We first got wind of the “Delta Six,” a super-realistic assault-rifle controller for those who like to put the FP into their FPSes, back in October. Predictably, the gun’s purpose and look didn’t play well in mainstream coverage, so it was pulled off the market. Now it’s back, after a successful $US200,000 Kickstarter.
Delta Six is brought to you by David Kotkin of Miami, a teacher who developed the Avenger (the product behind this comprehensively embarrassing shitshow) and was able to retire from his career in education off the money he made. Kotkin correctly noticed the mainstream squeamishness with developing super-realistic gun controllers and figured that was where his next project lay.
Things started out well enough but after this story and others started appearing, the Delta Six found few allies in public. Kotkin told the Miami Herald that the notoriety scared off a public relations firm, “whose owner cited ‘moral reservations,’” and that Arduino, the microcontroller staple of PC and console mods, itself backed away from a partnership because of the potential stink. Originally planned to sell for $US89 with conventional backing, the Delta Six’s May Kickstarter listed $US225 as the unit’s retail price.
If you wondered what the potential stink might be, the Miami Herald contacted our old friend, the disbarred opportunist gasbag Jack Thompson, for his opinion. Thompson ventures that “you’ll probably see legislation at the state or federal level to outlaw this kind of thing for sale to civilians.” OK.
It’s not to say reasonable people don’t have their reservations, too. Even Kotkin’s wife won’t let their 11- and 8-year-old sons play with the Delta Six, but she’s otherwise proud of his inventiveness and accomplishments. “When it comes to the gaming gun, you look at all the violence that’s occurred and it’s really difficult for me to say this is a great idea,” she said.
Speaking as someone who has reviewed three rifle attachments for the PlayStation Move, I don’t think it’s a great idea for other reasons. People keep pushing for more and more realistic gun peripherals, forgetting that it’s actually a less efficient and more physically demanding way to play an FPS. Kotkin’s weapon certainly does look realistic, and aiming down sights by peering through a scope, or reloading by shoving against its clip assembly does sound neat. But once the novelty of these things wear off, you’re still standing in front of your television, using your hands to move your field of vision, and getting shot to pieces by people making smaller and faster motions with their thumbs.
Retired Miami-Dade teacher stirs controversy with realistic video game gun [Miami Herald]
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18 responses to “Ultra-Real Assault Rifle Controller Pushes Ahead Despite Uproar”
This will never see Australian shelves.
Nope. Not likely.
You couldn’t sell something that looked like that even if it wasn’t a controller.
If they wanted to make the end part (is it called a nozzle? Not really a gun person) bright orange or something so it was extra obviously fake then I can’t see any reason you couldn’t sell it here.
Patient Zero/IRL Shooter – the Zombie LARP game – had major headaches getting the guns they use imported due to Aust laws about replica weapons. They had to get them cleared by AFP from memory.
I believe you even have to change the shape of it so it can’t be resprayed to look like it originally did.
Yep, another reason why Airsoft will never be legal here 🙁
This is covered in the kickstarter description, it should probably be mentioned in the article too however.
I wouldn’t get this as a replacement controller for competitive multiplayer, but I would get it for an active immersive experience, together with the Omni, Araig, and Oculus Rift.
When it comes to the violence, I wonder what the difference is between allowing kids to use a normal controller or one that looks like a real gun. Surely the impact is still there regardless.
But as the last paragraph says: like pretty much every other peripheral made for consoles (so a mouse/keyboard combo excluded) I’m not sure if this would be more efficient. In fact I even tried the mouse/keyboard for the PS3 and since it just emulated the sticks, that wasn’t that good either.
A more realistic controller supposedly triggers your imagination more while you game and means you’ll be more prone to act out what’s on the screen. Or that’s what they say, at least. Not ever having used a gun, this does sort of creep me out a little (why copy existing guns when you can just make your own design?), although there are plenty of paintball guns that do the same thing with little consequence, AFAICT
I doubt it would be fun to play a game with that controller anyway, unless it is something like duck hunt, then that is the controler I want…..and I want the ducks to explode when i hit them…..and the dog should show me more respect when I play with a goddamn machine gun!!!!
Looks like a G36C, I feel sorry for those poor ducks.
It shows how irrationally people react to “new” technologies when you see something like this.
I’m not going to lie, my first reaction is that this makes me uncomfortable, like it blurs some kind of invisible line.
At the same time, I ran around with fake toy guns all the time when I was a kid. Pointing them at friends and family members and having pretend shootouts with everyone.
Given how often gun related violence involves a domestic scenario (almost always) it’s hilarious to suggest that using this controller to replicate a shooting scenario in a game could somehow be more harmful than what is normally considered healthy childhood play.
Back in the day, we had cap guns which looked pretty much like regular revolvers – right down to being made out of actual, die-cast metal, and having a dodgy orange bit of plastic on the end which was always swiftly removed. I guess we didn’t realize how we were being traumatized or programmed, which is why we’re all now out there committing killing sprees.
Ohwait.
I don’t care if someone wants to use a controller like that to play a video game (I was one of the boffins who paid money to run that Patient 0 thing last year), but I wouldn’t want this available in Australia unless changes were made to reflect that it was a toy. It is much too realistic as it is.
They have real guns designed especially for kids yet they freak out about this?
America – buy a real gun, get one free and the ammo is thrown in as well. Freedom!
A controller shaped like a gun? Down with this sort of thing!
And god help you if you try to suggest that there should be some sort of restrictions or checks or cooling-off periods in place.
A 1 hour mandatory waiting period for a gun is for some reason a massive violation of the 2nd amendment according to pro gun nut jobs.
He who is disbarred and should not be named, suggests they should pass a law against this toy gun, but real assault rifles are perfectly fine?
I’d rather live in a world where every gamer had some sort of realistic toy Assault Rifle but can’t go buy a real one anytime they feel like it. Gamers with toy guns are not the problem, people with mental health issues and real guns are.
I wouldn’t mind it for light-gun games. That would be pretty neat.
how about laser tag? don’t they emulate the use of firearms as well? the government might as well go ban their use here in australia as well.
Can I buy this in australia?
David Kotkin raised $198,000 through crowd funding – $100,00 more than he was after- and then screwed everyone by not fulfilling pledges and not sending backers their delta Six controller. he is a liar and a ratbag cheat. He should be jailed. Don’t buy this product!
In live in Brisbane, Australia. Saw the Delta Six on-line, had to have one! Bought one and I love it. Because the Delta Six website clearly indicates purchasers outside the US must check their domestic regulations, I contacted Australian Customs. They informed me that I would need a ‘permit to import’ from the Queensland Police Service, otherwise it would be seized as a restricted item upon entry to AUS. Obtained this no problems and emailed DeltaSix asking them to stick a copy of this on the packaging. Had it in hand a few weeks later, I don’t think Customs even opened the box. David Kotkin even autographed it for me. I have thought of buying a few more and selling them in AUS. I checked and I can sell them on to people in most states. From memory I think buyers in Vic & SA need to obtain a ‘permit to acquire’ from their state police service. THE DELTA SIX IS GREAT! I can not recommend it enough, I purchased of 60′ TV screen for game play and look forward to purchasing the Ocullus rift once it’s available.
For all you FPS out there, have good day!