have you tried............

[Schwan]

I want a new gamepad(currently have the original mic. sidewinder)
I want to know if anybody has tried the gravis xterminator force feedback gamepad. This is a new pad that has real force feedback in it(not just rumble)the first to do this. Im wondering if its worht it. Im also looking at the gravis eliminator aftershock and the logitech cordless wingman rumblepad(cordless) If anybody has any experience with this i would appreciate the feedback!

 

[CZroe]

Gravis makes the absolute worse gaming products in the world! Logitech & Intel suck mighty big balls too. Microsoft makes the best PC pads, but some designer must have his head up some place dark & damp because they keeps making crappy floating/angled D-Pads. The ABSOLUTE UN-QUESTIONABLY BEST PC pad is a N64 pad running through an Adaptoid USB device (NOT the other "N64 + PSX" USB adapters!). LINK
It may be expensive to buy it AND an N64 pad, but you get what you pay for and more IMO. This pad actually has an API for programmers to access the N64 controller's hardwrare directly. Games can be designed for a circular axis instead of running through it's square-conversion Direct Input driver. Emulators can use it's Memory Paks & GB Transfer Pak as well as Rumble Paks (And yes, the Direct Input driver makes use of the Rumble Pak for PC games too). It's D-Pad is simply the best in the industry: Entirely unmatched. It's button layout it perfect for fighting games with six face buttons, multi-axis games with buttons capable of being a second D-Pad & the analog joystick, action games with it's 2 large face buttons & accessible shoulder buttons, and just about anything else.

I use it for EVERYTHING (Despite my extensive collection of "everything-Sidewinder" and more): Racing, flying, fighting, puzzle, action, RPG, etc. Well, you'd be insane to consider using anything but a Mouse & Keyboard for a first-person shooter, but if you HAD to use a gamepad, this would be it!

Belkin's new entry into the market is pitiful and laughable!

 

[Schwan]

hmmmmmmmm interesting

 

[Schwan]

anyone else?

 

[fade2black]

Thrustmaster has a force-feedback gamepad called Firestorm (there is a non-force-feedback version too called firestorm so be careful). This pad looks good, and has some good reviews.

It's available at my local fry's for $29. Since I've developed a habit of not paying retail for anything (from the hotdeals forum), I'm waiting for the price to drop ...

 

[Vinny N]

heh, I really wish there was an SNES -> USB/Gameport adapter...

I still consider the d-pad on the Capcom Soldier Pad to be the best I've ever used...

The N64 d-pad was nice, but I was SEVERELY annoyed to find that I had to use the mini joystick in some games.

 

[CZroe]

Whoa! You have the Capcom Pad Soldier? I used to have one of those!
It totally kicked ass for fighting games, and even platformers like DKC.

I have been looking for one ever since I sold my original SNES years ago, and was thrilled to find the Japanese version on eBay.
However, it is WAY smaller than the US version and doesn't fit well in my hands. Either that, or my hands have grown a LOT since I last used this controller.
I have since seen the Japanese version on eBay several times, and the US version only with expensive game/system bundle auctions.
I have been looking for someone with the US version of this controller so I can confirm that mine is really different, do you have a digital camera?
Maybe you can hold it next to a regular SNES pad so that I can compare the size.

Are you willing to sell it?

Edit: Maybe trade for the Jap version with packaging? (I still have my US controller packaging also)
It had a great D-Pad, but it's still not the best simply because you cannot grip the pad its-self (The pistol-grip is comfortable though!).

 

[CZroe]

BTW, with the Adaptoid N64-to-USB adapter, you can swap axes between the pad (four buttons) and the stick (x/y axes) mid-game. The stick will even emulate the four D-pad 'buttons' for each direction when you swap axes!

To swap the axis mid-game:
Hold L and R and press Up 3 times on either the axis or the pad (whichever one you are switching to)

To adjust rumble sensitivity mid-game:
Hold L, R, and the Z trigger, then press Start.
The controller will begin shaking (if you have a rumble pak)
Move the analog stick up and down to adjust, press any button when you reach the desired level of intensity.

Pretty cool