When the computer detects current in a specific circuit, it understands that the joystick's current position requires activating the relevant circuit. Pushing the joystick forward closes the "forward switch," while pushing it to the left closes the "left shift switch," and so on. In some designs, the computer can even identify diagonal positions when both switches are closed (e.g., closing both the forward and left shift switches simultaneously means a diagonal movement to the left and forward). The fire button works on the same principle: pressing the button closes a circuit, and the computer recognizes the fire command.
This design transmits joystick movement in a shorthand-like manner, treating movement as absolute values rather than subtle variations. In other words, it cannot distinguish between a slight forward push and a full forward push; to it, both transmit only a single numerical value indicating forward movement.
For some games, this approach is good, even impeccable. For example, it works well for Pac-Man or Tetris. However, for other games, such as flight simulators, this design has significant limitations. In the next section, we will learn about traditional analog joystick designs that can detect minute displacements.
