360 Controller Meets This Sniper

@charles_swann: For shoosting yes, but for flying no. In BF2 is was much easier to fly if you had a joystick.

@Twik63: No, just knows how much Koreans love them some Starcraft.

@coblenski: you seriously think that Microsoft said one day "hey I think it'd be a great idea for our controllers to be on death machines?" Trust me, it's not a terrible sounding idea..but really?

I guess from now on XBox controllers fall under the export restrictions for weapons...

JohnS1111

They forgot the Microsoft USB Wireless Adapter that you need in order to use the USB controller on the PC. :P

Ummm... well, I can see this being useful for military use. But you'd have to be crazy to pay 4 bucks per shot...

NewSpecies

In before someone saying that keyboard and mouse is more affective for an IRL FPS than a 360 controller.

ddhboy

awesome. absolutely awesome. but does it have to look like Nintendo made it? (looks like the wii's grandfather)

@qhue: ummmm are you on crack?

@charles_swann: i was thinking the same thing, the aiming component should be a mouse or something with very precise controls..... not an analog stick.

alright, im taking a deep breath... CRAP! THE BATTERIES ARE DEAD!

mentalboy11

@-Hairball-: And this is coming from someone who almost soley games on PCs.

Let's all just hope that during a critical mission the drone doesn't red ring.

Ignited_Impulse

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: When you think about it, the way in which it would move and that of most machines would probably map better to some sort of joystick. Maybe if the scope moved independently and the gun "caught up with it" but it would require the exact position of the scope to move and be measured extremely accurately which might be hard with all the vibrations and stuff which it would subjected to during flight.

@charles_swann: ok they are not just aiming a gun attached to a helicopter they need to fly the chopper at the same time.

starwind-hawking

@Boom-Chicka-Ah: It's a USB controller...

Shin-san

@Pappzy: they have to fly a helicopter at the same time.

starwind-hawking

@coblenski: $40?

Shin-san

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): they have to fly a helicopter at the same time

starwind-hawking

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: your also controlling the helicopter at the same time.

starwind-hawking

@Mentuss: What a pain in the ARSS

SSUK

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: Dammit, that's what I wanted to say.

FishstickAvenger

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under):

I think bunny hopping MIGHT actually work.
It will make the UAV harder to hit, therefore, it's a win.

Firelance

@coblenski:
Now I'm a Sony fanboy, but this is just dumb.

I wonder how many fanboys clicked on this post thinking it was a 360 controller getting shot by a sniper?

Skyburnbright

@Jonathan Hunt: Your local McD's can kill you for less then a buck.

PsycheE

@Durandal377: Not much I would imagine, those rounds are pretty high velocity so I doubt rotor wash would screw with it that much, especially since this isnt even a full size helicopter. Plus, I doubt this thing is used for super accurate shots, so I would imagine it would be a short shot to begin with.

svenhoek: When In Romero

@Jonathan Hunt: A person's life is far cheaper than that. How much does a hammer cost these days?

@shadydentist:

Haha, so true.

oops. controller battery dies spontaneously without the 360 warning you.

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: Well, as long as the army never has to do a Hadoken or Shoryuken, they'll be fine.

@MooglesInMyFace: HA! Can you imagine if thats how the military started designing its most sensitive weapons.

To launch cruise missile: d, df, f, d, df, f + Launch

To launch Nuclear Strike on China: (d, df, f)x2 + all three Launch buttons

svenhoek: When In Romero

So a person's life is worth $4 now?

Jonathan Hunt

@zackek: I'm getting it all out my system... :( I don't get as many chances to comment anymore *crys... cuts*

@coblenski: as usual, if it were a PS controller, there wouldn't be accusations of payoffs >.>

ithyphallus

@Kyran: Simple... I said simple :)!!! If driving is a mini-game (for example), it's something that's okay for the "Wii's demographics" but is something that I question everyday for the same demographics in "real life". I jest... I jest?

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades:

Nice.

@Mentuss:

+ Watch video

Mentuss

href="#c12551151">okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): @ What?
The Zombies would never allow robots to take the Apocalypse away from them.

hippo24

@coblenski: of i unno, save the tax dollars and go with something already developed?

ithyphallus

they ought to put it on the package of the controllers: US army approved

ithyphallus

@Scotsdale: Well... as long as Peter Moore isn't controlling, we should be okay ;)

However it would give new meaning to "failing (out) a mission".

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades:

I don't think many situations with a drone like this will require a quarter-roll to do a fireball.

Do drones have fireballs...? I dunno.

