HOWTO: make usb mouse better in fps games

[kvonb]

* This works for my USB MS wheelmouse optical, I don't know if it works with any other mice but it should *

I've being playing Wolfenstein ET for a few weeks now and sucked big time!

I couldn't hit a damn thing and didn't know why, surely I'm not THAT bad?

Well I found out that mouse resolution is a BIG factor, and this little trick improved my game by leaps and bounds.

* This was taken from http://www.linux-gamers.net/, and my thanks go to them *

Open a terminal and type the following:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/options

....add this to the end of the file:

options usbhid mousepoll=1

....save and exit the editor.

There is a fancy way to re-initialise the usb module, but I can't remember what it is so I'll just take the easy way out and tell you to reboot now .


Try your game new and see the difference, I tried it again with the normal setting and was shocked at how bad it was, so I know that this definately works.

All I've got to do now is practice!

Regards, Kev (aka ubuntu-42 in ET land).

[handy]

One of the very few niggles I have with Ubuntu (linux) is the slow response of the mouse when playing Guild Wars, it is irritating, not a biggie. The mouse sticks, when using Ubuntu for other things too but that doesn't really worry me.

So I have edited as you suggest, but am unable to shut the machine down for a couple of days, so I don't know if it works for me or not. I expect it will, I had a look on linuX-gamers & read the how-to there as well.

Thanks for passing it on, when I test it I'll post my findings here.

If anyone knows the command to reintitialise the USB I'd be most grateful...

[po0f]

handy,

$ sudo modprobe -r usbhid && sudo modprobe usbhid

should work.

[EDIT]

Added 'sudo' to last modprobe command.

[flargen]

handy,

$ sudo modprobe -r usbhid && modprobe usbhid

should work.

Unless I am much mistaken this command will not be able the insert the module because the "modprobe usbhid" is not running as root. It should be:

sudo modprobe -r usbhid && sudo modprobe usbhid

[po0f]

flargen,

Silly typo, thanks for pointing it out.

[handy]

My mouse still sticks...

Using mousepoll=1 caused some strange things to happen on the desktop.

Changing it to mousepoll=2 fixed it, but I still have a sticky mouse?

[kvonb]

My mouse still sticks...

Using mousepoll=1 caused some strange things to happen on the desktop.

Changing it to mousepoll=2 fixed it, but I still have a sticky mouse?

That's sad, what type of mouse is it, and can you describe the "sticking"? Not that I can be much help, but you never know .

[handy]

M$ intellimouse explorer,

It is not everytime I moove the mouse, but often if sits still for a bit then when I go to move the mouse it doesn't move straight away.

Particularly noticeable when playing Guild Wars & you are selecting (using) items in your skill bar, it can take a bit of wobbling around of the mouse before you get your pointer free...

I don't think it has directly cost me lives, but it surely does cost HP from time to time!

[kvonb]

M$ intellimouse explorer,

It is not everytime I moove the mouse, but often if sits still for a bit then when I go to move the mouse it doesn't move straight away.

Particularly noticeable when playing Guild Wars & you are selecting (using) items in your skill bar, it can take a bit of wobbling around of the mouse before you get your pointer free...

I don't think it has directly cost me lives, but it surely does cost HP from time to time!

Maybe look at power management, in Linux and also in your BIOS. I always had that problem before, but it doesn't happen in Edgy anymore. Although I am on a new mainboard! Also I now have usb2, maybe that is the difference? Give it a go and see.

Regards, KEv

[handy]

I'm on USB2 too... I have power management turned off in BIOS too?