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Razer Hydra - the best controller for the Mech EVER.


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#21 Mason Grimm

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 04:06 AM

This has got to be the most interesting, weird and unknown piece of technology for me.

Don't your hands and arms get fatiqued? It makes me think of a combination between PS3, Wii and XBox systems.

#22 Scar

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 05:15 AM

View PostMason Grimm, on 25 April 2012 - 04:06 AM, said:

This has got to be the most interesting, weird and unknown piece of technology for me.

Don't your hands and arms get fatiqued? It makes me think of a combination between PS3, Wii and XBox systems.


There was some(not critical - just some) fatigue in the first day or two, but i think it was due to the lack of habit - until i found how to use it the right way(i found this way on my own, but still it's a funny and easy-to-understand guide). Now i think that Hydra in a million times more comfortable and anatomically friendly to my hands(and especially for my wrists), than my mouse, due to its pistol/joystick alike shape.

Edited by Scar, 25 April 2012 - 05:18 AM.


#23 Chuckie

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 06:34 AM



Gives you an idea of the 4D aspect the controller can bring..

In my mind.. I can see using TrackIR for head and upper body, Razor for left and right arm, and the joy stick controls for mech forward back and left and right.

You could litterally control the mech upper body from the waist up with nothing more than your hand and head.. it would be AWESOME.

#24 Mason Grimm

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 06:55 AM

While all that looks very awesome Chuckie I'm wondering if people will suffer from Controller Overload.

TrackIR on your head, Razor in your hands and then you have to drop the Razoer to work on joystick stuff too?

I do love how he has three monitors. I guess short of putting in a second graphics card one cannot do that.

#25 Chuckie

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:10 AM

View PostMason Grimm, on 25 April 2012 - 06:55 AM, said:

While all that looks very awesome Chuckie I'm wondering if people will suffer from Controller Overload.

TrackIR on your head, Razor in your hands and then you have to drop the Razoer to work on joystick stuff too?

I do love how he has three monitors. I guess short of putting in a second graphics card one cannot do that.



No no..

The razor hydra is like a game pad split in half..

So Half game pad (with thumb "joystick") and have motion controller. Each controller has 7 buttons.

5 on top (below the thumbstick) and a shoulder and trigger

You would never have to let go of the controllers.

The motion controller has multiple axises.. and you can do things like flick to the left or right as commands as well.



I'm buying one soon.

OH.. as I was saying..

IF you had TrackIR added to simply control your view in the cockpit and mech torso twist (Look left - Look right) to go with the Razor it should be almost like wearing a neuro helmet :P

Edited by Chuckie, 25 April 2012 - 07:14 AM.


#26 Scar

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:15 AM

View PostChuckie, on 25 April 2012 - 06:34 AM, said:



Gives you an idea of the 4D aspect the controller can bring..

In my mind.. I can see using TrackIR for head and upper body, Razor for left and right arm, and the joy stick controls for mech forward back and left and right.

You could litterally control the mech upper body from the waist up with nothing more than your hand and head.. it would be AWESOME.


Poor guy - he's doing it completely wrong. As told in the guide that i mentioned before - only wrists should move while you're playing, while the forearms should lay on the arms of the chair, or on your thighs, if your chair doesn't have an arms. No need to use such a huge amplitude - it's very uncomfortable and will cause the fatigue.

But still, this video pretty well illustrated how it plays with the Hydra in games that utilize a floating aim reticule, just like the MWO does.

View PostMason Grimm, on 25 April 2012 - 06:55 AM, said:

While all that looks very awesome Chuckie I'm wondering if people will suffer from Controller Overload.

TrackIR on your head, Razor in your hands and then you have to drop the Razoer to work on joystick stuff too?

I do love how he has three monitors. I guess short of putting in a second graphics card one cannot do that.

