Videogame Industry Features and Editorials

Nuon Technology
VM Labs

Not really a gadget so much as a gadget enhancer, Nuon has the "speed and power to transform a DVD player into an interactive fun-center…" Re-defining the versatility of Digital Versatile Discs. Features too numerous to list. Just watch for it.

AIRPLAY Wireless Controllers
Eleven Engineering Inc.

We here at EP have a fondness for little Canadian companies, but the fact that the AIRPLAY cordless PSX and Nuon DVD controllers worked exactly as intended kind of embarrassed the other wireless guys whose booth bunnies forgot to change the batteries. More importantly, AIRPLAY is coming out with a PS2 dual analogue wireless, making it the only cordless remote control for Sony's "computer entertainment" system, the PS2, not to mention the crop of Nuon based DVD players. Go Edmonton!

Battle Chair
Interactive Seating

Surprisingly similar to the now defunct Intensor LX vibrating speaker chair, this unit is a better realization of chair-as-interface-device. Looks almost as cool as the Emperor's throne in Jedi, sounds pretty damn good and comes in a few different model styles to suit every gamer or movie buff and their budget. A little clunky maybe, a little hard on the bum and definitely pricey, but man it's cool. And "interactive seating," that's just too funny.

The Power Player
Videogear

Similar in concept to the Battle Chair but at a much lower price point, the Power Chair, a funky low-slung recliner complete with speakers - and it's a rocker if you so desire - is even more functional as a console specific game chair. Solid molded plastic looks cheap but it's surprisingly durable.

3D/Virtual Reality Glasses
VR Standard and I-O Display

Turn most DirectX accelerated PC software actually 3D in that View Master viewer way with either VRJoy 2000 or i-O Display's Terminator glasses. A truly inspiring effect that'll blow your mind while giving you true depth perception and better immersion into your game.

Game Voice Headset
Microsoft

Real time selective chat in any online game. Single comrade, all players or team-only talk as you frag or explore or play cards. But wait! There's more! Works alternately as a voice prompt recognizer, fully programmable to run many, many preset tasks with a single grunt or curse or word of encouragement from you while your hands are busy doing anything else they need to be doing, or not doing. Awesome.

Steer n Play
Beamscope

A twenty-dollar PSX/PS2 analogue, dual vibrating/shock steering wheel (from another Canadian company, too). Comes with pedals and pressure sensitive analogue thumb buttons which serve the same function as pedals (or anything else you want them to), plus the requisite myriad of other perfectly functional buttons. Small, yes, a little lightweight, perhaps, but Steer n Play works like a hot damn and doesn't try to be anything other than perfectly good at what it does. And it's only $20.

Panther DC
MadCatz

An ambitious but clunky FPS device on the PC comes to DC where it shines as the superconsole's Number 1 (only) FPS controller.

VRJoy Airstik 2000
VR Standard

A super cool multi button joystick (sans feedback) that pops off its rocker, if desired, and becomes an awesome one-handed motion sensing, wrist gyrating pistol grip. Awesome, awesome, awesome. A USB version coming soon. Awesome.