MooglesInMyFace

@Blorf:
No we'd just win

like everything...

at once...

while on fire...

hippo24

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Yes it is. There's just the fact that there are like 10000 of them playing at once.

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under):

so.. many.. posts.. *asplodez*

zackek

@xarchsagex: I've got you covered!!

@coblenski:

Well Im guessing that its probably familiar to most of the troops, so making it this way could eliminate much of the time needed for the user to become familiar with piloting it.

hippo24

@thetophatmonster: DUDE NO! We need one that IS the proximity mine!!! *head asplodes*

Must... Not... Laugh... At... ARSS.

Mentuss

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: *360 <3

This just furthers my belief that all wars will be fought over Halo in the next 30 years. Mark my words...

svenhoek: When In Romero

@Brad League:

A controller makes more sense if the joystick is actually moving a robotic arm. Mouse and keyboard would just not work unless the robot gun could move very quickly. Imagine playing a FPS where it takes you 10 seconds to do a 180. I would prefer doing that on a joystick... it would be maddening with a mouse.

lanion

@Chances: Can you imagine Biaden delivering those same lines? The press aides would be busy for years fixing that mistake :(

@Brad League:

Yeah but contollers are eaiser to use

*waits for fanboy to make a RROD joke which would make no sense in this case*

Anyway... this is actually pretty cool though...

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: Your comment is full of win.

svenhoek: When In Romero

@Ackers: I think a human will do us in before a robot ever gets the opportunity :( People are fucked up that way :(

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades:

Wtf, i don't want nightvision, i just want to call my UAV in!!!

-

Ah...Good times :)

@killah101: WHY DO PEOPLE MAKE THAT SOUND LIKE AN EXCUSE! I SWEAR IT HAPPENS!!! ;_;

@killah101:
Still safer than firing Hellfire missiles though, no?

Ha ... thank god the US Military is incompetent (controller over keyboard and mouse) or we would all be dead.

charles_swann

@Brad League: Eh, not for everyone.
As far as shooting games go, I'm much better at aiming with a 360 controller than keyboard and mouse.

Zyconis

@shadydentist: I don't know how effective bunny hopping a helicopter would be though ;)

@killah101: For that matter, I want to know how the rotor wash affects the trajectory of the bullet.

I hope they disabled the guide button too

Sucks when that interrupts important shots.

Scotsdale

@Chaotix3: Unfortunately, reality isn't composed of simple mini-games :(

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: hilarious

conko

@coblenski: Another exclusive STOLEN by M$ ;_;

WHY ARE THEY USING A XBOX CONTROLLER! every one knows Mouse and Keyboard are much more accurate!

Brad League

We might do well with the individual mechs, but the Koreans would destroy us with battlefield tactics and overall logistics.

qhue

@coblenski: Yes, because Microsoft saw that the military needed a game pad for their sniping robot and thought "Oh, we need to get them to use ours! Let's pay them! It'll be great self-promotion!"

The 360 controller is great, and whoever the guys were that created this technology probably just enjoyed using it.

ajnewman

Just another step closer to skynet....

Ackers

ZOMG! What if the controller RROD's and the chopper falls on some poor sap checking his mail while listening to music :( I mean the chances of a controller RRODing is pretty high since it's a product made by M$ and it too has a ring of light indicator. It should be free!!!

*places brain back into head*

This is actually pretty cool and backs up my theory that video games are an Army conspiracy to brainwash us males to become trained controllers of kill machines of the future O_o. Still... I will play ;_;

@coblenski: why bother? if it works, it works
and they wont get "playstation-thumbs"

MyBigToe

@coblenski: Why waste the time or resources when a simple thing that already exists does an adequate job?

Burguois, Teabagger of Olde

Sounds good until the helicopter hits a bad wind and makes you miss the shot. :/

killah101

Now all we need is one that can thrown green centred proximity mines!

DUH NAH DA NAH! BLAAANNNGG. (Red flows down screen).

thetophatmonster

When the enemy invents a sniperbot controlled by mouse and keyboard, we are screwed.

shadydentist

@Chaotix3: Waggle to reload, 100 Wii points (1$)

Mactheridon

[www.slashgear.com]

TheXanadu

I think your wrong, I know there are robots and everything in the military that are controlled with 60 controllers, like this one bomb finding robot.

Also, wouldn't a mouse be more effective in this scenario...? Aim bot in this situation could lead to civilian casualties.

Waggle controls anyone?

Chaotix3

One step closer...

Armored mechs controlled by FPSers.

WE WOULD WIN WARS.

I approve greatly of this.

"Senator, I have no doubt that video games and violence go hand-in-hand!"
"And if all goes to plan, it will save American lives!"
"Bolly!"
"Bolly!"

