Modding Game Controllers For Greater Grip

japala writes "Fast-paced videogames require a steady hand and great reflexes, it's generally agreed. But some game controllers and pads just don't seem to fit in your hand, and sometimes they slip and slide, making you miss the action. So Metku.net has tried coating videogame controllers with chemical rubber - it seems to improve grip, and possibly even your score."

Comments

"slip and slide"

[hal2814]

I've used a wide variety of controllers from the old 2600 to newer X-Box controllers and have never once had the controlled "slip" out of my hand. Maybe the people having this problem need to put away the Doritos while gaming.

I could see a rubber coating as potentially more comfortable but even that will not be true if you're playing for long stretches of time as the rubber is more likely to wear a blister on your hand (as did a wrech that I dipped in similar stuff a few years ago that I used for automotive work).

Re:DMCA?

[QuijiboIsAWord]

Many companies already release skins and covers for things like phones & iPods. I doubt the same thing for controllers would be any different. I REALLY hope to see them try though. It'd be great to see a DMCA case like that laughed out of court. I doubt there's many IP lawyers out there stupid enough to try though.

its not the grip....

[psycht]

aside from the (previously mentioned) dick jokes, I don't think grip is really key here. The main issue I've always had is accuracy in movement.

This is why I prefer to play PC games with an optical mouse. The accuracy of my mouse is far greater than any other game contoller i've used in the past or present. Also, i can cusomize my mouse movement & acceleration in more detail than a controller.

Anyone try the reflex tester? Post your time!

[teamhasnoi]

I seem to remember reading that green was the brain's natural signal to stop, so traffic lights were reversed - green made people want to stop, and red to go.

I tried the tester with reds, and couldn't get better than .3xx times - I tried with green, and got more than a couple .2xx times.

Hmm.

Re:Better solution...underclocking

[poot_rootbeer]

Slowing down the processor turns a real time game into a turn based game.

Perhaps this used to be true years ago, but modern systems use a real-time clock to determine game timing. Underclocking will reduce the number of instructions executed per second, but will not change the length of a second itself.

Re:my game controller is QWERTY

[pHatidic]

Actually I have a rather serious problem with my nethacking right now. I currently use the dvorak keyboard layout on a powerbook. This means that without an external keyboard with a numberpad there is no efficient way for me to play, since obviously the hjkl controls in dvorak are a no go and I can't go in diagnols with the arrow keys. Perhaps someone else has encountered this problem? Actually if I could get a really small USB or bluetooth joystick that I could use for direction commands that would even work as well, though it might scare whoever is sitting next to me on the airplane.

Gripping...

[ackthpt]

I think a LOT of things could improve with the firmer grip imparted by a chemical rubber coating :)

How's it work on reality?

There's always been that tool dip stuff you could buy at hardware stores, to replace cracked rubber grips on plier handles, etc.

My favorite controller of all time (and damned if I can ever find it again) was an Amiga joystick. They sold these tiny joysticks to finance chip development, as it turns out though, because of the small size they were extremely good for making those sudden lunges because the arclength of stick rotation was so short. It was held together with tiny Phillips screws so cleaning and maintenance was never a bother.