Saitek Makes a slew of hardware additions for gaming, mostly for flight sims, but they could easily be adapted for driving Giant Robots...
With either a Kick starter or enough push from PGI some either custom versions of these items or even just PGI outputs would allow us to use a lot of them.
BIP (Backlit Information Panel) - is a simple panel which has a bunch of red/green/yellow words than can be controlled by the game (sure not all apply but many do). Simply changing the wording panel (which appears to bolt on) would allow us to add our own sets of sensors.
- Heat (.vs. Pilot heat)
- Ammo (low/yellow) (emtpy/red)
- AMS (low/yellow)(empty/red)
- etc
Switch Panel -this can probably be used straight up without modification. - Gear up can easily mean Tube doors open, and toggle switches for a lot of other things (arm lock, etc).
Instrument Panel - I think this is where PGI/Saitek can really make a killing. These could easily be adapted to panels we see in the Mech cockpit. With outputs from PGI we can get realtime input to these devices. These are mini 5" LCD panels which are programmed to display outputs from games.
- Minimap
- Heat Sinks
- Ammo
- Twist/yaw/tilt
- Speed
Rudder Pedals - to control mech - should be able to be used without any changes.
TPM (Throttle/Prop/Mixture) - this may be able to be used as is. again for things like like toggles, Tube doors, Tag, Arm Lock.
I know waaaaaay back in Closed beta you started with that ugly joystick/console thing, but I think this would give users much more flexibility, and be much easier to use, because it's already pretty much done, mostly needed is output from the game.
Maybe PGI can put together a bundle include the X-65F joystick/throttle for a package deal..
Just some thoughts for a very cool setup.
Edited by Syrkres, 30 July 2013 - 07:55 AM.