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Gaming Support Glove Mystifies, Thrills

Posted by simoniker on from the now-prancing-down-paris-catwalks dept.

jasoncart writes "Have gaming accessories gone too far? According to a Ferrago review, the Danish company Steelpad have manufactured a gaming support glove, designed to be used with a mouse to get maximum accuracy in your favourite FPS. I wonder if it will go the way of the Power Glove?" The review says that the glove claims it "...will improve your accuracy by reducing the friction between the base of your wrist and whatever surface it comes into contact with. It will also give support to your wrist through its snug fit and the stiffness of the wrist band."

39 comments

  1. Cool gear for the sweaty gamer by Txiasaeia · · Score: 4, Funny
    Avault has a review here; they pretty much say that the support is useless but the glove itself is pretty sweet for keeping your sweat off the mouse and your wrist from getting rubbed to pieces by your mousepad.

    Of course, since I don't have a mousepad, the only reason I'd get one is to wear it and say, "The Steel Gaming Glove... it's so bad!" FP too!

    --
    Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
    1. Re:Cool gear for the sweaty gamer by damien_kane · · Score: 1

      The Steel Gaming Glove... it's so bad!

      Yeah? Just keep your Steel Gaming Gloves off of her, alright?

      :P

  2. Obligatory Wizard quote: by bishiraver · · Score: 1

    "It's so bad!"

  3. This is how pathetic I am. by Rallion · · Score: 1

    I'd get one so that I could look cool.

    Yeah, you read that right. Unless you read it to mean anything other than "I think a mouse support glove would make me look cool."

  4. Old Idea by DarkZero · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Gaming gloves are actually a very old idea. Back in the NES/SNES days, several third party accessory manufacturers sold thick fingerless gloves with some kind of material on the palms to improve your grip. I think it was originally supposed to save you some hand pain while using controllers designs that had sharp edges, such as the original NES controller, but they continued through into the 16-bit era as a tool for reducing hand sweat.

    They seemed to die out around the PlayStation's debut, though, and for a reason that still mystifies me: For some reason, my hands never sweat while using the Dual Shock controller. In fact, I can't remember any of my friends having to stop and wipe their hands off on their pants during a gaming session since that time.

    1. Re:Old Idea by ooPo · · Score: 1

      *insert comment about the state of games since the playstation came out*

    2. Re:Old Idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i noticed this as well. i use to sweat up a storm playing n64, and still sweat occasionally when i play my gamecube, but playing my ps2 my hands never sweat. its not the game either, because the most frantic and stressful game i play (timesplitters2) is on ps2. interesting.

    3. Re:Old Idea by Zeromous · · Score: 1

      You do on older Playstation controllers or ones that are sufficiently worn.

      I've often theorized that this is because of the finely irregular surface of the controller, allowing a small amount of airflow.

      After heavy use, the plastic wears down and becomes shiny...and voila, my hands begin to sweat during those marathon Budokai 2 or VF sessions.

      Anyone agree?

      --
      ---Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A START
    4. Re:Old Idea by Zeromous · · Score: 1

      My roommate and I just compared his brand new controllers with old ones. This is most noticable on the analog sticks. But every surface on a new playstation controller is matted as such that my theory may have some basis.

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      ---Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A START
    5. Re:Old Idea by djdavetrouble · · Score: 1

      Back when games were in the Arcade and not the living room, I crackily played this sit on motorcycle game called Hang-On. Hang on had real foot pegs, hand brakes, and a twist handle bar throttle, just like an actual motorcycle. We started wearing those bicycle gloves that have the fingers cut off and padded palms because we were getting blisters and a sore hand from playing so much.

      If you were Hang-On addict, we could finish the course every time. That game ruled.

      --
      music lover since 1969
  5. It's a bowling glove... by Smidge204 · · Score: 1

    ...with the middle and index fingers cut off and the metal reinforcing apparently removed.

    Man, I was expecting something cool with sensors or fluid filled bladders or teflon wrist guards, or at least something powered by a battery or plugs into your computer's USB port... not a hunk of velcro and elastic :/

    If it had a built in heating element to keep your fingers warm then is might be mildly interesting!

    Man, I feel cheated and I didn't even buy one!
    =Smidge=

  6. Carpal Tunnel by Karplusan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I think it could be one of the best inventions if it will help prevent teenagers from getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in their 20's. Otherwise, they may be using one of these. Though they don't look too bad, I wonder what it would do to your FPS performance?

    1. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is for wankers

    2. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Farscry · · Score: 4, Funny

      Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is for wankers

      You know, while this may seem like a troll comment, I have to admit that with enough wanking, you probably would develop carpal tunnel. Hmmm... guess I need to test that theory out!

      --
      Mmmmm.... Pigeons. Sometimes, they come with notes attached...it's like...a fortune cookie with wings.
    3. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have to admit that with enough wanking, you probably would develop carpal tunnel

      Yes. That comment is what's known technically as a pun, or a play on words

    4. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Double entendre would be more accurate.

    5. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How does one manage to be a teenager in one's twenties?

    6. Re:Carpal Tunnel by GonzoDave · · Score: 1

      Double entendre implies that one meaning is innocent

    7. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Mechanik · · Score: 1

      You know, while this may seem like a troll comment, I have to admit that with enough wanking, you probably would develop carpal tunnel. Hmmm... guess I need to test that theory out!

