Any good trackball players willing to give some advice?

bobbyboi

Joined June 2014

Topic Starter

bobbyboi 2014-08-16T03:31:58+00:00

So I got into osu about 2 months ago, and I've been steadily improving since I started, but I was just wondering if any people that use a trackball (if there are even any that play) could give me some advice about how they have risen through the ranks and the problems that they faced.

I play with a Logitech Trackman, and some problems that I have are that my fingers often get out of position on top of the ball, and I have to find some time in the songs to re-adjust so I can have decent leverage on the ball. Spins also can be kind of annoying for me because I spin around the outside, and sometimes the cursor ends up on one end of my screen, and the note is on the other end, and I have to cross the screen really quickly.

Trackball 4 lyfe

Vuelo Eluko

5,484 posts

Joined October 2013

Vuelo Eluko 2014-08-16T03:39:51+00:00

arent you supposed to have your hand on it and roll it around that way, instead of only fingers? if you do it that way you can spin by moving the ball around that bump in your hand at the base of your middle/ring finger with a "washing the dishes" motion.

anyway i dont know of anyone who got good with a trackball so good luck.

bobbyboi

4 posts

Joined June 2014

Topic Starter

bobbyboi 2014-08-16T03:46:32+00:00

I guess it would depend on what kind of trackball mouse you use. With mine its a lot more comfortable and accurate to use 3 fingers to manipulate the ball. I'm hoping that someone better than I am at using a trackball might come along and offer some insight, although I'm in no hurry to try to rocket up the leaderboards.

Trackball 4 lyfe

Wishy

2,974 posts

Joined September 2010

Wishy 2014-08-16T14:58:11+00:00

I got very good advice for you:

Don't play with a trackball.

That's the best advice you are gonna get!

Granger

835 posts

Joined April 2014

Granger 2014-08-16T17:24:03+00:00

Even some 5$ mouse could do the job better than any trackball could ever do.

Wishy wrote:
Don't play with a trackball.

Dexus

982 posts

Joined July 2009

Dexus 2014-08-16T17:26:47+00:00

Only problem I see is in spinners, but playing on trackball is kind of on the same path as a tracpad; a big waste of time. Pick up a $30 tablet and youre good to go.

bobbyboi

4 posts

Joined June 2014

Topic Starter

bobbyboi 2014-08-17T00:30:54+00:00

Why does everyone see a trackball as not viable? I've tried using normal mouses, and from what I've experienced, trackballs have a better combination of speed and fine control for me. I've never used a gamepad though, so you might be right about that one.

Trackball 4 lyfe

GoldenWolf

2,983 posts

Joined May 2012

GoldenWolf 2014-08-17T00:51:35+00:00

bobbyboi wrote:
Why does everyone see a trackball as not viable?

Because trackballs are baaaaad

bobbyboi

4 posts

Joined June 2014

Topic Starter

bobbyboi 2014-08-17T00:58:12+00:00

GoldenWolf wrote:
bobbyboi wrote:
Why does everyone see a trackball as not viable?
Because trackballs are baaaaad

But why do you say that? I've been using trackballs and normal mouses for all of my life, and I feel like I can use them both just fine. I can say that going from a normal mouse to a trackball for anyone that didn't use one their whole life could be a very difficult learning curve, just because all of the command has to come from your fingers, where with a normal mouse command comes from the wrist

Trackball 4 lyfe

AegisFTW

86 posts

Joined September 2013

AegisFTW 2014-08-17T01:05:47+00:00

bobbyboi wrote:
But why do you say that? I've been using trackballs and normal mouses for all of my life, and I feel like I can use them both just fine. I can say that going from a normal mouse to a trackball for anyone that didn't use one their whole life could be a very difficult learning curve, just because all of the command has to come from your fingers, where with a normal mouse command comes from the wrist

They are just using bad arguments in general it feels like, if this was true we might as well all be using mouse+keyboard or tablet+keyboard.

I'm not going to say that you are going be better than the mouse or tablet players in the top ranks though, I'm not going to say it won't be impressive or interesting if you do gain a high level of skill AND consistency. You just need to realize that this a very funny way of playing a game that might not even work out in your favor at all in being "The Best". I may be wrong for what's objectively better though.

meteor22

176 posts

Joined May 2013

meteor22 2014-08-17T02:55:45+00:00

You can become very good with trackball

in the same way that mouse can have as much potential as a tablet.

nrl

1,402 posts

Joined October 2011

nrl 2014-08-17T04:00:03+00:00

A mouse player can reach the same level of play as a tablet player, but they absolutely do not have the same potential as peripherals. The distinction is important.