MechWarrior 2: Resource Forum

Gang,

Well, I have been successful getting this joystick to work in Windows 98 SE using a custom driver I found on the Internet. Apparently the joystick has issues with system running a FSB faster than 66 MHz. The custom .vxd drivers for Windows resolves the issue in 95/98, but I can't do much in DOS. In fact, I can't seem to get this stick to work right in digital or analog mode. I am pretty sure it has to do with the driver support and being I am trying to run in DOS, this causes problems. DOS Mechwarrior 2 came bundled with its own driver in the game to allow digital mode support in DOS. I figure this driver is no longer working right due to the aforementioned issues. Does anyone know how to get it working, or have you found replacement drivers for Mechwarrior 2 in DOS? I have GBL that is DOS only, which will experience the same issue. I can run MW2 fine in Windows 98 SE on my legacy PC, but it's just not the same. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!

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Heh sorry for the late reply, but I did not see the thread.
Either way I have no idea how you might fix it. However if you have a new computer, dosbox may be of great help to you with regards to the joystick as it can detect USB just fine.

I try to setup the joystick in digital mode using the Sidewinder 3D Pro setting in the Mechwarrior 2 config instead of the CH Pro Mode option. I then bind some controls like "sidewndr throttle", "sidewndr twist", etc. I save the config as a custom config, it says the custom config is currently loaded, but when I get into the game, nothing works right or at all. The hat buttons seems to fire all weapons. The X1, Y1, X2 and X2 axis don't respond at all.

I then tried to set it up in position I using the Sidewinder 3D Pro (CH Mode) setting in the game. This seems to make all of the buttons, aside from the 4 on the base, work just fine. I expected that to happen because this is analog mode (those 4 base buttons are disabled). However, when I assign up/down to turret movement and left/right to chasis movement, neither work! All other buttons are fine. I can calibrate the joystick in game and the X1, Y1, X2 and Y2 axis do respond!

I spent awhile over at www.descentbb.net figuring out how to get the joystick working with Descent and have done so successfully with the TM setup. Here's the thread in case any of that matters in this discussion:

http://www.descentbb.net/viewtopic.php?t=15256

Any ideas what's going on here, or if I might be doing something stupid wrong? Can I edit the .map files for the different input controls to manually specify them? Why won't digital mode work in DOS!? How can I test this?

I am running a P3 733MHz underclocked to 66MHz FSB @ 366MHz, 384MB PC100 RAM underclocked to 66MHz as well, a SB16 CT2260 OEM (CT2230) sound card (I5, D1 and 5, P300, A220), an ATI Rage 128 video adapter and DOS 6.22. Any ideas?

Thanks, guys!

RaeKWoNCHeF wrote:I spent awhile over at http://www.descentbb.net figuring out how to get the joystick working with Descent and have done so successfully with the TM setup.

Just a comment, RaeKWoNCHef, a member on here named "Sapphire Wolf" also plays Descent.

I do not suppose you have a modern (2.3 ghz P4 at least) XP computer which you could try this do you?
DOSBOX is much more friendly to that type of thing; especially USB joysticks.

Sir MMPD Radick wrote:I do not suppose you have a modern (2.3 ghz P4 at least) XP computer which you could try this do you?
DOSBOX is much more friendly to that type of thing; especially USB joysticks.

No, I don't and I am not that much of a fan of DOSBOX. Yes, I know it solves many issues and allows much newer computers to run DOS (primarily for games), but that's my whole thing. I am all about the original feel. I tried it before and just resented it! I have managed to get every single other game to function properly, that I have tried thus far, aside from this one.

Also, I don't have a USB joystick. This is a game port Sidewinder 3D Pro, which I was hoping to get working in pure DOS. I have one slot on the mobo that is ISA, which my CT2260 fills. I am forced to use that game port for lack of another slot. Most of the games I play require ISA sound cards. The support info for the game says that it supports ALL SB16 models aside from the SCSI version. Any ideas?

Does anyone have any new GIDDI drivers, or any manual changes I can make to the input files to try to get this working? Is anyone even sure of what the issue might be? I am going to work on analog mode again to ensure I didn't screw up something easy. MW2 is a pain! Thanks for your input!

Sorry man, I doubt your goona find any help on here or anywhere really on this problem.
Your best bet is those old mech2 newsgroup and doing a search there to see if anyone else had the issue in 95'-97'.

