I'm looking for impressions on game play from laptop users in particular, and desktop mouse players in general.

I'm looking to get a buddy into this game, but he's on a laptop, or possibly his wife's desktop with a basic two button, scroll wheel mouse.

Now his laptop is a fairly new Dell running XP, but the Dell only has a touchpad mouse. (Personally, I'd like to shoot the guy that invented that input device, I hate it with a passion.) And while it might be okay for surfing and word processing, I can't see how it would work well in this game. But if anyone has a different opion, let me know.

So for those of you play with either type, I'd like to hear some impression on how well the game plays with those two input devices.

Myself; I'm playing on, at the moment, an IBM Thinkpad T30 with a trackpoint mouse. I do have a couple of dektops with Kensington Trackballs, with the addition of an old analog joystick on one of them, but my primary system is the laptop. (Hey I can go to the can and still keep playing :-)

My impression of the T30 play with the trackpoint: GREAT! While a widescreen would be nice, I think, of all the other flight type games I've played with a mouse, this one works really well with the trackpoint. Hand position on the keyboard is just about right for the default bindings.

I know of at least 2 people who play regularly on a laptop, and one uses a touchpad for certain. We'll wait for them to ring in, but I hear it's okay.

I actually only use the keyboard. The only time I touch my mouse is when I'm logging in, or in the station.

I use keyboard for strafe/thrust and secondary fire, track-pad for attitude control/aiming and a clicker for primary fire.

Sticks and mice just feel disconnected to me.

zamzx zik, laptop keyboard, or your basic full size desktop? What's the default fire button for keyboard? (I haven't looked it up)

Dr. Lecter,

Track-Pad? Is that like the tack-point? Or as IBM calls it: Ulta-Nav (I disabled the touchpad in BIOS).

I agree, I would feel disconnected with an external mouse or stick as well.

Laptop keyboard. I didn't use the default buttons in 3 years, so I dunno. I think it's mouse 1 or spacebar.

No, it's not like track-point. One and only track point I used was on a toshiba laptop that I dearly wish I'd (1) never bought and (2) taken out to the firing range rather than selling it off. Damn I hated that green button in the middle of my keyboard.

It's track-pad--if you would forsake yer barbaric ways and get a Mac, you'd know what that is. 2" x 3" or so touch sensitive pad, with the capability to work for mouse clicks in addition to controlling cursor movement. I disable the clicking ability and just move my fingertip around to steer the ship.

Well, Doc, you describe a touchpad, which is what I was interested in hearing about as far as gameplay. BTW: The IBM Ultra-Nav is either the trackpoint and a touch pad, or both.

I disable that damn pad. I'm always hitting my thumb on it when I'm type and my cursor ends up going who knows where. I hate it with a passion.

My button is red, but in the same place between the G and H keys, on top of the B. Once you get used to it, you don't even know it's there when typing, and as for mouse control, you don't have to slide all over the place, don't have to worry about accidental touches on the pad when typing, changing cursor position, or hold your wrists like you're a little light in the loafers to avoid it. Just a gentle movement of no more than a millimeter or two and you can go anywhere on the screen. It's great for this game IMHO.<P>

Funny you mentioned taking your old laptop out to the firing range. I had a friend who was retired Army, computer illiterate, who had a laptop, and in a fit of M$ induced rage, threw it down the stairs one day. Later he commented that he should have taken it to the range.

Now Windoze CD's would make great targets for any caliber. You think they'd work in a clay launcher? :-))

jbtrial: If you play on your laptop while on the can, what happens if you have a really bad blowout? Does that distract your flying? Actually, I don't really want to know.

Dr. Lecter said it best: It's track-pad--if you would forsake yer barbaric ways and get a Mac, you'd know what that is. 2" x 3" or so touch sensitive pad, with the capability to work for mouse clicks in addition to controlling cursor movement. I disable the clicking ability and just move my fingertip around to steer the ship.