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		> Gadgets That'll Get Your Gizmo Going E3 at a Glance \| Sony \| Sega \| Nintendo \| PC \| Mac \| Online \| Portables \| Driving \| Strategy \| Sports \| Action \| Shooters \| RPG \| Classics \| Games that defy explanation \| Horror \| Celebrity games \| Gadgets \| too much hype \| not enough hype \| Sequels that matter \| Sequels that don't \| What are they Thinking?? \| Something's Missing \| Best VideoDemo \| Behind Closed Doors \| Things we Almost Forgot \| Game of Show \| E3 Wrap Up
		Sidewinder Strategic Commander Microsoft Proof yet again that Microsoft is actually an alien race E3 brought a great deal of gadgetry to light. Some things innovative, some things merely remarkable improvements on otherwise unremarkable products, all things vying for your dollar as "must have" peripherals and appendages to suit your every gaming need. Ironically, the LA Convention Center's unfairly infamous Kentia Hall, "the ghetto of E3," also happened to house some of the coolest gadgets from wee little companies lacking the money to rent a booth next to Sony and friends. Hopefully, this year's crop of game-related stock will garner enough praise and sales to make Kentia Hall next year's hotbed. Maybe not, but it's nice to think of strong efforts being rewarded someday. Most functional of the cool is Microsoft's Sidewinder Strategic Commander (Ok, these guys weren't in Kentia Hall. Big shots making big shot gadgets.). You don't have to be an RTS fan to appreciate the sheer functionality of this, the epitome of seamless interface devices. It sits sweetly under the palm of your left hand with spring-loaded joystick-like throw - the palm stick? - and offers a shift-combined total of 72 fully programmable buttons for all your preset needs. Build a compound, arm it, man it, and set it about its business with one tap of your fingertip. The downside? You'll piss off a lot of your opponents as they muddle through 27 keystrokes to your single button. The ramifications of such an interactive device go beyond real-time strategy games, too. Like a courtroom stenographer with that limited key machine pumping out full text novellas in spite of apparent limitation, the Strategic Games Commander is perhaps the first step toward truly immersive interface. We still need the jack in the back of the head, but a palmstick in the left hand and a mouse in the right functioning as effectively or more effectively than banging at keys on a keyboard is going to make the future that much more "user-friendly." It's creepy, in some ways. One might also note that this clever "palmstick" thingy might also function as an FPS interface. Lets' face it, no controller can beat a keyboard and mouse when it comes to relentless fragging through the eyes of the killer, but the keyboard has always been the weaker of the two symbiotic devices. Strategic Commander would seem to offer a much more seamless move controller than the claw shape forced in the W, S, A, D configuration of a keyboard - plus those 72 button combos are more than enough to meet all your fragging presets with lots left over to throw in a couple of custom trick moves of you own. Microsoft haven't marketed the Strategic Commander as an FPS device, in fact it's remarkable versatility as an RTS unit is a strong enough selling feature on its own. But beyond RTS games - hell, beyond FPS games - the Strategic Commander brings us humans one step closer to cyborgism. Cool! -Shaun Conlin >>>next	Nuon Technology VM Labs Not really a gadget so much as a gadget enhancer, Nuon has the "speed and power to transform a DVD player into an interactive fun-center…" Re-defining the versatility of Digital Versatile Discs. Features too numerous to list. Just watch for it. AIRPLAY Wireless Controllers Eleven Engineering Inc. We here at EP have a fondness for little Canadian companies, but the fact that the AIRPLAY cordless PSX and Nuon DVD controllers worked exactly as intended kind of embarrassed the other wireless guys whose booth bunnies forgot to change the batteries. More importantly, AIRPLAY is coming out with a PS2 dual analogue wireless, making it the only cordless remote control for Sony's "computer entertainment" system, the PS2, not to mention the crop of Nuon based DVD players. Go Edmonton! Battle Chair Interactive Seating Surprisingly similar to the now defunct Intensor LX vibrating speaker chair, this unit is a better realization of chair-as-interface-device. Looks almost as cool as the Emperor's throne in Jedi, sounds pretty damn good and comes in a few different model styles to suit every gamer or movie buff and their budget. A little clunky maybe, a little hard on the bum and definitely pricey, but man it's cool. And "interactive seating," that's just too funny. The Power Player Videogear Similar in concept to the Battle Chair but at a much lower price point, the Power Chair, a funky low-slung recliner complete with speakers - and it's a rocker if you so desire - is even more functional as a console specific game chair. Solid molded plastic looks cheap but it's surprisingly durable. 3D/Virtual Reality Glasses VR Standard and I-O Display Turn most DirectX accelerated PC software actually 3D in that View Master viewer way with either VRJoy 2000 or i-O Display's Terminator glasses. A truly inspiring effect that'll blow your mind while giving you true depth perception and better immersion into your game. Game Voice Headset Microsoft Real time selective chat in any online game. Single comrade, all players or team-only talk as you frag or explore or play cards. But wait! There's more! Works alternately as a voice prompt recognizer, fully programmable to run many, many preset tasks with a single grunt or curse or word of encouragement from you while your hands are busy doing anything else they need to be doing, or not doing. Awesome. Steer n Play Beamscope A twenty-dollar PSX/PS2 analogue, dual vibrating/shock steering wheel (from another Canadian company, too). Comes with pedals and pressure sensitive analogue thumb buttons which serve the same function as pedals (or anything else you want them to), plus the requisite myriad of other perfectly functional buttons. Small, yes, a little lightweight, perhaps, but Steer n Play works like a hot damn and doesn't try to be anything other than perfectly good at what it does. And it's only $20. Panther DC MadCatz An ambitious but clunky FPS device on the PC comes to DC where it shines as the superconsole's Number 1 (only) FPS controller. VRJoy Airstik 2000 VR Standard A super cool multi button joystick (sans feedback) that pops off its rocker, if desired, and becomes an awesome one-handed motion sensing, wrist gyrating pistol grip. Awesome, awesome, awesome. A USB version coming soon. Awesome.
		E3 at a Glance \| Sony \| Sega \| Nintendo \| PC \| Mac \| Online \| Portables \| Driving \| Strategy \| Sports \| Action \| Shooters \| RPG \| Classics \| Games that defy explanation \| Horror \| Celebrity games \| Gadgets \| too much hype \| not enough hype \| Sequels that matter \| Sequels that don't \| What are they Thinking?? \| Something's Missing \| Best VideoDemo \| Behind Closed Doors \| Things we Almost Forgot \| Game of Show \| E3 Wrap Up