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Games Entertainment

Touchscreen Game Controller? 122

Posted by CmdrTaco from the never-seen-something-like-that-before dept.
DARTH25 sent us a review of a fairly clever little USB touchscreen controller. Think of it as a keyboard where you can move the buttons around and dynamically change graphics. And the "buttons" are a 320x240 12 bit LCD screen. So switching to the railgun involves pressing the railgun icon on the screen. I'm not sure how well I'd like it for action games but for a lot of games with many options, this could be really cool. Of course, its windows only, but maybe not for long.
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Touchscreen Game Controller? More

Touchscreen Game Controller?

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  • Re:Why just games? (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    This is exactly what I was thinking.. It would work great for launching applications that you use all the time. Once in the program you can then have quick access to most used functions or if its macro ability is good then you can make it do things that would normally take a few mouse/key clicks. I wonder if 2 hooked up would work together? IF the price was around the $150 range then I would go buy one, but at the current $300 its just too high a price. I can go buy a new monitor or gf3 card for the same price.

  • Re:http://gotapex.com ?? (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    What, are you all retards??
    Wipe the jizz-stains off those Coke Bottles!

  • Re:Two things... (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Why don't you go outside for a while, you'll be surprised at the high level of "tactile-feedback"
  • I can see a lot of uses for this other than just for games. Context sensitive menus for other applications would be incredibly cool as well. How about when I open up my SQL application I get buttons that show relevent options?

    I touch "insert into" and it shows me a list of tables in the current database.

    It could do all of that without having to make everything into a GUI or taking away the ability to use the keyboard as well.

    I'm not much of a gamer, but I think this would be incredibly cool to get my hands on.

    -- Zack
  • There are some things reason can't buy. For everything else, there's gullible PHBs.

    --

  • zero tactile feedback (Score:4)

    by MagPulse ( 316 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:38AM (#75978)
    This will not work for most games. Gamers need to keep their eyes on the screen.. no gamer I know ever looks at their controller.

    When you have your hands on a traditional controller, the bumpy buttons let you know your hands are in the correct position. You know when you press down, you will hit the right button. Accuracy is everything. With this, you can try to keep your hands in the same position, but the only way to know for sure is to make a mistake or look down. Forget it.

    As an example, how often do you start typing with your hands one key to the left or right? You didn't even look at they keyboard, you used the bumpy keys to position your hands.

  • Maybe not for games (Score:4)

    by jandrese ( 485 ) <kensama@vt.edu> on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:44AM (#75979) Homepage Journal
    This looks like a great place to stick toolbars from the gimp, blender, etc... It would be great for getting the clutter off of your main screen and let you fill most of your screen with the actual image. Of course at $250 a pop, you might just want to invest in a bigger monitor.

    This could be used for all sorts of things though. You might even program your windowmanager to stick your root menu on the thing so you don't have to find an open spot on your desktop (or have to reach for the F12 key).

    Strangely they are marketing this towards games where speed is of the essence. I don't know about you, but averting my eyes from the screen to press a touchpad with no tactile feedback doesn't seem like the way to speed up my game. How long does it take for your finger to learn the position of the "build peon" key anyway?

    Down that path lies madness. On the other hand, the road to hell is paved with melting snowballs.
  • I think this is the same unit a friend of mine was trying out before the release (he's a friend of the main developer) and it's not just a touchscreen controller. The buttons you create on the screen can also be programmed to do macros. For example, you could setup a Buy button for Counter-Strike that would automatically buy all the stuff you need at the beginning of the round. Those of you who are RTS players can probably already taste the possibilites of that. It's pretty darn cool device and it's just a couple of guys who created it in their spare time, from what I understand.
  • I never said it was the best example, I only thought of Counter-Strike since that's about the only online game I play. :)
  • That would be cool, however a cooler keyboard mod i've seen is this [pccasegear.com] (scroll down a page or two to the bottom photo).
  • This would rock for controlling your mp3 box in the trunk of the car...

    What is really needed for a car is voice input. Put an activation button on the wheel to enable the microphone, then speak what you want to do. That way you're not looking at the display when you should be looking at the road. If you have enough of a computer to decode compressed audio, you should have enough power to interpret voice input.

  • Not really suited for action games (Score:5)

    by DG ( 989 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:49AM (#75984) Homepage Journal
    When you want to see human/machine interfaces designed for real-world high-stress environments, you go look at the military - the contols on fighter aircraft and tanks.

