Amiga mouse+joystick auto fire adapter for Amstrad cpc

[ikonsgr]

Last night  i tried some games on my cpc , to test how "playable" would be, using the amiga mouse!
Of course all "target" games like operation wolf, op. thunder bolt , prohibition etc are played much better with mouse instead of joystick!
Also many "non arcade" games  like rpg, strategy, adventures that support joystick they can be played just fine with mouse instead.
What surprised me though, is ,that many shot'em up games are also playable  with mouse instead of joystick!
I've tried 1942, flying shark, nemesis and all were perfectly playable with the mouse! On flying shark, i even managed to finshed 3 levels after many years! 
On the other hand, games that require constant movement in one direction (like many side scrolling arcades,for example target renegade) are not so well playable with the mouse.
All in all,i believe that if you are a cpc retro gamer, you will find 100's of games that could be played with mouse,giving you a unique and wonderful experience! 

[Gryzor]

How's speed with it, especially in shooters? Do you get any advantage from it? I mean the reaction speed, of course.

[ikonsgr]

At games i played, you get a full screen movement in a mouse pad surface or less.
Don't forget that mouse behaves like a digital joystick, that is,you get a  "fix speed", regardless of the speed you move the mouse, so there is no need to move your hand fast or nervously anyway!     
In practice, you'll end up playing in a more "gentle" and "smooth" way. This makes a BIG difference especially with shooters, where "sweating and swearing" over the joystick, is the typical way of play ! 
For one thing, the much more accurate  movement control you get using a mouse, gives you the opportunity to play games on amstrad like never before! 

[ikonsgr]

I've decided to "lighten up" a little the adapter by removing the extra auto fire enabler port:
[attach=2]

I've done that, mainly for 2 reasons:

1) The extra joy port on the amiga mouse adapter worked only if your joystick had auto fire switch.
2) I made a separate adapter for auto fire switch , which works even if the joystick/game pad  connected, doesn't have an auto fire switch!

So,combining those 2 adapters you can have an amiga mouse with auto fire switch! 

[Filippo]

Could  you draw for us a schematics of the circuit? Thanks

[cpc4eva]

Last night  i tried some games on my cpc , to test how "playable" would be, using the amiga mouse!
Of course all "target" games like operation wolf, op. thunder bolt , prohibition etc are played much better with mouse instead of joystick!
Also many "non arcade" games  like rpg, strategy, adventures that support joystick they can be played just fine with mouse instead.
What surprised me though, is ,that many shot'em up games are also playable  with mouse instead of joystick!
I've tried 1942, flying shark, nemesis and all were perfectly playable with the mouse! On flying shark, i even managed to finshed 3 levels after many years! 
On the other hand, games that require constant movement in one direction (like many side scrolling arcades,for example target renegade) are not so well playable with the mouse.
All in all,i believe that if you are a cpc retro gamer, you will find 100's of games that could be played with mouse,giving you a unique and wonderful experience! 

wondering if anyone has tried it with the light phaser / gun games such as skeet shoot cartridge and other gun games such as  Missile Ground Zero, Rookie, Solar Invasion, Robot Attack, Bullseye and Operation Wolf  ?

[khaz]

I've decided to "lighten up" a little the adapter by removing the extra auto fire enabler port:
[attach=2]

I've done that, mainly for 2 reasons:

1) The extra joy port on the amiga mouse adapter worked only if your joystick had auto fire switch.
2) I made a separate adapter for auto fire switch , which works even if the joystick/game pad  connected, doesn't have an auto fire switch!

So,combining those 2 adapters you can have an amiga mouse with auto fire switch! 

Hm, wouldn't it be better to add a battery holder instead of having all these wires connected to the +5V of the computer? There would be like four cords plugged to one another if you add an external drive. Quite a precarious construction.

[Bryce]

I don't know the exact power consumption of the device, but I doubt a 9V battery would last very long in it. You've also got to add lots of other components to regulate the 9V down to 5V, which also causes further (wasted) power consumption, plus a switch to turn it off (which you also have to remember to do).

Bryce.