Second Life Forums Archive - Joystick support

Spooky Caligari

Registered User

Join date: 10 May 2005

Posts: 145

11-06-2005 20:48

Just curious. Anybody think joystick support in SL might be a good idea? While I don't mind using the keyboard to move around, I imagine it would make things ten times easier to just move your avatar around using a gamepad or a joystick.

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paulie Femto

Into the dark

Join date: 13 Sep 2003

Posts: 1,098

i'm already doin it

11-06-2005 20:58

You can do it with joypads that support mapping their input to keyboard keys. I'm using a NYKO AIRFLO joypad. It works fine.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2118043&cp=&kw=nyko&parentPage=search

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Enabran Templar

Capitalist Pig

Join date: 26 Aug 2004

Posts: 4,506

11-06-2005 21:04

I spend most of my time stationary either manipulating objects or blocks of code in scripts, so it's nothing I'm pining for.

As paulie said, though, it's pretty easy to map your joystick to your arrow keys if it's something you really need.

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Torley Linden

Enlightenment!

Join date: 15 Sep 2004

Posts: 16,530

11-06-2005 22:40

I think one of the finer problems for me is precision movement control. Forward arrow either moves me or it doesn't... I can hold down the spacebar (with chatbar closed) while doing so for slower movement, but it's not a smooth gradient of motion. Ideally, with an analogue joystick, I'd be able to go from a slow walk, to a faster walk, and then break out into a trot and RUN. Liquidly.

This, connected to why it's so hard to walk and talk at the same time in SL (and Timeless's and Rickard's scripted attachments are nice but unfortunately one still walks kinda jerky being pushed forward like that), are a couple reasons of why the experience isn't as fluid as I'd like it to be yet.

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Chosen Few

Alpha Channel Slave

Join date: 16 Jan 2004

Posts: 7,496

11-06-2005 23:36

I've got a nice Logitech joystick. I use it mostly as an animation tool, but I toyed with it in SL for a little while as a cotroller. While it did work, I found the experience to be kind of annoying. Having to let go of the keyboard and grab the joystick when I wanted to move was just not a pleasent experience. I've found the same to be true for me with almost all video games on the computer. I'll take a mouse & keyboard over a joystick or controller any day.

I hear what you're saying, Torley, about the analog thing. I agree that that kind of functionality would be great, but I just don't see it as worth the tradeoff in an environment that is so keyboard dependant as SL.

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qDot Bunnyhug

Robot Breaker

Join date: 19 Jul 2005

Posts: 63

11-07-2005 09:10

First off, on windows, any DInput Joystick can be converted to keystrokes using hooks. That's what I did with Hooky (man, how quickly you guys forget...)

http://www.nonpolynomial.com/content/2005/09/hooky_input_inj.php

Hooky is still in the "horribly, stupidly rough" alpha stages unfortunatly, waiting on me to get over my SL burnout and other RL busyness. However, I'm pretty sure it's the only program to have analog control capabilities, too.

I know Logitech joysticks come with a key converter utility that quite a few people use.

Joystick support
Spooky Caligari Registered User Join date: 10 May 2005 Posts: 145	11-06-2005 20:48 Just curious. Anybody think joystick support in SL might be a good idea? While I don't mind using the keyboard to move around, I imagine it would make things ten times easier to just move your avatar around using a gamepad or a joystick. _____________________ My webcomics: Perki Goth/Candi Raver http://mutt.purrsia.com/main.php My Private Little Hell http://mutt.purrsia.com/mplh
paulie Femto Into the dark Join date: 13 Sep 2003 Posts: 1,098	i'm already doin it 11-06-2005 20:58 You can do it with joypads that support mapping their input to keyboard keys. I'm using a NYKO AIRFLO joypad. It works fine. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2118043&cp=&kw=nyko&parentPage=search _____________________ REUTERS on SL: "Thirty-five thousand people wearing their psyches on the outside and all the attendant unfettered freakishness that brings."
Enabran Templar Capitalist Pig Join date: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 4,506	11-06-2005 21:04 I spend most of my time stationary either manipulating objects or blocks of code in scripts, so it's nothing I'm pining for. As paulie said, though, it's pretty easy to map your joystick to your arrow keys if it's something you really need. _____________________ From: Hiro Pendragon Furthermore, as Second Life goes to the Metaverse, and this becomes an open platform, Linden Lab risks lawsuit in court and [attachment culling] will, I repeat WILL be reverse in court. Second Life Forums: Who needs Reason when you can use bold tags?
Torley Linden Enlightenment! Join date: 15 Sep 2004 Posts: 16,530	11-06-2005 22:40 I think one of the finer problems for me is precision movement control. Forward arrow either moves me or it doesn't... I can hold down the spacebar (with chatbar closed) while doing so for slower movement, but it's not a smooth gradient of motion. Ideally, with an analogue joystick, I'd be able to go from a slow walk, to a faster walk, and then break out into a trot and RUN. Liquidly. This, connected to why it's so hard to walk and talk at the same time in SL (and Timeless's and Rickard's scripted attachments are nice but unfortunately one still walks kinda jerky being pushed forward like that), are a couple reasons of why the experience isn't as fluid as I'd like it to be yet. _____________________
Chosen Few Alpha Channel Slave Join date: 16 Jan 2004 Posts: 7,496	11-06-2005 23:36 I've got a nice Logitech joystick. I use it mostly as an animation tool, but I toyed with it in SL for a little while as a cotroller. While it did work, I found the experience to be kind of annoying. Having to let go of the keyboard and grab the joystick when I wanted to move was just not a pleasent experience. I've found the same to be true for me with almost all video games on the computer. I'll take a mouse & keyboard over a joystick or controller any day. I hear what you're saying, Torley, about the analog thing. I agree that that kind of functionality would be great, but I just don't see it as worth the tradeoff in an environment that is so keyboard dependant as SL. _____________________ . Land now available for rent in Indigo. Low rates. Quiet, low-lag mainland sim with good neighbors. IM me in-world if you're interested.
qDot Bunnyhug Robot Breaker Join date: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 63	11-07-2005 09:10 First off, on windows, any DInput Joystick can be converted to keystrokes using hooks. That's what I did with Hooky (man, how quickly you guys forget...) http://www.nonpolynomial.com/content/2005/09/hooky_input_inj.php Hooky is still in the "horribly, stupidly rough" alpha stages unfortunatly, waiting on me to get over my SL burnout and other RL busyness. However, I'm pretty sure it's the only program to have analog control capabilities, too. I know Logitech joysticks come with a key converter utility that quite a few people use.

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Joystick support