    A frag hurts a lot more in real life.

    What you'll find is that any control that has a combat function - things like vehicle manoevering, weapons selection, and triggers - are one-button-per-function, tactile-feedback items. Controls for communications and information systems tend to be placed on multi-use displays with changing menus - sometimes iconic, but mostly text.

    This little gadget sounds like the latter, not the former. Good for keys and functions not heavily used, but not suitable for rapid action games like Quake and friends.

  • I'm boggled by their decision to market it as a "games controller"! It could provide a context-sensitive touch-toolbar for any application or OS. Why on earth would they limit their market?
  • what is cool about this device is that you can have your Home Theater PC directly control what gets written to the LCD display.

    For example, I have my entire CD collection stored in MP3s on a linux box, running some homebrew jukebox type software. If I had one of these devices to use as a remote, I could select "mp3" from an audio source menu, and it could bring up a list of albums, selected live from the DB on the server. Just touch the album you want, and the HTPC sends out the appropriate IR to switch the stereo reciever's input, and instructs the jukebox to begin playing the album. Hard to justify the $300, but it sounds damn nifty :)
  • "moved" is correct since the clause is
    subjunctive

    some of your other comments fall into subjectivity
    rather than grammar

    next time you correct someone, you should try to
    be correcter

    -Kevin
  • Absolutely - I remember making a similar suggestion on an mp3-hi-fi list using an old palm Pilot - but this is much cooler.
  • If we can get the BIOS makers to support these, we'd have a really cool, small console window for machines that don't normally need displays, but
    do from time to time need access to a desplay + keyboard.

    I don't care about gaming with it :-)
  • Hopefully it isn't used to tap locations for shoot. Then we have reduced first person shooters to "Whack a Mole".

  • I've often had the desire for something like this as an instant messenger helper: I'm in the middle of a full-screen game and I'm expecting a IM from a friend when they get online, so I'm Alt-Entering between full-screen and windowed mode. It would be nice to see IMs pop-up on the helper.

  • I just actually read the article and sure enough they mentioned having ICQ on the "controller", and that's a great idea. In fact carry that over to Winamp controls, etc: All those little apps that we run in concert with an app that functionally takes over the PC.

  • PalmAMP from Ironcreek Software [ironcreek.net] (looks like their site is goobered, but you can find the download by Googling still) and the PalmAMP XMMS plugin [sbg.ac.at] should do at least a big chunk of what you're trying to do. The XMMS plugin is GPL as well, so you can perhaps turn your FIFO daemon into a converter for the PalmAMP protocol, thus saving the time of writing the GUI.
  • I'm also developing something similar. I'd use PalmAMP, except it doesn't work with my Visor's USB interface (not to mention their site's been dead for quite some time).

    Also, the software design I have in mind for selecting things mostly uses the hardware buttons (so I don't have to take my eyes off the road) and the screen interface is more like the Nomad Jukebox in that it's hierarchical and categorized by artist, album, and song, or by playlist.
  • Withthe price of LCD and flat panels coming down, and now this, it will not be to far away until one can buy a touch screen for the home computer at a reasonable price for good quality, and get a good size (think 1 to 2 years 17"+viewable screen).

    This will be the 'alternate' input device, where you can use your mouse, your keyboard or put all your grubby little paws over your screen and get nice little oil prints everywhere ... totally cool..

    I don't want a lot, I just want it all!
    Flame away, I have a hose!

  • Re:Good..but (Score:3)

    by sharkey ( 16670 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @12:00PM (#75996)
    Accompanied by, in the words of my brother, "AAAAAAAAHHHH!!! Dragon-punch, dammit! I Dragon-punched you!"

    --
  • 1) yeah. that's a good way to avoid hits.

    2) I dunno. I think that if you could get enough controls onto the thing to move the keyboard off to the side and move the LCD under the monitor, you could play a game using it as your Perry Ferrell vision would pick it up, at least a bit, which might be enough if there were something to feel....

    hmm, how about a clear plastic sheet (like those membrane plastic keyboard covers for standard keyboards) that can sit over the display with "buttons" moulded into it. So you could have a standard one with, say, 10 square regions for controls, or could ship a keyboard "skin" with a game if you wanted a different layout of button spaces... then just drop your graphics and controls into the spaces on the LCD underneath.

    Or whatever. I've got to change the cat box.

