Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!asuvax!mcdphx!teroach.UUCP!stan
From: stan@teroach.UUCP (Stan Fisher)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Which joysticks are good?
Keywords: games joysticks good fun arcade Gravis MouseStick
Message-ID: <11882@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com>
Date: 24 Oct 89 17:04:11 GMT
References: <126722@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Sender: listen@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com
Reply-To: stan@teroach.UUCP (Stan Fisher)
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer Division, Tempe, Az.
Lines: 50

In article <126722@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> hyper%firedart@Sun.COM (Robin Greynolds) writes:
>
>Ok all you arcade-action game players out there:
>
>  What joysticks are available for the Amiga 500?
>  What are the best joysticks for games (such as Qix?)

If you want the most incredible joystick (I believe) to ever hit the
market, you really want to check out the "Advanced Gravis MouseStick(tm)".
I just picked one up at AmiEXPO.  This thing is amazing!  If I may try to
summarize briefly (hard to do, as it does so much!).

This is an opto-mechanical stick as opposed to switches or pots. It
works as a replacement for your mouse and/or a regular joystick.
It has a microprocessor module "GMPU" (Gravis Mousestick Processing Unit) 
in line with the joystick cord.  The module has a 16 character LCD display
for accessing the menu options for configuring the stick, 16K ROM, EEPROM
(Electrically Erasable Programable R.O.M.) for storage of up to 4 setups for
easy recall (one of which becomes the new default powerup setting). It has
1200 line resolution (full travel).  Emulates a digital (switch) joystick
with configurable fire buttons, one on the handle and two on the base.  Any
button can be set for any function including definable "Turbo" rapid fire.
This can be set from 0.1 seconds to 5.0 repeat cycle with 1/10 second
resolution. Independent configuration of both x and y axis for axis
reversal, vectoring (0-100), null zone (area of inactivity near/at center)
and deflection scaling.  You can program any button to "trim" the stick and
thereby change the rate/scale of movement on demand or to lock either axis
on demand (makes drawing straight lines easy). You can set it up to
autocenter the pointer on the screen for any screen resolution. Screens can
be configured for with the four defaults (320x200, 320x400, 620x200, 640x400)
or for other screen sizes the actual input/output scaling can be redefined
for any screen dimension to autocenter. Several mouse modes include direct
movement control, vectoring (pointer moves faster the more you deflect the
stick) and "combination mode" which uses both at once.  In the base is a
large tension adjust wheel that gives you 8 centering tensions from free
floating to stiff. 

The suggested list is something like $129 but at the show they were going for
$90.  If you're a registered Falcon owner you will get or have gotten an offer
in the mail allowing you to get it for $69.95, DO IT!!!.  I managed to talk the
guy at the show into letting me use my Falcon offer card I just so happened to
bring with me. B^}

I actually didn't cover everything this thing does....  believe it or not ;^)

DISCLAIMER - No I don't

  Stan Fisher -  stan@teroach.phx.mcd.mot.com -  asuvax!mcdphx!teroach!stan
  Motorola Microcomputer Division, Tempe, Arizona   -  Voice (602) 438-3228
  Call our User Group BBS "M.E.C.C.A." running Atredes 1.1 @ (602) 893-0804