Gaming

Logitech have recently released a couple of new high-end gaming controllers that should give them a following in the small-but-dedicated market for simulation games.

Starting with driving, the G27 racing wheel is a force-feedback steering wheel. Actually “steering wheel” doesn’t do it justice, since as well as featuring the obligatory flappy paddles it also comes with:

• A 6 speed gearstick control including a push-down-to-engage reverse gear
• A set of 3 pedals (yes, you get a clutch) in an offset pattern so you can practice your “heel and toe” race driving.

At an RRP of £329 you’ll have to be dedicated to your game though.

Flight simulation is the other genre which benefits from a decent controller. I’ve already talked about the cheap option but if you’re in the market for something a little more realistic the new Flight System G940 should fit the bill.

Comprising the full set of Joystick, twin throttle and rudder pedals this programmable force feedback controller should satisfy the most hardcore jet-jockey.  Logitech have even taken the needs of cockpit builders into account with this one by providing mounting points on the stick and throttle so they can be bolted into a suitable frame.

With an RRP of £259 it’s (slightly) cheaper then the wheel but again, you’ll need to be really into your game to justify the cost.

I’ve been waiting for the best part of a year to post this, but at last it’s official – Kiloo and Manomio have launched a Commodore 64 emulator for the iPhone!

Including 5 free games (Dragons Den, Le Mans, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck and Jack Attack), the emulator faithfully reproduces the graphics and sound of the iconic home computer.

For more information go to c64iphone.com, or just head over to the app store to pick up your own copy for $4.99:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=305504539&mt=8

Officially launching in the UK this weekend just gone, Wii Sports resort is the latest must-have addition to the popular Nintendo console. The buzz is not around the extra games – what’s got people more interested is the “Motion Plus” controller – an addition to the existing wiimote which increases tracking accuracy allowing for more natural control.

The high street seems to have plenty of stock, or you can pick it up from Amazon for a shade under £40.

I picked mine up today, look out for a writeup soon!

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I’ve been thinking about the gaming news announced at E3 this year, with both Microsoft and Sony getting into the motion control arena. There’s no doubt that all the technology on display is impressive but here’s the thing – they’ll never sell any, or not in the current market anyway.

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Not to be outdone by Microsoft’s Project Natal, Sony were also demoing motion control at E3 this year. The Sony offering doesn’t have a name yet but to me “wand” seems like the most appropriate description.

Sony have taken a different tack to MS – rather than have the camera interpret a whole body movement, Sony’s technology uses a physical controller (the aforementioned wand) and a camera to track it. The wand has motion sensors and buttons on it – so far, so Nintendo although it’s tracked with far more accuracy than the Wii manages.

The “gasp” moment in the demo (really, listen out for it) came when they showed the wand magically transforming into a variety of bats and weapons in the players hand.

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The annual games development conference E3 is over for another year and it looks like “motion control” is going to be the next battleground in the console arena. Microsoft and Sony have both announced new control peripherals that take the idea popularised by the Wii to the next level.

Microsoft’s offering is called Project Natal – an odd codename for what looks like a stunning piece of technology. It’s based around a camera that tracks the players motion but the real power is in the processing behind it that allows game characters to mimic the player’s movements in real time – think running, dodging and moving on screen objects around with your own motions.

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OCZ’s Z-drive range of PCI based solid state drives are on pre-order at overclockers.co.uk. The 1TB version will set you back a cool £2600 which makes it not that practical for most of us.

If you need the fastest storage you can buy though, the 500MB/Sec read speed will take some beating!

Naturalpoint’s TrackIR is probably the second most essential flight sim accessory after a good joystick. It’s essentially a camera sensitive to IR light, but it’s not used to take pictures. When you wear a baseball cap with special reflective spots the camera can work out where your head is (in relation to your monitor). Armed with this information the included software can “track” the motion of your head as you look around.

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This cool flight-sim addon made a brief appearance in the form of a “coming soon” press release at least a year ago, if not more than that. Since then we’ve heard nothing but recently it appeared out of nowhere on Saitek’s website.

What you’re looking at is a USB connected 5” colour LCD screen that can replicate the dials and displays in an aircraft. You can choose one of 6 dials to display (Altimeter, artificial horizon etc) and you can plug multiple units in at once if you want the whole cockpit feel.

Out of the box it’s compatible with Flight Simulator X, although it’s programmable so theoretically any flight sim could be made to talk to it (don’t hold your breath though, it depends on the publisher being interested…)

It’ll be available at the end of the month from the Saitek online store for £129.99.

We covered The Games Room company a couple of days ago for those that want to create a classy, stylish nostalgic look in the games room.

If, on the other hand you grew up with Wargames then you’ll probably be more interested in Liberty Games, who’ll exchange some of your heard earned cash for original arcade consoles.

Prices start from around £2000 for a reconditioned Virtua Cop 3 (pictured) but if you want to start your own arcade they can also provide you with motion simulators. Sweet!

Myself, I have slightly smaller ambitions. I like the idea of a 28” widescreen MAME cabinet in the corner…