  • Cognitive dissonance, anyone? (Score:5)

    by CrosseyedPainless ( 27978 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:28AM (#75998) Homepage
    Of course, its windows only, but maybe not for long.

    Just like your scanner, right?
    :)
  • I'm still using an old IBM PS/2 Keyboard. Its huge, weighs a ton, and has absolutely the best key action I have ever felt. And it makes a lovely *CLICK* every time you press down on a key. And you have to PRESS down on the keys, as the keyboard is stiff. I love this thing, and would be hard pressed to do without it.
  • Couldn't you come up with some kind of translucent bump on the surface to indicate tactile reference points? Use dots of scotch tape or some kind of epoxy that doesn't hurt the surface. Better yet, try these adhesive BumpOns [mmm.com] from 3M. Here's some that are transparent acrylic dots [3m.com].I bet you always wondered where to get those little acrylic dots. These things stick to glass, wood or metal. They stick firm and handle abuse, but come off with no residue.
  • This would be a sweet extra little display for a full-time klog, etc.

  • Re:RTS! (Score:5)

    by Foxman98 ( 37487 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:26AM (#76002) Homepage
    "No more one handed game play" - I don't think any new device could prevent "one handed game play" if you know what I mean.... Jeez, talk about "lcd smear"...

  • Re:Two things... (Score:5)

    by sstamps ( 39313 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @12:02PM (#76003) Homepage
    Pseudo-tactile feedback can be achieved with sounds effects and just getting used to the layout. Same thing applies to pretty much every other controller out there.

    In addition, you don't (I would not / do not) put time-critical functions on it; those are for your joystick/spaceorb/mouse/trackball/etc where your hand usually stays during melee combat.

    I have an advanced form of this: I have a 15" LCD touchscreen computer that is designed to do exactly the same thing. I use a spaceball/trackball combo with the TSC just below the front of my screen and my keyboard below that. I can program the TSC to provide a template with all the menus/controls I need to play a particular game. Primarily, I put non-combat functions on the TSC (like the inventory loadouts and the (V)oice actions in Tribes 2). Switching weapons, firing, throwing grenades, jumping, jetting, etc are on my spaceball/trackball. Pretty soon I will be adding a set of foot switches as well (might as well get the rest of my limbs in on the action); I'll probably assign jumping, jetting, running, etc to those.
  • This would be sweet for those games with tons of keyboard controls, like flight sims. Reconfigurable, graphical. Now, if you could have part of the LCD configurable as a game-updated screen, such as a map or radar screen for flight sims, current weapon loadout for Mechwarrior, etc.



    I would buy it in a heartbeat.

  • http://gotapex.com ?? (Score:4)

    by p3d0 ( 42270 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:30AM (#76005)
    I almost didn't follow that link because it looked like a certain other URL that I'd rather not click on.
    --
  • Saitek [saitek.com] made the P8000 [saitekusa.com] a while back to do the same thing. The only difference is that its more or less a simple programmable membrane interface that passes through the keyboard port. The user designs a layout, complete with icons and keybindings, and then prints it out. The printout has a barcode that gets scanned which programs the device to activate certain keypresses for each selection.
    The P8000 is essentially a programmable computer keyboard that allows you to assign any command to any button - making it a truly unique peripheral that enables users to play games, surf the net and use application software with much greater ease. This device can be used on your lap or desktop - which makes all your web-browsing, office and gaming needs incredibly easy and lots more fun.
    I've used these things, and it IS really good for RTS's and for Flightsims. And, it is really bad for FPS's, as can be assumed.

  • With some PHP and a little thought you could do the a similar thing using my Linux based ETC [mindbent.org] software and a $50 surplus touchscreen computer. Monochrome only, unfortunetly.

    If there is demand for this I might be able to wire the touchscreen inline between the keyboard and PC (for compatibility with Windows and Linux).

  • Funny... I never heard anybody on Star Trek: the Next Generation complain about this.

    "Dammit, why did they put the 'Console Self-Destruct' button so frickin' close to the 'Raise Shields' button?"

  • Re:good idea...but (Score:5)

    by Monte ( 48723 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @12:20PM (#76009)
    I can definitely see how it would be useful while beating my monkey in Black & White,

    Dude, upgrade to a color monitor already, it's way more realis...

    Oh. Wait. You meant the game...

