i'd recommend a rollermouse. edit: this image shows the mechanism better. you can move the black bar sideways for X-wise movement, and roll it to move in Y.
same here, have fun with the tangentbase crap, not sure if it was fixed in 2014, we have full licenses just for data conversion collecting dust here :X
Grabbed a code here and it said I already owned the game??? Is that just the Big Alpha from X-com 'cause the game listing in the library doesn't specify.
Hmm, your texture designs are really interesting! I think the cylinder presentation is cool too, cuz it's much prettier to look at than just a plane x]