That's just what I do (did, a long time ago; will again, who knows when). I've gotten so used to my trackpad, I don't like anything else (I absolutely hate trackballs, no interest in trying that red button, which I've never seen on a Mac). I'm sure I could get used to a mouse again, but I love my trackpad/keyboard layout. I am curious about joysticks, especially since I've never used a fancy one. I agree with Lecter about disabling the clicking on the trackpad. When I use my wife's Dell laptop (always glad to get back to my iBook), I hate the unintentional clicking almost as much as I hate using Windows. I try to mouse over something, and always end up clicking on it instead. I don't even want to see how that screws up a game.

The positive thing about trackpads on a laptop is I finally have good typing posture. To avoid accidentally moving the cursor (really screws up Halo and other shooters), now I keep my wrists up, like they tried to teach me in elementary school keyboarding classes so many years ago.

You could probably have a favorable experience with this game using almost any control configuration/device. You just have to get used to the quirks of whatever you're using.

I started playing on a laptop with keyboard and mouse. I still fly with a mouse, but use a nostromo for thrust and strafe.

keyboard only, since my fingers get either sweaty or itchy if I spend too much tome fiddling with the trackpad

I seriously have no idea how you people play with a touchpad. Or even a mouse. The "scroll mouse, pick up mouse, scroll mouse,pick up mouse, scroll mouse" to turn around would just annoy the crap outta me.

Seriously - dual joysticks is the way to go. ;)

I can _barely_ manage with a nipple mouse (the little bump in the middle of the keyboard), but can't manage with a trackpad.

Tell your friend to shell out for a cheap mini-USB mouse that can be transported with the laptop.

I have a USB mouse that has a retractable cord, but I more frequently use a wireless Logitech optical.

I switch a lot between keyboard-only and keyboard/mouse when playing--often right in the middle of a battle. I won't say I'm exceptional in either mode but I'm at least proficient, which is all I can ask for.

Heh, I have a touchpad on my laptop, but VO would be unplayable if I had to use that... the thing even gives me trouble with just the basics of point and click in Windows, so I use an optical USB mouse where applicable.

The KB I used to use a lot back when I had only one joystick, and before I had any... but to be honest, I've never felt more connected and in control than I do now with two joysticks, so I really can't relate to the "It feels disconnected" thing I've heard some people saying about using a mouse/joy.

And who needs a launcher? just stick some duct tape over the hole in an AOL or Windows CD with a penny in the middle, and the things throw like a frisbee... and yes, they do make good targets.

Leber: I'm with you on the mouse thing. It's bulky, and mousepads are bigger than trackpads. The trackpad, however, with the proper setting for sensitivity, and just getting used to it (took me awhile, I used to hate it), I can do the scroll, lift finger, repeat, etc. very quickly. Once you are used to how far the cursor goes with each stroke of the finger, the trackpad (to me anyway) feels like just an extension of my hand. The only problem is if my wrist brushes the thing. Oh, and a couple times my laptop has gotten a bit of a static shock, and for a couple minutes the trackpad was screwy, but it straightened itself out.

Ad infinitum.... the point is that VO is configureable to suit any input device , dig in the forums a bit , you will find someone has tried it . Best advice , try it see what suits you .

Er , It actually works with a graphics tablet ........

Ecka

I've played on a couple of laptops that have been equipped with either a Pentium 4 or a Pentium M and onboard graphics (1024x768 & 1280x768) support. An external wheel mouse is a must for me. [edit: both laptops (1 - 3 yrs old) were an acceptable medium for VO and created no major performance issues.]

Thankfully VO gameplay for me has moved over to a much more robust desktop. A larger screen, smoother gameplay and much prettier eye-candy to be had there.

For the poor man's dual-joystick setup, try getting a PS2's DualShock2 controller and a usb converter for it. Yes, Vendetta even knows how to handle that.

[note: this is by no means better than buying two joysticks, the DS2's dead zones are a tad large in my opinion, but for getting two joysticks and a bunch of buttons in a small and fairly inexpensive package?]