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Message started by †Adonael on 04/12/15 at 13:52:51

Title: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 04/12/15 at 13:52:51
1) Dremel
2) ^ bit set
3) Metal File with multiple grits.
4) Safety glasses
5) Tool box
6) Presison screwdriver set.
7)Star bucks java coffee fridge thing? Frappe? Whatever gay name.
8) 4 monsters.
9) Denny's.

Love it when a plan comes together.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Skywalker on 04/13/15 at 13:30:44
That's cool. Reminds me I have a set of 'battle cars' that I've been keeping around. I believe they came from a dollar store back from when TMX came out and car combat was having it's time in the sun. They have lame rubber guns on them and awful paint jobs. I always wanted to get real looking stuff from war planes or something and do some scale model work.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 05/07/15 at 21:46:06
1) Opted out Rum for a strawberry shake and two burritos.

About it lately. Trying to save some money for my baby that will be here in 9 months.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 01/03/16 at 19:28:25
Taco bell
Shit paper
Body wash
Your mom
Non slip shoes
Black slacks
Your sister

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 01/22/16 at 23:27:32
Wood. Lots of wood. Fucking furnace.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/23/16 at 18:28:12
Bought one of those fancy X-box Elite controllers. Actually pretty damn impressive. Mouse and Keyboard are still superior. But the little back paddles are awesome for games that constantly force you to let go of the right analog stick to do basic shit like jumping.

I also like the little modular pieces all attach magnetically, it doesn't have a built in proprietary battery, and the build quality feels pretty solid. Good to see a high end gaming peripheral that isn't a scam.

It'd be nice if they made a high end mouse and keyboard like this. But all the expensive shit in that category is just trumped up crap with a bunch of buzzwords thrown in. When it's really just the same plastic shit with a different coat of paint for the most part.

I mean a 10 button mouse sounds good in theory but if your macro is that shitty all the buttons in the world aren't going to save your ass.

I'd just like a mouse and keyboard with steel construction and high grade parts that aren't just "cherry keys". Something I can invest in and never have to worry about replacing.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 01/24/16 at 01:08:42
I bought a twenty five dollar joypad made for pc and the sticks were garbage. All the fine tuning in the world couldn't get that dead zone any smaller.

Forgot the name of the company and the pad in general but it was pure garbage. If it isn't  Logitech, Microsoft or sorta Sony usually they blow pretty bad when it comes to pc gaming.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/24/16 at 02:21:52
Logitech is weird. I bought a $40 mouse from them that barely lived for a month. But the keyboard I'm using right now is from a $20 wireless KB/Mouse combo and I've abused the fuck out of it, but it still works perfectly after 6 years.

Made the plunge and bought a Razor brand mouse awhile back. It's nice and does the job. But it's just a regular old mouse. Anyone who buys this shit thinking it'll give them a competitive edge is a dumbass. I just want something that'll work. It's fulfilled that need at least. The cheapo Logitech would work just as well if it had thumb buttons.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 01/24/16 at 03:51:28
I use to rock some UT with my 10 dollar laser mouse. Those competitive mouses are just money grabs like you said.

I'd like a new keyboard though, my cheapo died. It lasted 4-5 some odd years of abuse though. 2012 is when I got it so I got my five dollars worth.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/24/16 at 11:06:16
Yeah the "gamer grade" shit is 99% crap that costs twice as much. Though if it means getting at the very least a durable product I'll take it. A Logitech can last forever but if you get a bad one it ends up costing you the same as the overpriced shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA8fyHm-nzU

Pulled this off on the shitty $20 keyboard/mouse combo pack.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 01/28/16 at 20:58:40
Steel series is what that shitty controller is called.  They claim its made for gamers and comfortable. It's none of these.

I honestly didn't buy it because of the buzz words, I bought it because it was the only pc controller I could find at the time.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/29/16 at 02:58:47
That is why I just buy Microsoft controllers now. Razor makes a controller with rear paddles but I heard a couple people saying the analog sticks are cheap. Fuck that. If it's more than $40 at the very least the analog sticks should be decent.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 01/29/16 at 04:43:56
I was going to buy an Xbox One Elite controller back when they first came out but decided to wait until after christmas or the first of the year. Little did I know they would become such a hot item that couldn't be found anywhere (though part of me suspects MS is just holding back releasing them to make them seem like way more of a hardcore item) but either way everyone raves about them and since I can use it with Xbox One and PC games as well I think I may buy one soon.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/29/16 at 06:45:26
The rear paddles are the best feature. I could see them being a straight up advantage on games like Halo since you could jump without letting go of the right stick. It'll give you an advantage in any game that makes you let go of the right stick for ABXY. Plus no more reliance on L3 and R3.