    Err, nevermind.
  • Well, it works for FPS games for a while, at least... I bought it and used it quite frequently for Q2/Q3 play, and after a weekend of practice, became very, very good at using it for movement and various other functions.

    However, when I went to use it with SC3K a couple months ago (after having the thing for maybe 6 months), I found the sensors for rotation were broken. And I never even got to play a game where I could make use of them. :(

    Oh well, I still use it for most of my gaming. 24 hotkeys for Diablo II at my fingertips - I don't even have them all programmed (I still have 2 free slots). Has to be 10 times easier then dealing with the keyboard.
    ---

  • Not fantastic (Score:5)

    by bungalow ( 61001 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:48AM (#76011)
    I like the idea of a "configureable" controller, but I want something more tactile than a flat screen.

    I know where the A and B buttons are located on my mouse and joystick, not by sight, but by sense of touch. There is a clear, tactile line that seperates them, either by raising or lowering the sides, or by differing textures. An LCD panel won't do that, so I have to LOOK at the controller to figure out where the buttons are, each time I pick it up after drinking / petting the dog / taking a wizz. blech.

    I also have the problem of lazy fingers that refuse to interpret visual information. That means that they can't read the controller and, as they are prone to fidgeting between turns, I will lose a lot of game play repeatedly dedicating 0.00000001 second each turn to visually confirming the layout.
  • How great would this would this be for flight sims? You could have the whole instrument panel out in front of you...


    That's true... And when the fuel gauge is very low, you can tap on it to make sure that it's working ;-)
  • This will not work for most games.

    Actually, this controller has a lot of potential for many types of games.

    Since you can make the profiles yourself, and seeing as how the controller is only about 5 inches diag... it would be trivial to make a simple "zones" type of profile for a game. Perhaps dead center, the four sides, and the four corners.

    Keeping your hand rested over it, you wouldn't need to actually look at controller to hit the appropriate area, and with wide enough dead zones around wide enough live zones, it could be quite intuitive.

    This would not be any more useful than the numeric keypad, of course, but coupled with a few custome images, and perhaps simulated "slider" type buttons (say for throttles or what-have-you) the wide programability of this device can far exceed the usefulness of a keyboard. Also, since it's programmable, games could be developed to make special use of it which in and of it's self might open possibilities.

    The real question here isn't if the device is useful. The question is will anyone make proper use of it?

    Properly used, this device COULD revolutionize game input the way the mouse did. But it probably won't.

    "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
  • For what little it's worth, I visit gotapex.com daily for their deals page http://www.gotapex.com/deals.php as it's generally pretty good.
    So I'm still happy about the $20 APC surge protectors.
  • Why would you want to control your car mp3 player from the trunk.

    OH!

    ev0l
  • VGA display: $149 Keyboard: $15

    USB touchpad: $300

    Begin to see a reason why this is a bad idea?

  • You might even program your windowmanager to stick your root menu on the thing so you don't have to find an open spot on your desktop (or have to reach for the F12 key).

    So instead I have to find an open slot on my desk? The desktop is easier to find space on. :)

    --Ty

  • VGA display: $149 Keyboard: $15

    USB touchpad: $300

    Pointy-Haired Boss authorizing the $300 because he likes the "USB" buzzword: Priceless.

    -Legion

  • So, does having a program to change the display rather than sliding in a different bit of card justify a $300 price tag?

    Of course it does. The things are probably practically hand-made by their original designer. Start shifting product volume, get them to be the "must have" for the next hot game, and they'll be $50 from Taiwan.

    The great advantage of this over the BBC strip, is that it's context sensitive. Why have 15 incomprehensible buttons, when you can make it display a relevant set of 4, as you need them.

    Don't underestimate funny keyboards though. We've just receievd a video edit suite built out of a bog-standard Mac, but with a keyboard that looks like a bag of coloured Lego. The gimmick is that it matches the colours of an industry-standard Avid edit suite, with resultant savings in training etc.

  • A nice keyboard. Programmable panel type thing. Have to be bigger of course. Has it been done. Actually tho, keyboards and the whole "main interface is a bunch of switches" type interface is a dinasaur. Consider the TWITCH GLOVE. Inertial tracking via acellerometers on each fingertip. Neural network for learning user gestures. Infinitely customizable. Emulates chord-keyboard, mouse, blah. No moving parts. Say goodbye to to carpal (chord with MICROTWITCHES! In any position.). Or maybe just an eye that watches your fingers. I know it's been thot of more or less but maybe it just hasn't been done right yet. Why else can't I buy a twitch glove yet? Keyboards are so fuckin Brazil.

