Controllers other than the Atari VCS controllers?

[82-T/A]

Hey guys... couple of thoughts. From time to time I kind of like the idea of having a keyboard. For example, when there are certain screens where I need to type in characters, I wonder if it wouldn't be better to simply use a keyboard. And then in other games where realistically a mouse would be more efficient (like the 8-bit detective games... forget the name but I bought both of them), would it not be easier to simply use a mouse?

 

Just wanted to know if anyone has tried connecting a mouse and a keyboard (essentially). I'd ideally like to have some kind of trackball, like this guy (below) to play those detective games... would this work? I mean, I suppose I could just plug one in. Otherwise, does the Atari VCS insist on you using the controller for such things? Just kind of hoping that the underlying Linux OS recognizes the mouse and allows it to function...

 

[Tinman]

I have a wireless keyboard with a small trackpad connected to my VCS.  It uses a USB dongle which I have plugged in in the back.  Works just fine!

[zzip]

Since my VCS is in the living room, I don't like the idea of having to pull out a traditional keyboard/mouse while sitting on a sofa, so I got one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QNPX8C2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

It's great for occasion typing, and the touchpad can be used as a mouse.   There's other styles available too and different sizes.   I would recommend wireless USB rather than Bluetooth-  more plug and play, you don't have to pair it.

26 minutes ago, 82-T/A said:

Just wanted to know if anyone has tried connecting a mouse and a keyboard (essentially). I'd ideally like to have some kind of trackball, like this guy (below) to play those detective games... would this work? I mean, I suppose I could just plug one in. Otherwise, does the Atari VCS insist on you using the controller for such things? Just kind of hoping that the underlying Linux OS recognizes the mouse and allows it to function...

That trackball works as a mouse device, so it's almost certainly plug and play on Linux as long as it doesn't use some kind of proprietary drivers.   I usually check reviews to see if anyone else has used it with Linux before buying something

 

But if Linux recognizes it as a mouse, the next question is if the game will allow it to be used as a controller.

[Tinman]

That is almost identical to the one I have.  I’ve never tried to use it as a controller, though.

[MrTrust]

The VCS has some issue with mouse input, where the whole game freezes for about .75 seconds every time you click.  I wouldn't use it to play games with.  I do play Missile Command Recharged with a mouse in one hand, and the modern controller in the other just for the fire button as a workaround.  It's really stupid, and kind of a disgrace that it hasn't gotten fixed by now.

[tripled79]

3 hours ago, MrTrust said:

The VCS has some issue with mouse input, where the whole game freezes for about .75 seconds every time you click.  I wouldn't use it to play games with.  I do play Missile Command Recharged with a mouse in one hand, and the modern controller in the other just for the fire button as a workaround.  It's really stupid, and kind of a disgrace that it hasn't gotten fixed by now.

Last time I played Missile Command recharged a few weeks ago, I wasn't having any issues with the mouse clicks as you mentioned. I thought it was fixed...

[+sramirez2008]

4 hours ago, MrTrust said:

The VCS has some issue with mouse input, where the whole game freezes for about .75 seconds every time you click.  I wouldn't use it to play games with.  I do play Missile Command Recharged with a mouse in one hand, and the modern controller in the other just for the fire button as a workaround.  It's really stupid, and kind of a disgrace that it hasn't gotten fixed by now.

Same for me. My TB worked when the game was initially released, but stopped at some point and never has worked with the TB.

1 hour ago, tripled79 said:

Last time I played Missile Command recharged a few weeks ago, I wasn't having any issues with the mouse clicks as you mentioned. I thought it was fixed...

Can you reconfirm this? Here's the one I use. It still woks with Centipede Recharged, but not will MC.