The hair triggers are a nice touch along with the adjustable sticks. But they aren't going to give you any real advantage. It's just a nice little luxury. Makes it more comfortable to use depending on your preferences.

The Dpad and Analog sticks however are a real step up. It's not so much the adjustability than it is the better build quality. I can play a fighting game with the D Pad and not get accidental diagonal presses. The deadzone on the analog sticks have a smoother transition. It's not a replacement for being good at a game. But it does reduce input errors.

It's also nice that it stores 2 potential settings. The one downside is that the paddles can only be mapped to buttons already on the controller. So even connected to a PC you can't rebind them to get 4 extra buttons. They just work as duplicate buttons.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 01/29/16 at 14:41:33
My first thought on the back paddles was oh man I hope I can use those as extra buttons on PC games but yeah I heard a while back that wasn't possible so I was a little bummed about that as that alone would have made this a must buy controller.

The only thing I worry about is how long this thing will hold up. Not that I necessarily break or completely wear down my controllers but I typically buy a new Xbox One controller every 6-9 months because I like having a fresh responsive controller so if I get hooked on the Elite that is going to be expensive buying another one later on down the line even if the thing lasts longer than a standard controller.

Can you just put in a standard Xbox One play and charge battery pack into this thing or how does the battery thing work?

I'm curious to try out the different sticks. Some people swear by the ones that are slightly more raised than the normal sticks.

Well amazon says they will have some more in stock next week finally so SOLD!

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/29/16 at 15:59:41
Can't vouch for how much longer the sticks will remain as they should. But they do use metal for the analogs and the controller is reasonably heavy. Seems like it would be compatible with a standard Xbone battery pack too. Or AA's if they stop manufacturing the batteries.

If it lasts as long as my 360 pad i'll be fine. Though I admit going from that to this was a huge world of difference. Never realized how much that 360 pads analog sticks fought me.

If all else fails i'll just be happy I have a controller with a serious D Pad and none of that PS4/360 crap.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 01/29/16 at 16:36:49
I splurge on a lot of things for gaming but almost never on the audio side of things so I decided I wanted a surround sound set up last year but didn't really want to spend a ton on one. I had been interested in maybe trying a sound bar also, especially since I didn't really want to have to set up two to four wired speakers all around my gaming room as I already have enough fucking cords I need to hide and maintain.

Thankfully Kotaku ran an article of the best sound bars last year voted on by the community and one of the most popular choices was the "VIZIO S4251w-B4 38" 5.1-Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Rear Satellite". It goes on sale periodically so I picked one up during Black Friday and its totally one of the best things I bought last year.

I typically don't like anything Vizio so I was a bit skeptical but it was so highly reviewed online that I felt confident in getting it. For the price it sounds amazing. What I like best is the wireless subwoofer though the rear speakers still need to be connected to it with wires. I know its probably not as amazing as a high end surround sound system so I'm sure some audiophiles out there might look down on it but as far as bang for your buck I can't imagine getting much better sound quality without paying an arm and a leg.

It retails around 300 but I payed 170 for mine on amazon (Walmart was selling it yesterday for 120 though its sold out now). Anyway just thought I'd throw that out there as something I recommend if you want to upgrade your sound experience a bit without shelling out a ton of cash.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by NightShade on 01/29/16 at 19:28:28

XIZOR wrote on 01/29/16 at 16:36:49:
I splurge on a lot of things for gaming but almost never on the audio side of things so I decided I wanted a surround sound set up last year but didn't really want to spend a ton on one. I had been interested in maybe trying a sound bar also, especially since I didn't really want to have to set up two to four wired speakers all around my gaming room as I already have enough fucking cords I need to hide and maintain.

Thankfully Kotaku ran an article of the best sound bars last year voted on by the community and one of the most popular choices was the "VIZIO S4251w-B4 38" 5.1-Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Rear Satellite". It goes on sale periodically so I picked one up during Black Friday and its totally one of the best things I bought last year.