  • Wonder if you can get carpel tunnel from touching your screen too often...

    Hell, I know people who probably developed carpal tunnel syndrome from touching themselves too often....

  • $ chown us:us yourbase -R

    Err, shouldn't that be "$ chown -R us.us yourbase"?

    Or for the NT Fans:
    Right click YourBase->Properties->Security->Ownership->Take Ownership

    Shayne (yes, I'm being pedantic) ;-)

  • Might be a nice, cheap input controller for my car MP3 player [qsl.net]. That's a lot of UI functionality for $250-$300, compared to what you pay for off-the-shelf automotive display solutions.
  • exactly what i was thinking :)
  • Alright, I've been looking for something like this for years. At the moment even a simple B&W LCD touch screen is $400-$500. According to their site they are developing Linux drivers. I'm sure with Linux Comunity help they oculd be brought to market quickly.

    Home Theater Control
    Server Information and Automation
  • Of what use is a "game controller" with no tactile feedback? Yippee! It's touch sensative and I can use cool little icons! But if you keep having to look at it to find the right place to touch, all it's going to do is get you killed. One of the most important parts of a game controller is tactile feedback, so you don't have to look away from the screen.

  • There are many, many solutions for this. Anyone interested in running any sort of computer in their vehicle should visit the discussion forums on MP3Car [mp3car.com]

    Lots of good ideas there. Palm Pilot control is just one :)
  • If you want a good X10 interface, just get a Philips Pronto or other high end remote control. They're pretty similar to this, but wireless and rechargable. And they'll send infrared to your home theater.
  • I remember, back in the days of C64, when many games (yay MicroProse!) came with full-blown keyboard overlays. Ahhh MicroProse. The good old days of a 2 floppy game coming with a 200 page manual to help put you in the mood. Sid Meier, if on the off chance you're reading this, when you're done with Civ 3, WE WANT COVERT ACTION 2!
  • here is another hugh priced limited function controller that aint cheap [thinkgeek.com]

  • From the article:
    Massworks is developing a new set of Windows display drivers for the ID-75 that will allow you to use it as an extended desktop, similiar to twin view. We were given the example such as having ICQ on the LCD while playing a game on your monitor. Of course, the LCD will retain its touchscreen function which makes the controller appealing to more than just the gamers out there. But is it worth that kind of green?
    Better than that, since this is a USB device, if they do the drivers right, you could connect many of these to a single system, which could give rise to such applications as an entire internet-cafe running on a single system, home/office video intercom systems (with the help of USB cameras & speakers or integrated into a product based on this tech), integration with home appliances for controls on anything from the microwave or coffee pot to the garage door from any point in the house (isn't that something we expect from bluetooth already?), a convenient place to output debugging information while running a program, or to check email while watching a DVD on the main screen, or even as a biometric input device for identification purposes during online transactions.

    Of course, this kind of innovation never seems to be exploited to its full potential. In spite of my 'wait-and-see' attitude, I really like the possibilities.
  • Hmm, first thing to do when the linux-drivers hit the street, is making an 'organic'-StarTrek like console out of it! If 7'o'9 can work these screens, so can I! Engage!
  • Has anyone ever thought about applying this concept to a Visor or a Palm Pilot while it is cradled? You would have a touch sensitive (Sort of) changable screen, and a lot of people would already have the hardware.

  • No more one handed game play!

    Ok, that comment was a dead giveaway, or a badly disguised rorschach.. Uh.. So how about that onehanded quake, eh?
  • Well, the point is that this is for sims and stuff, where its less that you can't hit the key fast enough more that you can't remember wtf its bound to. Like tilde for reverse gear, y for select next target, that sort of thing. b for shutdown. Stuff that some designer idiot though you really need to memorize, and they have that one stupid card control list that everyone loses.
  • Did anyone else have a momentary twinge when they ran the mouse over the link and noticed that the URL points to:

    gotapex.com

    For *just a second* I thought, "Wow, the trolls actually got a story posted with that goatsex URL."

    :)

  • It seems to me that something like this might be good as the main display area in the portable market.

    For example, use this as the display for a laptop. You could have a detachable keyboard for "regular" use. When detached, the display would work sort of like a PADD from Star Trek. Just slip a stylus in for good messure.


