Ben Heck throws together one-handed Xbox 360 controller, probably with one hand

Ben Heck. Just the mere mention of the name brings chills to the spines of all who mod, and if today’s the first day you’ve ever come into contact with those seven letters, prepare to be changed. Forever. The Great Modder’s latest gig involved the creation of a one-handed Xbox 360 controller, but the catch was that it required completion within a ridiculously short period of time. Essentially, the left analog stick was repositioned to fit on the underside of the controller, enabling the user to operate that with his / her leg while handling the right side of the pad as usual. Check out a video of the admittedly raw looking final product after the break, and feel free to grab some inspiration while you’re there.

[Via HackADay]

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Ben Heck throws together one-handed Xbox 360 controller, probably with one hand originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS3 Motion Controller launching in March?

Is your name “harborneb?” It is? Then you might be out of a job. That’s the name attributed to the author of a Microsoft Word document sitting on SEGA America’s official FTP site at this very moment. The .doc file resides in SEGA’s otherwise benign “news” directory. Now, it’s very possible that the document could have been uploaded in jest as an Internet prank. But assuming it’s real, then these meeting minutes between SEGA and Sony on August 5th reveal quite a few tantalizing details. Chiefly, that Sony will be launching its PS3 motion controller in Japan in March of 2010, Spring elsewhere. There’s also discussion of PlayStation 2 emulation on the PS3 with a note that “SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN (GTA Vice City/Sonic/etc).” Want more? Then hit up the read link and download the document yourself. Else, you’ll just have to hope for news from the Tokyo Game Show kicking off Thursday.

Update: The document has been pulled. We’ve added the full text after the break.

[Via Gamesindustry.biz, thanks DarKlar]

Read [Warning: FTP link]

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PS3 Motion Controller launching in March? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Heck moves PS3 shoulder buttons to the front, spins us right round, baby, right round

Ben Heck moves shoulder buttons to PS3 the front, spins us right round, baby, right round

If you’ve ever wished that those buttons on your videogame controller were over here instead of over there, you know who to call. Master modder Ben Heck’s latest creation isn’t his most amazing, but it fulfills a need for one gamer, that is to “make the shoulder buttons easier to get at.” The result is a somewhat inelegant mod (by Heck’s standards), bringing the L and R buttons to the fore, ditching the “last generation” rumble motors in the process. No loss, right Phil Harrison? Video demonstration after the break.

[Via technabob]

Continue reading Ben Heck moves PS3 shoulder buttons to the front, spins us right round, baby, right round

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Ben Heck moves PS3 shoulder buttons to the front, spins us right round, baby, right round originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DJ Hero controller hands-on faceoff with an SL-1200MK2

Activision was kind enough to send over an early evaluation copy of DJ Hero, and while we haven’t had a chance to dive deeply into the game yet, we thought you might want to see how the controller itself stacks up against one of our Technics SL-1200MK2s. As you might expect, compared to the legendarily tank-like construction of the MK2, the DJ Hero controller looks and feels exactly like the plastic game controller it is, although the wheel itself is nice and weighty and the buttons are pleasantly clicky. We definitely have some doubts about how this is all going to work when actually trying to mix tunes together, but we’re eager to try it out — in the meantime, hit the gallery for the full set of pics.

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DJ Hero controller hands-on faceoff with an SL-1200MK2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 peripherals break cover, reveal pricing

You should already have a pretty good idea of what extra sauce Mad Catz will be bringing to Modern Warfare 2’s November 10 release, but here are some up close and personal snaps of the hardware anyway. Monochromatic camo patterns — all the rage in that war-torn near-future world — are evident throughout and will cost you a cent under $50 for either of the Xbox 360 or PS3 Combat Controllers, the Combat Keyboard or Sniper Mouse, or a cool hundred for the Elite Keyboard with a blood-red backlight. And if you want to spruce up your current hardware, gamepad faceplates and Xbox 360 Skinz will be available for $15 and $30, respectively. Feeling like a badass comes as a free extra.

