G13 gamepad + WoW camera control

[Lexar]

Hey everyone,
I wasnt entirely sure where to put this, as its not really an interface/macro question, but I figured this subforum would be the best place to ask.
So, let me explain my problem. I have an Logitech G13 gameboard that I've been happily using to play WoW with for a while now.
I'm using the gamepad for general things and the num-keys on my keyboard for spells, (dont ask why, its just how I prefer to play), which doesnt allow me to control the camera without taking my hand off the keyboard. (which would prevent me from temporarily casting)

I've been looking for a way to make the thumbstick (the little joystick-thingy on the pad) control the camera and turn my character, as I dislike having to keyboard turn.

With a lot of hassle, and the help of this website http://logitech.lithium.com/t5/G-Ser...-to/m-p/304822 (Inb4 'zomg keylogger', google it if you dont trust the link) I've managed to get it somewhat working.
However, this only lets the camera move at a fixed speed, no matter how much the joystick is 'pressed'/'moved'.
While this is already a pretty big improvement over keyboard turning, I'd like to get more out of it.

The thumbstick supports analog, so in theory it should be possible to make the camera (and thus my character) turn faster/slower depending on how far the stick is 'pressed' and allow me to move the camera in a mouse like fashion.

I can get the joystick to act as a mouse (thats just a simple setting in the key profiler program from logitech), but that would force me to bind a seperate key to PressRightMouseButton, which would be really annoying.

So basically what I need is:

# A way to edit the default script on the G13 that allows the thumbstick to be used as a mouse, and always *also* make it press the right mouse button while moving.
OR:
# Some sort of lua script that translates thumbstick movement to mouse movement + pressing the right mousebutton while doing this.

Any thoughts or idea's are much appreciated, there must be more people out there with this problem!

[ant1pathy]

Realistically, the faster you get over wanting to use the numberpad on your keyboard to cast the better off you'll be. There's a lot of kooky preference things that people live with and dislike changing from, but removing your hand from the mouse to cast is worse than clicking. I'd try to spend a few minutes (10-15) at the attack dummies re-learning your casting from the gamepad. You'll wonder why you didn't do it that way years ago.

[Deleted]

ok, tbh, it's my playing style.

Being able to have all my spells on numpad 1 though to = and 2nd bar on alt + the same and being able to move with the other hand is so much easier. putting extra things onto the pad, and using the joystick as a mouse camera pivot, if you think about it, is actually a really good idea. I'v never had a problem with it. Just need a script mentioned above.

[Jowanda]

I have the G13 and after much trying myself to have a setup similar to the one you describe, I have given up. The issue comes from the fact that the analog stick isnt advanced enough. It can't measure the sensitivity that you press with, so it will always push you forward with "a single keystroke", like pressing the W key all the way down. It isnt a gradient so to speak, it cant do a partial press because it isnt designed that way.

[Deleted]

since the latest drivers, it can measure sensitivity. I found an LUA to use with spring, and it detects joystick input and prints the values onto screen, and it is analogue. Also i have something atm that takes a digital input, say left and right, and converts it into mouse left / right and hold right click * sensitivity of whatever.

it's just merging both of those that is difficult, especially as both things are written in a different language

[Jowanda]

since the latest drivers, it can measure sensitivity. I found an LUA to use with spring, and it detects joystick input and prints the values onto screen, and it is analogue. Also i have something atm that takes a digital input, say left and right, and converts it into mouse left / right and hold right click * sensitivity of whatever.

it's just merging both of those that is difficult, especially as both things are written in a different language

ok so a couple of questions:
a Lua to use with spring- What is spring?
you say it is analog- you understand that this means it is detecting position relative to a central location?
then digital input- can you explain this a little more? What is this "something"?

It is good that it is analog, that gives hope.

[ant1pathy]

ok, tbh, it's my playing style.

Being able to have all my spells on numpad 1 though to = and 2nd bar on alt + the same and being able to move with the other hand is so much easier. putting extra things onto the pad, and using the joystick as a mouse camera pivot, if you think about it, is actually a really good idea. I'v never had a problem with it. Just need a script mentioned above.

Mapping your key abilities around your WASD configuration, or gamepad since you have that, and using the mouse to move/turn/key certain actions is commonly accepted. You'll see no one in serious play, either PvP or PvE using anything else. I'm not saying you can't make your way work, but it's like playing the game by poking at the keyboard with a straw held between your teeth. Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's a good idea.

[Deleted]

ok so a couple of questions:
a Lua to use with spring- What is spring?
you say it is analog- you understand that this means it is detecting position relative to a central location?
then digital input- can you explain this a little more? What is this "something"?

It is good that it is analog, that gives hope.

spring is an rts like sup com.. i was trying to get joystick to map movement

the lua i had read the input and showed on screen the position of joystick relative to it's 0 point

---------- Post added 2010-07-25 at 05:54 AM ----------

Mapping your key abilities around your WASD configuration, or gamepad since you have that, and using the mouse to move/turn/key certain actions is commonly accepted. You'll see no one in serious play, either PvP or PvE using anything else. I'm not saying you can't make your way work, but it's like playing the game by poking at the keyboard with a straw held between your teeth. Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's a good idea.

well having the key things around WASD, AD used for strafing instead.... mouse movement on that thumb for turning and then abilities on numpad and numpad + modifier allows for much much more, within easier reach than your mentioned methods

and anyways this isn't a debate as to playing styles.. this is to get a joystick input, and match it with mouse movement with right click toggled whilst the input is being made

[ComputerNerd]

I do not believe that a Lua script would be able to control the camera through responding to hardware.
It is likely the camera controls require hardware events, and therefore cannot go through a script.

[Deleted]

I do not believe that a Lua script would be able to control the camera through responding to hardware.
It is likely the camera controls require hardware events, and therefore cannot go through a script.

It doesn't need to, only to read joystick input, and output the same thing as mouse, just with inverted y axis (easily doable) and the RMB applied as it does (again doable)

The lua script would be ideal, as if it ran in the same fashion as an addon, then it would only be active in game. Once i have the base idea, i can work on it to change settings such as sensitivity, which could then be changed in game

[ComputerNerd]

My point being that certain actions, like the movement of the mouse pointer are not likely to be something you can control with a script for reasons of reducing botting or automation.
Reading the information is one thing, what you can do with it is something entirely different, and the wow UI is rather strict in that regard.
Replicating hardware input is something that very much applies to.
Your best chance is external configuration of the gamepad, not through the game.

[Deleted]

the pad itself accepts script in lua as well, so simply putting it there would work fine

[ComputerNerd]

The example linked is using AutoHotkey, and the directions being assigned as keys.
Thefore they have no sensitivity measure and will be unable to do what you want from that.
Unless someone can find a specific script example actually measuring the offset of the stick, and actually in Lua, not in AutoHotkey then we cannot do anything.

[Deleted]

i know, which is why i asked for lua for this :P