New FPS Xbox 360 Controller Coming?
During the recent Microsoft Gamefest event held in Seattle a lot of things were uncovered including the XNA Games Studio Express project which will allow Xbox 360 owners to Code your own 360 titles. That’s all good news but something that caught my interest was Microsoft’s consideration for redesigning the 360 controller to accommodate First Person Shooter Fans. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the current wireless design a lot. I do find it hard to play FPS’s with it but that’s because I’ve been a PC gamer for so long. The mouse and keyboard are, in my opinion, way more accurate and easier to use then the 360 for these type of games. So there’s some speculation that Microsoft is on the drawing board for a controller that best suits the FPS fans and this BodiLobus Reflex Control prototype might be the path they take. It may look silly at first, but think of a big mouse track-ball only it’s on your controller. It would allow for way more accuracy and speed control says IGN editor Gerry Block from his E3 report:
“The critical difference I discovered between playing a FPS with the BodieLobus Reflex Control and a standard analog stick is the fact that the BodieLobus’ track ball directly controls the speed of view movement, as opposed to the variable acceleration applied by an analog stick. Moving the track-ball a little moved the view a little, but at the same speed at which I spun the ball, as opposed to a little movement on an analog stick moving the view at a slower pace than a full push to a corner. Once my brain learned not to compensate for an analog stick’s acceleration, I attained a level of accuracy I had never experienced without a mouse and keyboard combination.”
There’s still no word on what Microsoft plans on doing, but I’d like to give this prototype PS2 controller a whirl – so to speak to see if it really does help me with my lack of skill in the fragging department.
More on IGN
More on the BodiLobus Reflex Controller
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Smitty
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Prezz
