The Swarm

[Chuck]

Writing to let you know of a significant problem I experienced with EDEE when I upgraded my computer to Windows 7. Specifically, the ability to use the pressing of the mouse wheel, so that my Logitech Trackman Wheel Trackball would scroll the map horizontally and vertically, was lost. More significantly, the universal scroll function was also lost, this being the method that I use to navigate around the EDEE map. The mouse wheel function was not lost for any other program I use except for EDEE.

At first I thought it was a Windows 7 issue, but after trial and error, I realize that it is a Logitech utility driver issue. Logitech uses a program called SetPoint to control functions such as universal and auto scroll, and it is this program that does not work, at least on my 64-bit computer, in EDEE. Previously, I used Logitech's utility called MouseWare and the mouse wheel functions worked beautifully in EDEE.

Fortunately, I was able to find a solution. I am using a utility known as the "Marble Mouse Scroll Wheel" to correct the problem. It works well but took a lot of trial and error to get it to function properly.

I am alerting you to this issue as I would imagine that as time goes on, more and more players will experience this problem if they use a Logitech mouse or trackball while playing EDEE.

I am greatly appreciative that you kept the Empire game alive with your latest version. I have been playing it in some form since 1988. I now play the UltraDB mod and it remains my favorite game of all time.

[Chuck]

Unfortunately, I was a bit premature in reporting that I found a solution to the Logitech Mouse/Trackball problem while playing EDEE. The "Marble Mouse Scroll Wheel" does NOT solve the problem. After further testing, I believe that the latest utility (known as SetPoint) provided by Logitech to control the pressing of its mouse wheel to use functions such as auto scroll and universal scroll simply does not work in EDEE.

To me at least, this is a significant loss of function in playing EDEE as the necessity of relying on the scrollbar to navigate around the map is quite cumbersome indeed, especially after enjoying the ease of use provided by the Logitech Trackball's universal scrolling in this regard for so long. I sincerely hope that there is a solution or another way to navigate around the map that I am not aware of.


Any help in this regard would be greatly appreciated.