    "I'm here for my sanity..." Train "I Am"
  • looks like Darth and I think along the same lines... I'd need a third hand to be able to use something like this in a FPS game (mmmmm third hand), taking my existing hands off the keyboard/mouse to select something on the screen would be suicide.

    Something like Red Alert or Starcraft would probably be better suited to the touch-screen inventory access of the gamepad...

  • Yeah, but having fingerprints on your windshield sucks ass.

  • Re:RTS! (Score:3)

    by fjordboy ( 169716 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @06:29PM (#76040) Homepage
    Herm....I think the easiest thing would be to have several game pads and several different hands. Several heads would also help so you could independently deal with each hand....

    Actually, I had a concept a while ago about a multiple player game with all the players controlling one person, but just different aspects of the person. One person could deal with inventory, and another with strength etc...there could be struggles between the different parts of the person, which would make it slightly competitive between the players playing the game. This probably makes no sense to anyone else, but it makes perfect sense in my brain. :)

    ps- working at Camp Susque [susque.org] really takes time away from cruising /. I haven't posted in over a month. :( This also means that my .sig is outdated because I haven't really updated my site since may.

  • Not knowing much about electronics, how expensive would it be to have a standard keyboard with little (7mm x 7mm) LCD or LED displays on each key? I did a quick search through Radio Shack's web site but they seemed to be limited to those little numeric LED displays that only have 7 lights.

    I could see a lot of uses; allow someone to switch back and forth between Dvorak/Qwerty or between some bastard combination (e.g. I just chopped off my left hand, oops, let's put all of the most common keys in the RH home row.) Or, how about a custom C++ keyboad with ';', '{' and '}' in the homerow? Imagine how much stress you'd save with the braces placed where the 'g' and 'h' keys are.

    Anyway, enough musing. The only way it would be useful is if keyboard had a way to show the current keyboard settings. So back to my origional question. Is this technically feasible?

    P.S. I was going to patent the idea ;), but I'd really be just as happy if someone else would develop it and let me buy one.

    P.P.S. I realize the cheap option is to buy a cheap keyboard and paint over the letters...

  • One other point. Wouldn't it be cool to be typing on a keyboard with glowing LED letters on each key?

  • I'm not sure I understand your point. If the capslocks was pressed then all the keys would show capitol letters.

    Currently your indicator that the caps lock key is pressed is 1. the little light on the keyborad, 2. the fact that THE LETTERS YOU ARE TYPING are capitalized.

    This would simply add a third indication; the fact that all the keys now show CAPITAL letters. Caps Locks key gets turned off, all the keys revert to lowercase.

  • I guess I see it as a learning tool. If you type on any configuration for 8 hours a day you are going to take your cues from the screen not the keyboard. But if I set up my custom C++ optimized keyboard layout and Joe comes over to use my computer he can spend hours learning my layout or, if the keyboard were interactive, simply look at the keys.

    Also, if a five year old were using a keyboard he/she gets instant feedback. "Ohhh, holding the [shift] gets me capital letters and the punctuation over the numbers, but [caps lock] only gives me capital letters and the numbers aren't affected."

  • That's exactly it. Any names, links, other info?

  • Why did you type tilde rather than just pressing ~?
    Just wondering :)
  • this would be great for CAD stuff....I'm finding I spend too much time moving around and zooming.....especially to get those little details. AutoCAD already has an aerial view window - it just gets in the way having it on the same display as my drawing view....still, don't think my boss will go for the $300 US price tag.
  • If they are trying to compete with the keyboard it sure have to be VERY cheap. Ok its very cool, but a standard keyboard does its job quite well.

    But as everything new its always expensive and cool. If it is a good idea price will go down and quality will improve. I wouldn't be surprised to see such keyboards in the future. It sure gives the "keymap" a new dimension. Just toggle the symbols of the keys whenever you use another keymap.

  • Can you say... (Score:5)

    by yogensha ( 181588 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:32AM (#76049) Homepage
    This would rock for controlling your mp3 box in the trunk of the car....


    Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure.
  • Yes, I agree, I don't want this thing tied to my Quake 3, but I could see it as very handy for Tribes 2 or Diablo 2, where an icon on the touchpad would correspond to an inventory selection or skill.

    Say, a row of icons to select armor, a row for weapons, a row for packs, a row for grenades, a row for presets... Now just select your loadout by tapping icons. Seems pretty slick in concept.

