Anyone have experience with the XFPS adapters? (PS3/360)

[fastbilly1]

Since it seems like developers have decided they hate alternative control schemes I figured it was about time to see if the Keyboard/Mouse adapters for the modern consoles are worthwhile. On my Xbox I had a smartjoy frag and it worked very well, but I have heard bad things about this generations versions.

I know on the PS3 that UT3 and Resistance offer USB support, but I was hoping to play other titles with friends who refuse to buy PC versions.

[MasonB15]

I don't really like the XFPS adapters. They're okay, but they don't feel quite like using a mouse and keyboard on a PC. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. It's like using a mouse but with the control of an analog stick; if that makes any sense.

[Niode]

I don't really like the XFPS adapters. They're okay, but they don't feel quite like using a mouse and keyboard on a PC. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. It's like using a mouse but with the control of an analog stick; if that makes any sense.

That's because that's how they work. They map mouse movements to the analogue stick.

Take the hex values of a traditional anlogue stick, it can move between 0 and 255 (in any single direction) and no further. Acceleration ramps to a point and then stops. With a mouse, the acceleration goes as fast as the sensor (in optical mice anyway) can track. So no matter how fast you move that mouse, you can only ever go as fast as the maximum movement allowed physically by the analogue stick. For a lot of games maxing the analogue sensitivity out helps to an extent but you can't get away from the fact that it doesn't feel 'right'.

I have a Smartjoy frag for my Xbox, and I used to use it a lot for Halo 1 and 2 since I just refuse to use controllers for FPS, they're just not designed for that type of use, it just doesn't work for me. The Smartjoy did make the games playable, but a lot of calibration was needed before the controls were good enough.

[Hobie-wan]

I'm somewhat interested, but I use my mouse sensitivity cranked way up all the time. Doesn't matter if I'm in a game or on the desktop. I somehow doubt these adapters are up to the task of replicating a super sensitive mouse. If they are, I'd like to know though.

[Niode]

Not really. The Smartjoy frag was nowhere near the same experience as a traditional mouse. It was a big improvement over a controller though.

Because of the limitations of the system and especially the limitations of console controls you just can't get the same experience as a twitchy mouse.

I don't buy FPS on consoles if I can get them on PC for this very reason. It makes me feel stupid, and especially when all the fucking retards who play these games all the time on consoles ridicule me with the old 'bad workman blames his tools' line.

It makes me even more depressed that it looks like FPS is no longer the domain of the PC gamer. It's especially annoying now that a lot of games are ported from consoles to PC. Just look at Far Cry 2, since when did PC FPS games have mouse acceleration? Makes the game practically unplayable unless you decrease the sensitivity of your mouse. How counter-intuitive is that?! It seems like they just ported the 360 game to PC and didn't bother changing the control system at all. They just mapped the X/Y from the mouse to the right analogue stick (much like the Smartjoy frag does). In fact that's a good point, if you want to see what these Smartjoy/XFPS devices feel like, play Far Cry 2, on a PC. Quite a similar experience.

[nate]

anyone tried the fragFX or Fragnstein ?

I agree w/ what your saying Niode but I'm still curious, I also want to see some of the PS3 FPS games on my big screen. so it's either buy a special controller or buy a different keyboard/mouse for my comp.

[fastbilly1]

Thanks for all the responses, Ill grab Farcry 2 and see how it feels. If it is acceptable Ill look into buying one, thanks.

Niode,
I always buy the pc version over a console version, but some of my friends disagree that the pc version is the way to go. So to play with them I either have to choke down standard controls, since no one seems to care about us legacy/southpaw legacy players, or buy an adapter like this.

Id rather drop the $80ish itll take me to get one of these and be able to play with them than to only play public servers. Hell Ill buy Borderlands again if I can run through it with other friends.

[Niode]

Yeah it is quite annoying, most of my friends play fps on consoles. Left 4 Dead 1 or 2 aside (I play that with my drinking buddies on PC since we all put together for a multiplay server).

Don't get me wrong, I can just about hold my own with legacy controls, sadly not many games are supporting it these days. I still have the feeling that I'm losing because of the control system though.

On the note of legacy controls I hope to god the imminent port of Perfect Dark to Xbox Live Arcade supports 'Legacy' controls by default.

[fastbilly1]

I see we have the a similar problem then.

Actually if you have used both, how does the XFPS compare to the Smartjoy frag? I had a frag but sold it when Liksang closed - for more than I paid for it. But from what I remember I use to be alot better with the frag than I was even with Legacy controls (well in everything but Halo 1 and TimeSplitters).