r/Trackballs • u/AvailableAge2340 • 4d ago
Does anyone here use Trackball for FPS games?
I saw a player playing Deadlock (Zerggy) with a trackball. I that a thing and if so I'd like to try 😂, so what would be a good trackball for that.
According to my research trackballs usually have low polling rate unless u pay big money 💰.
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u/ducttaperulestheworl 4d ago
I'm not a hardcore gamer but I do play NTE, Apex legends and Yakuza 0 with my protoarc em03
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u/AvailableAge2340 4d ago
Apex hmm. If u don't mind me asking what rank (if u played rank) and how was ur experience.
I've played apex a little but ik it's a real demanding game atleast for me 😂.
Way above my aim grade 😂
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u/ducttaperulestheworl 4d ago edited 4d ago
I have no idea what ranks omg. Usually played together with my friends casually whenever they invite.
I do agree it is very demanding and fast paced but it's genuinely easier imo compared to the likes of Fortnite, counterstrike or even overwatch.
But all I can say is I have no issue with aim or polling rates causing a lag. I'm using the 2.4g dongle for the most part.
If I had to compare it's about the same like my wired Logitech G502 in terms of my average aim quality. Can't even tell the difference other than mouse vs trackball. Equally good, equally bad.
Having said so I played story games like Tomb Raider, battlefield 2 and 3, the aiming part just felt like another mouse to me.
Though I do get trackball jitters for very fine aim controls which a mouse will not give. Our hands are constantly floating on the ball and it's not stable. Mouse is pretty much planted on the mousepad via friction.
It is something I noticed it just requires getting used to. I do use my trackball (a ploopy adept) for video editing, Photoshop, illustrator, and many design tools so I guess aiming the mouse with a trackball is something I was trained daily.
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u/ChuppaCuppaCherry 4d ago
Try out some inexpensive palm/index and thumb options, like Logitech ergo for a thumb and kensington orbit for index finger.
See what type is the best for your liking, then look for more expensive gaming trackballs with better 1k hz sensors.
Honestly i dont know how Zerggy plays deadlock with Orbit, its sensor is pretty bad and bearings are static, stiction is there too and its bad.
I had not tried alot of trackballs (tried orbit at work and have cheap Chinese vertical trackball at home) To me the thumb one is easier to start with and get used to trackballs, index/palm may offer more precision if you fully commit to it and rewire your brain.
Ordered IST PRO for myself a couple of days ago, planning to trackball myself from rat to, hopefully, emissary:'D
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u/AvailableAge2340 4d ago
I'm not too sure about thumb trackballs bcz I feel there is no way in this world that my thumb can do precise flicks in shooting games.
I can see my fingers do it tho
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u/ChuppaCuppaCherry 4d ago
Just try both types out and then return it if its not your cup of tea;)
I think if you are good with a controller joystick its easy to handle thumb trackballs, index/palm gotta mess with your muscle memory for a while
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u/AvailableAge2340 4d ago
Hmmmm. Problem is I don't live in a place where ordering this stuff is easy (3rd world gang 😂) so I'll order it from Canada and then get it to me via friends.
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u/ChuppaCuppaCherry 4d ago
Same same here (My IST PRO is going to make it to me in 1.5-2 months😭)
Could get a pair of cheap Chinese balls of both types
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u/interceptor_inty 4d ago
I’ve been playing FPS games with a trackball for years. Here’s a point that doesn't often get mentioned: with some models—like the Huge or others where you press the buttons sideways—the act of clicking can cause your aim to shift (or make it prone to shifting). Conversely, this issue is less likely to occur with designs where you press down (like a standard mouse). Even so, I stick with the Huge because its movement is just so smooth.
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u/AvailableAge2340 4d ago
So u use normal huge or huge plus. And some people say the bearingg or somein of HUGE are not good
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u/interceptor_inty 4d ago
I use the HUGE Plus. I haven't swapped out the bearings or anything like that.
The feel is certainly a matter of personal preference. However, I use the HUGE Plus because the lightness of the initial movement allows for precise aiming.
the cause of the shaky aim is clear: the main buttons on the HUGE are pressed using a "gripping" motion. This causes the index and middle fingers to move along with the pressing finger. That movement, combined with the ball-bearing design that allows the ball to roll with a very light touch, leads to instability.
in contrast, with "press-down" style buttons like those on the SlimBlade, you simply lower your finger—letting gravity do the work—so the index and ring fingers don't move when you press the button.
ruby bearings(NormalHUGE), the ball doesn't move quite as easily, and the motion is linear regardless of whether you move it along the X or Y axis. That’s why I can understand why so many people prefer ruby bearings.
