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News Ben Heck builds WASD-replacement footpedals

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014.

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  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
    #1
  2. iggy

    iggy Minimodder

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    can i just get a strategic commander for my foot instead of buttons please?

    this would then leave the other foot free for a fire button. or jump. possibly both.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: 15 Apr 2014
    iggy, 15 Apr 2014
    #2
  3. Jimbob

    Jimbob Minimodder

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    I'm disabled so I use FragPedals so I can use my feet for keyboard shortcuts. They are not that well made and pretty expensive for what they are. They also take a lot of getting used to.
     
    Jimbob, 15 Apr 2014
    #3
  4. erratum1

    erratum1 What's a Dremel?

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    Not sure my feet are as fast as my fingers...they feel slower.

    wasd linked to brainwaves....thats what I need.
     
    erratum1, 15 Apr 2014
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  5. Yadda

    Yadda Minimodder

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    I don't think those pedals are designed to replace WASD (in fact, Ben himself says that's not their purpose) but allocating other commands to them like he does in the video with Titanfall looks very useful.
     
    Last edited: 15 Apr 2014
    Yadda, 15 Apr 2014
    #5
  6. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Christ. I see what you mean. I smell a modding challenge!

    EDIT: Ben Heck's design seems needlessly complicated.
     
    Nexxo, 15 Apr 2014
    #6
  7. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    You need to read that part with the knowledge that my tongue was very firmly in my cheek as I wrote it...
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
    #7
  8. Yadda

    Yadda Minimodder

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    Fair enough, but you go on to say, "The result, Heck claims, is a natural-feeling control system that allows for forward, backward and strafing motion without the need to lock the left hand to the WASD cluster." :confused:

    In the video he only uses them for forwards - backwards - l/strafe - r/strafe in early testing but says that's not what they're designed to do.
     
    Yadda, 15 Apr 2014
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  9. hyperion

    hyperion Minimodder

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    Instead of partial/heavier press, I thought it would've been more natural to have a toe/heel press for each key, as well as pivoting your foot left and right for an extra two keys. Then you could map wasd to a single foot and map other movement keys to your other foot i.e jump, sprint, walk and crouch.
     
    hyperion, 15 Apr 2014
    #9
  10. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    But they *can* do that, and he demonstrates exactly that; yes, they can be mapped to any other four activities - but so could the WASD keys. If, y'know, you want to fight thirty years of muscle memory...

    (Incidentally, I was alerted to the video by Farnell's PR agency, which sent it over with the title "Beyond WASD: Foot Pedals for PC Gaming," influencing the angle I took with the piece. That and my desire to show off that I KNOW WHERE WASD CAME FROM!)
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
    #10
  11. Yadda

    Yadda Minimodder

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    Sure, they *can* do that, but where does Heck claim it "..is a natural-feeling control system that allows for forward, backward and strafing motion without the need to lock the left hand to the WASD cluster"?

    At least twice in the video he says that's what they're NOT designed to do.
     
    Yadda, 15 Apr 2014
    #11
  12. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Perhaps that sentence is badly-phrased: Heck is claiming that it "is a natural-feeling control system." I'm then pointing out that it can be used - as he does in the video - to control motion without needing to lock the hand to the WASD cluster, which ties it in to the tongue-in-cheek "we'll all be gaming with our feet this time next Wednesday" theme of the article.

    Here, I'll go and edit it for you, make it two separate sentences.

    EDIT: "The result, Heck claims, is a natural-feeling control system. It allows for forward, backward and strafing motion without the need to lock the left hand to the WASD cluster, although Heck states that he sees it as being of more use mapped to other in-game functions."

    Better?
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
    #12
  13. Yadda

    Yadda Minimodder

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    I think so, thanks Gareth.
     
    Yadda, 15 Apr 2014
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  14. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    No worries - thanks for helping me make the piece read more clearly!
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
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  15. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    As a member of the arrow key using master race, I'm offended at the slant of your article.
    Personally I'd rather have a footpad to mash function keys. That would be a lot easier than fumbling for a medkit when both hands are occupied and the situation is dicey.
     
    Cheapskate, 15 Apr 2014
    #15
  16. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Arrow keys? Unclean! UNCLEAN! (Unless you're a lefty, in which case understandable! UNDERSTANDABLE!)
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
    #16
  17. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    You just hate us because our superior keyboard positioning.
     
    Cheapskate, 15 Apr 2014
    #17
  18. Guinevere

    Guinevere Mega Mom

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    Guinevere, 15 Apr 2014
    #18
  19. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    I still play it:

    [​IMG]
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 15 Apr 2014
    #19
  20. Yadda

    Yadda Minimodder

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    Looking at the key config screen in that Mazogs video, isn't it "W, A, D and X or W, S, H and J"? :p
     
    Yadda, 15 Apr 2014
    #20
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