Didn't get this - why on earth you need to drop the Hydra? And why you need a joystick if you have the Hydra? As i wrote before - i unplugged all my five, because they\re useless now - Hydra replaced them all, as well as mouse. And as owner of TrackIR i can say - it's far easier to play with Hydra and TrackIR, than with Hydra and joystick or mouse - because the Hydra and TrackIR both are utilizing far more natural hand/head movements, than stick or mouse. I'm using Hydra and TrackIR in Arma2 ACE and find this pair incredibly comfortable and immersive.

Edited by Scar, 25 April 2012 - 07:17 AM.


#27 Chuckie

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:17 AM

View PostScar, on 25 April 2012 - 07:15 AM, said:

And as owner of TrackIR i can say - it's far easier to play with Hydra and TrackIR, than with Hydra and joystick or mouse - because the Hydra and TrackIR both are utilizing very natural hand/head movements, than stick or mouse. I'm using Hydra and TrackIR in Arma2 ACE and find this pair incredibly comfortable and immersive.


I demand video showing you using this awesome setup in MWLL Posted Image

Of maybe in MW3 in a tank or something similar Posted Image

Anyway, you seemed to have answered my question.. you CAN use TrackIR and Hydra at the same time ?

Can you program the Hydra to use the left and right to control left and right arms.. separately..? Or is that going to be more a "we have to see what PGI does for controls" issue.

Edited by Chuckie, 25 April 2012 - 07:19 AM.


#28 RoboCyberMummy

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:28 AM

I'll stick with my Logitech G700. It's the best mouse I've ever owned. Posted Image

#29 pesco

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:43 AM

This does look pretty awesome and at 99EUR its cheaper than the CH throttle I had my eyes set on. Hm...

#30 Scar

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:47 AM

View PostChuckie, on 25 April 2012 - 07:17 AM, said:


I demand video showing you using this awesome setup in MWLL Posted Image

Hmmm, i might be wrong but AFAIK the Crysis/MWLL don't support the TrackIR. Am i wrong in that?

Quote

Anyway, you seemed to have answered my question.. you CAN use TrackIR and Hydra at the same time ?

As i told, i'm using them in 'Arma 2'. It's not a problem at all, if the game is supporting TrackIR.

Quote

Can you program the Hydra to use the left and right to control left and right arms.. separately..? Or is that going to be more a "we have to see what PGI does for controls" issue.

It all depends from the game - the Hydra can support up to 9 independent axes on each controller. It's a 18 axes in total. Here you can read about this more.

#31 Kaemon

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 08:03 AM

Another (and decently inexpensive) option for controlling mechs is good.

Keep in mind people (like myself) that are buying higher end HOTAS setups (or even joysticks for that matter) may not necessarily be doing it to be competitive with all the gamepad/mouse/keyboard min maxers out there, most of us know that we'll be sllightly slower in reaction and aim than the 'twitchers'.

Personally I'm fine with that, as it's more the fun factor I have with using the joystick or HOTAS setup, immersion means different things to different people, and for me, driving with a joystick and throttle (and foot pedals) is my ideal for metal *** stomping.

Some people will differ, but saying one way is better than another is probably more subjective than anything (because you're assuming your 'better' is what other people are going for).

It's very interesting, I hope it works with multiple arm weapons and torso twist(only see 1 weap in the demos, that might cause issues).

Once BETA drops report back with some more vids, it will be interesting to see!

Edited by Kaemon, 25 April 2012 - 08:04 AM.


#32 Mason Grimm

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 08:06 AM

I'll wait to see what the devs cook up in terms of control interfaces. While all this gadgetry is awesome I'm hesitant to go running out to purchase something like this before anyone steps foot in MWO to see how it actually works. On paper it's awesome don't get me wrong and I'm envious but in practice is something completely different :P

#33 pesco

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 08:16 AM

View PostScar, on 21 April 2012 - 12:31 PM, said:



I can't quite make out: Do you control the throttle by pushing the thumbstick up/down, with the same effect as the 'W' or 'S' keys, i.e. increment/decrement the set speed? Can you map it to be directly controlled by say the forward/backward movement of the left hand, more like a flight sim throttle controller? I think I would prefer that. From what you said about 18 axes I guess that would be possible; have you tried using it that way?

