6 replies to this topic

[BlackWidow]

I know there are already two dozen posts about the Artimus. All of the arguments are interesting. Here is my summation followed by my actual question:


1. Is it cool? --- Heck ya.

2. Are all Razer products crap? --- Don't know, all. I have a generation 1 Diamondback and to this day still my favorite gaming mouse.

3. Can a joy stick (either because of newer hardware or better software implementation by Piranha) ever really compete with a mouse for torso/weapon accuracy? --- For the sake of immersion and mech geek love, I want this to be true. My past experience has told me no. Joysticks are best suited for steering. Either planes (flight sims) or characters (pac-man). A mouse has generally been better for aiming/selecting. Can someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE prove me wrong on this!

4. Is it too expensive? Totally subjective question based on your income, level of desire and how much you can rationally contribute to PC gaming as a hobby.

All of this brings me to my quandary:

Why not build your own?

Do you want one? --- Build your own! No need to worry if this ever comes to light. You can make it so!
Don't like RAZER? --- Build your own! Pick and choose the best components available or whatever you
happen to have lying around collecting dust.
Want a mouse? --- Build your own!
Left-hand joystick? --- Build your own!
Too expensive? --- Bu...you get the idea.

The ARITE (can I call you that?) looks sweet. And I know that Razor/Piranha are actively looking for feedback on desire as well as design. But, unless it is completely modular I think the price might be hard to justify on something that might not work out in the long run. I mean, I can easily see spending the cash on this thing but if I hate the joystick? Money down the drain. If I'm a lefty and can't adjust? Same thing.

So, since there is obvious intent on the part of Piranha to support such a device......I assume said support would be USB for controls and VGA/HDMI for the screen (i.e. they will offer multiple screen support)

If so, pick your joystick, throttle, Nostromo 52, mouse etc. Grab that old 14" LCD you have on a shelf in the garage ( I have tons of old laptops I could rip the screens out of and rig to a VGA adapter) and with some fiberboard, epoxy glue and spray paint? VOILA! Custom rig.

Thoughts? Ideas?

Waiting on missile lock..........

Blackwidow

[xMarshallx]

Blackwidow, on 08 June 2012 - 12:53 PM, said:

3. Can a joy stick (either because of newer hardware or better software implementation by Piranha) ever really compete with a mouse for torso/weapon accuracy? --- For the sake of immersion and mech geek love, I want this to be true. My past experience has told me no. Joysticks are best suited for steering. Either planes (flight sims) or characters (pac-man). A mouse has generally been better for aiming/selecting. Can someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE prove me wrong on this!

For the sake of not sounding cocky.. well, forget being PC, I am cocky and everyone who knows me would agree. I won every tournament MultiPlayer BattleTech had to offer and I did it all with a joystick. I had arguably one of best aim, if not the best, as well as maneuverability using a joystick. It's all about stick selection and setting it to move as quick/fluid as a mouse.

[MungFuSensei]

I imagine the screen will work off usb (you can send visual data through usb). Also, I imagine it will work because it will use proprietary drivers, so slapping any old screen onto a joystick and numpad probably won't work. This isn't to say that the task is impossible, but it will require some in-depth knowledge/coding. If our community can get the steel battalion controller to work with a MW game, I imagine something along your lines of thinking can be done.

[grimzod]

Add this to your existing joystick:

Razer Nostromo Gaming Keypad (RZ07-00490100-R3) ~50.00$

or


Logitech G13 Programmable Gameboard with LCD Display ~65.00$

Edited by grimzod, 08 June 2012 - 01:16 PM.

[Nintenja]

Have you seen the "buttkicker". It's a big rumblepak you put on your PC chair. They start at around 80 bucks I think. Not much to do with controls put it is an easy add and you will be able to fell enemies trying to sneak up on you.

[BlackWidow]

Sniper - Awesome to hear that feedback. I, as well, used a joystick for Mechwarrior 2. (Mechwarrior 1 was slower paced and using a keyboard was the only option, but nice for headshots) Also, my local Battletech club played Netmech (not sure if that is the multiplayer you are talking about ) but in the second season ladder, we ended up placing #1. Go Diamond Sharks!
But MW3 and MW4 was all mouse. :-\

Nintenja - Yeah, my post was already long enough, but I highly suspect if MWO turns out to be all we hope, I highly anticipate building a "semi-cockpit" using exactly that.

Actually, if the joystick turns out to be a viable option I have even loftier plans. Even if it's not as pin point accurate as a mouse, it might be good enough. And ultimately, if I'm having more fun (that's the whole point, no?) with a joystick, I would easily sacrifice some C-bills/fights to entertain the option.

What's that? My lofty plans? My dream has always been to build a cockpit with motion. I figure it might be possible to split off the signals to a force feedback joystick to another circuit. That circuit would be running 110v A/C actuators to rock, roll and vibrate a plywood chassis. Can this be done? Not sure, but love to give it a try. I don't think you could get a system to recognize TWO joysticks (which would be optimal. Control with one, use the 2nd only to receive force feedback) which means I'd have to tap into the feedback actuators on my working one.

If there are any electrical engineers out there.....let me know if this is possible. i.e. Cut the leads to the in-stick motors and use the signal to control (not power) larger motors on the chassis.

Thanks, and keep the discussion going!

BW

[Catamount]

I used a joystick in MW4 and was always very competitive, never "OMG I pwn everyone all the time good", but good enough to challenge anyone with a decent chance of winning. I have no delusions about having had the "best" aim; anyone who achieves that is doin it wrong with the mouse, but the agility was vastly superior, because I had access to three axes, while a mouse is inherently limited to two.

In MW3 it was a different story because you weren't effectively limited to torso movement for aiming like in MW4, which gave a huge advantage to mouse players. The process of hitting another player in MW3 was closer to drawing on something in MS Paint than actually piloting a mech, and obviously no one in their right mind is going to use a joystick in an image editor

So will a stick work out well in MWO? Is it designed to make them competitive with, or even better than, a mouse? Partnering with Razer for a product might indicate PGI is confident of that point... or it just means both sides was marketing $$$. I guess only time will tell, when we can all try it out at release and/or we get a lot of beta players who become allowed to spill the beans on the game's joystick treatment.

In the meantime, I'd hold off on such purchases unless they're useful for other games. I wouldn't buy or make something specifically for MWO until I was actually able to play MWO; There's just no point.

Edited by Catamount, 09 June 2012 - 05:14 AM.