Around the 2000s I remember playing a match of Unreal Tournament Classic on a LAN party again a player of a major german UT clan of the time - he was using a trackball to play and slaughtered us so hard. To this day I can't imagine precise inputs with a trackball, but I saw it is possible.

It always seems like a missed opportunity that trackballs don't detect when you twist the ball. It would be so natural for spinning a model in CAD or zooming.

The easiest approach would probably be to add a second optical sensor and do some math to calculate the twist rate.

• foobiekr

  today at 6:39 AM

  These have been made on and off since 1995 at the latest. They never work out even though you'd think they'd be super popular for 3d modelers at least. I first encountered one for SGI workstations.

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceOrb_360 as one example.

• lachiflippi

  today at 7:06 AM

  Twist scroll requires two sensors and is patented by Kensington.

  • Sniffnoy

    today at 7:29 AM

    Do you know until when?

• yonatan8070

  today at 6:03 AM

  This guy made exactly what you describe

  https://youtu.be/u1v7TXViRi8

• InsideOutSanta

  today at 6:24 AM

  The Kensington SlimBlade scrolls when you rotate the trackball.

Hugged.

https://web.archive.org/web/20260814114201/https://blog.ploo...

• big_toast

  today at 1:54 AM

  That's too bad.

  The github[0] for it is kinda cool. Uses the 'CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 - Strongly Reciprocal'. The assembly instructions[1] give a bit of a hands on feel.

  They had some more details on a reddit post[2] it looks like.

  [0]:https://github.com/ploopyco/aplus-trackball

  [1]:https://github.com/ploopyco/aplus-trackball/blob/main/docs/a...

  [2]:https://www.reddit.com/r/ploopy/comments/1vo4y4r/this_is_the...

Looks similar to my trusty Kensington Expert, only with more buttons:

https://www.kensington.com/p/products/electronic-control-sol...

Even the wrist rest, which I've never seen on another trackball, seems to have been copied from here. Anybody tested out both?

They really need to find a better name than "Ploopy" though.

• magicalhippo

  today at 7:22 AM

  > They really need to find a better name than "Ploopy" though.

  The name reminded me of Kooky Plops, the fictional band from the brilliant animated skit[1] by David Firth (of Salad Fingers fame) about the state of pop music in 2009.

  [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pehHOqx7JXg

I bought the regular mouse and had a fun time assembling it. It works fine.

However the "ergonomic" design is extremely uncomfortable for me and caused hand pain. I let it ride for a few weeks hoping I'd get accustomed, the pain got better but didn't go away. Also the far-left and far-right mouse buttons are superfluous and detract from the core experience.

Please do a symmetrical version and maybe throw in a scroll wheel with steps/clicks, I'd happily buy another.

Instantly couldn't resist clicking on some unknown thing called "the Ploopy A+".

This paragraph is wild to me:

"The original Adept had six buttons. However, ever since we released the original Adept, the PCBs have contained two unpopulated lands for additional switches. Our intention was always to eventually move to eight buttons. The A+ finally lives up to the ambition that we set for ourselves back in 2023."

So they designed it to have 8 switches from the start - but then hid 2 of them so they'd have a "new version" once the sales of the old one slowed down. I don't know if that's genius or sad capitalism...

I see we've reinvented the slashdot effect.

They have a countdown for the pre-order here[0]. Seems like it's available as a kit Wednesday, August 19th, 2026 at 10am ET to pre-order.

I love all I/O devices..

I think the main difference from the Ploopy Adept is they added two knob buttons?

[0]:https://ploopy.co/aplus-launch-countdown/

The repairable, open hardware angle is the real sell for me. Nice to see a trackball designed to be kept instead of replaced.

• rekabis

  today at 2:01 AM

  Don’t know what you have been using, but my Kensington Expert Mouse is over 20 years old now, and is still going strong.

  • twisteriffic

    today at 2:33 AM

    I've found my Razer Deathadder 2013 and Logitech G5 v2 very easy to repair. I go through a set of switches every 4-5 years it seems, plus cables on the G5.

  • __s

    today at 3:10 AM

    Took about a year for my Kensington slimblade to start double clicking. Many others reporting the same

> preorder a kit for $99CAD

What is a kit here? A trackball? All the parts needed to assemble a trackball? A populated circuit board, where the rest needs 3D printing? A pile of electronic components that need to be soldered together and the rest needs 3D printing?

• rogerrogerr

  today at 2:41 AM

  Based on https://web.archive.org/web/20260727075248/https://blog.ploo..., it seems like some soldering is involved

• arcanemachiner

  today at 2:40 AM

  For comparison, the regular adept had a PCB and came with printed parts. Some light soldering was involved.

  • mkl

    today at 2:50 AM

    Okay, so assembly and soldering required, but all parts included and I don't need a 3D printer. Can do. Weird that they don't mention any of that. The finished item looks like a good trackball.

    • Karliss

      today at 4:59 AM

      It's a blog of a niche computer peripheral company not a store listing. And it's not their first product either, only blog is having problems rest of website is still wotking and in the store you can get a pretty good picture of what their typical kits look like. Most likely only sensor, the only through hole component needs soldering. They also ofer fully assembled versions, although initial preorer batch might be kits only .

Can it detect rotation?

• mkl

  today at 3:02 AM

  Looks like it has just one mouse sensor, so no.

  • __s

    today at 3:11 AM

    I have an adept, it does not. Hold button to scroll while turning

    • arcanemachiner

      today at 8:22 AM

      Speaking as another owner of the Ploopy Adept, I have found this feature to work very well.

What size is the ball?

I'm really put off by the poor quality of the 3d printed body

• greysonp

  today at 4:44 AM

  I initially had the same concerns, but while it looks 3D printed, it feels great. I don't mind it at all.

