Ok, I've messed around with it some more, and as promised, here is my little
review. :)
For those with short attention spans, yes, it's worth the $30.
The link:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=2
071&pcount=&Product_Id=107727&Section.Section_Path=%2F%2FRoot%2FNostromo%2E%
2E%2EingTools%2F
At least go and check out the picture of it. :)
For those wanting a little more detail:
I had it setup, ready for EQ, in about 5 minutes. I had it connected to my
USB port forever, and after installing the software, I had a configuration
setup for EQ rather quickly. You can either assign keystrokes to a button
press, or create macros. The utility is very intuitive, with an image of
the controller and the area where you actually assign a function to the
button.
The image helps you locate the button you're trying to set. When you press
the button on the controller, the corresponding button on the image lights
up, as well as the field where you actually set the value to the keypress.
Click on the field, which gives a menu. There are 2 important selections.
Assign a key, or assign a macro. If you click assign a key, it brings up a
little window, you press the key you want assigned to that button, click ok,
and it's set. If you select assign a macro, it brings up a window. In the
name, you name the macro, so you know what it is. You also have the option
of saving the interval between key presses. I disable this, although, with
a lot of trial and error, you could probably get some spectacular results.
Click Start, and every keypress and release, until you click Stop, is
recorded.
For example, I created a macro for /pet attack. I clicked the field for the
button I wanted as the /pet attack button, and selected the option to create
a macro. I named it "Pet Attack", disabled the option to save the interval
between keypresses, and clicked Start. I then typed, "<enter>/pet
attack<enter>, and then clicked Stop. End result, when I hit that key in
game, in less than a second, the typing bar comes up, "/pet attack" is typed
in, and the command is executed...all without worrying about having a social
set up.
Starting on the top row of buttons, from left to right, I set button 1 with
the Pet Attack macro. Buttons 2, 3, 4, and 5 activate gems 5, 6, 7, 8 (home
position, is the bottom row of keys). Button 6 is auto attack, and buttons
7, 8, 9, and 10 activate gems 1, 2, 3, and 4.
I haven't figured out a use for the throttle, the only rotary function I
know of is scrolling the chat box. I have a wheel mouse, and am too used to
using that with it, but if you don't have a wheel mouse, you can probably
assign chat scroll to it. There is also a 8 way D-pad. I only assigned up,
down, left, and right to the corresponding arrow keys, but you can also
assign the diagonals.
There is also a shift function. Red shift, blue shift, and green shift.
When you use the shift function, you can assign additional functions to a
button that is already assigned. Just like hitting shift and then 7 for &.
I haven't messed with this much, either.
Bottom line, it feels completely different than the keyboard. You have to
get used to it. I still fall back to the keyboard, if I get confused, and
mess up my twist. However, I'm confident that once I get the hang of it,
and get used to which gem spot is which key, it will blow away the keyboard.
This controller in the left hand, and the mouse in the right, it just feels
right.
The only ding, the D-pad is at the same time not sensitive enough, yet over
sensitive. It's hard to explain. I feel like I have to press up
exceptionally hard to move forward, yet it takes the slightest movement off
of true to get enough pressure on left or right, and start to turn.
Perhaps, another thing to get used to, but right now, it's a small irritant.
The only one.
I also play Ghost Recon. I haven't since setting up the controller, but I
plan on it this weekend. It was made for shooters, so I'm looking forward
to it. :)
Atonal
-----Original Message-----
From: Talies the Wanderer [mailto:
snicker@...]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 3:00 PM
To:
eqbards@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [eqbards] twisting 5, added note
At 02:52 PM 2/14/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Hey, on a related note, now that we've all presumably gotten used to the
>song timer, anyone else starting to find it useful?
Actually, I am - I do a lot of instrument switching, and the timer lets me
estimate better when to switch. I have a very bad time trying to count and
switch, and this happens to be very helpful.
Talies
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