I typically don't like anything Vizio so I was a bit skeptical but it was so highly reviewed online that I felt confident in getting it. For the price it sounds amazing. What I like best is the wireless subwoofer though the rear speakers still need to be connected to it with wires. I know its probably not as amazing as a high end surround sound system so I'm sure some audiophiles out there might look down on it but as far as bang for your buck I can't imagine getting much better sound quality without paying an arm and a leg.

It retails around 300 but I payed 170 for mine on amazon (Walmart was selling it yesterday for 120 though its sold out now). Anyway just thought I'd throw that out there as something I recommend if you want to upgrade your sound experience a bit without shelling out a ton of cash.


Here's a strategy for getting dirt cheap audio stuff:

Be me.

I work at the parent company of loads of major audio brands, and they have an employee store that offers most everything at 50-90% off for employees. I bought a super high end 7.1 setup with front speakers almost as tall as I am. It's ridiculous and awesome.

Suck it.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 01/29/16 at 21:45:21
So the question now is what can I get you to buy for me?

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 01/30/16 at 00:47:20
Mileage may vary per state. But if you form an LLC and produce gaming content or have a business that uses electronics. You can write off pretty much all your electronic expenses on your taxes.

It's not 90% off. But it saved me a shit load of money on microphones, preamps, cables, and PC hardware.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Magnum on 01/30/16 at 13:00:07

NightShade wrote on 01/29/16 at 19:28:28:
Here's a strategy for getting dirt cheap audio stuff:

Be me.

I work at the parent company of loads of major audio brands, and they have an employee store that offers most everything at 50-90% off for employees. I bought a super high end 7.1 setup with front speakers almost as tall as I am. It's ridiculous and awesome.

Suck it.


Well shit. Look at this guy.

If we throw money at you, would you totally not rape us and become an underground "Amazon?"

Just think about it. You could make a golden throne and everything! 

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 01/30/16 at 22:46:37

Magnum wrote on 01/30/16 at 13:00:07:
Well shit. Look at this guy.

If we throw money at you, would you totally not rape us and become an underground "Amazon?"

Just think about it. You could make a golden throne and everything! 


I'm down for this.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/01/16 at 13:42:49
Haha might give Nightshade a break on that. I'd be surprised if they didn't track purchases to make sure their employees don't start reselling discounted equipment for a profit.

But if they aren't. He should totally start his own store.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 02/04/16 at 01:52:59
Got my Elite controller yesterday. I'm not sure if I just built this thing up so much in my head as being a literal game changer or whether I just haven't spent enough time with it or figured out how to properly get the most potential out of it for what I do currently in gaming but I'm definitely having a bit of buyers remorse right now.

The controller really is great overall, so I have no problems with how its built or how it feels but I think I might have made a slight misjudgement on how it would feel or benefit me to use this controller, particularly the paddles, given how I tent to hold and use a standard controller. See, I typically play with my index fingers on the bumpers and my middle fingers on the triggers meaning that in order to use all four paddles I'd need to use my ring finger and pinky finger for those which makes my hands feel all cramped on the controller. I've tried just using my index fingers for all bumpers and triggers as I imagine that's how most normal people play and who this controller was designed for, but then that is just reteaching myself how to do the basics on top of all these new layers with the paddles. Not to mention its way too easy to hit the paddles accidentally when playing or if you just set the controller down for a second.

I definitely don't care for the convex thumbsticks so those won't ever be coming back out of the case. I'm not sure what kind of gamer uses those but more power to ya. I'm trying to play around with the longer sticks as some people swear by those but so far I'm not feeling it (though I still want to try) so I'm stuck only liking the standard thumb stick attachments found on any Xbox One controller for now.

I don't really play fighting games so the new d-pad is just whatever. The dish style is neat but so far I don't think its going to help me in any meaningful way in the games I play. I also don't do manual transmission when I play racing games so the back paddles won't benefit me there either.

