Optical Mouse

[Viper222]

I'm thinking about getting the Logitech Mouseman Optical USB. I can get it for $29 CAD at Futureshop. Are optical mice better for gaming than mice with a trackball? I will be using it to play UT, Q3, basically FPS games. Please give me your opinions.

Any replies appreciated.

------------------
"Stay Frosty"

[equinoxe3d]

You're probably talking about this model, right?

I have bought one similar, but a little much precise and expensive (this one, excepted I paid it $39CDN). It works very well, my shooting accuracy in Q3A is a lot better than my ball mouse, but it can take a while to master the fast movement (lowering mouse sensitivity in games may help). i was hesitating between the Logitech model I mentionned earlier, and the MS WheelMouse Optical. It was fitting slightly better in my hand, but the whell was way too sluggish for me.

As a last word, here's a few tips I give you if you buy a Logitech one

-I would recommend to use PS/2 over USB (IMO) since you can set your refresh rate to your liking in PS/2, making the control less disorienting at first.

-Download the latest Logitech MouseWare (9.29) from Logitech's website, since it enables Mouse Wheel in games, extremely useful to change weapons in FPS. The other way to use the wheel in games is to not install MouseWare at all and use a PS/2 rate to change refresh rate. Both works, the choice depends of your preferences.

Hope it helps!

------------------
EquinoXe's old baby:
Pentium II 350 MHz
192MB Nec/Infineon PC100 SDRAM
Voodoo3 3000 AGP
Guillemot MaxiSound Fortissimo
Windows 98SE

[CenturionStrategy]

you want this one:





------------------
AMD Duron 800@1000 (133MHz FSB)
Abit KT7a RAID
DiamondMax Plus 60 - 40Gb
Elsa GeForce2MX 32Mb SDR
------------------
[This message has been edited by TheThoughtPolice (edited 10-04-1984).]

[equinoxe3d]

...and one more thing; if you have more cash to spend (around CDN 80$), get the model CenturionStrategy has shown

------------------
EquinoXe's old baby:
Pentium II 350 MHz
192MB Nec/Infineon PC100 SDRAM
Voodoo3 3000 AGP
Guillemot MaxiSound Fortissimo
Windows 98SE

[This message has been edited by equinoxe3d (edited 08-10-2001).]

[Viper222]

Thanks for the replies. I settled on the Optical wheel mouse (the Futureshop URL equinoxe3d posted). I would of liked to get the other that CenturionStrategy recommended, but the price was a bit steep for me. I tried the USB connection first because it's my first USB device, and it's over-sensitive in UT! I'm using it on the PS/2 port now and gameplay is much better.

------------------
"Stay Frosty"

[equinoxe3d]

Yeah, that's why I recommended to use PS/2 first. I also used USB at first when I got mine, and the controls were way too sensitive in Q3A and UT, because USB refreshrate is stock at 130Hz, where PS/2 is adjustable between 20 and 200Hz (using 100Hz now).

Glad you're happy with your nwe mouse

------------------
EquinoXe's old baby:
Pentium II 350 MHz
192MB Nec/Infineon PC100 SDRAM
Voodoo3 3000 AGP
Guillemot MaxiSound Fortissimo
Windows 98SE

[Imhotep^]

i bought that exact same logitech optical, i ended up taking it back and swapping for a mouseman ball mouse. i just could not get over the loss of "intertia" you get with a ball, i'm so used to compensating for the ball to still roll somewhat after you've stopped moving your hand.

i guess horses for courses though eh?

------------------
man created god in his own image

[Strutz]

Does anyone else have the IBM optical? This sucker's really comfortable in your hand and the glowing blue scroll wheel looks cool.

------------------
T-bird 1.4 266
Iwill KK266
512meg PC-133
Radeon 64 VIVO
Onboard C-Media Sound
IBM 75GXP 45G ATA-100
Pioneer 16X DVD
Toshiba 48X CD
19" Mitsubishi Diamnod Pro 900u

[Viper222]

Yeah, the optical mouse takes a bit of getting used to, Imhotep^. I'm still getting used to mine when playing UT. I decided on the optical mouse because I got tired of cleaning the ball mouse. I previously used a serial Logitech First mouse.

Strutz, I didn't know IBM had an optical mouse with a blue LED!

------------------
"Stay Frosty"

AMD Athlon 900@1000Mhz
Asus A7V133
320MB RAM

[CenturionStrategy]

Originally posted by Strutz:
Does anyone else have the IBM optical? This sucker's really comfortable in your hand and the glowing blue scroll wheel looks cool.

OMG , PICS, PICS, PICS!!!

------------------
AMD Duron 800@1000 (133MHz FSB)
Abit KT7a RAID
DiamondMax Plus 60 - 40Gb
Elsa GeForce2MX 32Mb SDR
------------------
[This message has been edited by TheThoughtPolice (edited 10-04-1984).]