

LOL, wow I meant analog stick. I'm not sure why I typed trigger...

 

[DeaviL]

Usually heavy, lack the R3 function and lack the customizability of the touchpads.

 

[Malreyn]

I had this thing as a kid for the NES....

it wasn't actually a "trackball", all it could do was force the "sides of the orb" into 4 directions and if you wanted to go diagonal, you had to force the orb to put pressure on both directional sensors which was much harder to do with a "sphere"

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Because trackballs are terrible. Nobody wanna play with that bullshit.

 

[Alex Connolly]

The glory of Outtrigger arcade.

 

[Arkaerial]

I use a trackball for games like Diablo, rts, 3rd person, puzzle games. The only reason I use a mouse is for FPS type games.

I use the CST 2545-5w (L-Trac) at my desk.

I use the M570 wireless trackball when playing on my TV.

 

[Chezzymann]

I'd imagine they're pretty bad for platformers which was the main 3D game in the 5th generation

 

[Cytezan]

Because trackballs are terrible. Nobody wanna play with that bullshit.

.

I can't even see why you would prefer to use one over an analog stick. Am I missing something here?

 

[wwm0nkey]

.

I can't even see why you would prefer to use one over an analog stick. Am I missing something here?

Much more accurate aiming for shooters. Would get rid of the need for aim assist in FPS titles.

 

[User 479360]

Because trackballs are terrible. Nobody wanna play with that bullshit.

.

I can't even see why you would prefer to use one over an analog stick. Am I missing something here?

Agreed. They never did much for me.

 

[nynt9]

.

I can't even see why you would prefer to use one over an analog stick. Am I missing something here?

Trackballs provide positional aiming. Analogs provide acceleration-based aiming. Trackballs are way more accurate than analogs. I've come up top on Titanfall leaderboards on PC using a trackball.

 

[SpiceMelange]

.

I can't even see why you would prefer to use one over an analog stick. Am I missing something here?

absolute positioning like a mouse, for starter?

 

[I'm new be nice]

Because you actually have to clean them to keep them working. Have you seen some peoples controllers?

 

[wwm0nkey]

Because you actually have to clean them to keep them working. Have you seen some peoples controllers?

I never minded doing controller clean up. I always clean my keyboard, mouse and controllers every month. I mean it's not like they ever look like this.

 

[User 479360]

People comment on how my controllers seem new, even after months of use. I shower/wash my hands before gaming, don't eat or drink while doing so and clean the controllers with alcohol wipes.

 

[wwm0nkey]

People comment on how my controllers seem new, even after months of use. I shower/wash my hands before gaming, don't eat or drink while doing so and clean the controllers with alcohol wipes.

As it should be done lol

 

[User 479360]

As it should be done lol

Agreed. But I'm part crazy, so I use one towel per time I wash my hands before gaming, and use that to open the doors leading to my gaming room.

When I returned a six month old controller to a store I knew the manager of, because it was defective, the employee said it hardly looked used.

 

[MrCunningham]

After getting used to using a trackball for gaming on the sofa (a Logitech M570), i really wanted to try this thing.

http://revolvecontroller.com/about.php

BF3 with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MvgUzi0GTI&t=15

Sadly it never got enough funding to be produced :-(

I'm not really seeing the benefit here. Still looks like a huge downgrade from a keyboard and mouse and not much of an improvement from a dual analogue controller.

I'm not suggesting that a trackball on a gamepad is a bad idea. But for a game like this, it still looks to finicky.

 

[wwm0nkey]

I'm not really seeing the benefit here. Still looks like a huge downgrade from a keyboard and mouse and not much of an improvement from a dual analogue controller.

Didn't really like the BF3 video, the one in the OP I feel does a better job

 

[MrCunningham]

Didn't really like the BF3 video, the one in the OP I feel does a better job

Not sure how I missed the one in the OP. Yeah that does look quite a bit better. I think it has something to do with the smaller sized trackball. But that second vieo looks terrible, you can see the camera kind of spaz out at 17 seconds in when the player tries to look in different directions.

 

[baphomet]

Agreed. But I'm part crazy, so I use one towel per time I wash my hands before gaming, and use that to open the doors leading to my gaming room.

When I returned a six month old controller to a store I knew the manager of, because it was defective, the employee said it hardly looked used.

And my controllers still look brand new without having to do any of the ocd stuff. Some people just know how to take care of their shit.

 

[Inuhanyou]

because they are ungodly abominations that beg for apocalypse

 

[itwasTuesday]

A 3rd party wouldn't be able to pull this off. The difference in speed and fidelity between a emulated thumbstick with trackball movement, and an actually trackball or mouse is to great. That type of control would always have to be implemented in the system.