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Usage
The approach of the Rotokiller revolves around the concept of using the mouse with your fingers, not your arm. They emphasize how much more precise movements of the fingers are as opposed to movements of the entire arm. Being as sensitive and small as it is, you move the Rotokiller short distances in every directions with your fingers. Surprisingly, this motion didn't tire out my fingers even after prolonged use, but then again, my arm never got tired either. This did take days to adjust to, but I eventually became just as capable with it as I had been with my IntelliMouse Explorer. Our obligatory size comparison below depicts the Rotokiller next to my friend Ben Franklin, the original IntelliMouse, and the IntelliMouse Explorer.
No matter what mouse you're using, you have the problem of lifting the mouse and returning it to the center of your mousing surface in order to stay comfortable and/or not run right off the mousepad. Good Work Systems's solution to this difficulty is a function they refer to as The Clutch. The Clutch is bound to a control on the Rotokiller, and when activated, mouse movement is not registered so that you can easily move the mouse back to your desired location for more gaming.
So six buttons aren't sufficient for your needs? The Rotokiller's driver software enables shifted functions while one, the other, or both of the grip switches are pressed. This allows the user up to 16 different functions available during a game just from the mouse. Unfortunately, this is an aspect of the Rotokiller to which I never became accustomed. As if finding the zones on which to press the grip wasn't hard enough, holding them down while finding another of the four buttons on top was simply too much to manage. A valiant effort, but complication and game controllers don't go hand in hand.
Similar to other great pieces of game controller software, the drivers of the Rotokiller let you assign specific settings to be enabled when certain applications start, so you don't have to go into the console and reprogram everything when you switch from Quake III Arena over to Unreal Tournament. The same software permits binding of sounds, applications, and keystrokes to buttons on the Rotokiller.
But be warned. As I have found out the hard way in many other situations, the current version of the Rotokiller drivers do not include support for Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Under Windows XP, the Rotokiller lost functionality of three of its buttons, obviously making it much less appealing. Which means, you're restricted to only Windows 98 and Windows Me for its use. With so many gamers making the switch to the NT kernel, this seems like a big mistake to me, but hopefully the support will eventually come along.
>> Pros & Cons/Conclusion
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