rec.autos.simulators

Will Win95 support multiple devices that are hooked up one at a time to the
game port? I have a joystick that I use for most games, but also a wheel for
driving games. Can I install both of them as controllers even though only
one can actually be connected at a time? Before starting a game, do I then
have to tell Win95 which one I am using? This would also apply if I get a
3rd controller -- one of those Gravis gamepads -- so my son can play his NHL
game better. Who in Win95 keeps track of which controller is the "active"
one?

This is strictly a Win95 issue -- I realize that in DOS the game itself
handles this (such as GP2).

--
Doug Gordon
(Remove "nospam." from e-mail address)

Go get you a J-switch made by Hot shot corp. It allows you to plug 4
joy,wheels or gamepads into it. It plugs into your joystick port. You then
slide the switch to which controller you want to run. No more unplugging
and pluggind controllers in. You will still have to reselect the device in
the control panel each time. I got mine at Babbage's software in the mall.
Only $15 and I think it was worth it.

Actualy I have a CH Flightstick & a CH Virtual Pilot Pro w/ pedals
setup on win95 with no problem.

I created a setup for each one, one as joystick one one as joystick 2
but have never had to change them to use either one.

The trick is, I bought the Joyswitch switchbox for joysticks. Spendy
at about $50 US but all I have to do now is set one switch to the
posistion for the stick I want to use and restart the computer and it
recognizes that stick. If I am going to use the same one I did for my
previous session I just power up and go for it.

You might want to consider it.
I did have to hook up the pedals for dedicated running through the VPP
as I had problems trying to use the pedals hooked up through the
pedals side of the box but that may have been from trying to make it
work in Carmageddon. Haven't tried hooking up pedals to be useable by
either stick at will again for N1 or N2 yet.

It allows up to 4 joysticks and 2 foot controlers on one gameport as
long as it supports 2 devices.
Also allows you to select a joystick and turn off the foot contolers
if you want to.

Ron

It is called a J-Link (not J-switch that is something else that costs ~$50) and
is made by QuickShot (not Hot shot).  I have one, and it solves the problem the
original poster had (I use mine to switch between a Sidewinder 3D pro joystick
and a Thrustmaster GP1 wheel).  Note that ports 1 and 2 on the J-Link have a
funny configuration due to the "2-player" mode (for simultaneous use of 2
joysticks in games that support it) that this switch supports.  It seems that 2
of the buttons on some 4-button *** devices (like the GP1) won't work if
plugged into port 1 or 2.  Plug these problem controllers into ports 3 or 4 and
you are golden.  Like Kyle said, you still need to switch the device in the
control panel when you flip the switch, but it isn't too much of a pain.

Now I just need a good 3dfx driving simulation to make good use of my GP1.  How
much longer do we have to wait for Microsoft's C.A.R.T. and Ubisoft's F1 Racing
sims? *sigh*

--

The Scripps Research Institute
http://www.racesimcentral.net/~jsmith