The real litmus test was trying out all the bells and whistles in Destiny. I like the idea of being able to jump, switch weapons, and reload without taking my thumbs off the sticks, but unless I'm some esports MLG pro who needs the fastest reaction time possible, it doesn't feel like any of these shortcuts or enhancements are going to fundamentally change or improve my playing, especially since I'd need to rewire my brain to get use to playing that way. I know that the Elite is in fact geared towards competitive gamers so I suppose I just didn't really think this one through considering that lots of other people who also aren't super competitive gamers highly recommended this controller.

When I plugged it into my PC it wouldn't auto download the drivers so I had to go find them. Minor annoyance. Not sure if there is a way to customize your controller on the PC if you don't have Windows 10 but I haven't looked into it yet. It seemed to just carry over the config I made on my Xbox One.

I like that you can customize the button mapping and sensitivity of the sticks and triggers but its hard to really tell where the sweet spot is with any given game when you start playing around with different combinations of all the elements. Even though its easy to set all that up its almost too much choice when it'd be easier to just plug and play with a standard controller and default settings. I feel like most developers tune their games to feel good enough when playing so I'm not sure this extra meta level of customization, especially if you need to change it for multiple games, is really worth the time.

I still plan on using this thing over the next couple days since I'll have some time to really game, but my initial impressions are that this controller, while great, might not be for me. If anything I'll just end up using this thing like a standard controller....a really expensive one, but I'll check back after a few days and see if I still feel the same.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/04/16 at 03:13:10
Yeah the paddles aren't for everyone. The way I use them is that I hold the controller less with my fingers, and more with the palms of my hands. Particularly that little sliver of meat below the pinky fingers on the outside rim of the palm. Since the controller is heavy, gravity does a little bit of the work for you. Also the "diamond grip" comes into play there. Took me awhile to get a good balance for that. But right now I have no problems hitting all the triggers and paddles.

Works beautifully for air based movement. I can rotate and ascend/descend without letting go of the sticks. Which as much as a love the mouse and keyboard. Spiraling around trying to outflank someone in an air combat game with a mouse is frustrating as hell. But being 2 buttons short of being able to rotate and ascend was worse. That is the key reason I'm into this controller so much.

I wouldn't try and sell it as a game changer though. Unless you play 6 degree of freedom flight games. Or play competitively to the point that letting go of the sticks does put you at a disadvantage.

I agree the dome sticks are pretty much worthless. I'm going to go Frankenstein on those with third party mods and see if I can't make them useful for something.

The longsticks are pretty nice for precision. But overall it's not going to make a huge difference if you're good at the game you are using them for. It's just a nice little comfort

As of right now you have to have Windows 10 to really alter the controller on the PC. Personally I like the adjustments you can make. I keep the deadzone wide for twin stick shooters, and narrow for air combat or racing games. Fast presses for games that don't need analog triggers. Long presses on games that do. Reminds me of older PC gamepads that had software like that. All of them should let you do that.

I wish I knew more about the internals. If the analog guts are just regular old X-bone components that would be disappointing.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 02/04/16 at 04:34:54
I guess the question is what games are you using the Elite controller for since I imagine that is part of whether or not a person will find this controller worth the money or not?

Since I don't really play much Halo these days I feel like that is where this controller would really shine for me if I got used to it. Other than that Destiny is the only other FPS I would play competitively but even then I'd still need to get used to a new control scheme after 1700 hours of play.

I did have a friend who said he used the longer attachment on the right stick only for the precision and the normal stick on the left. But again, there is so much experimentation that I feel like I don't even have time to get that meta with all this shit. Either I can play an FPS game with a controller or mouse and keyboard effectively or I can't. I don't see a slight variation to the controller method worthwhile when I've already spent thousands of hours using and honing in on my skills and muscle memory with the standard 360/XB1/PS4 controllers.

Other than that I'm mostly playing a bunch of single player games where precision controls aren't going to benefit me in any way though I think the controls in Rise of the Tomb Raider both on Xbox One and PC could use a bit of tweaking to feel completely solid though the frame rate on PC definitely alleviates a bit of that.

It's still a god damn shame that you can't completely customize the controller, especially the paddles, on PC. That alone would make this worth the investment for me.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/04/16 at 06:01:55
Yeah it's not going to be a huge game changer for most. Like I said I mainly bought it for games like Decent, Elite Dangerous, Sky Rouge, Strike Vector, and Sublevel Zero. Flight based games in general, where not having to let go of the sticks gives you a tactical edge. Since there isn't a delay in my motion when I fire off flares or swap weapons. Or when I want to rotate or ascend I'm not locked out of using the left or right stick.