  • 2) The biggest problem with LCD touchpads (this one included) is the absolute lack of tactile feedback. To know which button you are about to press (and to make sure you only hit one) you have to look at the controler. That is time that you spend not looking at the action on the computer screen. Bad idea in a firefight.
    Funny... I never heard anybody on Star Trek: the Next Generation complain about this. Now we will finally be able to put all those lousy LCARS themes to a good use!!

  • Re:Good..but (Score:3)

    by grammar nazi ( 197303 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:39AM (#76052) Journal
    Another thing that would frustrate gamers is if the controller moved the positions of things around as you selected different weapons/missions/whatever. Microsoft invented the non-intuitive GUI where dialog buttons and menus pop up anywhere and float around seemingly at random. Many companies have since adapted this genius design strategy (note: sarcasm). I can just imagine a controller where the grenade button for over-under-machine-gun is in a different spot on the controller than the grenade button for the tank/vehicle/whatever-else.

    I believe in custom controls, where you could place the controls on the touch-screen however you want, but I'm sure that too many games would break the useability by changing the controls too much throughout the game.

  • Ever used an ATM ? that device-that-you-can-reconfigure-keys-on-the-fly-wi th is called a touchscreen ...
  • Stagnated? That doesn't quite explain the evolution of computer keyboards. The fact is, computer keyboards used to be better. Buckling spring IBM keyboards from the early 80's still work as new. In the last 8 years or so, computer keyboards have turned from $50-$150 investments into $8 throwaway items, with the consequent loss of quality and durability. Maybe if everyone's P4 or Athlon computer came with a quality keyboard like the old Northgates and IBMs, people wouldn't be looking so hard for better input devices.

  • Cool uses: (Score:5)

    by BigumD ( 219816 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:27AM (#76056) Homepage
    How great would this would this be for flight sims? You could have the whole instrument panel out in front of you...

    Personally, I think the coolest use would be to have a terminal open at all times so I could always have it at my disposal.
  • This could be really awesome for controlling a dedicated video playback computer hooked up to one's home entertainment system.
  • I'm already working on a palm interface to my own jukebox. At the moment the daemon on the jukebox is a simple FIFO, so I use a telnet session, using ptelnet to send commands. But whenever I have time to learn a little palm sockets stuff, I will have a palm gui to control the jukebox with. Should work great in the car.
  • Umm.. anyone remember the BBC Micro? More specifically that plastic strip at the top of the keyboard that you could slide a card under to indicate the meanings of the function keys?
    I've also seen devices almost identical to this one but again using a piece of cardboard in front of the buttons rather than an LCD.
    So, does having a program to change the display rather than sliding in a different bit of card justify a $300 price tag?
    I think not.

    Besides, we all know CLIs are the best, right?

  • So, everyone knows that it doesn't help to press buttons hartder cuz you won't shoot any faster, but that never stops anyone. I wonder how many units with cracked LCDs will get shipped back to the manufacturer...

    Perhaps a warning on the box... Not intended for easily excitable players. Risk of severe thumb abrasions from sharp shards of plastic.

    --CTH

    --
  • Most of the windshield in my car is out of arm's reach. This is the situtation in many cars.
  • Saitek Industries [saitekusa.com] has something vaguely similar, though it's not as glitzy as an LCD display - the PC Dash.

    I had one of the first generations of these, and loved it loved it loved it. 35 programmable keys (they were the little bubble-wrap type deals, which had some of the tactile feedback everybody's talking about), each key could be programmed for up to 4 functions using a simple latched-shift system... It even had a gamepad-style 8-way hat.

    One of the truly nifty features was that it didn't require a driver to be installed - it perfectly emulated a keyboard, repeat rates and all. Configurations could be programmed in via a driver, but for folks who wanted to take their PC Dash around, there was a very cool barcode scanner built in. When you printed out a layout to cover the buttons with, a barcode would go on the page. Plug the dash in, swipe the barcode, and you were off.

    The PC Dash 2 is not quite as cool, and I think it took a step backward, but it was USB... the first gen used a PS/2 passthrough. Still, I have very fond memories.

    Yea verily, Saitek doth make some of the swiftiest peripherals on the planet. The X-36 throttle is possibly the perfect interface for flight games.

    Meanwhile...

