Poll: Best controller for UT?

Has anyone tried out one of the Razer Boomslang mice yet? I ordered one but it's gonna be a couple weeks before I get it. If you have no idea what I'm talking about check out http://www.razerzone.com .

For sh*ts and giggles, here's my setup:

LMB = fire
MMB = secondary fire
RMB = forward

z = strafe left
x = strafe right
c = backpedal
f = next weapon
d = prev weapon
v = translocator
shift = best weapon
space = jump
ctrl = crouch

Try using RDFG instead of WASD.
The F key on most key boards has a raised portion on it so you know it's a home key. This makes it easier to find your keys if you have to move your hand for some reason.

Here's my set up
R forward
F back
E strafe left
T strafe right
D turn left (trying to break the turn habit)
G turn right
Y best weapon
Space alt fire
LMB - Fire
MMB - Jump
RMB - Duck (still working on this one)

The benefits of using this instead of WASD or ESDF is that you have two rows of keys by your pinky that you can map along with all of the keys off of your index finger. I think the best part is using the space for the alt fire, its become very natural for me.

Coruscare
nguid 15287

Golo who are you to tell me my setup is "incorrect"? No, I don't play flight sims, and my setup works just nicely thanks. My point was that use whatever setup works for you. I can strafe both moving forward or back, jumping is never a problem, and I never take my hands off teh keyboard nor do I have to look at it. Im up to my ears in homework so my UT skills have been put on hold, but if you want to test my setup, lets play Halflife. No I'm not challenging you, I'm just making a point that my setup works very well FOR ME. I am not afraid to say that I am quite fierce in Halflife with it (even though --gasp--my mouse isn't inverted!) so don't be so sickenly egocentric.

My point: use whatever is comfortable for you. everyone's hands are different sizes and some people may map their keyboard to compensate for a personal deficiency. IN the end, do what works. I went from WASD to my setup now and it has made all teh difference.

oh, and think about if you want to move your head to a looking UP direction, move the mouse UP. Yes, that is a really hard concept to grasp, I agree.

one last thing, moving backwards while strafing and persumably fighting is bad practise because you can't see where you are going. If someone is behind me, I turn around and walk forward

I've seen the sidewinder in the store, its that funky looking joystick thats joined together with a socket that swivels around.

But I've never seen the combo/trackball thing that was mentioned in this thread by a couple of earlier posts. The Panther XL.

No one here has even mentioned the Orb, so I guess its not to popular, or perhaps anyone who uses it maybe doesn't post.

Now my next question, about the sidewindor and the pantherXL and other types of controllers:

They say they have programmable buttons, how programmable are they? Could I, for example, make a button that automatically causes me to turn 180 deg when pushed? Just curious as to how programmable these are.

Oh and Watchdog, however your setup with your computer, its totally cool with me, but I'll suggest that there are some definatly sometimes when the best thing to do is walk backwards and try to takeout whoever is behind you. In fact, the bio-rifle is designed specifically for that kind of activity.

Thanks a Million, and keep the feedback coming in!

Rotgut

oh i agree with you there, but fighting backwards as a principle isn't a good idea. And actually, what would anyone be doing with a bio rifle anyway lol!

The gravis exterminator gamepad is the best controller.If U play me youll see that it is VERY possible 2 use a gamepad in fps shooters I barely lose and I can aim well it just takes about a mounth 2 learn trust me dont give up.Im good as hell at ut w/pad. p.s dont get the latest patch from gravis it wont work w/ ut

np Golo, i wasn't pissed annoyed maybe. Anyway i can'y fathom using a joystick--but yousay it works so I'll not argue. It will be interesting when the first wolrd champion (or whatever they call themselves) wins using a joystick then maybe it will get some recognition. AFter christmas (when I'm donemy thesis) I'll see youall online much more often.

incidently, I have the new laser intellimouse with 5 buttons it there is just no gong back to a crappy ball mouse. Seriously, you've never seen precision until you've used this mouse

I'm kinda amazed by the number of PLP that use a gamepad for FPS games, how do you map all the keys on one gamepad.

I use a 2 button mouse with a scrolling wheel. I use the numeric keypad for all the other functions. Although I might also want to try the WSAD config...

I find the scrollingwheel usefull for changing weapons.

I play in inverted mouse mode; probably a residu from the old days when i played flight simulators and from games like descent and forsaken...


Yeah lady, You and the IRS...