There are some twin stick shooters it helps for. But those are pretty few and far between. I agree it's a real shame the paddles aren't mapped as unique buttons. Because there are some games like Running With Rifles that have one too many commands for a regular controller to work well with, but it's still a twin stick shooter which always play better with a dual analog setup.

Thinking about investing in one of those foot boards just for extra commands. I have no issues with KB/M games. But there are quite a few niche games I really love that would work so much better on a dual analog setup. But the current configurations are always short a few buttons.

Thankfully the Elite does help me out a bunch for games that don't fill out the X-bone pad. But do work better when I don't need to let go of the sticks. That is pretty much my entire motivation behind buying it.

Razor makes a gamepad with rear paddles that can be uniquely mapped. But the controller build looks kind of shitty to be honest. At least with the Elite it seems like it'll last a long time and the analog sticks won't shit out after a year.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 02/04/16 at 17:26:35
"Since the controller is heavy, gravity does a little bit of the work for you."

I don't know. I played with it all last night and personally I think the weight of the controller acts against it. Its not like its super heavy but I think a lighter controller would make a difference. Needing to properly hold such a meaty controller makes it far easier to accidentally hit the paddles when you don't want to because you can't get a firm grip with your fingers.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 02/05/16 at 02:54:22
I actually gutted the vibration function out of my pc controller because it felt too heavy and off balance. I'm picky?

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/05/16 at 04:23:53
It all falls down to personal taste at the end of the day. For example I don't like the analog sticks on the PS4 controller. The concave design on the 360 works great for me. But something about the material or the way the PS4 sticks are designed feels very slippery to me.

That is another great feature of the Elite controller. I do like how the sticks have a very fine tread to them. No thumb slipping. But we'll see how long that shit lasts after a year of play. Hopefully the material is durable enough for it to retain some degree of grip after a few years of heavy use.

It'd also be nice if they sold replacement sticks. What I'd really love is a fully modular controller that I could easily replace anything on. That way I'm not constantly buying new controllers and I can just order the parts I need to repair them. Hell even stockpile replacement parts, so when the controller is out of production I can still enjoy it.

Arcade sticks have that going on. You can get premium rings and button parts. They have sort of a standard going for the good sticks that let you replace just about everything. Though honestly that kind of thing is a luxury unless you're a genuinely top tier player and can actually react to things in less than 10ms.

Reminds me of people bringing out their fancy $500 arcade sticks to fighting tournaments and getting their shit blown away by people rocking X-box 360 controllers. Unless you are straight up missing buttons that you need. All that matters is how comfortable the controller is for 99.9% of players.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/16/16 at 17:35:40
Bought a steam controller since it was on discount for people who bought X-Com 2. It's an odd one. Totally not a replacement for the Elite. But after spending a few days training my self to use it. I actually enjoy it. But it has very limited uses.

While the trackpads by themselves are okay for FPS games. When you use the trackpads in unison with the motion controls. It's way more accurate than twin sticks when it comes to shooters. The problem with that is, if you play any PC shooters without a KB/M you're at an automatic disadvantage. So I'd only ever use it for that if i feel like playing a single player FPS on my laptop. Which isn't very often.

Tried playing an RTS with it and that was a nightmare. It's nowhere near fast enough with the trackpad alone to play on a competitive level. Not even if I spent months training with it. You need a keyboard for macro's.

Played X-Com 2 with it because no other controllers work with it. Which is probably intentional so they could push these things. It actually does work really well with turn based games. However it's still not as fast as a mouse, and a regular controller would work just as fine. But i do enjoy the trackpads as far as comfort goes.

Played some Hearthstone with it. Actually works really fucking good for that game. So i'll give the controller some credit there. If you want to play Hearthstone on your couch and not on a mobile device. This controller works well for that.

Did some 6 degree of freedom shooters. Performed pretty well there. While i still prefer the elite. I do like that the rear paddles can be mapped as their own unique buttons. Also since those games tend to limit how fast you can look around. The ability to make a fast movement on the track pad and have it continually scroll is useful in some situations. If i trained my self with this controller enough it might be better than the Elite for this game genre.