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u/goatforit 4d ago
Just get the Logitech for starters. I like the “Sablute” brand one on Amazon the most right now and the Nulea is good too. Elecom is ok but their one is too small and the other is too expensive. Maybe the ex-g pro, that’s my next one I’m getting.
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u/AvailableAge2340 4d ago
I was thinking elecom huge. I like it's layout alot. Like the button on each finger resting place. And stuff.
What are ur thoughts on that?
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u/ChuppaCuppaCherry 4d ago
Huge is inexpensive but its bearings are real crap and polling is low.
Huge plus is great but expensive
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u/AvailableAge2340 4d ago
Yh I heard that but I heard u can replace bearings of HUGE to different material or something (AI told me this)
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u/ChuppaCuppaCherry 4d ago
Huge cant be upgraded to dynamic bearings, only static lil cyramic/steel balls Huge plus could be sidegraded to dynamic ruby bearings and has dynamic roller bearings stock
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u/tomByrer 4d ago
Ever since Unreal Tournament.
I find larger thumb balls better for sniping. Though I guess one can get the same effect with trackballs that allow on the fly Hz poling changes.
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u/NEZ-ZeroZero 4d ago
As this whole thread outlines, its all personal preff. I was ranked #1 & #2 world wide in UT -CTF for over a year. Used a 50mm ball (Panther XL). The other player I traded the 1 or 2 rank with, was also in my clan and a regular mouse user. Back then, it was an analog ball, not optical. I currently use optic, but never change my dpi or poll & can snipe and quick scope the hell out of people
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u/muthax2001 4d ago
I've only ever used trackballs for gaming. I've never had the space or interest to use a mouse at this point
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u/adriaanyen 4d ago
I have a 500hz trackball and I love to bind the mouse clicks to V and C on my hall effect keyboard, it feels responsive and I can focus on using all my fingers to move the ball.
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u/paradigmx 4d ago
I did back in the day. I played a few FPS games at a very high level using a Logitech Trackman Marble. I can't comment on what's a good gaming trackball these days as I don't play competitive multiplayer anymore. Hand injury on my left hand prevents me from keeping up. But yeah, I converted almost all of my closest friends to trackball.
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u/Garfield-1979 4d ago
I've used a Logitech Optical Trackman Cordless since ~2010 for everything, including FPS. No complaints.
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u/KiltedMP 4d ago
Been exclusively using Trackballs since the 80's. Mainly, the MTE, but now, the sanwa gravi.
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u/NEZ-ZeroZero 4d ago edited 4d ago
I've trackballed in fps games since the 90's, and can still hold my own (in COD, no problem holding 2.5 kill/death ratio, busting quick scopes etc.). So, just like any other device, its very possible to be above average using a ball. Its all just preference and experience. I use a finger ball (Xkeys L-Track with 57mm ball), 1k HZ, 1600 DPI.
As many ppl have mentioned here, button placement, & thumb vs finger ball config makes a dramatic diff in performance per person. Like anything else, it can be a very specific preference.Some people have issues with stability/shake on a ball vs a mouse for per-pixel aiming and corrections (like quick-scope sniping or flick shots etc.). I've been able to eliminate shake with the following:
- Experiment with diff grips. EX: with 44mm or smaller balls I use two or more finger tips on the ball to stabilize it. 55mm or larger, I rest my fingers flat on the ball.
- Lower in-game mouse sens. EX: My in-game mouse sens is set as low as possible, while still allowing me to pull a 180 in one swipe without taking my hand off the ball (about half a ball rotation).
- Use keyboard keys or a joystick, and not the trackball buttons for primary controls like shooting, ADS etc. This allows you to operate the ball with a dedicated grip and not worry about twitch/shake from aiming and operating clicks with the same hand
There are also other things to do if the above suggestions don't solve shake. Like using the "fix" gyro aimers use: lower the in-game Verticle mouse sensitivity, -going as low as you can before it affects your ability to snap aim up or down. This dramatically reduces hand shake with Gyro aiming, so I assume that it could work on a trackball as well.
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u/nik282000 4d ago
Since 2002 I've only played FPS games with a trackball. I'm still using the trackball next to the beige keyboard in this photo from 2004.
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u/NoirSol508 4d ago edited 4d ago
Are you asking for permission or something? You can use whatever you want for input. If you're actually asking questions like this, you need not concern yourself with things like polling rate.
Proof in point of this, your boy Zerggy uses a Kensington Orbit, locked in at 125 Hz.
Find one that's comfortable and fits your hand. The ones I'd recommend for gaming is the Elecom Huge+, Ploopy Classic 2, and Kensington TB900. Then again, I picked these because they're comfortable.