    Since the Touchscreen can display new screens for each game automatically, I suggest taking it a step further and make it totally dynamic throughout the application. Instead of one screen that stays static for the entire game (requiring you to either make tiny little icons to cover the retinue of commands, or forego commands in favor of bigger icons), give the option for the user to create drill-down style menus which temporarily replace unrelated controls. Press the Inventory button, all the related inventory controls pop up. Press the Weapons button... well, you get the idea. This wouldn't be much good in fast-paced games, but for those of us who prefer our games a little slower-paced, it would truly rock. For the folks who are thinking of dynamic LCARS control panels, there you have it.

    Tatsujin
    Visit Unclebear.com [unclebear.com] for all your roleplaying needs that don't involve leather.

  • > Not knowing much about electronics, how expensive would it be to have a standard keyboard with little (7mm x 7mm)
    > LCD or LED displays on each key?
    ...
    > P.S. I was going to patent the idea ;)

    :) or not, there's prior art, maybe patented already, but patent should have already expired: I've seen the thing live in hardware, COTS, in late 1980s, connected to a PC running MS Windows 1.0 (the one that couldn't overlay windows!) The guy told me his boss paid more than $1000 for it.

    Pushing SHIFT changed displays on all the buttons. It was strange.

    You could download any font to it. The one I've seen had Cyrillic set up on Caps Lock.

  • HUDs and Windshields (Score:3)

    by Vegan Pagan ( 251984 ) <deanasNO@SPAMearthlink.net> on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:28AM (#76065)
    How about touch-sensitive HUDs on Windshields? It wouldn't require averting the eyes.
  • The first thing I thought of is Star Trek, and that Sci-Fi commercial with someone sliding a uh slider across the screen with their finger.

    Someone who is disabled could use this to put the keys where they need them. Maybe they can't use the current keyboard since the buttons are too close together.

    Would there be 'screen' savers for this device? Could I use xlock? The screensaver cycles through different languages/character sets and no one has a clue what to hit?

    Of course i'd like to pipe X onto it and keep my root console/x session there so I can change stuff really really on the fly.
  • a little steep on price for a limited functionality controller.

    If you're really looking for a cheaper "do-all" controller check out the MS Strategic Commander [microsoft.com]. It's pitched as a controller for "strategic" games, but I use it for FPS games too...its nice to be able to move, jump and change weapons at the same time without double-jointed fingers.

  • I need tactile response. I hate touchscreens just as much as I hated the touch-keyboard of that old Atari 700 (or whatever the model was) back in the '80s.. I require tactile feedback. Touchscreens work in kiosks at malls, but thats about it IMHO.

    And btw, I much prefer the switches and dials and blinking lights and levers from Star Wars as opposed to the sleek touchscreen controls of Star Trek.

  • Two things... (Score:5)

    by srvivn21 ( 410280 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:26AM (#76081)
    1) What the hell is up with that URL? gotapex.com? I nearly didn't click on it just for that...

    2) The biggest problem with LCD touchpads (this one included) is the absolute lack of tactile feedback. To know which button you are about to press (and to make sure you only hit one) you have to look at the controler. That is time that you spend not looking at the action on the computer screen. Bad idea in a firefight.

    The concept is cool though...

  • All of a sudden... (Score:4)

    by Fuggim ( 457662 ) on Wednesday July 18, 2001 @11:28AM (#76086) Homepage
    Everyone's trying to revamp computer input. From the weird slidy-disks from a while back to the vertical keyboards with the keys on the side. It's quite a barrier to entry, more than most other computer technologies. No matter what kind of computer you're using, chances are you type on a spring-actioned QWERTY keyboard. Perhaps some improvement is needed, because it's a technology that's stagnated in the past few years, but someone's going to have to come up with something damned snazzy before they really start to catch attention. Not to mention the fact that most of these new devices can cost up to hundreds of dollars, where you can get a workable keyboard for $30 at Best Buy... Jeffrey
  • Forget games... combine this with this [slashdot.org] and porn will never be the same.
  • I can definitely see how it would be useful while beating my monkey in Black & White, and I'd love to try it out in a old fashioned Total Annihilation throwdown...but it seems a bit pricey for a gaming peripheral. And if you wanted a device that held website links you could get one of those fancy mousepads with the shortcut buttons for free. (Even that is just a novelty, as I got bored of it after a couple days and hucked it at the nearest stop sign.)

    Good idea for a nifty gadget, but way too expensive.

    --
  • mmmmm third hand

    Amen, brother.

    --

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