Also for fun i used the trackpads on a few MAME roms for arcades that actually used trackballs for gameplay. Worked perfect for those. So if you feel like playing an old games that used those. This is probably the best controller for that outside of just buying a trackball mouse off ebay for $10. Was pretty fun playing Marble Madness with it.

It's not to shabby for navigating windows and the internet. Not a solid replacement for a mouse when doing stuff like video and audio editing. But for just browsing the web and moving around files it's surprisingly good.

Overall i couldn't recommend this thing unless you just want to experiment with a different type of controller. The trackpads are more accurate than analog sticks, though they take a lot getting used to. It feels like it'll last a long time. But we've been trained to use a mouse and dual analogs for so long. Most people aren't going to get much of an advantage from the trackpads.

The haptic feedback is interesting. No games i own really use it for anything.

The lack of a real D Pad is a disadvantage. The fact it doesn't have dual analog sticks again is a disadvantage. If it had both of those features, and they were organized properly on the controller. I'd probably like it more than the Elite.

I want this thing to be useful. But for as much as i like it. It's sort of a novelty. I'm not sure what Valve was thinking with this. They'll probably scrap it and either drop the concept entirely. Or make a version with dual analog.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 02/25/16 at 07:13:00
I thought about trying the Steam controller but I'm glad I held off since not many people seem hot on it. I'm sure you could figure out ways to customize the controller to really work well with certain genres or types of games, but at the end of the day I feel like why bother trying to learn yet another controller or input scheme at this point in our gaming lives when we have thousands of hours of experience with keyboards and mice and a variety of controllers that fill all other necessary gaming needs. I appreciate Valve trying something new but I see no reason to rewire your brain and tweak and reconfigure yet another input device to feel acceptable when it will most likely just feel forced and not really add anything overall to your gaming experience. Only way I'd buy a Steam controller is if I could get it super cheap and even then it would probably just be to satisfy the tech junkie inside me that likes fucking around with new devices and not because I'd actually use it.

Having said all that, I will however totally buy something stupid purely for vanity reasons. Case in point my recent purchase of the Corsair Gaming Strafe RGB Mechanical Keyboard. I've only ever used whatever shitty keyboards I could find lying around for my PCs so I was curious what a quality keyboard would feel like for gaming and everyday use compared to the packed in one I always get when I buy a new PC. To be perfectly honestly, from what I can tell at the end of the day a keyboard is a keyboard but I will say that this one feels like a proper serious user peripheral, even if overall its not that different from anything else. I do like the feel of the keys since they have a slight resistance to them making it so that you rarely push keys completely by accident and this particular model is a bit more silent than most high end mechanical gaming keyboards so while I still get that satisfying clicking sound it isn't so loud that its annoying. When playing games where you aren't necessarily hammering on keys like you are when typing it seems even less audible.

But let's be truthful here, when you add in all the fully customize-able RBG lights which can be programmed and tweaked to a stupid level of detail, then you've sold me on it. After all, I like feeling like I have a boss set up, and I take pride in how my setup looks overall as I slowly make it better piece by piece, so when I can customize and program complex color scheme profiles to fit my mood, match my desktop or set up, or just look fucking dope, then I'm willing to spend a bit more for cool peripherals like this.

So far the software is pretty easy to use but it is a bit overwhelming trying to program and create your own personal keyboard light shows. Thankfully, like anything else in life, there are other people out there putting in the hard work and so you can download other people's profiles and import them into your keyboard. I haven't gotten too deep into this yet as right off the bat I found a Star Wars one that is pretty rad. Here is what it looks like as an example of what is possible with this device:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc9iO-CuEaU

Honestly between the 150 I spent on the Xbox Elite and about the same for the Corsair keyboard I feel like I'll get more enjoyment and use out of the keyboard. If you go for some less extravagant lighting effects while playing games its honestly not as distracting as I thought it would be and can actually help you spot those random keys that you need to hit sometimes since all the keys are backlit. 

Next up will be a vanity gaming mouse because why not. I'm curious to see what a mouse designed for gaming could feel like...as long as there are shiny flashing lights to go along with the other flashing lights I own.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/25/16 at 14:26:01
Yeah I would pass on the steam controller. I'm glad I have it. It'll be an interesting little piece of gaming history when they inevitably stop producing them. I still use it once in awhile. Sometimes just to browse the internet without hunching over a desk or using a wireless mouse on my tittys. But outside of X-Com 2 which supports no other controllers for some stupid reason, and Hearthstone which it works very well in. There aren't many other games I boot up and think "Oh damn better get the Steam controller out!".

