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E3 Controller Previews
spides writes: "If you thought the original X-Box controller was huge, you're in for a rude awakening. At E3 this past week, Microsoft and Capcom unveiled their 40 button control station for the X-Box's 'realistic' mech simulator Steel Battalion. On the same day, Nintendo and Sega unveiled the new keyboard peripheral for use with the Gamecube version of Phantasy Star Online, which can only be described as the world's largest conventional controller with a keyboard stuck between the directional pad and the usual buttons."
At first I was ready to write this off as "another stupid gamer story." But then I took the time to peruse the links, and I've reconsidered.
I started thinking about "mech"s. Sure, the stuff of science fiction. But could science fiction one day be science fact? And could that day be right around the corner?
We have historically seen the game industry pave the trail for the military. Doom. Quake. Combat. The list goes on.
I think that the next thing we can expect is military vehicles with this kind of high-tech controller. Imagine a tank or helicopter with 40 buttons.
The result would be literally astounding.
I don't know what the future holds, but names like Sony and Linux are going to be very important to security and stability in this new world we are forging. It's an exciting time to be alive.
Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
Many have probably noticed that every MS peripheral is BIG!
For example, the MS Intellimouse Explorer which is double the size of a standard mouse... nice at start, but a small mouse just fits better...
The Natural Keyboard which is double the size of keyboards (tho it's pretty good!)
And ofcourse, every version of Windows just doubles it's size... WinXP is around how much for minimal install? 1GB?
^_^
Apparently someone let antigames come into contact with some games, and the resulting explosion slashdotted their server.
--
E_NOSIG
"Hmm.... Forty buttons."
- "Marthter ?"
"Yes Igor ?"
- "Shall I fetch the box of thingers, marthter ?"
my Dell gamebox has a 108 key game pad.
thelikesofwhich.com
courtesy of Something Awful:
e ndo/controller.jpg
http://www.somethingawful.com/news/8-28-2000/nint
~jeff
Obligatory Penny Arcade links:
Obligatory link number one.
Number two.
This controller is better.
I don't know about you, but i want to be able to *compose* on my x-box.
using namespace slashdot;
troll::post();
Sweet, is that a jog dial I see in the middle? Finally, we can play pong and arkanoid properly once they come out!
From the press release:
The KeyMouse XP is the worlds first mouse to integrate a 120 key keyboard inside a mouse. This gives the user the advantage of not having to switch between keyboard and mouse - a repetitive movement which costs the user time and productivity.
The keyboard is located between the left and right mouse buttons.
When asked how difficult this new mouse would be to handle Logitech would only say that the user would need a really big-ass mousepad.
"They do not preach that their god will rouse them, a little before the Nuts work loose." Kipling, 'The Sons of Martha'
But with a playstation controller, your hands aren't full. But I guess it all depends on how you like it. Some like a handfull of there girlfriends breasts, others like caressing it with there fingers.
:)
I prefer my hands full, that's why I like the XBox controller.
Even the MS marketing department couldn't come up with something as brilliant as that