I use to use the keyboard and mouse until I discovered the panther xl. The panther xl is makes the keyboard and mouse obsolete. I can circle strafe around opponents while they sit there trying to hit the right button on the stupid keyboard. What the panther xl gives you is the ability to use the joystick to move in ANY direction. I mean ANY!!! The trackball part controls your vision just like the mouse does. The adavantage of the trackball is that if you want to do 180 degree turns, it will do it on a dime. That is important because in a fast and furious game milliseconds count, if you have a mouse and keyboard then you are dead.

I also tried the Orb and it sucked. the learning curve is murder and I never really mastered the controller like I did with the panther xl. I personally use a panther and a CH flight joystick. It has so many buttons that you will never need to use the keyboard except to enter or leave the game.

I have found that if you use the panther xl for a long time they have a tendancy to break under heavy usage. Thats why I ordered the panther (trackball) and then attach my favorite analog joystick. I am dieing to try the gravis exterminator. Anyway, thats my opinion.

Well, since I suck at UT online, not sure how valid my opinion is (it's the ping, I swear! I can't get anything under 250!) I use a set up very similar to Harkonis, but I use the Logitech Trackman Marble FX. It looks really funky with a huge ball that is operated with your index and middle fingers, while your thumb is mouse1 and mouse middle buttons and your pinky is mouse2. There is even a 4th button that you can map to a key like CTRL or ALT. I agree with the theory of imagining the inverted ball is like your head movements. I slide the whole keyboard over and use the number pad for everything, centering the trackaball and keypad under the monitor. As far as movement goes, I prefer this KP5=forward, KP2=back, KP4 KP6 for strafing, the rest for various duties (weapon switching, ect.) With this setup, you could be doing a forward running circle strafe while firing and jumping at the same time. (I know, good luck hitting anything....but you could. /~unreal/ubb/html/smile.gif

Once upon a time I used the Logitech Wingman Warrior joystick for Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. This monster has a big red spinner knob on the left side (Pong anyone?) very much like the Panther XL. Just not accurate enough for newer games and not enough buttons (especially since you HAVE to keep both hands on it in a fight!) Great stick for playing old emulated arcade games though, can't play Tron without it! (That is probably dating myself.) Speaking of emulaters, the Marble FX is the **** for playing the original Centipede (there I go again.......)

[This message has been edited by Nerf Crotchbat (edited 12-07-1999).]

Thats how everyone seems to feel about the Panther XL, that it breaks a frequently and requires quite a bit of maintenance and care.

Hard learning curve on the orb huh? I can imagine that would be true, it looks really weird in the picture, with the trackball built right into the joystick.

I use a logitech trackball, the one with the small thumb trackball, and it took me like a month to finally get comforatable with it.

But I'm interested in exploring other controller options, just because a lot of em look kind of cool.

Rotgut

That Razer mouse looks interesting..

I'd like to hear some feedback from any one that's tried this.
http://www.razerzone.com/

WATCHDOG, I'm sorry. /~unreal/ubb/html/frown.gif I wasn't saying your setup was wrong or anything. I'm not so stupid that I think I've got the only set up. It's each to their own. I was just pointing out that you would have a few problems moving in all directions easily.

However, there is nothing wrong with running backwards shooting at someone following you. I do that a lot. It's the only way to get away and defend yourself some times. Turning your back on anyone is a stupid idea. The reason you know where your going is because you know where your going!! Learn the level. I still fall of the edges or into something, or get caught up on a bit of wall or doorframe. But I kill more people chasing me than I kill myself. Huge appologies for p**sing you off. I honestly didn't mean to. It was some fun. I was picturing someone using F for forward, B for back, L for left and R for right. It was funny at the time.

i use a PantherXL. for guys like me, who grew up console gaming and got into fps a tad late, i never could get the hang of a keyboard/mouse. just seemed a really retarded way of controlling yourself.

the PXL has 18 buttons, all FULLY programmable. bind them to whatever u want. the trackball control is ultra sentsitive and accurate.

they do wear down after a while, but it took mine over 8 months to develop a problem and that was fixed quickly with some crazy glue. cleaning is like cleaning your mouse except a bit more often, after all your fingers are right on the trackball so its more prone to grease deposits. funny thing...i heard of some people wearing a golfers glove to control the trackball. that way, you never need to clean it /~unreal/ubb/html/smile.gif

and if anyone thinks you cant be good with something other than mouse/keys...play me. or better yet, play OverToad.

I also recommend the panther xl. It's easy to run circles around other players with it. The only thing that's difficult to do with it is dodging. I heard that madcatz will be coming out with a USB optical version of the panther early next year.