It's stuck in a weird place between Dual Analog and KB/M. It's not as good as either of those designs. But there are a couple of rare exceptions where it's just a little bit better.

I'm really interested in that Corsair keyboard you've bought. I've been looking at the K70 RGB model and it's competitors for awhile now. Been spooked by complaints of faulty LED's. Though I know how that kind of thing goes, every piece of electronics has some kind of failure rate. I imagine the chances of getting a shit one are 1 in 99. The people who bitch are the most vocal.

One of the features I really like about it is that it has full KB Rollover. So if I'm playing RTS and using the Keyboard to move the camera, and assign a hotkey, while doing a quick action. I don't end up having one of those actions dropped due to the keyboard only reading so many keys simultaneously. Not a common problem but sometimes I forget I have that limitation on the cheapo wireless Logitech that I've been using for a decade now. For a $10 keyboard it's been a fucking champion though.

The other thing that piques my interest about that Corsair is that you can rebind any of the keys. So for example say you never use F1, F2, F3, F4, ect.. You can rebind them as a Macro. So I can make "F1" translate to "CTRL + 1". Which means if I want to make an auto assign key for units or buildings in an RTS game. I just gotta punch F1, which is conveniently placed above the 1 key. That sounds like it would actually make a difference in game. Since in RTS being fast is like 50% of the game.

I think the Cherry switches are a bit overhyped. But I've used them before and they do feel better. Though I don't think it's going to be like Sanwa Arcade Stick parts where it can make a difference for those freaks who can react to 1ms of frame data. You buy Corsair and Elite stuff for luxury not to make you better at anything.

Though I do think the functions on that Corsair probably come the closest out of any of the luxury gaming products to providing a tangible advantage. The RGB lighting and other features could be useful too. I'd use the RGB simply to help remember keyboard configurations on games I don't play all the time. Green for Grenade, Red for Reload, Cyan for Climb, Indigo for inventory. That'd be useful. Since I wouldn't be reading the keyboard anymore, just using color logic to separate the keys in my mind.

I wager it'd be like the difference between a Traffic Light that uses RGY, or a traffic light that just says STOP, GO, SLOW in white text.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by XIZOR on 02/25/16 at 15:31:47
I was looking at the K70 as well since it is the top Corsair keyboard of this type but decided to go with the Strafe purely because of the quieter keys and because the white underlay behind the keys I think actually accentuates the RBG lighting and makes it look a little brighter than on the K70, and I'm all about dat keyboard bling. There is the K95 as well but the only difference there is all the extra G-keys for macro stuff which I don't really need. I haven't really gotten into building any macros for this one yet but I rarely need too much of that kind of stuff.

"I think the Cherry switches are a bit overhyped. But I've used them before and they do feel better."

Granted I haven't tested all these blue, red, brown switches myself, but yeah, I can't imagine all these things make that much of a difference but again I do like the way these keys feel versus my old shitty keyboard. As I said you are less likely to push the wrong keys, especially when typing, since they have a bit more resistance. I've noticed that I seem to make far less mistakes when typing stuff like this reply than I normally would on a keyboard that is more sensitive. Purely a vanity plus, but god damn I love any kind of ripple lighting effect when I'm typing as well.

"I'd use the RGB simply to help remember keyboard configurations on games I don't play all the time. Green for Grenade, Red for Reload, Cyan for Climb, Indigo for inventory."

This was my thought process as well. I started building a typical FPS profile but then I realized that would be a bit too general since, while I do use the same basic configuration for most games, that isn't always the case so about halfway through making a standard profile I stopped. I think I might make some profiles purely for certain games at some point though using colors to correlate to actions or just highlight all the individual keys that I'd use for that type of game so I don't have to pause the game and go into the settings to try and remember what is what.

