Specialized Game Controllers

(This article details my experience with a handful of specialized game controllers. It only covers my experience with the noted controllers--I hope it sheds some light for others that may be considering such controllers.)

There are a handful of keys on my keyboard that get more use in a week than the whole keyboard did over the last two years while I wrote three books. The problem is that I'm a gamer and I play a lot of games that use the WASD and spacebar keys for movement. I also do quite a bit of writing, so I have a pretty nice keyboard--the Microsoft Natural Elite. Because the keyboard layout isn't as conducive to game play and I don't like being rough with a keyboard I need for everyday typing, I'm constantly looking for another gaming solution.

A few years back I picked up the Belkin Nostromo SpeedPad n50. (below, left, $30-50) I liked that I now had a hot-pluggable device (USB, not a replacement keyboard) for my oft-used gaming keys. However, I quickly found that the 10 keys and assorted switches didn't give me enough keys for moving, switching weapons, activating powers, etc. Moving my hand off the Nostromo to the keyboard for a handful of controls didn't make sense so I migrated back to full-keyboard use. (Note: Belkin has since come out with the Nostromo n52 [below, right, ~$], which has a slightly better design, more keys, and a few more features. I haven't tried the n52.)

A few years ago a friend picked up the short-lived Thrustmaster Tacticalboard (below). It ups the Nostromos key count almost five-fold, and offers interoperability with TeamSound, though all of the TeamSound buttons can be mapped like any other button. The layout didn't suit my friend so I've borrowed the Tacticalboard for an indefinite period to see if it might suit me.

One immediate problem I had with the TacticalBoard is one common to game controllers--it takes an act of God to get a program set downloaded to the controller. Most of the programs that come with such devices try to be too helpful--they wait for a particular program to run that matches the keyset that should be downloaded. For example, I created a City of Heroes keyset for my most often used keys in CoH. Unfortunately, City of Heroes isn't run directly--an update program is run first and after checking for updates the updater runs the actual game. I put in the right executable (game, not the updater) but still could not get the keyset to download--the utility still wasn't seeing the game being run. (Note to all configurable gaming device manufacturers: Give us a button that will just unconditionally program your device with a particular keyset--I appreciate you being helpful with matching games that are actually run so I don't have to do more work, but this fiasco cost me about two hours of trouble-shooting...) As it turns out, the drivers are just shoddy. It wasn't the game that wasn't being recognized, it was the TacticalBoard. Windows XP was seeing it as a generic Human Interface Device instead of the TacticalBoard, leaving the utility program nothing to download the keyset to.

(Thrustmaster's online knowledgebase helpfully blames DirectX, not their unsigned, flakey, older than dirt drivers.)

I'm still playing with the TacticalBoard, stay tuned for some conclusions.

For the last few years I've had my eye on the ZBoard (below), a keyboard that has a replacement key system with templates for a variety of games. The original ZBoard had a PS2 connector making it a candidate for total keyboard replacement (whereas a USB connector could be utilized to hotplug the device only when you needed it).

After a bit more scrutiny I've decided to forego the Zboard, even though it now comes in a USB variety. For starters I don't like the specificity of the templates--I don't play most of the games they have templates for. The second reason is size--I don't want something full-keyboard sized, especially when the keyboard side of most templates is mutilated so badly (I still need to type sometimes while gaming and need my typing to be coherent and quick). Still, the ZBoard is a great idea--especially for those that want to replace their keyboard and don't need a particularly good keyboard for long typing sessions. (One of the replaceable keysets is a standard keyboard.)

The Saitek Gaming Keyboard (below) falls into the same category as does the ZBoard--replacement keyboard with gaming features. The Saitek board comes with a special, numeric-keypad looking gaming pad that can be programmed with several functions. I've heard the keyboard is top notch (keytouch, responsiveness, etc), but again I'm not looking for a keyboard replacement (although I could hotplug the Saitek...). I do want the Saitek X52, oh, and a flight sim to play with it.

Also, the Saitek gaming pad seems too limited. I could move most, but not all of my movement keys to the pad and save some banging on my everyday keyboard. However, I'd probably look at buying a Targus USB Keypad for that function if that's what I wanted.

One of the truly innovated products that hit the market lately is the Ergodex DX1 Input System (below). This beauty provides a flat surface (10" x 12") where the 25 keys can be arranged however you like--the board picks up which key was pressed wherever you locate it. You can expand the DX1 with an additional 25 keys providing 50 total keys.

The keys stick to the clear tray by a reusable sticky pad on their base--the keys attach firmly but can be removed and/or moved by applying a simple twist to the key. Since the tray is clear you can print out templates for key placement, alleviating the need to remember exactly where each key was placed for a particular application or game.

The downside to the DX1 is price--the base system costs $150, the extra keyset costs an additional $50. I was all set to order this beast until I realized how much time I'd have to put in to create layouts that worked for me. I guess there is some advantage to having a fixed set of keys to work with after all.

The bottom line is that there is a solution for just about everyone. Some of us don't mind experimenting and spending lots of cash in search of the holy grail of controllers. Others are perfectly happy with a standard, no-nonsense keyboard.