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Engadget giveaway: win a PS4 or Xbox One courtesy of Mad Genius Controllers!
There's a new game controller in town and Mad Genius hopes you won't take the news sitting down, because it's all about motion control and expanding the scope of your game beyond the couch. The Mad Genius Controller, which recently launched on Kickstarter, is offering precision motion control that's compatible with any game or console. While it works in normal controller mode, its magnetically connected halves can be split to enable motion tracking features. Aiming guns and bows is said be done with 1/100th inch accuracy and it can translate a player's movement throughout the room to the on-screen character. The device can also be programmed so that certain movements can trigger combos and holster-reaching motions could replace digging into menus to access weapons. Since the Kickstarter is still underway, Mad Genius wanted to prep two lucky Engadget readers for its arrival with a giveaway for two consoles this week. Along with Mad Genius t-shirts, one winner will receive a PS4 Destiny Bundle and the other will get an Xbox One along with Titanfall. To get in on this opportunity, just head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning one of these consoles. Winners: congratulations to Vladimir K. of Davis, CA and Kevin S. of Rosemount, MN.
Mad Genius motion controller takes cover in Halo Anniversary
After redefining archery in Skyrim, the folks behind the Mad Genius prototype motion controller system have produced the above demo highlighting motion controls in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Of particular note is how natural getting into cover looks with Mad Genius around the 4:22 mark – simply step to the side to safety. Mad Genius is a split controller system capable of measuring movement as minute as 1/100th of an inch. The folks behind the tech plan on starting up a Kickstarter campaign soon, presumably to fund mass production of this motion controller or finally start work on that moon base – hey, you never know!
Mad Genius break-apart motion controller is for the serious Skyrim sniper
Split controller designs are nothing new. We've seen them implemented by third parties such as SplitFish and, of course, major players – Nintendo's Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and Sony's PS Move and Navigation Controller. Now, Mad Genius is looking to up the ante with its new break-apart motion controller. Mad Genius says the controller is capable of tracking movements as minute as 1/100 of an inch. A video demonstrates the controller being used in an unmodified version of Skyrim on Xbox 360, tracking the player's body movement to make the character move in the game world. A more practical application is splitting the controller apart to aim and fire a bow in-game. Holding the two halves like a bow and arrow, the game automatically equips and begins aiming the bow. The control is so fine, according to Mad Genius, that players will actually have to hold their breath to steady their shots, lest a tiny movement knock them off target. The motion-tracking system will work with any game on any platform, including even outmoded platforms such as the original PlayStation (though it's not clear how you would actually connect the two together). Mad Genius is planning to launch a Kickstarter to fund the final version of the controller, which will be wireless and, presumably, a bit sleeker.
Mad Genius' Motion Capture System brings Sony's break-apart controller idea to life, and then some
Remember that break-apart DualShock 3 idea for motion control Sony had five years ago? A new company named Mad Genius Controllers has surfaced with a working prototype that shows such a contraption working in spades. The setup uses a splittable controller and a processing unit to enable seamless motion control and spacial tracking on any title and system. Because Mad Genius doesn't use any accelerometers or cameras like the current consoles, its creator notes that accuracy of up to 1/100th of an inch is possible. In a video demo with an Xbox 360 version of Skyrim and a modified Xbox gamepad, certain gestures and movements even automate menu selections like a macro. One instance shows the controller being split and held like bow and arrow, highlighting that both sides are tracked in relation to each other -- not to mention that the in-game character's weapon automatically changes without any menu-digging by the user. The current version is merely a wired proof-of-concept, but Mad Genius plans to eventually make it wireless and hit Kickstarter for funding. In the meantime, you can build up anticipation for yourself by checking out the nearly 10-minute long video demo after the break. All that's left is the inevitable Oculus Rift tie-in (like we've just done with this post).
Final Fantasy XIII petition video is an instant comedy classic
[Update: Apparently this is a video of Kevin Bowen of Something Awful fame (infame?), making us 99.999% sure that it's a joke. Thanks, commenters.]We can't really decide whether or not the ridiculously over-the-top mad genius in this Final Fantasy XIII petition video (some slightly NSFW language) is for real or not. On the one hand, the know-it-all, spittle-flecked delivery and lines like "I personally do not admire this game any more," seem like a satire of every fanboy stereotype in the book. On the other hand, the final few minutes of the video are delivered with such passion ("I don't think you realize how emotionally invested some of your fans are!") that it feels almost real. Regardless of its veracity, the video is an instant comedy classic, intentionally or not. If there's any justice in the world, references to"public sue-de-ku" and "Final Fantasy [making] its final sale" will live on as inside jokes in the gaming community for years to come.
