Project Reality Forums

Hey guys,

So last week I finally ordered my first new 3d mouse. It will be at my apartment when I get off work today. The plan is to use this 3d mouse in vehicles (heli's and planes) I personally think that this will be a great idea. I will post a pic of it when I get home from work today.

It is a mouse that is used for 3d solid modelling programs like Pro Engineer, Solidworks and 3DSMax. It looks deceptively simple for what it is and I hope that the hack I plan to use to turn this proprietary mouse into a joystick works.

PuffNStuff wrote:Hey guys,

So last week I finally ordered my first new 3d mouse. It will be at my apartment when I get off work today. The plan is to use this 3d mouse in vehicles (heli's and planes) I personally think that this will be a great idea. I will post a pic of it when I get home from work today.

It is a mouse that is used for 3d solid modelling programs like Pro Engineer, Solidworks and 3DSMax. It looks deceptively simple for what it is and I hope that the hack I plan to use to turn this proprietary mouse into a joystick works.

Save us a Google search and show us your 3D mouse. I'm interested in seeing what one of these is and what it can do.

Something like this:



A handy tool that can be used with modeling and such.

'[R-DEV wrote:AfterDune;1245829']Something like this:



A handy tool that can be used with modeling and such.

That looks crazy and complicated.

Too many bits and peices everywhere. I'd forget which button did what.

I'll show my friends this. They will be baffled

'[R-DEV wrote:AfterDune;1245829']Something like this:



A handy tool that can be used with modeling and such.

Looks like something out of a sci fi movie. I can't make any sense of it... im taking this to google my self

If you think it looks complicated to use... Just wait until you hear how to install it. The drivers that come with it do NOT let you use it as a joystick. You have to install a custom, unsigned driver. Which, if you know anything about windows, is a ***** no matter what version you have.

The one pictued in the posts above, are sold for about $250 or more if you want more buttons and an LCD screen. I have the one without all the fancy buttons, but still has the same function.

Anyways, if anyone has one and wants to use it as a joystick, pm me. It takes patience as the BSOD will become your biggest enemy if you don't install it right!

So after about 3 hours of trial and error I figured out how o install and eventually got the binds correct.

Spining it steers, tip it forward, and you dive forward and tip it right and you bank right. I tried to use the Z axis (up and down) for throttle, but it made control at full throttle difficult just due to the nature of the controller itself. So i still use the keyboard for throttle (W,S).

Works great for every thing, especially planes. Great for heli's, easy to stabilize and land and even aerobatics! lol Although it does take some major getting used too, because you have to fix the deadzone so that every twitch on the stick itself doesn't cause you to bank uncontrolibly.

The driver that comes with this works pretty good and it WILL take some time to find a setting that works. You could even bind the mouse to the 6 axis controller to use it in first person combat and looking around with ease when flying any aircraft!

One weekend, and many restarts to BSOD's later, it works great!!!! ON VISTA 64 BIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dunno, for $90, I think I'd rather have a joystick (unless you can find them cheaper than the one's I'm seeing), and I use Solidworks/Inventor on a regular basis.

Got any in-game video?

Actually yes, but I am at work right now lol. I did a comparison between using the mouse and 3d mouse. But I am more experienced using the reg. mouse and it wasn't tuned yet so it looks really bad lol.

BTW The small one sells for $60 but its for home use, not for professional use.

I would rather use Solidworks,but I am using Pro E W2 >:[

EDIT: I wouldn't invest the time or money into this UNLESS you're hellbent on using one for gaming, it isnt worth the time or money on one of these. In other words, if you already have one and use it for work, this thread is for you. If not, its not worth replacing your joystick.

Its like a joystick for your fingertips instead of your entire arm.

i wouldnt like one of these over a joystick because it looks like its about to snap the minute you touch it its just to thin for me and i like something to hold onto with grip.