[Anti]

I'm trying to use a mouse with Freespace instead of a joystick.
My joystick is too noisy (squeaky) and bothers other people in the room.

However, trying to do a tight turn in a dogfight is impossible.
I have to 'vroom' the mouse across the desk like a child does with a clockwork car.
Is there anyway to make the mouse act like a joystick (ie. absolute movement)?
Or should I give up with the mouse and just use the keyboard instead?

Thanks for any advice.

[Jeff Vader]

Keyboard.

Welcome to the "People who wish you could use a mouse as a virtual joystick in FSO, in the same manner as in Freelancer" club.

[Dragon]

Wasn't there a script to allow using mouse like that?

[Jeff Vader]

If there is, give me a link to it. NOW.

[JGZinv]

Personally get a trackball mouse. I've used one for...  15 years now (still works)
and I can out turn most stick users in flight combat games.

I use this one - http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-T-CL13-TrackMan-Marble-Wheel/dp/B00004L8IG
They can still be found on eBay here or there.

Only problem I have with FS2... and it's only happened on FS2, is the mouse becomes
sluggish in game. I've got all the settings far as it'll go.. but it's like trying to
move through maple syrup compared to regular windows usage. Seems to happen to my
laptop touchpad as well, making it nearly useless...

[The E]

If there is, give me a link to it. NOW.

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63677.0

[Jeff Vader]

If there is, give me a link to it. NOW.

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63677.0

Gotta give it a try as soon as the next two exams are over.

[Sushi]

Another option is to use PPJoy to fool the OS into treating your mouse as a virtual joystick.

[Anti]

Doesn't work for me.

I'm putting the scripts in the following places:

data\tables\script_mouse-sct.tbm
data\text\mouse_script.cfg

The game starts and I can play it, but with no difference to the mouse behaviour.

When I leave the game, the following three errors are waiting for me:



Could not find index 'setControlMode' in type 'Base'

------------------------------------------------------------------
ADE Debug:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:      (null)
Name of:   (null)
Function type:   (null)
Defined on:   0
Upvalues:   0

Source:      (null)
Short source:   
Current line:   0
------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------
LUA Stack:
------------------------------------------------------------------

1: Userdata [Base]
2: String [setControlMode]
------------------------------------------------------------------



Error: Verify failure: Vbuf0 != NULL

File: 3ddraw.cpp
Line: 451


Call stack:
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------

Error: Verify failure: Vbuf1 != NULL

File: 3ddraw.cpp
Line: 452


Call stack:
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------




I read through the threads and there were two suggestions for this problem, but they weren't confirmed or solved in the thread:

1) The script doesn't like Vista/Win7 for some reason
2) Version 3.6.10 doesn't include a 'setControlMode' variable (whatever that means)

[The E]

Yeah, that's because that script was written for 3.6.11 or higher. You need a nightly build to use it.

[Dragon]

data\text\mouse_script.cfg

Also, are you sure that it shouldn't be "mouse_script.txt" ?

[Anti]

> Also, are you sure that it shouldn't be "mouse_script.txt"

I tried both.

> Yeah, that's because that script was written for 3.6.11 or higher. You need a nightly build to use it.

Ah, I didn't see that. I thought the script was 'pre-final', and so was included in 3.6.10 final.
How safe is it to use a development build?

[Jeff Vader]

How safe is it to use a development build?

Very. The nightly phase is actually over and we're now waiting for release candidates. And nightly builds have so far been pretty much as stable as official releases.

[The E]

The currently latest available nightly (revision 5862)  is very stable indeed. It may also give you a slight FPS increase compared to 3.6.10.

[Dragon]

Very safe, I'm using it all the time.
Also, the latest nightly is quite stable, as it's the last one before final.
They're mostly getting rid of most obscure bugs now, not to mention cleaning up some conding stuff.

[Anti]

I downloaded it, but can't find install instructions.

fred2_open_3_6_11d-20100131_r5862.exe
fs2_open_3_6_11d-20100131_r5862.exe

fred2_open_3_6_11r-20100131_r5862.exe
fs2_open_3_6_11r-20100131_r5862.exe

1)
What's the difference between the 'd' and 'r' versions?
Do I need to run all four executables?

2)
What will happen when I run these executables? Are they simply self-extractors?

3)
Can I back-up my current 3.6.10 install and switch back to it in the event of a FUBAR?

I did try to search for the answers to these questions, but I'm still having trouble navigating through the ton of info on the wiki and this website.

Cheers.

[The E]

*Sigh* There's a nightly build FAQ. You should have read it. Just a suggestion.

To install those, just drop them into the FS2 folder, and select them in the Launcher.

You ARE using the 5.5e Launcher, aren't you?

Seriously though, READ THE FAQ.

[Jeff Vader]

1)
What's the difference between the 'd' and 'r' versions?
Do I need to run all four executables?

"r" stands for "release". A regular build, meant for playing.
"d" stands for debug". A debug build, meant for creating fs2_open.log files in problem cases and/or just debugging ships, missions or entire mods. Not meant for playing.

fred2_open_***** is FRED (FreeSpace Editor), an editor meant for creating missions and campaigns. fs2_open_**** is the game engine.

2)
What will happen when I run these executables? Are they simply self-extractors?

Preferrably open the Launcher, click "Browse", select fs2_open_3_6_11r-20100131_r5862.exe, apply the changes and run the game.

3)
Can I back-up my current 3.6.10 install and switch back to it in the event of a FUBAR?

You're just switching the version of the game engine you're using. Unless you remove fs2_open_3_6_10.exe yourself, it won't disappear anywhere.

[Anti]

Thanks.
I understand now why the FAQ didn't have install instructions.
I thought I was going to have to 'build' the install somehow, like you would compile some code.

Although the error has disappeared, the script still makes no difference to gameplay.

In the thread, Renegade suggests that it only works with certain builds (although he doesn't mention which).
In other words, it worked circa August 2009, but then was broken by successive builds.

Think I'll just try to use the keyboard.

Cheers.

EDIT: I tried the Aug 2009 builds and still didn't get it working.

[Herra Tohtori]

Mouse works just fine in FS2 as well... unless you're on Mac.

You just need to be frugal about mouse movement. Moving the mouse faster than the ship can turn will not make the ship turn faster, it will just make you waste your table room faster resulting in more lifting of the mouse.