User game input support [ABOG]

When I was upgrading my stuff from QBasic/DOS to FreeBasic/Windows, or rather, far before the transition ever perpetuated itself, I foresaw the demise of the DB 15 pin game controller.

※※※

It was dead official, once I first saw USB.  My rumors had been absolutely confirmed.
Then at the store, game controllers had two versions.  DB15 or now USB.  It wouldn't be long until the DB15 were no longer on store shelves, ANYWHERE.

Unless we all get brain impants, we're never going to replace the keyboard.  I knew, that if I just make my games use the keyboard, there would be some way of replacing the keyboard input, electronically, with joystick input, from whatever new type of input protocol there was.  I can't access USB protocols directly in ANY language I program in, and I don't want to.  It scares me.

Well, to come to my rescue, I stumbled upon JOYKEY.  It's a keyboard from joystick translator / TSR, (not a TSR but it still feels like one), that feeds USB gamepad inputs to keyboard & mouse movements.

※※※

With the wide variety of USB gamepads, mapping properly the button settings & whatnot, is taken care of by an outside medium.  I use the arrow keys, space, CTRL (or kahtarrhel like Homer calls it..), and ALT, and let the external programs manage & map the joystick however the user wants.

Time saved, code spared, and headache avoided.



~Kiyote!