Novint Falcon Limited Edition - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 7th Dec 2007, 07:39

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/...ited_edition/1

The Novint Falcon is one of the most impressive and compelling devices we've ever tested - a six axis, motion sensitive, force feedback controller for games like Half-Life 2 that allows gamers feel textures, weight and forces in the game world. We take the newest model out for a spin.

Digg for Win: http://www.digg.com/pc_games/Novint_...Input_review_2

Amon · 7th Dec 2007, 07:47

How come no video of the device in action?

Out of curiosity, I wonder how this thing would work in something like Flight Simulator.

Copiedright · 7th Dec 2007, 08:20

This would be perfect for the Black and White games!

dom_ · 7th Dec 2007, 08:43

I think playboy need to work with them.

DougEdey · 7th Dec 2007, 08:44

Would be nice to see what the demo looked like.

But I agree with Joe, $239 is a lot of money for something so specialised. Does it have integration into 3D design applications?

Fod · 7th Dec 2007, 08:50

hate to be pedantic, but it's just three axes if you can't twist. (although it looks at least partially twistable around the x and y axes, in which case it's 5-axis). I wrote my dissertation on 3d interface design and my supervisor was always bashing me about using 1-to-6-DOF (degrees of freedom, or axes) correctly when writing a taxonomy of input devices. (yes you can get 1-dof devices, the analog triggers on the x360 pads are examples of that)

the 6 from 6-axis (or DOF; they're pretty much interchangeable terms but axis is friendlier) comes from the fact that you can translate in X,Y,Z as well as rotate around X,Y,Z.

also! played with a much, much larger version of this device (although there were two of them and more geared around brute force interaction like picking heavy objects up - it could give a 200N force so it had some kick!) at uni - haptics are FUN. VERY FUN.

Jamie · 7th Dec 2007, 08:53

It would only be 4 axis if the nipple twisted since it would be rotating about the Z axis.

Sea Shadow · 7th Dec 2007, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Copiedright

This would be perfect for the Black and White games!

I second that!

All in all it looks pretty neat but I don't think I could justify the money for it.

BTW: from your description, it sounds like it moves on 3 axes not 6.
EDIT: Doh Fod beat me to it.

CardJoe · 7th Dec 2007, 09:05

Alright, smartarses - I've corrected the article to say three axes. My bad. :P

DarkLord7854 · 7th Dec 2007, 10:18

I wanna see a vid

It's pretty expensive =\

Fod · 7th Dec 2007, 10:27

DarkLord: expensive? the devices i used at uni cost 100,000 euros! this is a bloody bargain!

DarkLord7854 · 7th Dec 2007, 10:30

Well looking at it from the point of view of support versus use, it's expensive yes. The fact you can't twist it is a real bummer though. If there was an app that came with it, to sorta build your own mods for *most* games, then that would be pretty darn cool.

sub routine · 7th Dec 2007, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by dom_

I think playboy need to work with them.

ningk ningk..wibble wibble

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie

It would only be 4 axis if the nipple twisted since it would be rotating about the Z axis.

fnar fnar.

yakyb · 7th Dec 2007, 10:46

hmm i can actually see this becoming popular

with the success of the Wii many people will be looking at the new form of interface

out of interest is it availible in the uk

TomD22 · 7th Dec 2007, 10:50

Leaving aside the force feeback (which does sound cool...)

It's a joystick. Only, instead of sticking upward from the base/desk, it sticks forward from the base/desk, presumably making it hugely uncomfortable to hold....

Fod · 7th Dec 2007, 10:52

nope. joysticks are 2-DOF.

some joysticks can be partially twisted left and right aroudn the z-axis, in which case technically they are 3-DOF, but you still don't have the z translation this device offers.

CardJoe · 7th Dec 2007, 10:53

Not our vid, but good enough:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IKYDkDPres

Arkanrais · 7th Dec 2007, 11:18

Quote:

I think playboy need to work with them.

damn, beat to the chase. I can only imagine what the pr0n industry could do with this piece of kit (or even a moded version of it) if they teamed up with some decent game designers. its a hell of a funny prospect but an almost serious one.

