I loved Virtual On. I only ever played it at the arcades, usually at marathon four-hour Timezone sessions, but the dual-stick setup did wonders for putting you in the cockpit of your own, giant mechanised combatant. The minute I saw this custom controller for Hawken, all those memories came flooding back.
Apparently the “MEK-FU” was on show at E3 while Hawken was being demoed, but this is the first time I’ve seen anyone mention it. Destructoid reports it plugs in via USB and is fully-programmable, meaning you can make use of it in other games.
It features an entire keyboard, along with so many buttons and switches not even the manufacturer’s CEO could provide an accurate count. There’s also space for a phone or tablet so you can potentially enjoy dual-screen goodness.
“Early next year” was the only release date provided. You won’t need it to play Hawken, but man, I would feel unworthy without it.
E3: Hawken is getting its own ridiculous controller too [Destructoid]
Image: Destructoid
Reminds me of the steel battalion controller.
Ok, this might be the next best thing since the steel battalion 2 controller.
Yeah im sold, hawked looked cool and all but as a heavy gear and mech warrior vet I was skeptical, looked a bit too much like a clunky fps and not like a guy piloting a giant robot if that makes sense, having seen this thing I am so sold!
Hawken is a FPS with a Mech theme, likely that you'd get toasted by others trying to use this.
Ok im definately going to get this. this will be perfect for ARM3 Tank and Chopper controls as well as X Rebirth
You can't help but feel awesome when using something like this. I would love to see it made to control something in the real world. Perhaps a computer + this controller + XBEE + an Arduino robot or something. Please........someone make it lol.
thinking of using this for a quadricopter :)
Oh please do :)
And if you do, make sure you send a video into Kotaku/Giz :D
This looks neat and all, but realize that you WILL get owned by players using the joystick/mouse combo. There is no getting around it. Aiming with the mouse is just far superior. To me Hawken looks more like Quake than classic Mechwarrior. Quick, accurate and precise aiming will be king. It would be like trying to use an Xbox controller to play CoD on the PC. You're handicapping yourself.
Finally something to control the helicopters successfully in GTA IV on PC!!
Nearly enough buttons to play ArmA II.
Sooner or later, someone will probably jury-rigged this to play Virtual On, then I'm definitely in ..!!! ... sad that no one really remembers this gem.
This would be better for Mech Warrior Online then Hawken i think...