The mouse-mania of the mid 1980s?

01 June 2016, 08:29

Once I heard someone saying that in the mid-1980s when a computer mouse was a new thing and people were excited about it, there were many odd ways of using a mouse in programs.

I can myself recall at least the game "Ferrari Formula One" (Electronic Arts, 1988) which used mouse control (as a sole option) for a wanna-be-realistic formula game. Also, "Instant Music" program (Electronic Arts, 1986) lets user to use mouse as a jamming instrument.

Can you think of any further examples?

ransom1122 · 01 June 2016, 09:01

Super Hang-On but it was terrible. Joystick was better.

emufan · 01 June 2016, 09:33

Marble Madness and Rock 'n Roll (not 100% sure here)

and an application: Music Mouse.

Steve T · 01 June 2016, 11:57

Always thought that No Second Prize had a great mouse control scheme. Domark's Mig-29 used the mouse to emulate the top of a flight stick, may be confusing at first but allows for very smooth control.

Shame back then we only had ball/roller mice on the whole though, with all the issues those bring.

robinsonb5 · 01 June 2016, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve T

Shame back then we only had ball/roller mice on the whole though, with all the issues those bring.

Weirdly I stll prefer a ball / roller mouse to this day, and use one as my primary mouse both at home and at work. I just prefer the extra weight and inertia. Am I alone in this?

Also, how come double-right-click requesters never took off? Intuition has explicit support for them, but I don't think I've ever seen them used?

Zeewolf and Zeewolf 2 had great mouse controls.

Retro-Nerd · 01 June 2016, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by ransom1122

Super Hang-On but it was terrible. Joystick was better.

What? The mouse controls in Super Hang-On beats the awful Joystick controls. Far more precise. You can adjust the control sensibility as you wish.

I remember Grand Slam Tennis with mouse controls. Now that was really awful.

http://hol.abime.net/2785

Battle Squadron: Not a complete disaster, but not enjoyable either.

Superman · 01 June 2016, 12:49

Shuffle Puck Cafe

s2325 · 01 June 2016, 13:10

You can cheat in some Decathlon-style games with mouse plugged instead of joystick. I'm curious if Pang is playable with mouse.

Total Eclipse · 01 June 2016, 15:29

Vroom used the mouse as well (forwards/backwards for accelerate and brake, left and right were obvious, and buttons to shift up and down). It made the game much more playable IMO.

Predseda · 01 June 2016, 15:32

I always preferred mouse control in Jaguar XJ220 than slow joystick.

knightbeat · 01 June 2016, 23:31

Mouse controls were great. I recall Virus being nigh-on unplayable with a joystick.

Coincidentally, I've just installed Beyond Good & Evil (on Windows) after owning it for years and discovered the mouse controls. They're surprisingly good, though the close camera completely ruins the game for me.

Mrs Beanbag · 01 June 2016, 23:58

the original Starglider was mouse-controlled and iirc even the Novella that came with the game described a spaceship that was actually controlled by the pilot using a mouse...

onkelarie · 02 June 2016, 08:40

starglider 2 as well iirc? speedcontrol met the right mb and dragging if I'm not mistaken.

Dunny · 02 June 2016, 10:00

Many F1 games of the late 90s and early 2000s allowed mouse as a controller, and even now it's still in use - EuroTruck 2 has the option for mouse-controlled steering. It never really went away.

spannernick · 02 June 2016, 15:12

I remember using the mouse in Hard Drivin,you couldn't play it with joystick it was to hard.

01 June 2016, 08:29	#1
rodland Posts: n/a	The mouse-mania of the mid 1980s? Once I heard someone saying that in the mid-1980s when a computer mouse was a new thing and people were excited about it, there were many odd ways of using a mouse in programs. I can myself recall at least the game "Ferrari Formula One" (Electronic Arts, 1988) which used mouse control (as a sole option) for a wanna-be-realistic formula game. Also, "Instant Music" program (Electronic Arts, 1986) lets user to use mouse as a jamming instrument. Can you think of any further examples?

01 June 2016, 09:33	#3
emufan Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: #DrainTheSwamp Posts: 4,545	Marble Madness and Rock 'n Roll (not 100% sure here) and an application: Music Mouse. Last edited by emufan; 01 June 2016 at 09:39.

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01 June 2016, 09:01	#2
ransom1122 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Omnicorp Age: 45 Posts: 5,907	Super Hang-On but it was terrible. Joystick was better.

01 June 2016, 11:57	#4
Steve T Registered User Join Date: May 2013 Location: UK Age: 44 Posts: 351	Always thought that No Second Prize had a great mouse control scheme. Domark's Mig-29 used the mouse to emulate the top of a flight stick, may be confusing at first but allows for very smooth control. Shame back then we only had ball/roller mice on the whole though, with all the issues those bring.

01 June 2016, 12:49	#7
Superman Super Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wakefield Age: 49 Posts: 1,335	Shuffle Puck Cafe

01 June 2016, 13:10	#8
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 44 Posts: 17,789	You can cheat in some Decathlon-style games with mouse plugged instead of joystick. I'm curious if Pang is playable with mouse.

01 June 2016, 15:29	#9
Total Eclipse Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Atherstone / UK Age: 49 Posts: 173	Vroom used the mouse as well (forwards/backwards for accelerate and brake, left and right were obvious, and buttons to shift up and down). It made the game much more playable IMO.

01 June 2016, 15:32	#10
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,583	I always preferred mouse control in Jaguar XJ220 than slow joystick.

01 June 2016, 23:31	#11
knightbeat Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: UK Posts: 28	Mouse controls were great. I recall Virus being nigh-on unplayable with a joystick. Coincidentally, I've just installed Beyond Good & Evil (on Windows) after owning it for years and discovered the mouse controls. They're surprisingly good, though the close camera completely ruins the game for me.

01 June 2016, 23:58	#12
Mrs Beanbag Glastonbridge Software Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Edinburgh/Scotland Posts: 2,243	the original Starglider was mouse-controlled and iirc even the Novella that came with the game described a spaceship that was actually controlled by the pilot using a mouse...

02 June 2016, 08:40	#13
onkelarie Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Spijkenisse / the Netherlands Age: 54 Posts: 525	starglider 2 as well iirc? speedcontrol met the right mb and dragging if I'm not mistaken.

02 June 2016, 10:00	#14
Dunny Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Scunthorpe/United Kingdom Posts: 2,097	Many F1 games of the late 90s and early 2000s allowed mouse as a controller, and even now it's still in use - EuroTruck 2 has the option for mouse-controlled steering. It never really went away.

02 June 2016, 15:12	#15
spannernick Retro Nuts Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London/UK Age: 53 Posts: 1,184	I remember using the mouse in Hard Drivin,you couldn't play it with joystick it was to hard.

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