Is anyone using or has used trackball for fast fps or rts games? Is it any good for them? I just ordered Microsoft trackball optical because it looked cool and I somehow thought that it would be pretty fast to use in those games?

Well how is it really? Any experiences? Bad? Good?

Heya Mtj

Sorry I can't tell you if that mentioned trackball will be good for games cause I do not play computer games. So it's up to you to check it out and post your experiences with that item for others thinking about to buy such a "trackie ball" too for games you're playing :)

Greetz
B. Udo

Got my trackball... it was horrible at first, but I got used to it pretty fast. Though cant play any fps, or otherwise fast games.

Some sites say that trackball strains body less physically... but after 3 hours or so my neck got really stiff... never happened with rodent before.

Well that's my two pennies... now im off to shop and change my trackie with an optical mouse :U

Ta ta

Argh, I already wrote this topic once but for some reason the web stopped working for few minutes... anyway

After using trackball for some time a couple of new nuisances occured.
- The ball in my m$ usb optical trackmouse is so slippery that is you have dry hands, like me your thumb will constantly slip on it, and you cant make it roll.
- The mouse is designed for giants... mouse is like 2.5 times big as a normal mouse pretty hard to place your hand on it in a way if feels natural (this causes stiff shoulders)
- The ball gets stuck (Marketing slogan says that the ball is optical, no more cleaning, no more getting stuck!, well that's a bull... No idea why it stops sometimes, it stops like there's something like a sandgrain between ball and sensors or something)

Now is time for my little comparison.

Microsoft USB optical trackball™ (whatever the name is)

Cons:
- Doesn't need much space from desk.
- Doesn't need mousemat
- It is 'cool' (ie. buy a trackball and invite your friends to see it)
- Cord doesnt matter
Pros:
- Ball is slippery
- Mouse is too big
- Not suitable for fast game ( unless you train for quite some time )


Rodent (optical)

Cons:
- Suitable for games
- Suitable for everyone (fits hand as it is of an universal design, though there's special ones also but this is from normal mouse)
- No need to clean (maybe after quite a lot use or a sand storm)
- Much more precise than trackball ( Might be just due to little use of trackball)

Pros:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome (I've never got one from using mouse, got mine from tennis, but it is reported in help files and my friend for it once so I add it to pros.)
- Cord (if not cordless)
- Mouse mat (good mousemats cost quite a penny {though opticals can be used without any kind of mat, it is much more precise and sounds nicer on a good mat})


Well... that's about my comparison... in my post which failed to post there was more cons and pros in both, but i had to write this pretty quickly as I've got to work at same time.

In the end:

All in all trackball was a good experiment, but I will return it to the shop and get a decent optical mouse... but I will miss the trackball.
I say that everyone should try trackball for a few days... who knows, you might fall in love.

Just two add two pennies some time later --

I used to have the huge MS IntelliMouse Explorer; it was my favourite ever rodent until it died from overuse after a few years (it really looks a mess). Maybe it helped that I have big hands, it fit perfectly.

After it died, I bought the new IntelliMouse Explorer (as the old one wasn't available anymore), which is a lot smaller and has smaller buttons. After using it for some time though, I started to develop serious pains in my wrist, so I gave it to someone else who also got the same problems with it, which is a shame. If I could get my hands on one of the old, huge MS IntelliMouse explorers, I'd be well happy.

At the moment I use an MS Trackball Explorer, which does the job nicely. Although I really don't like the way the buttons are placed, it works well, and after you get used to using a trackball it becomes just as intuitive as a mouse. I have a finger trackball, not a thumb one. I prefer it to a mouse when using graphics programs such as photoshop, the gimp or blender, but I don't find it more accurate than a mouse (which I had hoped for). At the same token, I don't find the mouse more accurate now either.

As an avid FPS player, I've been trying to get used to the trackball. It's like learning to walk again, you have to have the patience to learn to play a game you used to be really good at. I'm improving by a lot, and I'm almost up to par with how I play with the mouse.

As it is, I'm waiting for Logitech to bring their MX series mice out with laser support (and corded, I hate using batteries), which I will probably use for FPS (I'll keep using the trackball for all other games and uses).

Also, I believe you got your pro's and con's mixed up

Well first off thanks for posting your question over FPS and trackballs,
because I was really wondering that myself.
I searched for trackball and for FPS both within quotes, and this forum posting was the first to come up.
I recently downloaded the FEAR demo and found it extremely difficult to play with trackball.
Although the game is in itself rather difficult.
I am not sure whether the trackball can be used with FPS games equally well as some one posted they are almost there after practice.

All I know is that I bought a Logitech Marble Mouse and it allows me to play EQ2 for hours without much discomfort, unlike my mouse. Since it's USB I can use my mouse and trackball at the same time.

Probably the trackball is better for sniping games. It seems to allow great control and precision but not much speed. To move large distances in FPS's my finger must roll the ball in more than one stroke. Then once near the general area to shoot there has to be a shift into slow and accurate finger movement. Then the enemy AI kicks in and you may have to do it all over again. This takes some getting use to but otherwise my brain connected the trackball to mouse movement very easily. It took me two trys to beat the Fear Demo.

I think I may keep practicing like the other guy on this forum, cause I love not having a mouse pad and I can put the track ball so convienently next to my keyboard.

Last thing, I am happy with the Logitech Marble Mouse, it is a finger ball not thumb and it has a nice slender design. Thumb for two buttons, pointer finger for ball, and middle finger for other two buttons. A nice symmetrical design. It has a little hole in the bottom below the ball so to drap small particles as well. It has never gotten stuck but if I feel some resistence to the smoothness, then I spin the ball :beta: around real fast and that clears the debris.

What you guys need is a Dyna-Flex Gyro Power Ball
You get the strength to ward of carpal tunnel and cooridnation in your hands like nobodies business.

Then take your new hand strength to your track ball super rodent marble cordless thingies and you'll be the talk of the town

http://www.powerballs.com/