#34 Chuckie

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 10:27 AM

View PostMason Grimm, on 25 April 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:

I'll wait to see what the devs cook up in terms of control interfaces. While all this gadgetry is awesome I'm hesitant to go running out to purchase something like this before anyone steps foot in MWO to see how it actually works. On paper it's awesome don't get me wrong and I'm envious but in practice is something completely different :P


Yep.. kind of taking that tact too..

So before I dump a lot of money into fancy controllers, etc.. Need to see how the game is setup and performs.

I got the old Gamester was cheap and I got it working. So first like to see if its as good in MWO as it was in MA.

Anyway..

I have said it before, and I will say it again.

I don't need all these custom controls.. and etc.. to get an advantage on the twitchers.. I need them to keep me on par ;)

Getting old sucks.. and my reaction speed ain't what it used to be..

Play smarter not harder as it were :D

Edited by Chuckie, 25 April 2012 - 10:29 AM.


#35 Garth Erlam

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 10:35 AM

Can you split it in half? I'd love it for movement, but aiming with a joystick makes me want to scream with rage.

#36 Dihm

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 10:54 AM

View PostGarth Erlam, on 25 April 2012 - 10:35 AM, said:

Can you split it in half? I'd love it for movement, but aiming with a joystick makes me want to scream with rage.

Joysticks gimped in MWO, confirmed. :P

#37 Vexgrave Lars

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 11:17 AM

View PostDihm, on 25 April 2012 - 10:54 AM, said:

Joysticks gimped in MWO, confirmed. :P


Yeah.. suspected as much.. MWLL is Hell with a Hotas.. thinking Im going back to M/K.

#38 Bloodshed Romance

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 11:23 AM

http://sixense.com/f...8pre-request%29

already posted the request for this on the Sixense website... I really hope they can implement the Hydra in to MWO very well..
it would be AMAZING if they got DIRECT INTEGRATION with MWO as they did for Portal 2 and for Team Fortress 2..

#39 Helmer

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 11:34 AM

Very cool periphery , but aiming with my thumbs? No thanks. There's a reason I never used my consoles for anything other than Netflix.





Cheers.

#40 Scar

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 11:49 AM

View PostMason Grimm, on 25 April 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:

I'll wait to see what the devs cook up in terms of control interfaces. While all this gadgetry is awesome I'm hesitant to go running out to purchase something like this before anyone steps foot in MWO to see how it actually works. On paper it's awesome don't get me wrong and I'm envious but in practice is something completely different :P

There is no point for concern, since by default the Hydra emulates the system mouse(the motion sensor) and keyboard(the buttons). So, in MWO it will work equally good or bad the mouse will do - it's a question of the game' quality(in which i doesn't have any doubts), not the Hydra. The game even won't have an idea what i'm using - the Hydra or the keyboard+mouse+joystick. This is one of the most significant advantages it's providing - you can play with Hydra ANY game, which is supporting the regular mouse/keyboard/joystick. However, you even can play the games which are support only joysticks, as aviation simulators do - just using the PPJoy and DirectInput emulator.

So, no problem here at all.

View Postpesco, on 25 April 2012 - 08:16 AM, said:

I can't quite make out: Do you control the throttle by pushing the thumbstick up/down, with the same effect as the 'W' or 'S' keys, i.e. increment/decrement the set speed? Can you map it to be directly controlled by say the forward/backward movement of the left hand, more like a flight sim throttle controller? I think I would prefer that. From what you said about 18 axes I guess that would be possible; have you tried using it that way?

Yes, you can - with the help of PPJoy and DirectInput emulator you even can make one of the Hydra controllers working as mouse, and other(or even part of it) as joystick. Any buttons, any axes - in any combination, even if you want to make part of the axes/buttons on the same controller working as mouse/keyboard and the others as joystick axes/buttons.

But remember - any controller' deviations will cause throttle changes. But in MWLL it isn't a problem since this game have the button that enable and disable throttle axis right in the game(if you need to stay in place for a long time - in repair hangar, for example).





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