Optimizing mouse control?

[TheMG]

I'm playing through the Marathon games again, haven't played them since some time around 2000. Back then, I was playing the original versions on a Macintosh, and most games I played did not have mouse control, so I was pretty good at playing keyboard only.

Well, things have changed a lot since then. I can't play without the mouse worth a damn.

I've enabled mouse control in Aleph One but it seems no matter how I tweak it, the mouse control feels very clunky and jumpy, I can't get a nice smooth mouse movement.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get better mouse control in Aleph One, or is this about as good as it gets?

[treellama]

Are you still on a Mac? Those are pretty much the worst. You can try using USB Overdrive (which isn't free) to disable the mouse acceleration. I have not been able to make my Mac OS X mouse control useful for net games.

If you're in Windows XP, try enabling the DirectInput/DirectDraw checkbox.

In Linux, you can set SDL_VIDEO_X11_MOUSEACCEL=1/1/1

The last is the best solution; it feels just like Marathon Infinity.

[megabyte]

Does this still work?

[ukimalefu]

NONSENSE, I play in OS X 10.6.2, with a wireless mouse, solo and online multiplayer. NOT A PROBLEM.

Just adjust the mouse sensitivity in the Aleph One preferences. For me they're a bit lower than half. Tracking speed in Mac OS Mouse System preference panel is a bit over half. In the Logitech Control Center, the tracking speed multiplier is '1', but that must be the default, because I don't remember ever touching that.

I'd start with OS X. If the mouse works fine in the finder, leave it alone and adjust Aleph's settings.

So, play around with the settings until you get them the way you like them. It can be done.

[TheMG]

I'm using Windows XP and a Logitech G5 mouse (did not install the Logitech drivers, makes the mouse feel different in ALL games and I don't like it). Mouse acceleration disabled in A1 settings, OpenGL and DirectDraw enabled.

See the problem isn't that I can't get the sensitivity where I like it. It's that the mouse movement feels very jerky as opposed to smooth and precise.

On the other hand though I may just be very picky, since I'm used to playing games like Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike Source and the mouse control in these modern games is very smooth and accurate.

Maybe my expectations are just too high...

[irons]

Aleph One, like Marathon, allows you to turn 0.703 degrees at a time, which is actually very choppy compared to modern games. The reason it does this, I am told, is because it calculates turning movements based on angular momentum. This saves space in replays and traffic in network games, but it causes the choppiness you see. There is no way to change this short of rewriting significant parts of the engine and breaking film compatibility. You'll just have to get used to it. On the upside, Marathon is a close-combat game, so precise aim isn't as important.

[Wrkncacnter]

I would highly recommend improving your skills with the keyboard instead. Once you start using the mouse, your keyboard skills will be lost forever.

[treellama]

Aleph One, like Marathon, allows you to turn 0.703 degrees at a time, which is actually very choppy compared to modern games. The reason it does this, I am told, is because it calculates turning movements based on angular momentum.

These are both true, but are independent of each other.

This saves space in replays and traffic in network games, but it causes the choppiness you see. There is no way to change this short of rewriting significant parts of the engine and breaking film compatibility.

It's actually just a #define, but it would break film compatibility to change it.

[effigy]

...
it would break film compatibility to change it.

So, if this were changed, old films would require an alephone release from before the change to be viewed; but films from an alephone release from after the change would play fine?

[treellama]

Yes. In addition, the saved game format would change, as well as all code that reads/writes angles. Forgot about serialization

[effigy]

Yes. In addition, the saved game format would change, as well as all code that reads/writes angles. Forgot about serialization

I'm tempted to attempt making a case for this being worth the progression of the engine....but I'm pretty sure this has been discussed a few times already...and that's all the reason I can come up with

[Grenth]

I cast my worthless vote that there be a separate version of Aleph One with smooth mouse control. So what if i have to make new save and film files , it'd be worth it!

[thermoplyae]

it would also be network incompatible with the mainstream alephone

[effigy]

Honestly, I'm impressed that A1 has maintained compatibility with old files for so long. I do think smoother mouse control would pair well the new renderer's abilities as well as the increases in texture size in newer scenarios.

Could smoother mouse control be had through A1's new plug-in system?

[treellama]

Guys, increasing the number of angles doesn't automatically mean smooth mouse control.

[Wrkncacnter]

So are you going to make the plugin or what?

[Kurinn]

Hey, I came into this thread because I heard Treellama was talking about using some kind of arcane magic to smooth out mouse control.
I like that idea, but I am left with three questions:

When's the mouse control going to get smoother, and how do we plug that in?
What is a plug-in?
Is that like those stupid air fresheners that cause electrical fires because I try to refill them with peppermint schnapps?

Edit:
Alright, I'm kidding about the schnapps, but you want to know what real horror smells like? Think chemical toilet + electrical fire. In 90° heat, with 100% humidity.

[effigy]

Hey, I came into this thread because I heard Treellama was talking about using some kind of arcane magic to smooth out mouse control.
....

Excellent! So if every member sacrifices a lamb and offers their daughter to the nearest prince smoother A1 mousing will arrive to our inboxes in gold sealed envelopes with a personalized greeting from Treelamma?

[thermoplyae]

prince a. huxley