      We need a Mod option for -1 (Ewwww, don't wanna think about it)


      Mechanik

    8. Re:Carpal Tunnel by TwistedGreen · · Score: 1

      ...prevent teenagers from getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in their 20's.

      Those are some mighty old teenagers. :)

    9. Re:Carpal Tunnel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "I think it could be one of the best inventions if it will help prevent teenagers from getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in their 20's. Otherwise, they may be using one of these."

      I've been typing on keyboards since I was five years old, maybe younger. I'm now almost 24 years old. I've never had RSI. I average about 90wpm, and use a computer at least 8-10 hours a day almost every day of the week. I've been known to use a computer for 16 hours a day and longer (marathon coding is fun!).

      I've never understood what this RSI thing is all about, I take a break every once in a while, stretch my wrists, pop them a few times and go back to whatever I was working on.

    10. Re:Carpal Tunnel by bluGill · · Score: 1

      Your lucky. RSI is a big problem for me. I have to be very careful about what I do. Breaks help, and some tasks are not done just in the name of avoiding RSI.

      I've had carpil tunnel, but not from typing, I got it from a summer construction job. Using a hammer all day. It is painful when fingers go numb.

      I've had wrist pain which is a different RSI (not carpil tunnel) from using the mouse all day in a game like lincity.

      Each person is different. Some people won't have problems, but I assure you that they exist and for those that do have them it is painful.

    11. Re:Carpal Tunnel by PainKilleR-CE · · Score: 1

      This and this are more or less the interface I've been using for the last 3 years (I've been using the keyboard longer, but a different trackball before I found that one).

      I generally find that I can't use a mouse (instead of a trackball) or a straight keyboard for more than a couple of hours without having problems with carpal tunnel/RSI, but I can use these almost indefinitely without a problem. As both a gamer and a programmer I can sometimes find myself in front of a monitor using a keyboard + mouse for upwards of 12 hours a day, and since I also play bass & guitar my wrists and hands don't get much rest.

      My FPS performance isn't legendary, but it was good enough for a couple of years to put me among the best offensive TFC players in the US. How you interface with the computer doesn't matter, as long as it's comfortable for you, and many people have different physical responses to different interfaces. Someone with smaller hands and narrower shoulders may have no problem with a standard keyboard, and perhaps different methods of using a mouse would be more productive and less harmful to other users. Hell, some people can use those thumb-balls with some accuracy.

      And yes, I am a whore for MS mice and keyboards. I used to use Kensington trackballs, but they seriously lagged behind on optical trackballs, and followed that lag up with some horrid designs when they finally went optical. Logitech finally has a trackball I might be able to use, and I might consider giving it a try since MS seems to be lagging on the cordless trackballs.

      --
      -PainKilleR-[CE]
  7. This is a problem with mice by HoneyBunchesOfGoats · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The problem, I think, is with current computer mice, not with our hands. I used to own a Logitech Mouseman Wheel (or something similarly named) which was about 6 inches long, so I could rest my entire hand on it. I guess mouse makers decided that looked ugly or something, so we're seeing mice that look a lot cooler, but aren't nearly as comfortable on the hands. (My last 2 mice have both been under 4 inches long.) Perhaps it's time to search ebay...

    1. Re:This is a problem with mice by ctr2sprt · · Score: 1
      Most people want a mouse they can grab. It's like they're afraid it's going to fly out of their hand and through a window or something. They want a mouse that's small enough that they can hold it with their fingers, not with their palms. I'm pretty confident it's ergonomically a very poor design, but it's what people want and so it's what people get.

      FPS gaming is popular enough nowadays that there are a wide variety of "specialty mice." Hopefully this means we'll eventually be able to find decent mice with modern features at a fair price. I'm definitely willing to pay a markup for a (comparatively) big mouse, even if that's the only feature it has over other mice.

  8. joystick by austad · · Score: 1

    This thing is great for keeping your wrist from getting screwed up during alone time with your joystick.

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    Need Free Juniper/NetScreen Support? JuniperForum
    1. Re:joystick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This thing is great for keeping your wrist from getting screwed up during alone time with your joystick.

      Well it does say it's supposed to reduce friction, although i'm not sure that's a good thing.

    2. Re:joystick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm pretty sure it'll keep you from getting screwed, period.

  9. Re:175 4 b0wl1ng gl0v3!!1 by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 0
    Man, I was expecting something cool with...fluid filled bladders

    I think I know how you can get one of those

    --
    True story.
  10. George Costanza by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    anybody else think they could have found a better hand model?

  11. You know what might be sweet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    A glove with reference points that used a web cam to compute hand-gestures which could then be animated in game.

    I know stuff like that exists at least at the undergrad project level. But for squad based games especially that would be pretty tight.

  12. You've never met me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My hands are drenched with sweat whenever I use a dualshock. But then again, that's just a sweat gland problem on my end. Unless you have a medical condition, the dualshock apparantly stops sweat.

  13. Scary Vibes by raised+fist · · Score: 1

    This kinda gives me chills thiking about this. Does anyone remember that move called The Wizard, about that kid who played nintendo games really well? They featured the nintendo "power glove" in that movie. man, that glove was worthless.

  14. Power Glove PC Mod by rwrife · · Score: 1

    I thought the Power Glove PC modification was pretty cool....I was surprised at the number of retail PC games that would actually work with it.

  15. Insert joke here by Spandau87 · · Score: 1

    I thought for sure some one would have made a masterbation joke by now.

    --
    This Space for Rent.