99% of the people here use a keyboard and mouse since the torso twist on the joystick is bugged and is not able to do a full torso twist.
This puts all joystick players that play online at a significant disadvantage because of the mirror bug. Since that is the case, there are very very few people that can help you diagnose a joystick problem.

I tried it before and just resented it!

As did I at first, until I realized that it ran mech2 better than my old legacy machines do.
I have gone the legacy comp route many times over the years, and know what you mean about the feel.
I was the same way and resisted dosbox giving credence over to my old machines, but after a while I gave up because I realized that the same feel was not worth the trouble I had to go through everytime I wanted to play the game.
It ended up that with some tweaks I was able to get most everything working exactly as I had it before if not better.
I do not expect ya to come to the same conclusion as I did, nor agree with the route I went, but the point that I am trying to make is sometimes newer is better than what was in the past.

In the end the only advice that I am able to give you is to go get the 95 Vanilla version,(In another words non-titanium/battlepack), and run it on 98 with your legacy comp.
Your joystick will probably work fine going that route. DOS is very finicky with drivers.
I am sure though if you keep trying with the DOS version you probably can get the joystick running, but it is not going to be easy as going the 95 route. (incidently the versions play exactly the same and look the same except for the GUI which is a very minor detail.)

One nugget of interest though for ya before I finish my post.
Truly, with mech2 dos there is a thing we cannot duplicate though even with a legacy Pentium machine. Unless it is a 486DX2 or similar the game will never be identical to what the designers intended.
Repromancer a few years ago wrote about the long intriguing story on the trouble the Pentium processor caused to the code that he wrote.
He also wrote about the whole developmental nightmare that became mech2. You called it a pain rightly for it was a pain, a pain to develop.

Sir MMPD Radick wrote:One nugget of interest though for ya before I finish my post.
Truly, with mech2 dos there is a thing we cannot duplicate though even with a legacy Pentium machine. Unless it is a 486DX2 or similar the game will never be identical to what the designers intended.
Repromancer a few years ago wrote about the long intriguing story on the trouble the Pentium processor caused to the code that he wrote. He also wrote about the whole developmental nightmare that became mech2. You called it a pain rightly for it was a pain, a pain to develop.

Yes, the game could never be run as they truely intended. I do agree with that. However, just now, I was able to get my joystick working in analog mode on all axis! I am using the CH Pro mode in DOS with my sidewinder in position 1. The trick to getting the axis to respond was to calibrate the joystick real quick. If I fly through the axis calibration, all the axis respond! If I take my time calibrating, they don't respond at all! I can at least get that mode to work now! YAY!

I thought I heard that CH Pro mode wouldn't allow simultaneous button to be pressed. Does anyone know if that's true? Could I set it up as a TM to allow multiple buttons? I don't think digital mode will ever work as there's no calibration there. I think I'd need to edit some driver/input config files to make that happen.

Thanks for at least responding to me and hopefully I can figure more out, myself.

Might I respond with a sollution? Back when I had my FAQ post on using an Xbox 360 controller on MW2, a member on here named Hank PM'ed me with an alternitave; that was XPadder. Basicly it lets you plug ANY type of controller (USB based at least..) and manualy assign a profile to each button! I used my X360 controller as a mouse from there on out for my laptop! Heck I was even able to play MW2 by using my brother, Slavick Kell's RockBand guitar!

Perhaps you want to Google XPadder, CHeF, and see if it can help you.

Col.Kell wrote:Might I respond with a sollution? Back when I had my FAQ post on using an Xbox 360 controller on MW2, a member on here named Hank PM'ed me with an alternitave; that was XPadder. Basicly it lets you plug ANY type of controller (USB based at least..) and manualy assign a profile to each button! I used my X360 controller as a mouse from there on out for my laptop! Heck I was even able to play MW2 by using my brother, Slavick Kell's RockBand guitar!

Perhaps you want to Google XPadder, CHeF, and see if it can help you.

Hey, thanks for the suggestion! Does it work in DOS 6.22 though?! I might be satisfied with analog mode in DOS although I really wish I could get the base buttons working. I understand that a joystick is not the most effective input device with the restriction on the twisting function (no 90 degree twist), but that's how I used to play it as a kid. It's the only way I know and I am, of course, looking to recreate that old experience. I love this game! Thanks!!