(pulls mind out of the gutter) I wonder what advantages (or fun) there would be for having 2 of these in use at the same time (with the appropriate drivers, of course)

Darkedge · 7th Dec 2007, 11:39

System Shock 2 is better of course.

Anyway... I want one.

steveo_mcg · 7th Dec 2007, 12:10

Thats fooking cool.... But i agree with darklord its a bit expensive as a games controller, even compared to the 100k fod mentions, its still a games controller. If you could use all your games out the box it might be nearly worth it. Can just see every one in tf2 playing pyro to save there arms from the recoil, sniping would require even more skill since the device would be actively pulling your arm downwards and swaying not just your visiual changing.

7th Dec 2007, 07:39	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	Novint Falcon Limited Edition http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2007/...ited_edition/1 The Novint Falcon is one of the most impressive and compelling devices we've ever tested - a six axis, motion sensitive, force feedback controller for games like Half-Life 2 that allows gamers feel textures, weight and forces in the game world. We take the newest model out for a spin. Digg for Win: http://www.digg.com/pc_games/Novint_...Input_review_2 __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947) Last edited by CardJoe; 7th Dec 2007 at 08:58.

7th Dec 2007, 07:47	#2
Amon inch-perfect Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: cannoning into the reds, Toronto, Canada Posts: 2,456	How come no video of the device in action? Out of curiosity, I wonder how this thing would work in something like Flight Simulator. __________________ Defunct Socket 939 San Diego 4000+::2GB PC3200::Radeon 9600 SE 128MB::200GB HDD::24" Dell 2407WFP-HC::WinXP x64/x86 dual boot Dell Vostro 1500 laptop::Socket P Merom T7100::2GB PC5400::Go 8600m GT 256MB::660GB HDD::15.4" WXGA+, 24" Dell 2407WFP-HC::WinXP::Fanatec 911 Wheel+Pedals

7th Dec 2007, 08:44	#5
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	Would be nice to see what the demo looked like. But I agree with Joe, $239 is a lot of money for something so specialised. Does it have integration into 3D design applications? __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

7th Dec 2007, 08:50	#6
Fod what is the cheesecake? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London Posts: 4,908	hate to be pedantic, but it's just three axes if you can't twist. (although it looks at least partially twistable around the x and y axes, in which case it's 5-axis). I wrote my dissertation on 3d interface design and my supervisor was always bashing me about using 1-to-6-DOF (degrees of freedom, or axes) correctly when writing a taxonomy of input devices. (yes you can get 1-dof devices, the analog triggers on the x360 pads are examples of that) the 6 from 6-axis (or DOF; they're pretty much interchangeable terms but axis is friendlier) comes from the fact that you can translate in X,Y,Z as well as rotate around X,Y,Z. also! played with a much, much larger version of this device (although there were two of them and more geared around brute force interaction like picking heavy objects up - it could give a 200N force so it had some kick!) at uni - haptics are FUN. VERY FUN. __________________ "Sesame Street is brought to you by the letters P, W, N, the number 3, and the letter D." I'm a pretentious git with a camera. ISPs want to spy on you. Join the fight against phorm XBL/PSN/Steam ID: FodT

7th Dec 2007, 08:53	#7
Jamie bit-tech Staff Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 7,620	It would only be 4 axis if the nipple twisted since it would be rotating about the Z axis. __________________ bit-tech hosted by tsohost.co.uk twitter \| flickr \| xbox live \| last.fm \| moot

7th Dec 2007, 08:20	#3
Copiedright What's a Dremel? Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nowra, Australia Posts: 5	This would be perfect for the Black and White games!

7th Dec 2007, 08:43	#4
dom_ ---> Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: uk, south east Posts: 3,936	I think playboy need to work with them.

