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

my game controller is QWERTY

[krog]

because my game is nethack!

grip

[zoloto]

So Mektu.net has tried coating videogame controllers with chemical rubber - it seems to improve grip, and possibly even your score.

My girl improved her grip without the rubber so I don't know wha.. wait.

This is a game controller? Eh *tries to recover* who said love wasn't a game?

--zo

Re:grip

[Hatta]

So Mektu.net has tried coating videogame controllers with chemical rubber - it seems to improve grip, and possibly even your score.

Yeah, so imagine that... latex helps you score.

delicious!

[Tebriel]

They should have coated it in rich creamery butter. If nothing else, it would have been more delicious.

Greater grip?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd wager that most net-aware geeks with broadband access have already developed an extraordinary grip thanks in large part to non-gaming computer entertainment. Hell, I've seen geeks who have forearm imbalances like a tennis player! Trust me, geeks are finding ways to develop impressive gripping endurance.

Oooerr Matron!

[Aardpig]

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.

Damn, coffee all over my keyboard. I curse my British upbringing...

...and possibly even your score

[Anonymous Coward]

You mean your score for volatile hydrocarbons circulating through your bloodstream?

You there, fill it up with petroleum distillate and re-vulcanize my joystick, post haste.

Better solution...underclocking

[nebaz]

It seems that overclocking the chips are all the rage these days, but I was excellent at Wolfenstein 3D when it first came out, because my computer ran at 20 Mhz and the minimum recommended speed was 25 Mhz. Slowing down the processor turns a real time game into a turn based game.

Now having said that, since overclocking requires massive cooling effects, would underclocking require that there be an external heat source? Or by underclocking, will an endothermic reaction occur, giving you a free air conditioner. Hmmm. I'll have to do some investigating here...

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:Better solution...underclocking

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

Mentioning porn and jacking it up. I can't figure out if this is a serious post or not...

Re:Better solution...underclocking

[typobox43]

I've had to underclock a few computers before so they didn't overheat or undergo other weird problems. Not to mention that underclocking notebook computers can often save precious battery power.

Re:Better solution...underclocking

[Lawbeefaroni]

No reason? Anything? Underclocking PDAs and notebooks results in longer battery life. Most come with utilities (aka power management) that include underclocking as a power saver.

Less of use to the consumer, but still done, underclocking chips by manufacturers allow them to keep supplies of various lines of chips at demand levels.

There may be some stability gains. There are certainly power consumption decreases.

But most of all, someone might want to overclock...because they can.

I see they call you Gigahertz. You might want to try underclocking to see what kind of stability gains you get.

"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:"slip and slide"

[dykofone]

It kinda reminds me of the way my less game savvy parents or cousins would first use a Nintendo controller, by whipping it back and forth in whatever direction they were trying to go. For them, added grip would be quite usefull.

For the most part though the "steady-hand" the submitter mentions comes from, surprise, not moving your hands, it's the fingers that are doing all the work. Expert typists can hit 100 wpm without rubber coated keys or race car style 5-point body restraint systems. It's a zen thing.

Re:"slip and slide"

[Lawbeefaroni]

Shhhhhh...

The rubber coating is actually meant for those bastards that insist on throwing the controllers when they've had their ass kicked in multiplayer game. You know the kind,
"What the hell? Fuck that, I pressed pass...I PRESSED PASS!!!!"
*controller zings by plasma screen as I cringe*

"OH, COME ON!!!! I was JUMPING!!!!"
*controller sends cat screeching into the other room*

With enough coating it will be more like,
"Bullshit, I COUNTERED!!!"
*controller is thrown to the floor, bounces up and hits the guy in the face*

And I imagine a few saved TV screens, scratched pieces of wood furniature, etc.

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.

~~o ~o Slippery When Wet ~o ~~o

[Vampyre_Dark]

Stop pounding off to DOA: Extreme Beach Volleyball, and you will find the controller doesn't slip out of your hands as much.

Controllers don't need rubber grips

[Savet Hegar]

Game players need to learn to relax their hold on the controller. The tighter you hold the controller, the sweatier your palms and fingers get. I've played games for hours on end (yes, on many different systems) and have never had a problem hitting the right buttons.

Of course....when you're playing Socom and silenced bullets start popping in the water next to you...it's easy to hit the wrong button out of panic. But that really has nothing to do with grip.

Maybe people should just wear rubber gloves when playing games LOL

Re:Controllers don't need rubber grips

[Wireless Joe]

The tighter you hold the controller, the sweatier your palms and fingers get.

So in other words, "The more you tighten your grip...the more game controllers will slip through your fingers"?

Re:Hyperhydrosis

[stratjakt]

This "product" isn't new, you can get it at Home Depot or any other hardware store, and have been able to do so for at least 20 years, because I remember dipping some wrenches in it years ago.

It's called plasti-dip or something. It's a can of liquid (its just rubber cement with some additives for all I can tell), you dip your tools into it, it hardens and there you go, rubbery grips.

They also sell industrial strength paper towels and high powered wet-vacs, in which you might be interested.

This is the lamest "modding" article ever posted on slashdot. It's about as clever and new as spray painting your case.