This episode is all about making a custom controller for FPS games. Going through the entire design process from sketch, clay model, 3D scanning, surfacing, ...
Something tells me the person who made this doesn’t actually love playing multiplayer shooters with a controller, they just wanted a cool project to show off their DIY skills.
The amount of skills that came together to create this controller is incredible. It was so satisfying watching everything come together, I wish I could try it out.
For sure! It seems like a decent amount of work but all the modeling is done already. The problem is that he’d have to buy an Xbox controller and the mouse for the internals, the breakaway box, and the wires which is probably close to $200 right there
Ever since cross play became ubiquitous, the aim assist has been increasing and increasing. I was playing BF 1 on my Steam Deck and thought I accidentally did speed and coke, I was playing so well! Then I remembered I play mouse + keyboard normally.
Yeah, the aim assist is getting stupid. I returned to The Finals when the new season released and the game had defaulted to cross play on. For the first few days I thought I had completely forgotten how to shoot, I couldn’t win a fight even if my life depended on it. It felt like everyone was laser-beaming and my guns had recoil. Eventually I noticed a spectator cam where aim assist was obvious and I understood I have cross play on. Turned it off and I instantly went from bottom of the scoreboard to being at least decent.
From now on cross play always stays off. I don’t have the time to get my aim to a level where I could compete with aim assist.
I mean I get it, auto-aim can be frustrating, especially if you can’t find a game you like that doesn’t have it, but on the other hand a bit of good auto-aim de-emphasizes just being extremely good at aiming which makes every other aspect of the game more important and satisfying to master, which I think you can make a good argument for being a good thing when it is done right.
The video even concludes with that point. He was still 10-20% more accurate with a keyboard and mouse than either controller. But I thought his point about the controller being more intuitive and versatile for movement than a keyboard was interesting.
As in, the default computer experience is m kb. So you have tons of passive practice, just doing normal computer stuff.
So the fairest comparison would require impossible things, like raising someone to use a controller like this an equal amount to m+kb, over the same developmental years, etc
The thumb pad/joystick is not analog, it’s a standard directional pad when you pop the joystick off. I use it for four extra buttons (usually menu buttons)
That said, been using hand keyboards forEVER (Tartarus 2, Orbweaver chroma, Orbweaver, Nostromo, and some belkin one that’s basically the Nostromo) and they’re AMAZING.
I don’t! I wish I did, but to be honest it wouldn’t feel good to play with a controller like tusk and your thumb. I’ve played SNES games with my thumb and it felt… wrong.
Still, these hand keyboards are SO GOOD. I wish lore companies made them. The ergonomics of the Tartarus 2 are perfect, and it’s so nice to have one big profile and not have to fuck with keybinds in-game, ever.
Yea I was hoping I could have the best of both worlds but if the stick isn’t analog it’s all moot. Thanks for your feedback. I’ll probably keep using my macropad for the time being
Oh! That refers to the keys. They’re like… pressure sensitive on the new one, which is neat! I have the Tartarus v2, which has standard keys. The thumb stick is a standard D-Pad on em both, though.
I didn’t see the files posted to also print one, but after watching the video I don’t think I could even if I had them. I see why they aren’t manufactured, but I want that controller so bad.
I think this track ball setup would be better suited for more 3d games involving flight, underwater exploration, space travel, etc. At the end of the day, shoulder+wrist will always beat thumb when it comes to aiming in shooters, but this seems like it would really open up dynamic movement in a way standard controllers and mice can’t. Id love to hear feedback after playing something like subnautica.
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Aaaaand we’re back to trackballs
I want this so bad now.
What did you think of the Steam Controller?
Flick stick + Gyro is imo better on the SC but it also has a longer learning curve
It’s definitely interesting, but it’s obviously not as abstract as PyottDesign’s controller.
We already have a gyro, why would we downgrade?
v2.0 with gyro
that would be really cool.
sigh all this work and they didn’t put in gyro?
Something tells me the person who made this doesn’t actually love playing multiplayer shooters with a controller, they just wanted a cool project to show off their DIY skills.
The amount of skills that came together to create this controller is incredible. It was so satisfying watching everything come together, I wish I could try it out.
Be cool if he’d offer to sell them. I know of some people who’d drop $200 for it.
