🚀 go-pugleaf

jyazelz@peoplepc.com wrote:
> On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:26:59 -0400, RobertVA
> <robert_c72athotmail@invalid.net> wrote:
> 
>> jyazelz@peoplepc.com wrote:
>>>  I have used Descent on various machines up to Win98.
>>>
>>>  I'm now trying to use it on Win-XP. I can't get the joystick to work. It is
>>> recognized by XP and it works fine with Flight Sim 98 but it refuses to
>>> work with Descent.
>>>
>>>   I've tried every selection in SETUP.
>>>
>>>  The version of Descent is 1.0
>>>
>>>  Any ideas?
>>>
>>>   Thanks.
>>>
>>>         Jack
>> Old fashion game port joystick, A "digital" joystick that uses the game 
>> port's MIDI interface or a later model one that plugs into a USB port?
>  ==============================
> 
>  I tried a USB stick first with the idea that I wouldn't have to buy a pc
> board with a game port.
> 
>  It didn't work.
> 
>  Thanks for the response.
> 
>         Jack

Trouble with DOS games that use a joystick is that the game itself has 
the code for a joystick that uses the analog circuitry of a game port, 
bypassing the DOS. Such games lack the code to use USB port game 
controllers and sometimes even "digital" game port sticks that use the 
game port's MIDI capabilities.

The text based operating systems only had provisions for simple file 
access. The computer's ROM based BIOS handled the keyboard input and 
text display on the monitor. Any support for loading multiple 
"simultaneous" applications, graphics based interfaces and game 
controllers was handled by code in the application or separately 
purchased utility packages.

On the other hand, Windows based games have the ability to access game 
controllers through the operating system. Since the controller 
manufacturer can supply drivers allowing the Windows Operating System to 
access their proprietary hardware, this allows Windows games the 
opportunity to utilize game controllers, like the USB joysticks, that 
hadn't been invented when the game was developed.