Is there a particular reason that all (that I know of) sims/games seem to
require that a controller be installed in the first slot in Windows? I've
been messing around with a number of different controllers trying to decide
which one I like and doing the old Windows controller applet slot shuffle is
getting kinda old. If modern developers are coding to use the controller
through the directx route anyway then the game should be able to be aware of
controllers in different slots. (?right?: not sure about this) .
What I'd like to see in the controller scene of every sim/game is a line
that, in effect, says "Pick a controller to use in this application"
followed by a drop down menu listing slots 1 through 16. Is this possible?
Would be very handy for those of use that play a wide range of games all
requiring different controllers.
David
There may be a reason why this isn't done. I almost believe it is
due to sloppy & lazy programming. You used to be able to play
SCGT with the controller on an ID other than 1. Then they patched
it up to 1.5x and that "feature" disappeared and you were forced to
use ID #1. It depends on the games.
I have resigned my self to just put the controller I want to use
on ID #1.
--
[email hidden]
"David Erb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:fI%l5.873$[email hidden]...
> Is there a particular reason that all (that I know of) sims/games seem to
> require that a controller be installed in the first slot in Windows? I've
> been messing around with a number of different controllers trying to
decide
> which one I like and doing the old Windows controller applet slot shuffle
is
> getting kinda old. If modern developers are coding to use the controller
> through the directx route anyway then the game should be able to be aware
of
> controllers in different slots. (?right?: not sure about this) .
>
> What I'd like to see in the controller scene of every sim/game is a line
> that, in effect, says "Pick a controller to use in this application"
> followed by a drop down menu listing slots 1 through 16. Is this
possible?
> Would be very handy for those of use that play a wide range of games all
> requiring different controllers.
>
> David
>
>
David Erb <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:fI%l5.873$[email hidden]...
> Is there a particular reason that all (that I know of) sims/games seem to
> require that a controller be installed in the first slot in Windows?...
> If modern developers are coding to use the controller
> through the directx route anyway then the game should be able to be awareof
> controllers in different slots. (?right?: not sure about this) .
Yes, you are correct. In fact, it's not at all difficult.
> What I'd like to see in the controller scene of every sim/game is a line
> that, in effect, says "Pick a controller to use in this application"
> followed by a drop down menu listing slots 1 through 16. Is thispossible?
> Would be very handy for those of use that play a wide range of games all
> requiring different controllers.
Yes, this is possible, but is also rather restrictive. What if you like
your Brand X pedals but don't like the wheel (or have built your own pedals,
but not a wheel), and like your Brand Y wheel but not its pedals? Why not,
instead, allow you to just assign gas/brake to your Brand X pedals (or your
home-brew jobbers), and steering to the Brand Y wheel? That's what GPL
does. And this, too, is not at all difficult.
Randy
"Randy Cassidy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8nbksd$30j$[email hidden]...
> David Erb <[email hidden]> wrote in message(snippety snip snip)
pedals,
> but not a wheel), and like your Brand Y wheel but not its pedals? Whynot,
> instead, allow you to just assign gas/brake to your Brand X pedals (oryour
> home-brew jobbers), and steering to the Brand Y wheel? That's what GPL
> does. And this, too, is not at all difficult.
>
> Randy
Certainly if all developers were as thoughtful as GPLs' then there'd be
little problem. HOWEVER for all those other "its no GPL but..." games
including those in other genres such as flight sims and gamepad driven
types it would still be handy to define the controller. To use your example
I could define up to 4 different controller combos in 4 slots ( wheel A
+pedal A, WA +PB, WB +PA, WB +PB) to test in a game. Instead of having to
drop out of the game to change and compare them for usabilty within the sim
I could simply go to an options panel within the sim/game and pick a
controller in its slot. In effect the windows applet would be doing what the
excellent GPL panel already does but the choices would be available for use
by all games . After all there are the odd occasions when I play something
other than GPL :)
David