For sure! It seems like a decent amount of work but all the modeling is done already. The problem is that he’d have to buy an Xbox controller and the mouse for the internals, the breakaway box, and the wires which is probably close to $200 right there
That’s true. Kind of fubars things right there.
It seems like every step in the process was it’s own discipline.
False, ultimate FPS controller is board+mouse
Is that why every Apex player switched from mouse to controller?
Controller adds aim assist in most games?
https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/why-do-controller-players-get-aim-assist/
Apex’s aim assist is laser aimbot. It’s insane.
Ever since cross play became ubiquitous, the aim assist has been increasing and increasing. I was playing BF 1 on my Steam Deck and thought I accidentally did speed and coke, I was playing so well! Then I remembered I play mouse + keyboard normally.
Yeah, the aim assist is getting stupid. I returned to The Finals when the new season released and the game had defaulted to cross play on. For the first few days I thought I had completely forgotten how to shoot, I couldn’t win a fight even if my life depended on it. It felt like everyone was laser-beaming and my guns had recoil. Eventually I noticed a spectator cam where aim assist was obvious and I understood I have cross play on. Turned it off and I instantly went from bottom of the scoreboard to being at least decent.
From now on cross play always stays off. I don’t have the time to get my aim to a level where I could compete with aim assist.
I mean I get it, auto-aim can be frustrating, especially if you can’t find a game you like that doesn’t have it, but on the other hand a bit of good auto-aim de-emphasizes just being extremely good at aiming which makes every other aspect of the game more important and satisfying to master, which I think you can make a good argument for being a good thing when it is done right.
Yes, as far as I know
The video even concludes with that point. He was still 10-20% more accurate with a keyboard and mouse than either controller. But I thought his point about the controller being more intuitive and versatile for movement than a keyboard was interesting.
I wonder how much default exposure plays in.
As in, the default computer experience is m kb. So you have tons of passive practice, just doing normal computer stuff.
So the fairest comparison would require impossible things, like raising someone to use a controller like this an equal amount to m+kb, over the same developmental years, etc
Others had the same thought long ago which is why for example Razer has “gaming keypads” with analog input for movement:
https://www.razer.com/shop/keyboards/gaming-keypads
The thumb pad/joystick is not analog, it’s a standard directional pad when you pop the joystick off. I use it for four extra buttons (usually menu buttons)
That said, been using hand keyboards forEVER (Tartarus 2, Orbweaver chroma, Orbweaver, Nostromo, and some belkin one that’s basically the Nostromo) and they’re AMAZING.
I could have been fooled ! Know of any one of those that sports an analog stick ?
I don’t! I wish I did, but to be honest it wouldn’t feel good to play with a controller like tusk and your thumb. I’ve played SNES games with my thumb and it felt… wrong.
Still, these hand keyboards are SO GOOD. I wish lore companies made them. The ergonomics of the Tartarus 2 are perfect, and it’s so nice to have one big profile and not have to fuck with keybinds in-game, ever.
Yea I was hoping I could have the best of both worlds but if the stick isn’t analog it’s all moot. Thanks for your feedback. I’ll probably keep using my macropad for the time being
The Razer website says something about analog inputs using light sensors.🤷
Oh! That refers to the keys. They’re like… pressure sensitive on the new one, which is neat! I have the Tartarus v2, which has standard keys. The thumb stick is a standard D-Pad on em both, though.
A stick being only a standard d-pad is kinda dumb…
FULLY agree. You can pop it off and use the DPad as a… DPad, though, which is what I’ve always done.
…except for the Orbweaver Chroma, which has a non-removable 8-direction joystick, which is VERY dumb.
I didn’t see the files posted to also print one, but after watching the video I don’t think I could even if I had them. I see why they aren’t manufactured, but I want that controller so bad.
This thing looks like it should be controlling a submarine
Reminds me of that gross, weird controller in that movie ‘eXistenz’
Lol amazing! That was such a bizarre movie. Those fleshy controllers with the nipples are so unsettling.
The idea of being able to access the trackball from the front or back really is intriguing.
I think this track ball setup would be better suited for more 3d games involving flight, underwater exploration, space travel, etc. At the end of the day, shoulder+wrist will always beat thumb when it comes to aiming in shooters, but this seems like it would really open up dynamic movement in a way standard controllers and mice can’t. Id love to hear feedback after playing something like subnautica.