| Get a Real ‘Feel’ for Your Games By
Michael Lafferty If you got a new PC for Christmas, or added to your collection
of software, you may be wondering just how you can enhance your gaming
experience. The answer to that is within your grasp – in a manner
of speaking. Force feedback can give game players a real ‘feel’ for the
action in their favorite game. Want to feel that gun buck a little in a
shooter game? How about feeling the force work against you as you try to
turn that jet fighter? Maybe you’ve already tinkered with the idea of getting
a force-feedback device, but didn’t know that much about them and were
just a little hesitant. To take some of the mystery out of the force feedback
world, Carl Caldareri, Thrustmaster Product Manager of PC
accessories, took
a few moments to answer some questions about the devices and how they work. Question: How do force feedback devices work?
Are there any minimum system requirements if a person wishes to use a force-feedback
device? Caldareri: “Not to get too technical, a force feedback
device is different from a non-FFB device because of its ability to add
sensation to what takes place in a game due to an internal motor that creates
variable effects. To get a FFB device to work, you simply plug in an A/C
adaptor from the peripheral to an electrical outlet with no worries about
getting any shocks. In general, most accessories are easy to install – Thrustmaster
developed its Thrustmapper 3 software with user-friendliness in mind. “Concerning minimum system requirements, this depends
on what peripheral you buy, but you do not need a super system to use a
FFB wheel, joystick or game pad. I recommend knowing your system specifications
and comparing them to the peripheral system requirements usually found
on the back side of the box.” Q: A couple of years ago, the 3D card was creating
waves in the industry, but not a lot of games embraced it (of course, that
is taking into consideration that when the card came out, most the games
being released within a year of that date had been in development for at
least 16 months). Do you see more games incorporating the coding that enable
forced feedback? Caldareri: “Yes, I believe more games will support
force feedback because it provides a different dimension to the game –
realism. Games are appealing more and more to our senses, and force feedback
reinforces this by making us ‘feel’ those collisions and bumps. I think
force feedback will become a norm, yet not in all genres. The effect must
be relevant and appropriate for it to be included in a game. Force feedback
in a racing title played on a racing wheel is more effective and relevant
than on a chess video game.” Q: If a person were to decide to buy a force feedback
device, what device would you recommend and why? Caldareri: “This depends on the interests of the
gamer which can be categorized as such – racing, flight simulation and
other genres. “Racing wheels with force feedback such as the Thrustmaster
Ferrari FFB are great for all racing titles. You can feel all the collisions
and crashes as long as they are supported by the game. Also, the effects
vary by intensity; basically, crashing into a wall will give a stronger
effect than bumping into another car. “For flight games, a new breed of FFB joystick will be
released in 2001, the Thrustmaster Top Gun Afterburner FFB. You can use
the joystick for arcade and space games or you can program complex functions
needed in flight simulation games. “For all game genres, the Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual
Power game pad is ideal for all force feedback supported games. At
$39,99, it makes a really attractive gift because you now have the functionality
of a game pad with added force feedback.” Q: What do you think will be the next breakthrough
in force feedback technology? Where is this heading? Caldareri: “I think this technology is being improved
with each new generation of peripherals by having different effects for
different actions within a game. I believe that we will see a wider variety
of accessories that will have force feedback. Manufacturers will
go beyond the traditional racing wheel, game pad and joystick. This works
well with the idea that we want to provide a more realistic and interactive
gaming experience.” Whether you are a racing fan, scourge of the skies, or
just want to launch into the realm of force feedback, there is something
that you do need to remember. While the industry is taking steps to embrace
the technology in more and more games, not all titles support force feedback.
Check the system requirements on the box of your favorite games to see
what titles do support it. It really does make a difference in the gaming
experience. I have seen people with little or no interest in racing
games become thoroughly addicted when sitting behind a force-feedback wheel.
One player stated that it was like putting the thrill of arcade gaming
in the home, with better graphics and without having to feed quarters into
a machine.
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