Trackball and PC gaming?

[Captain Snooze]

Does anyone here use a trackball for gaming? What are your thoughts/experiences? What prompted you to go this way? I am tempted to give one a go because it would be something new/different for me to try.

[wrxgoose]

i like the trackball, because you can put it on anything, and still use it.

[n2oinferno]

I used to use a trackball back in the days of the original StarCraft.
Logitech Trackman Optical:


The biggest reason I used it is, well, it was the family computer and my dad wanted to try one, so I said sure why not.

The main thing is just being comfortable with it. Nobody else I knew used one, but I was used to it so it didn't bother me. Now, I think with the more advanced mice out now with better sensors I can be more accurate with a normal mouse, but I was pretty damn accurate with a trackball as well. Another con to it is you're limited input-wise. Every mouse I use has at least four buttons now, and you just can't get that when your thumb is controlling your movement. It is nice to not have to move the mouse around though, or have a mouse pad, or just be able to sit on the couch and play because yeah, don't need to move the mouse. They work great for slower games.

Try it. Worst case scenario is you hate it and it's a fifty dollar lesson that it's not for you.

[Andrew025]

It would probably be decent on everything but FPS. You don't get the incredibly quick precision pointing like a regular mouse. Almost like using a track pad.

[n2oinferno]

Oh no, they're far more precise than a track pad. I can't play on those at all after years of using them.

And apparently there are some four button trackballs out there. Looks like they're all fingerballs though, and not my preferred thumb orientation. Hm, sort makes me want to give it a shot again though.

edit: Logitech M570. May just have to pick one up, if even for nostalgia sake. Worst case is that I could bring it to work and use it.

[7thgear]

if you have superhuman control of your thumb, then you could get the same results, but it's nearly impossible

for one thing, you have about an inch of rotational movement to execute ALL your inputs WITHOUT lifting your thumb off the wheel... on a mouse most people have 2 inches of latter movement in just a single direction

muscle memory is muscle memory, but it's much more difficult when you have such a low range of movement.

[n2oinferno]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

if you have superhuman control of your thumb, then you could get the same results, but it's nearly impossible

Well then, maybe I'm just a SuperThumb.
As I said, I used to use it heavily in Starcraft. We were having a LAN party and this was the first time a friend of mine that I played with frequently actually had the chance to watch me physically play StarCraft, he couldn't believe that I was doing everything through clicking. No keyboard hotkeys, nothing. I was already faster than he was, and when I added keyboard into my arsenal that meant I had Mutas out ridiculously early in most games.

Now I'm old and terrible at SC2. Get off my lawn you damn kids.

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by n2oinferno

I used to use a trackball back in the days of the original StarCraft.
Logitech Trackman Optical:


The biggest reason I used it is, well, it was the family computer and my dad wanted to try one, so I said sure why not.

The main thing is just being comfortable with it. Nobody else I knew used one, but I was used to it so it didn't bother me. Now, I think with the more advanced mice out now with better sensors I can be more accurate with a normal mouse, but I was pretty damn accurate with a trackball as well. Another con to it is you're limited input-wise. Every mouse I use has at least four buttons now, and you just can't get that when your thumb is controlling your movement. It is nice to not have to move the mouse around though, or have a mouse pad, or just be able to sit on the couch and play because yeah, don't need to move the mouse. They work great for slower games.

Try it. Worst case scenario is you hate it and it's a fifty dollar lesson that it's not for you.

LOL my friend used that exact mouse and we played SC, Diablo 2, and Urban Terror (FPS)

[Fett4Real]

I know 1 guy who does and hes pretty average at best at the game, not sure if its the trackball or him in general...I like a mouse best. Razer naga epic

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by Fett4Real

I know 1 guy who does and hes pretty average at best at the game, not sure if its the trackball or him in general...I like a mouse best. Razer naga epic

"The game"?

I use a Razer Abyssus

[Fett4Real]

My bad, The old republic ( SWTOR) I mostly play BF4 now though...not sure that anyone I play that with uses a trackball...Still use my naga, numpad on the thumb is handy

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by n2oinferno

Well then, maybe I'm just a SuperThumb.
As I said, I used to use it heavily in Starcraft. We were having a LAN party and this was the first time a friend of mine that I played with frequently actually had the chance to watch me physically play StarCraft, he couldn't believe that I was doing everything through clicking. No keyboard hotkeys, nothing. I was already faster than he was, and when I added keyboard into my arsenal that meant I had Mutas out ridiculously early in most games.

Now I'm old and terrible at SC2. Get off my lawn you damn kids.

not sure using a hot-key dependent game is a good way to display the merits of a mouse.


but anyway, if a person has never used a trackball, and they need to run software that requires high precesion AND speed, then they'll have a very long learning curve.

[Shagaliscious]

Been using a track ball at work for at least 3 years now. Liked it so much I got one for my laptop at home, I love it. I don't do too much gaming, but I have played CS with it, and I did like it. I do have the sensitivity set pretty high though. I use the wireless Logitech n2oinferno posted.

Sent from Pluto

[n2oinferno]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

not sure using a hot-key dependent game is a good way to display the merits of a mouse.

It is when said user isn't using hotkeys and has a higher effective APM than those using them.

Then again, also not really merits of the mouse, but the player. In which case, when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter what people use. Use what you like.