• clnhlzmn

  today at 3:45 AM

  fwiw I just received the adept trackball and I too was worried about the quality of the enclosure but upon seeing it in person I'm fine with it. As far as fdm prints go it's really well done.

• wmf

  today at 3:35 AM

  They should really invest in an SLA printer. Everything on their site looks terrible.

• smohare

  today at 3:23 AM

  I have a number of 3d printed peripherals, including two Ploopy devices. Nothing seems out of the ordinary to me quality wise.

Extremely cute design. I was going to compliment the bold color choices as well as the extremely-'90s jade-on-platinum, but…

> Adept, a unique trackball perfectly suited […] for 3D-printing

I guess this means it could be any color you want? And yeah their store page for the Adept confirms: https://web.archive.org/web/20260720095136/https://ploopy.co...

> Since the Adept is 3D-printed, your Adept can be as unique as you

I am fine with this in theory but would have no idea what to expect here since I'm not familiar enough with 3D-printing. How robust is this for something I'd be touching every day and would want to take apart and put back together multiple times?

The screw wells in the case parts they sell look like the are just plastic and get tapped by self-tapping screws: https://web.archive.org/web/20260720095151/https://ploopy.co...

Maybe the intention is to consider it disposable and make a new one if and when it gets fucked up? If I had one I would like to try adding some machine screw anchors, because for something that's going to get that much use I would probably be taking it apart and putting it back together a lot, fiddling with it until I got it perfect so none of the buttons rub up against anything, so there are no squeaks when I press on it or rattles if it gets moved around, etc.

Those are totally my own hangups of course; not trying to FUD the thing and would love to touch one first and see :)

Dual knobs sounds incredibly cool and are something that makes me want to try a trackball again. I loved trackballs in the '90s† when display resolutions were small and it was normal to click and drag a scrollbar thumb, but I haven't used on any machine in the last 15 years because, I dunno, just haven't vibed with the feel of them. My little 75% keyboard‡ already sold me on knobs by having just one.

† peep my Macintosh Quadra 700 with my favorite Sihlouette ADB trackball https://i.ibb.co/m5qctLzp/Quadra700-Stack.jpg

‡ peep my NuPhy Kick75 High Profile with my favorite Framework Laptop 12 <3 https://i.ibb.co/bjVTfq0m/P1111881-1.jpg

• NegativeLatency

  today at 5:01 AM

  I have a ploopy thumb scroll and it looks a little bit yucky after 3 years, however it’s a very light gray so if you made it darker it would be fine I think. There’s some hand junk that gets in the layer lines, I’ve reprinted a couple of parts with a thinner layer and darker material and they’re holding up great though.

  There are some trade offs but I wouldn’t go back because it fits my larger than average hand so well. Always found the Logitech ones to be too small.

Not a trackball, but anyone else watch Engineer Bo, or tried their very nice Knob? https://youtu.be/ehd3Ue2fKKM

I dig that the Ploopy knob is QMK based, also high resolution. But watching how much effort E.B. has put into my favorite input device of all time, I can't help but want one of theirs.

The internal LED's are cool here. I like the indicator effect, especially with the partial transparency ball. I do wish this was bluetooh and ZMK based. Even though ZMK is lagging a decent bit behind QMK features. Zephyr is just so cool! Wireless is so great. In my opinion.

• timothyb89

  today at 2:42 AM

  I was able to buy one of the Full Scroll Dials, it’s fantastic! I even made a USB adapter for it using a Pi Pico W, which lets it work with a USB switch and fixes macOS compatibility by emulating a Magic Trackpad: https://github.com/timothyb89/bt2usb

• dylan604

  today at 2:26 AM

  I spent my early years in an online tape edit bay. The jog/shuttle wheel has always been something that just seemed like the perfect fit. Even in today's NLE, there are multiple devices trying to fill this need, yet none have the same feel as the old edit controllers

[dead]

Who the hell wants to solder their own trackball? Equivalent products exist at roughly the same price point, fully assembled and tested with a warranty.

• vincent-manis

  today at 2:32 AM

  I would never buy a kit that required soldering, because I'm terrible at it. But I like putting things together. I've assembled a couple of DIY keyboards, and I bought a Framework 12 laptop. It doesn't take too long (Framework estimated 15 minutes, but it was more like 45, because I am slow and methodical), and I like knowing what's inside it. The transition from “box of components” to “working system” always thrills me. And, though the repairability of a trackball is not a big issue, it's nice to know that what you put together can be taken apart, for example, to replace an SSD in a laptop.

  • Loudergood

    today at 3:02 AM

    Same.

• breckenedge

  today at 2:25 AM

  I get it doesn’t appeal to you. Why do you think it shouldn’t appeal to anyone?

  • pudgywalsh

    today at 5:02 AM

    Because there is nothing to be learned or gained from it. This isn't a Heath Kit from 1975. Electronics are fully integrated components now. You're paying for an experience. Typically DIY implies a cost-savings.

    It's like going to one of those restaurants where you have to cook your own steak at the table and realizing part-way through wtf am I doing?

    • matherial

      today at 8:53 AM

      Do you also get upset when people buy Lego sets, model airplanes, or jigsaw puzzles? It's the same thing.

      And FWIW, it's the exactly same reason most people were buying DIY electronics kits in '70s, '80s, and '90s.

    • squigz

      today at 7:01 AM

      > It's like going to one of those restaurants where you have to cook your own steak at the table and realizing part-way through wtf am I doing?

      And yet, people keep going to these restaurants.

      Perhaps it's just that people find enjoyment in different ways than you.

• dotancohen

  today at 3:25 AM

  Me