New Microsoft 360 Joypad with keyboard?

[Rapture_Tourist]

Since we can assume that the 360 Spring Update includes MSN Mesenger chat functions, I believe this is no fake:

http://kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/xbox-360-keyboard-controller-coming-250606.php

Would you buy it? I think I would buy this "adapter".

[Jeff]

On top of it being the ugliest controller since the atari Jaguar, it also ruins the dynamic of the 360 controller and pretty much eliminates it's ergonomic functions.

Not only do I hope beyond all hope that this is a fake, but I also hope no form of keyboard is ever released for the 360. It's not a PC and it's definately not a cell-phone, no need for a key-pad thanks.

[Rapture_Tourist]

Do you have a 360?

In my opinion the 360 controller itself is one of the best ones ever designed for a console.

And for me functionality is more important in this case than the fact that it might look ugly. For MMORPGs and text messages, this is a big plus.

Sometimes a quick text message is better than voice-chat...and it surely becomes better with this adapter.

[pn18]

i would prefer a controller like this:
http://www.planetgamecube.com/media/2389/1/9342.jpg
it's just so freaking nerdy. i love it.:D

[Jeff]

I do have a 360 and I've never, ever run into a situation where I for an instant proclaimed the need for a keyboard.

I agree the controller in it's original sense is manufactured beautifully, the original xbox controller was moving in the right direction, the 360 controller just threw the finishing touches on it.

That key-pad jammed in the middle though seems to ruin the empty area along the bottom of the middle controller, it's also probably fairly weighty. Beyond that, Gin-Rummy of the cartoon series "The Boondocks" makes an impressive point

Gin Rummy: Oh, you mean other than the fact that it's the stupidest f**king thing in the world? Who in their right mind would spend fifteen minutes trying to type some sh*t they could have called and said in five seconds? Plus, it involves typing with your thumbs, which I just don't approve of. I don't know about you, but I don't have time to read something that a motherf**ker typed with his thumbs. Fun Fact: Nothing typed by somebody's thumbs has ever been important. It's all just nigga technology, anyway.

[Rapture_Tourist]

Controller adapter has now been officially confirmed.

@Jeff: If you have multiple chat windows open or haven't plugged in your headset, when someone has sent you a game invite or wants to chat with you, you can e.g. type "Wait a second, I'm coming" or something else.

And don't forget that this keyboard will be used to communicate with PC Users via MSN, too - who have no voice chat support afaik.

[jackinthebox]

when i first saw the pic, i just thought "what the..."?! if you really like to have a keyboard, why don't make it a second peripheral device? it wouldn't ruin the ergonomics of the controller and wouldn't look that awkward :P

[D'Sparil]

I would actually like a wireless keyboard and mouse to level the playing field when games start doing the whole mulitplayer games for windows live anywhere routine. For aiming in FPS, Mouse>Stick.

However in preventing carpel-tunnel(sp?) syndrome, gamepad>keyboard/mouse.

[Rapture_Tourist]

when i first saw the pic, i just thought "what the..."?! if you really like to have a keyboard, why don't make it a second peripheral device? it wouldn't ruin the ergonomics of the controller and wouldn't look that awkward :P

Just imagine you play Final Fantasy XI (MMORPG) on 360...you play with your joypad, but then, suddenly your party wants to chat....hold on a second! You put your joypad to the ground, pick up the USB keyboard and chat.....Oh boy, a enemy is incoming....you throw away your keyboard and pick up the joypad again...Someone explaines that he likes to join your party, but you can't invite him..where was the keyboard again? Ok, FF XI has shortcuts for chat commands, but this does not replace a keyboard, when there is no voice chat.

Hey wait, I could combine both functions in one peripheral? No no, I won't buy that? :confused:

[Hatesink]

I think it could use a light-gun/wii-remote type periphery that we could install and use in place of a mouse. Rather that than a keyboard.

Edit: Make mine a 360 mouse-gun

[Jeff]

I would actually like a wireless keyboard and mouse to level the playing field when games start doing the whole mulitplayer games for windows live anywhere routine. For aiming in FPS, Mouse>Stick.

However in preventing carpel-tunnel(sp?) syndrome, gamepad>keyboard/mouse.

I think you're going to find that without specific denotation in game you'll have no idea who the PC users are with their mouse/keyboard vs. who the console gamers are with their gamepads. The difference in ability is hyped up beyond comprehension and I'm willing to bet that I'd smoke any mouse/keyboard user here in almost any FPS with my gamepad. The only real difference is so minute it's barely worth looking at, but when ultra-zoomed with something like a sniper rifle the pc users will be -slightly- more accurate due to the mouse. That's also a very easy aspect of any game to tweak slightly in order to even the playing field.

I don't think consoles should ever get a keyboard and mouse (360 especially) because quite frankly it's a console... I don't think anyone who owns a 360 shelled out $500 thinking they were getting a baby PC in fun packaging. So why try to mutate it into one?

And to close out, once again, Nothing any mother***ker typed with his thumbs has ever been worth reading.

[D'Sparil]

I think you're going to find that without specific denotation in game you'll have no idea who the PC users are with their mouse/keyboard vs. who the console gamers are with their gamepads. The difference in ability is hyped up beyond comprehension and I'm willing to bet that I'd smoke any mouse/keyboard user here in almost any FPS with my gamepad. The only real difference is so minute it's barely worth looking at, but when ultra-zoomed with something like a sniper rifle the pc users will be -slightly- more accurate due to the mouse. That's also a very easy aspect of any game to tweak slightly in order to even the playing field.

I'd take that challenge any day man, but I guess its all on the individual to what tools suit them best. In comparision, all guitars can play the same notes (taking away the shortened fretboard on an acoustic) BUT different people play better on certain ones for the different feel of them, and they could all argue in circles all day long over which one is better.

For the record, best guitars are Paul Reed Smith.:p

[gughunter]

I saw the picture of the "webbed controller" today and I thought it could be a nifty idea. I don't have my 360 connected to the Internet so I don't have much use for chat, but the controller opens up a huge realm of opportunities for games that need more buttons than you find on the standard 360 controller.

One example: one of my friends has a mech-battle game called (IIRC) Steel Battalion that comes with a huge control panel. It costs a bundle and you pretty much can't play the game without it. Now, with a keyboard available on the controller, frequently-used functions can be mapped to the standard buttons, and the rare functions can be mapped to the keyboard. That also dramatically increases the number of PC games that can be ported to 360 without a complete dumbing-down. What's not to like?