mouse on a Mac

Help with Setup, Hardware, Performance or other Issues...Or just pimp your rig.
Post Reply
User avatar
The A-Team
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:03 pm
Location: low on the list

mouse on a Mac

Post by The A-Team »

My mouse seems to get confused, or at least not react as expected. Is there a mouse or set-up that works better?
I pity the foo!
User avatar
ducktape
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 1206
Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2006 2:06 am
Location: Right Behind you!

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by ducktape »

Explain more about whats going on. Is it just not turning when you move your mouse or what?
Image
User avatar
The A-Team
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:03 pm
Location: low on the list

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by The A-Team »

most of the time it seems ok, but more critical, exact movements are jerky.

is using a mouse the best way to go, or are people using joysticks?
I pity the foo!
User avatar
Cobra_Fast
Dev Monkey
Dev Monkey
Posts: 322
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:51 am
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by Cobra_Fast »

Using mouse, keyboard or a game controller is your own choice. Choose what you can play best with.
A jerky mouse sounds like its an optical or ball mouse which are supposed to generally be too inaccurrate for gaming.
Joysticks won't be your choice for fast paced game as BZFlag as you need to change directions quickly (a Xbox or PlayStation controller seems OK to me since they've got very short movement ways with the finger-joysticks).

Most players use the mouse or a custom keyboard setup with multiple fire keys on the left hand and movement control on the right hand.
User avatar
The A-Team
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:03 pm
Location: low on the list

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by The A-Team »

mine is an optical mouse. is there a better type to use?
I pity the foo!
User avatar
enrico123
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:49 am
Contact:

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by enrico123 »

Cobra_Fast wrote:Using mouse, keyboard or a game controller is your own choice. Choose what you can play best with.
A jerky mouse sounds like its an optical or ball mouse which are supposed to generally be too inaccurrate for gaming.
Joysticks won't be your choice for fast paced game as BZFlag as you need to change directions quickly (a Xbox or PlayStation controller seems OK to me since they've got very short movement ways with the finger-joysticks).

Most players use the mouse or a custom keyboard setup with multiple fire keys on the left hand and movement control on the right hand.
Read it Carefully
Hint: anything but Optical or ball mouse
"See a need fill a need"-(Bigweld from the movie "Robots")
User avatar
joevano
General
General
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by joevano »

enrico123 wrote:
Cobra_Fast wrote:Using mouse, keyboard or a game controller is your own choice. Choose what you can play best with.
A jerky mouse sounds like its an optical or ball mouse which are supposed to generally be too inaccurrate for gaming.
Joysticks won't be your choice for fast paced game as BZFlag as you need to change directions quickly (a Xbox or PlayStation controller seems OK to me since they've got very short movement ways with the finger-joysticks).

Most players use the mouse or a custom keyboard setup with multiple fire keys on the left hand and movement control on the right hand.
Read it Carefully
Hint: anything but Optical or ball mouse
Yeah, I don't buy that at all. The large majority of our user base uses mice, and I would imagine that the majority of them ARE optical or ball mice. They are used with absolutely no issues what so ever. Jerky motion in a wired ball mouse is USUALLY from a ball mouse that needs to be cleaned, not replaced. You just remove the ball, clean the rollers and like magic it works like new. Jerky motion in a wired optical mouse would indicate that the mousing surface (desk/table) is not liked my the mouse so change what is under the mouse. The only other issue that it could imagine it to be is a wireless mouse (or bluetooth). Jerky motion there would indicate some sort of interference. Wireless mice often do not respond as quickly (ms slower) than wired mice, so you may notice slight sluggishness when moving from a wired to wireless mouse, but you get used to it and do just fine.
There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." -- Abraham Lincoln
Avatar
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:28 pm

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by Avatar »

I also have to disagree with the statement on joysticks - I've been using various Saitek and Logitech sticks for BZ for nearly the entire 6+ years I've been playing this game. They give response ease and speed at least as good as a mouse or gamepad (read: "Xbox" or "Playstation" controller). In fact, they give significantly greater tanking accuracy with no noticeable difference in reaction speed (compared to pads - they're about even compared to mice). The only reason I'm using a joypad now is because joysticks don't store in a laptop bag very easily.
And the lesson for tonight is:

Never underestimate the ability of a newb to expect instant success and cry "cheat!" when they don't get it. Don't hate the newb, just give them plenty of learning opportunities. ;)
User avatar
The A-Team
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:03 pm
Location: low on the list

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by The A-Team »

ah, maybe thats it, my mouse pad surface. Although I would like to try a joystick. Maybe Ill look for one. thanks for the coments.
I pity the foo!
User avatar
mrapple
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Posts: 460
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 11:59 am
Location: Unknown
Contact:

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by mrapple »

Just a little side comment here - I tried a joystick about 6 months ago for the first time... it was definitely interesting ;)

Only having an hour to play with it, I didn't really get the full "feel" for playing with a joystick.

The joystick I used had buttons placed so you could ever so easily perform certain actions. In my opinion, this is definitely an advantage.

I think if I spent more time with the joystick I could maneuver maybe even better then I can with the mouse.
Image
User avatar
Cobra_Fast
Dev Monkey
Dev Monkey
Posts: 322
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:51 am
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by Cobra_Fast »

The A-Team wrote:mine is an optical mouse. is there a better type to use?
When saying optical mice I meant those low resolution LED mice which tend to be inaccurate.
I'm currently using a 2000 dpi laser mouse for a while now and it's far more accurate than the LED mouse i used before (from my oppinion).
User avatar
joevano
General
General
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by joevano »

Cobra_Fast wrote:When saying optical mice I meant those low resolution LED mice which tend to be inaccurate.
I'm currently using a 2000 dpi laser mouse for a while now and it's far more accurate than the LED mouse i used before (from my oppinion).
Sure, in your opinion, but definitely not unplayable...
There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." -- Abraham Lincoln
User avatar
The A-Team
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:03 pm
Location: low on the list

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by The A-Team »

a laser mouse? I didn't even know resolution was a variable with optical mice.
I pity the foo!
User avatar
joevano
General
General
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Re: mouse on a Mac

Post by joevano »

The A-Team wrote:a laser mouse? I didn't even know resolution was a variable with optical mice.
It is, but hardly noticeable except to the most hard core gamer...
There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." -- Abraham Lincoln
Post Reply