91_bickingd@GAR.UNION.EDU ("Bicking, David") (11/26/90)
>From: jlee@pnet01.cts.com (James Lee) >Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games >Subject: Re: Joysticks >Date: 26 Nov 90 00:16:13 GMT >This might've been brought up before, but I haven't read it on BBS yet... WHY >DOESN'T AMIGA OR OTHER COMPANIES START MAKING TWO-BUTTONED JOYSTICKS?!? It is >SO SAD that the Amiga has such awesome graphics, but the joystick is terribly >sorrowful, especially when many games out such as Battle Squadron needs it. Well, I actually did post a scathing message here about it, but it appears that our newsfeed doesn't allow us to post or followup (grrrr) and no-one saw it. I am manually sending my posts thru mail to get them here now, so I'll explain what *I* know. I had asked why C= did not actively support a 3 button joystick standard (you know, showing which pins should do what, and selling such an option). This alone would at least let developers know that it can be done. Since then, I have made a wonderful discovery! The SEGA Genesis game interface uses an Atari port standard - the same one used by the Amiga. I went out and bought one last weekend. It works real well. I also made a terrifying discovery: Amiga programs ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE MULTIPLE BUTTON OPTION!!!! I tried it on Hybris. The middle button is the normal fire button, the other two are unrecognized. This means I must continue to use the <enter> key for super-form and the spacebar for smartbomb. Needless to say, the game is nearly unplayable this way. My plea to developers: USE THE BUTTONS! you can still have the keyboard equivalents just in case! I hear Golden Axe will be coming out for the Amiga soon. I expect it to use the buttons. There is no excuse for it not to, after all, the sega version was written on the AMIGA, so the code is already there. >Maybe some company can make BIG BUCKS offering a NICE game that comes with the >two-buttoned joystick for $39 or so. I'm sure SO MANY PEOPLE would want it. Altered Beast better be using the buttons, too, or I won't buy it when I get the money! Developers take heed!!!! -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=- Dave Bicking Single Tasking????? Just say NO!!!! Union College Box 152 91_bickingd@union.bitnet // Schenectady, NY 12308 91_bickingd@gar.union.edu \X/ Amiga -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
pashdown@javelin.es.com (Pete Ashdown) (11/27/90)
91_bickingd@GAR.UNION.EDU ("Bicking, David") writes: >>This might've been brought up before, but I haven't read it on BBS yet... WHY >>DOESN'T AMIGA OR OTHER COMPANIES START MAKING TWO-BUTTONED JOYSTICKS?!? It is >>SO SAD that the Amiga has such awesome graphics, but the joystick is terribly >>sorrowful, especially when many games out such as Battle Squadron needs it. > I had asked why C= did not actively support a 3 button joystick Look in the hardware manual. I see three buttons. Do you see three buttons? Admittedly, the second and third button are only specified for the mouse, but nevertheless, they don't conflict with the joystick wiring at all. >Since then, I have made a wonderful discovery! The SEGA Genesis game interface >uses an Atari port standard - the same one used by the Amiga. I went out and >bought one last weekend. It works real well. > I also made a terrifying discovery: Amiga programs ARE NOT SUPPORTING >THE MULTIPLE BUTTON OPTION!!!! I tried it on Hybris. The middle button is the YIKES!! You mean, if people are only using one button joysticks on the Amiga, then the programmers must be using one button joysticks on the Amiga? Even though they _could_ have supported the multiple buttons by reading the hardware manuals, most ignored it. They would only be satisfying a small percent of the game buying public. However, I've found three games that do use the second button (nothing uses the third). R-Type, Wizball, and Turrican. Why Battle Squadron supports the second button on the mouse and not on the stick, God only knows. Its the same button. You should also realize that although the Genesis Button A = Amiga Button 1, and Genesis Button B = Amiga Button 2, Genesis Button C <> Amiga Button 3. I have no idea if the Genesis Button C is addressable on the Amiga. However, using a stick with Amiga Button 3 (yes, I built one) on a Genesis does pretty funky things to the power... >normal fire button, the other two are unrecognized. This means I must continue >to use the <enter> key for super-form and the spacebar for smartbomb. Needless >to say, the game is nearly unplayable this way. No doubt. > My plea to developers: USE THE BUTTONS! you can still have the Very few game developers read this. I believe Mike Farren and a few others are the only ones. If you _really_ want them to support the Genesis stick, write letters to the companies pointing out the compatibility. Most of them don't know, and if they don't hear from you, they don't care. >keyboard equivalents just in case! I hear Golden Axe will be coming out for >the Amiga soon. I expect it to use the buttons. There is no excuse for it not >to, after all, the sega version was written on the AMIGA, so the code is >already there. Too bad, its already out. Sucketh bad too. Your idea that because the Amiga is used for Genesis development, then Genesis -> Amiga ports should be a snap is quite wrong. Amiga Hardware although similar, is not the SAME as Genesis hardware. Using a system to develop for another system does not make the two interchangeable. >>Maybe some company can make BIG BUCKS offering a NICE game that comes with the >>two-buttoned joystick for $39 or so. I'm sure SO MANY PEOPLE would want it. > >Altered Beast better be using the buttons, too, or I won't buy it when I get >the money! Developers take heed!!!! It doesn't use them, and on top of that, its an Atari ST port. -- / (Rotate head 90 degrees for full effect) | BUNGEEEEEEEE! |---------------------------------------------------------------------->=<o \ Pete Ashdown pashdown@javelin.es.com ...orca.es.com!javelin!pashdown
BSJ100@psuvm.psu.edu (11/27/90)
Okay, if it is possible, how do you read the other 1 or 2 buttons??
-- Ricktimm@public.BTR.COM (Timothy M. Maffett timm@btr.com) (11/28/90)
In article <9011261712.AA13446@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> 91_bickingd@GAR.UNION.EDU ("Bicking, David") writes: > My plea to developers: USE THE BUTTONS! you can still have the >keyboard equivalents just in case! I hear Golden Axe will be coming out for >the Amiga soon. I expect it to use the buttons. There is no excuse for it not >to, after all, the sega version was written on the AMIGA, so the code is >already there. > There are some amiga games which do support joysticks with more than one button. Turrican and X-Out are one which come to mind. These two give you the option of using a second button or the space bar to activate other weapons. I don't have the Sega Joystick so I don't know if they support a third button. > >Altered Beast better be using the buttons, too, or I won't buy it when I get >the money! Developers take heed!!!! You will probably want to stay away from Altered Beast for other reasons besides 2nd button support. This has got to be one of the WORST game ports of all time. This one is TOTAL crap. >Dave Bicking Single Tasking????? Just say NO!!!! -tim
jlee@pnet01.cts.com (James Lee) (11/28/90)
Although I'm not an expert on programming or ports on the Amiga, I do know
that when the computer is expecting a mouse input and I stick in my
two-buttoned joystick in SEGA mode (I have a QuickShot joystick), it will read
the buttons (but it won't read the input, of course). So I assume that in the
same way you operate the mouse buttons, that's how you operate the joystick
buttons.
By the way, I'm considering writing to the various companies on support for
BOTH one-buttoned joystick (use the keyboard for those with only one button),
and also support the second button... After all, the Amiga's game capabilities
is limited until a second button is supported. I'll probably take some posts
of this discussion along with the letter (no objections, right? I mean, we all
LOVE our Amigas)...
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