I wonder how much the US military was paid by Microsoft for this?

Surely with their huge budget they could develop something more specialised for the job?

I just hope they never encounter a life or death situation that needs the D-pad.

@charles_swann: You know for having that game "US ARMY Experience" or whatever, you would think they would use keyboard and mouse...

@robbo_the_hood: When I say joysticks, I am of coarse referring to the analog sticks (they're like mini-joysticks, sort of) and when I'm shitting on about independent scope movement I'm talking about using a mouse, sorry if I was a little unclear.

Anyway, the person controlling it will quite removed from the battle, a flat surface won't really be an issue.

@myketuna: Good point, I was thinking more about someone who would have a lot of background in computers but I suppose the actual person flying it probably won't and might a have a tech guy on hand to help him and monitor things.

So now life has a price... 4$ óÒ

@datsunzep: Well, I am fairly sure that the OS on the systems aren't based on Unix...^_^

@charles_swann:
Good luck flying on a wasd and aiming that moves much slower than your mouse can tell it to, which means you have to wait for it to catch up.

@charles_swann: Too awkward for combat, controller fits in your hands, and consider this is the real world where the gun can't move at the speed of light, a mouse's advantage is drastically decreased.

robbo_the_hood

@qhue:
We would get micro-zerg rushed within 10 seconds.

@Blorf: Capcom and the JGSDF already tried that, it was called Tekki.

It didn't do too well in the states though, but it was the only good Xbox game ever made.

Granted, it was just a simulator designed to test the feasibility of using a generation of gamers to pilot bipedal weapons platforms and not actually a system to control them, but it stands as a good example.

TheBakachan

@Pappzy: So much easier to use in fact, that the feasibility of lapping a keyboard and mouse in combat is laughable.

robbo_the_hood

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: You're right. I was watching Future Weapons one day and they were driving some kind of rover thing with a 360 pad. The guy behind the design and the guy driving said it was because most of the troops already know how to use it, and for those who don't it's fairly simple due to all the colored buttons and stuff.

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Unfortunetly they also have the side effect of making us sedentary and often overweight. Oh well, its the trade the military will have to deal with if they want killing machines!

Spenze

@starwind-hawking: People keep saying this but is it inconceivable that 2 people are controlling this thing?

Spenze

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: A controller requires no flat surface and is thus adaptable to more combat scenarios.

robbo_the_hood

@Brad League: The military is full of Xbox fanboys, duh.

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: 360 D-pad. Ironic that we are discussing sniping...

The british army already use the 360 controller for some drones, for 2 years now i think.

joncoffee

Everyone knows that sniping is easier with mouse and keyboard! C'mon, guys.

Zaku-II

Wouldn't it be easier to use a Wiimote, since its basically a point and shoot?

munniec

@[img134.imageshack.us]

@svenhoek: When In Romero:

@-Hairball-: Joystick in the left hand with pedals. Modified mouse in the right with head motion tracking and a scouter for over 9000 shots.

Black-Dog-Howls

@Witzbold: I do not. Clearly the military is console biased. They should have those men train on joysticks with mouse support for aiming!

Black-Dog-Howls

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: Comment of the week!

@weevol:

I think we'd hear "nuclear launch detected"

the future of the FPS!
::jump forward a hundred years to images of "pro gamers" turned into soldiers on the front lines of tomorrow's war::

and you thought the general population on xbox live was bad now...just wait.

@munniec: Think about that.

Saith17

I just hope he doesn't get any lag.

sentroshi

@coblenski: MS is an american company. Compared to sony and nintendo, which are both japanese, I think the military would rather buy American.

dukeaw

@killah101: Blame it on the lag. Then RAGE QUIT!!!

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: you've got my vote for comment of the week

JustOneFix

@Blorf: Not to be rasist or stereotypical, but what if Korea finally realise how to launch a Nuke planned out by all those god-damned Starcraft and Warcraft players? Seriously, the last thing you'll hear is, "Kekekeke! WHAT THE FU--- WOOOOOOAAAARRRGGHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!"

@qhue: Heh, but you have to realize our billions of dollars poured into defense budgets every year means we have waaay deeper tech trees than the Koreans.

Thank goodness the world's factions aren't as balanced as a Blizzard game :P

Once automated soldiers are around, things might get dicey, but if it's more like a bunch of individually controlled robots, it's still closer to an FPS than RTS games.

kagekiri

@Blorf:
For some reason this reminds me of that GitS:SAC2ndGig episode where it starts off with Saito testing out the new assisted targeting system in the Jigibachi helicopter. Except it'll be more impersonal of an interface...

