• Registered: 2009-06-23
  • Posts: 10

Topic: Brachial Plexus Injury and COD4

Hey all,
I am/was a COD4 player until i injured my brachial plexus (the trunk of nerves that supply brain signals to the arms). I can no longer use my left hand and arm to any useful extent. I need a mouse that has directional or programmable buttons built in as these mice are more affordable to me than access controllers and quite frankly, seem more accessible than the so-called access controllers that are shaped like giant fisher-price toys with buttons that are so far spaced that I might as well give up gaming altogether if i had to use one.

So far I have checked out the
1. Saitek Cyborg mouse
- consists of a 4-way hat-switch (I can strafe and run and the mouse aims)

2. Microsoft Sidewinder X8 mouse
- 7 programmable buttons

3. Logitech 3D Joystick
- Has hat switch

4. Sandio 3D 02
- has what appears to be an analog stick where a mouse wheel should be.

I am in a dilemma, because i cant decide which is best, the mice are more likely because i will not need mapping software for them unlike the joystick and mice highlighted are programmable. Should I try the Saitek because it has the hat switch or should i use the Sidewinder? Do these mice have any compatibility issues with COD4? Will their buttons be easily mapped so i can customise anything for this game? Please help me, I am desperate and overwhelmed by the volume of information on the internet that keeps me from making up my mind.

Any other suggestions advice are welcome, please help this shattered gamer out before i collapse from retardation.

  • Registered: 2009-09-10
  • Posts: 1

Re: Brachial Plexus Injury and COD4

Hi Arfaad,

I have just completed COD4 (twice) on the PC purely by using a Sandio O2 Gaming mouse.

I've had the Sandio since February 2009 and can say it has revolutionised the way I play games - I only have the use of one hand so I only use the O2 mouse to play FPS and it is mostly good enough for what I need.

The O2 mouse is so easy to use however it does take a few goes to get the hang of it.
The mouse has the usual functions of a mouse, namely left MB, Right MB, scrollwheel (can be depressed and appears in games as MouseButton 4 so can be used to toggle a zoom etc and Previous / Next (side)buttons on the left side of the mouse above the left hat switch (These come up as 2 more MouseButtons).

Apart from this, the mouse also has 3 hat switches which may be programmed to replicate any keystroke but only in 4 directions (Diagonals dont work on these switches).

The software that comes with the mouse is so easy to use, profiles may be created to save the key configuration and inputting the keys to use with the hat switches is clear and easy to do.

Each Hat switch can be programmed in 4 directions so for each one there is Up, Down, Forward, Backward, with 3 hat switches that gives an aditional 12 keystrokes that may be programmed into the mouse. There are two more that can be programmed but only if both side hats are used together (left side down, right side up gives one keystroke and left side up, right side down gives another)

In all then you can have lmb, rmb, 2 sidebuttons, scrollwheel, scroll up, scroll down, 12 individual hat direction keystrokes and 2 combined giving you loads of options.

My setup for COD4 was this:

LMB: Fire
RMB: Forward
Scrollwheel press: Toggle Weapon Zoom
Left Sidebutton: Strafe Left
Right Sidebutton: Strafe Right
Left Hat Up: Throw Grenade
Left Hat Down: Melee Attack
Left Hat Forward: Sprint
Left Hat Backward: Reverse 
Right Hat Up: Lean left
Right Hat Down: Lean right
Right Hat Forward: Use item
Right Hat Backward: Reload
Front Hat Up: Jump
Front Hat Down: Go to Prone
Front Hat Left: Go to crouch
Front Hat Right: Swap weapon

What I find I have been doing is when there are too many buttons for the mouse, I use the keyboard for "non-critical" keystrokes such as objectives which I access maybe once a mission or even use a footpedal switch I bought from Pedalpax.

I have completed 6 FPS games since getting this mouse and cannot recommend it highly enough. It is great to use, very flexible, easy to program and has given me a bit of pride back - I feel happy when I complete a good game!

If you are still looking to buy a controller to meet your needs, on what you have said above, I think this one would be perfect.