From: tld@moon.base.bellcore.com (Terry Davidson)
Subject: Re: Ultima Underworld Interface Sucks?
Reply-To: tld@cosmos.bellcore.com
Organization: Bellcore
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 92 21:23:06 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.050800.2604@timesink.chi.il.us>, mikebo@timesink.chi.il.us (Michael Borowiec) writes:
|> In article <widow.718766844@camelot> widow@camelot.bradley.edu (Shaun Burnett) writes:
|> >In <1992Oct10.173209.2169@timesink.chi.il.us> mikebo@timesink.chi.il.us (Michael Borowiec) writes:
|> >
|> >>With "Underworld" I feel like I have very limited control with the
|> >>mouse and find I overshoot doors and run into walls constantly.
|> >>"Underworld" looks like it's *capable* of super smooth-scrolling
|> >>animation and control like "Wolfenstein", but I'll never get the
|> >>control I want unless "Underworld" has a keyboard interface I don't
|> >>know about. Have I missed something in the documentation? Can anyone
|> >>shed light on this, or should I take the game back to Egghead?
|> >
|> >What processor does your computer have?  I run UW under OS/2
|> >2.0 on a 486/33 and scrolling seems smooth enough.  What you
|> >may need to do is what I did when I ran UW demo on my
|> >286/12.5, decrease the graphics detail.
|> 
|> Well, I'm running on a 25Mhz 386 w/more expanded RAM than the program
|> can use. It's not the scrolling that's the problem, it's the clunky
|> mouse interface. For starting/stopping/turning on a dime, a mouse is
|> simply a shitty input device (IMHO). I prefer the keyboard and...
|> 
|> >As for better control, I think the mouse is fine.  I do
|> >occasionally pitch my weapon away, but I'll get use to it.
|> >If you want to use the keyboard, look up the keys on the
|> >reference card.
|> 
|> Yes, a hearty RTFM to me... (-8  Thanks to all who replied...
|> - Mike
|> 
|> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> Michael Borowiec  -  HAM Radio Station N9EUZ  -  mikebo@timesink.chi.il.us
|>    >>> Dedicated to the Study of Computer Assisted Time Dissipation <<<
|> The Timesink Organization  -  121 Thrush Lane  -  Naperville, IL 60540 USA
|> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interesting...  The position of the mouse relative to the *center* of the
viewing window determines speed in the appropriate direction...  Of
course, the quality of the mouse helps:  I *had* a no-name mouse that was
completely abominable; now using a Logitech serial mouse (circa 1990),
and have zero problems with moving about in UW ... scrolling is extremely
smooth (Viewsonic 6, TSENG 4000 with 1MB); using highest graphics rez..

Example:  To move slowly and then accelerate, experiment by moving the 
cursor to approximately 1/2 inch north of window dead center; hold down
the button and watch the results.  Then, *slowly* move the cursor north
(up screen, sorry 'bout that).

Your mouse rez may be a large part of the problem...  The LM tracks at
60 DPI to 800 DPI, adjustable via software ... nice!

Same for sideways movement:  move the cursor all the way to the bottom
of the window about 1/2 inch from botom center; repeat above process.
Took my son and I about 5 minutes to get used to it; having Wolf3D
for a while previous certainly helped.

Hope this helps!  BTW - originally ran on a 386DX-16, no problems...
Now use 486DX-33 8*) .. wish I could afford an EISA/Local Bus 486DX-50...

-- 
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*     The opinions expressed here are not claimed or supported by anyone.     *
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* If you don't know where you're coming from, any direction is forward -Jensen
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Terry Davidson - tld@cosmos.bellcore.com / tld@cosmos.bae.bellcore.com      *
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Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games