[Via Joystiq]

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Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 peripherals break cover, reveal pricing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Catz ships $300 Fender Stratocaster Rock Band guitar, disgraces real musicians everywhere

We always knew something like this was a realistic possibility, but we had high hopes that it’d never really come to fruition. Today, what little hope we had left in humanity has been thoroughly crushed, as the introduction of a guitar controller that costs far more than many actual guitars has occurred. In an effort to truly milk the sector for all it’s worth, Mad Catz has begun to ship the sunburst-colored Rock Band Wireless Wooden Fender Stratocaster, which is a 1:1 replica of the iconic axe that is constructed from genuine Stratocaster wooden blanks. Heck, even the tuning keys and bridge are built from genuine Fender metal parts and fittings. There’s also a wireless module designed to function with Microsoft’s Xbox 360, and just so you know you’re getting your money’s worth, the $299.99 asking price also includes a Fender guitar strap and a headset socket for online play. So, who out there is brazen enough to admit that they’re buying one (or two)?

[Via OhGizmo]

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Mad Catz ships $300 Fender Stratocaster Rock Band guitar, disgraces real musicians everywhere originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS3 firmware 3.0 locking out knock-off controllers?

Well, here’s a bit of a curious situation. As Joystiq reports, it wasn’t long after the PS3 firmware 3.0 went live that the first reports of problems started cropping up, with one particularly nagging issue being that some controllers (specifically the CECHZC2H Ceramic White DualShock3) seemed to be locked out of the console once the update was installed. After hashing it out a bit on the official PlayStation3 forum, however, users apparently determined that the controllers in question were in fact knock-offs and not official Sony product, which raises some different but just as interesting questions. Namely, is Sony locking the knock-offs out on purpose, or is firmware 3.0 just too much for them to handle? For its part, Sony doesn’t seem to be saying anything on the matter just yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

[Via Joystiq]

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PS3 firmware 3.0 locking out knock-off controllers? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Heck realigns Xbox 360 pad for improved awesomeness

If you’ve spent any time on Engadget before, you’ll be aware that we’re big fans of Ben Heck and his tireless modding, tweaking and hacking (or is it Hecking?) of console hardware. The latest feather to his cap comes in the form of a customized Xbox 360 controller, which sees its D-pad and action buttons swapping places in an effort to help a handicapped gamer get his proverbial groove on. The trigger buttons are also flipped, but the pièce de résistance is the inclusion of four extra action buttons along the bottom of the controller that make one-handed gaming totally feasible. Check ’em out after the break.

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Ben Heck realigns Xbox 360 pad for improved awesomeness originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameGun going to be ready for retail by Christmas, will be console compatible

Remember that RedneckTechie and his insanely great GameGun idea? Well, he’s back with another “slick” demo video, along with some news for us: he’s putting together a retail version that will be ready by Christmas. The gun will also be compatible with Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and Windows and a plug-and-play device. We’re incredibly short on details, and the pre-order page isn’t live just yet, but if Mr. Redneck can pull this off, we’re gonna fall all over ourselves to nab one no matter what the price is. New vid is after the break.

Continue reading GameGun going to be ready for retail by Christmas, will be console compatible

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GameGun going to be ready for retail by Christmas, will be console compatible originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo KIRFs Nerf with soft football patent attempt

Ready for your daily dose of absurdity? Nintendo has filed for patent protection of yet another inflatable idea, this time throwing up a spongy football accoutrement for your Wiimote. The “ball” has a strap to keep you from actually throwing it, and in-game trajectories are calculated on the basis of the angle and force of your pseudo-throwing motion. If you’re thinking the Wiimote can do all this even without a plush attachment, you’d be right, but then you’d just look silly jumping and juking in front of your TV without a proper accessory in hand.

[Via Joystiq]

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Nintendo KIRFs Nerf with soft football patent attempt originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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