7th Dec 2007, 09:05	#9
CardJoe Player Character bit-tech Staff Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 8,005	Alright, smartarses - I've corrected the article to say three axes. My bad. :P __________________ this is joe's non-bit-tech blog

7th Dec 2007, 10:18	#10
DarkLord7854 Web Developer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 3,842	I wanna see a vid It's pretty expensive =\ __________________ Current Computer: eVGA 780i Motherboard \| Q6600 Core2Quad \| eVGA GTX260 896Mbs 216-core \| 2x Seagate 500Gbs \| 8Gbs OCZ Platinum DDR2 800 \| Creative XtremeGamer X-Fi \| Thermaltake Armor Case Custom WordPress, ZenCart, Joomla, vBulletin, etc installs and skinning, PM/E-Mail for a quote

7th Dec 2007, 10:27	#11
Fod what is the cheesecake? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London Posts: 4,908	DarkLord: expensive? the devices i used at uni cost 100,000 euros! this is a bloody bargain! __________________ "Sesame Street is brought to you by the letters P, W, N, the number 3, and the letter D." I'm a pretentious git with a camera. ISPs want to spy on you. Join the fight against phorm XBL/PSN/Steam ID: FodT

7th Dec 2007, 10:30	#12
DarkLord7854 Web Developer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 3,842	Well looking at it from the point of view of support versus use, it's expensive yes. The fact you can't twist it is a real bummer though. If there was an app that came with it, to sorta build your own mods for most games, then that would be pretty darn cool. __________________ Current Computer: eVGA 780i Motherboard \| Q6600 Core2Quad \| eVGA GTX260 896Mbs 216-core \| 2x Seagate 500Gbs \| 8Gbs OCZ Platinum DDR2 800 \| Creative XtremeGamer X-Fi \| Thermaltake Armor Case Custom WordPress, ZenCart, Joomla, vBulletin, etc installs and skinning, PM/E-Mail for a quote

7th Dec 2007, 10:46	#14
yakyb CK is God!!! Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,073	hmm i can actually see this becoming popular with the success of the Wii many people will be looking at the new form of interface out of interest is it availible in the uk __________________ Gaming Box:: q6600 @3.0 :: 9800gtx :: Abit IP35 :: 4gb :: 1.4TB :: akasa eclipse :: Win7 Development:: PhenomII 955BE @3.2 :: 4200 :: asus M4A785 M Evo :: 1.25TB ::Win7 Media Centre :: q6600 @3.0 :: x1950pro :: asus p35 epu :: 8gb :: 320 GB :: Lc17B :: Win7 server:: I7 860 :: p55 gd65 :: 3450 :: 8 TB :: 8gb :: Rebel 12 :: server 2008 R2

7th Dec 2007, 10:50	#15
TomD22 Modder Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 63	Leaving aside the force feeback (which does sound cool...) It's a joystick. Only, instead of sticking upward from the base/desk, it sticks forward from the base/desk, presumably making it hugely uncomfortable to hold....

7th Dec 2007, 10:52	#16
Fod what is the cheesecake? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London Posts: 4,908	nope. joysticks are 2-DOF. some joysticks can be partially twisted left and right aroudn the z-axis, in which case technically they are 3-DOF, but you still don't have the z translation this device offers. __________________ "Sesame Street is brought to you by the letters P, W, N, the number 3, and the letter D." I'm a pretentious git with a camera. ISPs want to spy on you. Join the fight against phorm XBL/PSN/Steam ID: FodT

7th Dec 2007, 10:53	#17
CardJoe Player Character bit-tech Staff Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 8,005	Not our vid, but good enough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IKYDkDPres __________________ this is joe's non-bit-tech blog

7th Dec 2007, 11:39	#19
Darkedge Supermodder Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: UK Posts: 334	System Shock 2 is better of course. Anyway... I want one.

7th Dec 2007, 12:10	#20
steveo_mcg What owl? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,997	Thats fooking cool.... But i agree with darklord its a bit expensive as a games controller, even compared to the 100k fod mentions, its still a games controller. If you could use all your games out the box it might be nearly worth it. Can just see every one in tf2 playing pyro to save there arms from the recoil, sniping would require even more skill since the device would be actively pulling your arm downwards and swaying not just your visiual changing. __________________ No boom today, boom tomorrow... there's always a boom tomorrow.