So I've only had this thing a few days but so far I'm pretty happy with it but its hard to really recommend a high end keyboard like this unless you are super serious about gaming with your keyboard, you have disposable income to throw around on luxury items, or you are really stupid like me and just want to buy into the RGB craze and want your setup to and desktop color scheme to match and look fancy with all the lighting effects. I can't say for sure but I don't think this thing is going to give a person any sort of edge in gaming but who knows. The only other positive for spending the money on a quality keyboard I can see is that a good keyboard could last you forever versus a controller that will eventually wear out over time and the only time I stop using a keyboard is if I just feel like its a bit old and dirty (though if you keep it clean that isn't really a problem) and I just feel like I want something new. The only thing you'd really have to worry about going out are the RBG lights, but other than that I don't see myself buying or using another keyboard for many years.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 02/25/16 at 18:17:25
I might go for the Strafe then. I don't see the point of the extra Macro keys on the K90 when you can just reprogram the Function keys. I rarely use those for anything. The one I use most is F9 because that is my default button to enable recording, and I chose that because it's out of the way and it's unlikely for me to accidently press it. Which wouldn't be an issue with cherry keys like you said.

For example who the hell uses F2 for help? Like not just in video games but in editing and art software? If you really need help. Chances are you're bogged down to the point that a hotkey for help is not going to speed things up.

At most i'll use F6 to quicksave. But even then if I'm playing a game that requires a lot of quicksaving. I'll just rebind that to the Z key where I can instinctively tap it without letting go of WASD.

The extra Macro might be useful for hardcore MMO people who could use a complex function macro in order to help them organize a raid. For example cycling through multiple chat lines. Or repeating spell or ability loops. But if you aren't setting up a huge MMO raid it's kind of pointless, and I don't play those anymore they take up too much time.

I suppose I could set the unique macro keys up as alternate hotkeys for the hotkeys I use the most while drawing pixel art and doing video/audio editing. But it's not like I'm in such a hurry to hit "b" for brush that I need instant access to that hotkey. That just seems excessive.

There are plenty of keys to work with that aren't getting used. The real pain is like you mentioned. Setting up all of those different profiles. Cause it's not as easy as just setting up what you think will work good. You have to get used to it. Which means you'll end up changing shit. Which means if you don't use that configuration religiously you'll forget how you reconfigured it.

It'd be good for RTS though. Like I said I never use F1 for anything. So swapping those functions out for "CTRL + 1" for quick binding would save me about 1 second. Which adds up since I have to do that over 60 times a game. A whole minute could actually make a difference in winning or losing.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by Thrillho on 03/11/16 at 17:58:04
The Steam Controller is actually really good for ARPG's like Grim Dawn, Titan Quest, and Diablo. Being able to swap between standard gamepad controls and mouse controls via the touchpad helps a whole lot when it comes to looting and menu navigation. The extra paddles also help in that it actually gives you enough buttons to work with a full range of spells and skills.

The Elite could technically do that. But because the rear paddles are designated as ABXY, and analog sticks are shit for mouse controls. Unless a game has very good dual analog support. Then it's inferior to the steam controller for games that require more unique inputs. Rather than just more pressable inputs.

Also the latest update gives you way more customization in terms of sensitivity and function. Even better people can save and upload their configurations to steam. So for a lot of games I don't even have to create an optimal setup. I just select the one that was voted the highest.

If you want the right touch pad to be a simple D Pad. Easily done. Pretty much every input can be swapped out and altered.

If you want the right pad to work like a scroll wheel and scroll in a clockwise motion. Totally possible. If you prefer vertical, no problem. Horizontal, easily done.

The haptics even work on the analog stick. So you can get the controller to jolt slightly every time an input goes out. Which means if you use the analog as a dpad. You get actual feedback for diagonal and direct presses. Tried it out on a few fighting games and it actually works really well.

Starting to really like this controller.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 03/13/16 at 23:17:09
Bought a new 3DS for the hell of it, A N64 and Dreamcast.

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 06/19/16 at 13:15:00

Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by †Adonael on 12/15/16 at 11:07:49



Title: Re: random shit I bought.
Post by TimMiles752 on 06/09/17 at 12:44:40
Well, I have decided to buy one more video game console. This time it was Xbox One 500 GB. (I am a lifetime PlayStation player)
So far everything is OK, but sometimes it is very laggy and super slow to download games for whatever reason.
I am still trying to work around it and get to know it. Know the little new features that is. It's kind of like a 360, but with more.
In general, I'm good with it.

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