Quake Panther XL Console Capture The Flag Links


My first experiences with video games was with an Atari 2600 and the arcade classic Pac-Man. Both of those games utilized joysticks and my mind has been programmed to a joystick ever since. When I started to play computer games such as Quake, my brain instinctively wanted to use a joystick. Most players didn't have this instinct and played computer games with the traditional and recommended keyboard and mouse. The problem was that I need some type of device such as a mouse to emulate looking around in the game. Without the ability to effectively look around, I was not as competitive.

In 1997, the Panther XL was released by Madcatz. This was a joystick and trackball combination in one unit. I bought one as soon as I heard about it and started to use it when I played Quake I. Before the Panther XL, I used a Microsoft sidewinder which was just a gamepad similar to ones used on the Nintendo and other console systems. After I used the Panther XL, my performance went up tremendously and I blossomed into a competitive player.

I spent most of my time during Quake 1 trying to catch up to the players who had more experience and were used to playing with the traditional keyboard and mouse. Quake 2 came along before I ever finished making my move in Quake 1. During Quake 2, though, I started off very competitive and remained that way throughout its popularity due to the Panther XL.

But, there was one caveat to the Panther XL. There were some weapons that needed pinpoint accuracy and after a few years I noticed that the Panther XL lacked pinpoint accuracy within its own trackball. I didn't notice the flaw with the Panther XL for some time because there were no weapons in Quake I that required high accuracy. And, I'm not sure why it took me so long to discover the problem in Quake II and Quake III Arena. But, once I discovered the flaw, I've been looking for a replacement or fix ever since.

There are a group of people just like me who have been looking for alternatives and petitioning companies to make a flawless and working game controller. I've actually modded a Panther XL that is a good substitute for what I need. Basically I took the trackball portion of the Panther XL and replaced it with a high precision trackball from Kensington. Follow this link to learn about my mod.

Although I do love joysticks and I love the Panther XL, if I could go back in time or do it over I wish I never picked up a gamepad or Panther XL. I wish I could play with the keyboard and mouse because they are the majority and the games of today and tomorrow cater to their medium. People in my situation are scrambling to find support and alternatives for our needs. Quake III Arena doesn't even have full joystick support which puts me at a disadvantage and other games don't have any joystick support.