Blah8

@ubermod: Err, except the original advert did not have the hilarious RRoD at the end, obviously. Sorry.

ubermod

" But correct me if I'm wrong, this is the first military asset I've seen (in development) that uses an actual commercially-available game controller."

This might be real, or a mock-up for the advert, but this British Army recruitment advert shows a 360 pad in action.

+ Watch video

As an aside, the current campaign has a very videogamey feel as well
[www.armyjobs.mod.uk]

ubermod

@lanion: actually, you can make the mouse simulate a gamepad, and anyone can get used to it for about 30 minutes. Pixel-perfect precision, keeping max speed of rotation. There's no excuse they didn't write those 30 extra lines of code and spend time training themselves. (I've been pwning for almost two years already at PS3 FPS games with my mouse/kb and custom hardware between PC's LPT and PS3's USB).

@weevol: You seem to be combining things from both North Korea and South Korea into a single, non-existent Korea. So you failed at your attempt of being non "rasist or stereotypical" but succeeded at being non "educated".

MrKlorox

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: this wins comment of the week EASILY

spicyhamster

@reality.exe -console: That's a scary thought... I mean, I guess there WAS Abu Grahib.

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under):

Yes... And yet people still want flying cars... This is because people are stupid.

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: Comment of the week for sure. I really like the feel of the 360 controller too, it just sucks when it comes to the dpad. I have a difficult time with it's location at times too.

@Blorf: Metal Gear Solid 3 had one of its "this is just a game you ass, none of this would work in real life moments" with its resident reality pusher, Sigint. He explains EXACTLY why Mechs would never work.

Besides the issue of balance and other things Sigint brought up, any technology increase that would make Mechs viable could be applied to tanks or other low to the ground vehicles and do a LOT better. The only reason for a mech would be for climbing, and then you'd probably want a SMALL one, not a large one.

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: You, sir, win the interent.

@Edge of Blade: I bet you don't have any Christmas spirit, either

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: well played...

@bobtheduck: but what about if we get invaded by a race of aliens 50m tall? or if a giant bipedal lizard comes out of the ocean? how you gonna fight em hand to hand?

Jotsy

@bobtheduck: holy shit... lol.

@[www.businessweek.com]

docyahoo

ever see the movie Toys? Yeah...

galewind

lol then you get cheaters and hackers in a war and they take over all your vehicles lol.

Oops

But... This would be the armies easiest way of atracting young naive kids into joinging the army
"oh its as easy as playing your video games but in real life"
Sure Sargent, where do I sign up.

Had a couple of English buddies move to the US and within 2 years wanted to joint the army and be in the infantry and all this other bs

Crypysmoker

"But correct me if I'm wrong"

From 2007 - [news.filefront.com]

Spikeles

@JudgeNutmeg is running from his own grenades: that comment sir, is brilliant!

[www.joystiq.com]

Novellion

@Chaotix3: God damn it, I hope they let me use the Classic Controller. Otherwise I'm going to end up accidentally firing when I shift in my chair.

Zorantor

@coblenski:

The US Government is broke, and the military has never had a huge budget. Why on earth spend money to develop something that already exists? Especially considering that by the time they got done, whatever controller they made would probably cost more than a 360 controller.

@datsunzep: They are just taking the gaming concept of death matches to the logical conclusion.

@NewSpecies: Well that's probably the combined cost of operating the helicopter, the signals to and from the helicopter and PC, and yes the bullets itself.

ddhboy

@PureEgo03:
lol @ "the military has never had a huge budget"

Payka

Wrong actually, the 360 controller has been used before for drones. Its been used for awhile since its easier to control them with a 360 controller and requires less training than other control schemes. I heard somewhere about the Wiimote being used but I could be wrong on that one.

SaanZ

I really hope they have separate people manning the guns and flying the chopper. Having played Saints Row 2, trying to do both at once is frustrating :( I think the translation to RL would make it worse.

Kortir

@bobtheduck: Unless you're fighting IN SPACE!

@Black-Dog-Howls: mouse my be more accurate but only if you have a flat surface to put it on.

href="#c12551484">misc.insanity: Lol. I'm a bit of a Sony fanboy too, but I didn't even consider this as a "console war" thing when I wrote it. It does make sense that they would go with something the operaters may have used before and be familiar with, though.

@dukeaw: Thank you, sir, for actually making sense.

is autoaim or crosshair turned on? Or do they have to go to the "game" settings and change that?

I own an army instrument used for sniping...AWESOME!

Great Merol

@xarchsagex: More like Modern Warfare 10

@Spikeles: Those troops aren't wearing U.S. uniforms. I don't know who they are.