Support NeoGAF

[Joe]

left thumb = analog stick
right thumb = trackball

that would be sick.

 

[Grubdog]

It would be like DS controls with the dpad + touch screen, only worse.

 

[Joe]

??? it would be nothing like the ds.

 

[Joe]

fuck i should have patented it first.

 

[Tellaerin]

I've been suggesting a controller like that for a long, long time now. It'd be perfect for FPS games. Analog to move/strafe, and the trackball to aim and turn... I'd kill for one of those.

 

[MetatronM]

Trackballs are the worst input/control devices EVER.

 

[Brofist]

Interesting novelty as a secondary controller, not what I'd want packed in with the system.

 

[bjork]

Trackball was awesome for cheating on old C64 games. Like for Skate or Die, you had to move the joystick from left to right as fast as you possibly could in the High Jump event.

But with a trackball, you just rolled ball as hard as you could, and the guy would go off the screen.

 

[hobbitx]

I've suggested this dozens of times in many "next generation" threads, I'd really like it if the next generation of controllers add trackballs for more precise gunplay. FPS games are a huge part of console gaming now, if the next generation of consoles role around and they still don't come up with some new aiming innovation, I'm going to be pissed. Right in between the two analog sticks of the Dual Shock would be a perfect spot for something like this, assuming they go with the classic Dual Shock design.

 

[Joe]

i had a giant trackball once i loved it.

 

[gunstarhero]

Remember this?

I had it for the Colecovision back in the day - Frontline and Millipede (or Centipede, forget which) was playable with it. Pretty cool for it's day.

 

[aoi tsuki]

i think a lot of the misconceptions about trackballs comes from using them in console games, or arcade games that have seen a lot of use. A good trackball works as well as mouse, which makes sesnse considering it's basically just an inverted ball mouse. My uncle swears by them, which made using his computer a bit odd at first, but i instantly got used to it and actually liked using the trackball.

 

[snapty00]

As a secondary-input device, it might be very neat.

Like everything else, you'd have to get used to it, of course. And some games obviously would have no use for it. But for the games that did, it might make them much more enjoyable.

 

[cvxfreak]

Go!

 

[Agent X]

Here's one of the finest controllers ever made, the Atari 5200 Trak-Ball!

I got one of these a few years ago. It's absolutely awesome--it really feels like an arcade-quality controller, particularly with games like Centipede. It even looks good, matching the sleek styling of the Atari 5200 console itself.

Some people who felt that the smaller buttons weren't truly arcade quality have made some modifications such as this one:

Note the extra (round) arcade-style button underneath the standard buttons on the left.

It's too bad there aren't any arcade-style trackballs on the market anymore--just little thumb balls (mostly used as a mouse substitute on laptops). There are a few fancy rigs like the Devastator II, but these require quite an investment in money as well as storage space. One of my friends has one of these, and he likes it a lot. Here's a picture:

This review of the Devastator II from RetroBlast is worth reading (it's also where the above picture came from).

I'd like to see some trackballs for the newer consoles. The last ones that I recall that were mass-market items (not homemade controllers) were Nyko's Classic Trackball for the PlayStation and Mad Catz's Panther DC for Dreamcast. It would be great to be able to use a trackball with Atari Anthology for either PS2 or X-Box. I suppose the Nyko Classic Trackball could be used on PS2, but support would have to be programmed into the game--Midway Arcade Treasures contained a couple of games that could've really benefitted from trackball support, but that didn't happen.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

fuck i should have patented it first.

Ok, you and Tellearin come pick me up is Mississippi and we'll get started. We're going to change the world, my friends...

 

[seismologist]

it might work if they put the trackball on the bottom.

 

[Zaptruder]

on the bottom where? on the bottom of the analog stick/pad where your middle finger should rest on the DS pads? Interesting... but that would have whack orientation.

otoh, they could put it there, so that our right thumb is still free to access the face buttons, while not confusing our dominant directional input left hand with something extraneous like a trackball... and by doing so, you keep the normal symetry of the 2 analog stick setup, while adding the functionality of a 2D pointing device. ... Brilliance!

 

[Saint Cornelius]

Ahhh, a trakball would be fly

 

[Wario64]

I'd rather have a controller that accepts USB or PS/2 and let me use a friggin mouse and keyboard

 

[Dragmire]

Screw trackballs, I want an electric chair lever on my controller to control electric chairs in videogames. And maybe a rotary phone dial for number input.

 

[seismologist]

on the bottom where? on the bottom of the analog stick/pad where your middle finger should rest on the DS pads? Interesting... but that would have whack orientation.

otoh, they could put it there, so that our right thumb is still free to access the face buttons, while not confusing our dominant directional input left hand with something extraneous like a trackball... and by doing so, you keep the normal symetry of the 2 analog stick setup, while adding the functionality of a 2D pointing device. ... Brilliance!

you need two figers to control a trckball so i wouldn't really work on top.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

you need two figers to control a trckball so i wouldn't really work on top.

No you don't. You just need a thumb. That's not even a finger!

 

[Ranger X]

Trackballs are evil.
Don't give gaming companies bad ideas like that dude.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

Live in the now! (Trackballs suck....balls)

 

[JJConrad]

The analog sticks are basically the same thing, with a knob and spring. The track ball I use requires my hand to make passes over it to cross the entire screen. A thumb size track ball would be uncomfortable and useless.

 

[Mr_Furious]

Trackballs don't exist anymore because they suck.

 

[FriScho]

Using that one for 5 years now - it's perfect.
I would love to have an optical trackball in my pad.
I suggested that 5 years ago...

 

[Ranger X]

wow lol and what does your trackball gives as good advantages?

 

[FriScho]

wow lol and what does your trackball gives as good advantages?

You have mouse like controls without the need for a mousepad. Once you get used to it, you will find the whole concept of moving the whole inputdevice on a pad very stupid

 

[border]

Trackballs are awful. Unless you're playing Golden Tee or some similar such title. I don't think they would have enough applications to be worth putting on a console controller.

If you really think that they are as good as a mouse, you should ask yourself why it seems that none of the Quake/UT champions use them.

 

[Agent X]

Trackballs are awful.

I disagree.

Unless you're playing Golden Tee or some similar such title. I don't think they would have enough applications to be worth putting on a console controller.

Now, this I agree with. Going back to what I was saying earlier, I think this is the real reason you don't see trackballs much anymore on modern consoles--there aren't a lot of games that would benefit from them. However, there are a few out there that would--not just classic game compilation packs, but perhaps also some home golf/bowling/pool games could be played with a trackball in a manner much like some arcade golf/bowling/pool games did in the past.

The trackball needs to be viewed more as a "specialty" controller like a light gun or dance pad.

 

[Ranger X]

So in the context of this thread it still comes to this: trackballs suck. Or must we say "would suck as a standard feature on controller" maybe?
Anyhow. Just explain to me how a trackball would have an advantage on a 2 handed controller, there simply isn't any.
As for a new mouse type of controller i have to say it sounds interesting.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

owns

 

[RevenantKioku]

owns

I've had one of those since I played Unreal Tournament. Actually, its the same one. My favorite mouse.

 

[Bebpo]

Using that one for 5 years now - it's perfect.
I would love to have an optical trackball in my pad.
I suggested that 5 years ago...

Yep I've also been using that model for 5+ years. It's gone through 2 trips to Japan with me and I love it for everything from applications to FPS.

 

[Joe]

the only trackball ive used is something like this:

i really liked it.

i did try something like this once:

except it wasnt as big and it was wired and i LOVED it. perfect for leaning back in your chair and just really good to use for browsing the web.