30 May 2001
Another guest post... this is almost turning into "Pixeldiva Presents" with your host D.
However, my reasons for commandeering the blog again are quite serious. As the title states, vibrating peripherals. Within the next few days (assuming she doesn't lose her nerve and cop out), Pixeldiva is going to get a force-feedback joystick.
(pause to let that sink in)
Right, can I just ask what a phallic-shaped vibrating lump of plastic adds to the gaming experience?! We are still talking about joysticks here remember.
I broke those twiddly little one-button things on early Spectrum Sinclair games, I snapped Kempstons on Elite, I twisted the hell out of a Logitech Wingman on TIE Fighter and most recently I've been fighting the Shivan invasion in Freespace 2 with my Sidewinder 2 (yes I know the Logitech Digital is a nicer stick overall, but it conflicted with the wireless keyboard and mouse, yes I was very sad and you can read all about it here)
Not one of these games would be enhanced by having the joystick try its very best to remove itself from my hand as I bank and thrust my way through dogfights. I don't need to have my arm shaken to remind me I'm being shot at and hit, I have EAX surround for that.
One area where I've witnessed FF enhancing a game was the steering wheel on games like Carmaggeddon and Midtown Madness and if you're a driving game fan then I'd firmly encourage shelling out for the setup over the non-FF version as this *is* something you'll experience when you drive around in real life.
Hands up everyone who's flown MiG 29's in real life? Comanche gunships? X-Wings?
Now, removing from the reading audience trained pilots and mental patients we have a grand total of none.
The expense isn't justified.
The reason behind this purchase is that the two of us played the I-War 2 demo and it looked utterly stunning. With real Newtonian physics and gorgeous graphics the game played like the space battles of Babylon 5, it isn't released until the 8th though and the idea of playing Elite style gameplay in Freespace 2 style graphics is just too appealing to miss.
In the meantime, I'll be playing Conflict: Freespace which turned up today after a successful ebay auction with my Microsoft Normal Sidewinder joystick. The world needs less gimmicks and more innovation.
Honey?
Bite me.
:-P
Anywhere in particular?
... the online home and (not very) alter(ed)-ego of Ann McMeekin, a recently freelance Web Accessibility Consultant.
... passionate about many things, most of which will turn up on this site at some time or other.
... contactable via email.
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