Razer Hydra motion-sensing controller

Just saw this announcement on Facebook...Razer's coming out with a motion controller for PC called the Hydra. It uses magnetic technology and is supposedly accurate to within one millimeter of position and one degree of rotation. It comes with a base station and two wired controllers, each with a thumb joystick, 4 thumb buttons, a trigger and a bumper button.

Apparently if you pre-order it, you'll get a free copy of Portal 2, along with 6 levels of exclusive DLC that actually requires the Hydra to play because it involves some game mechanics that won't work with a keyboard/mouse or gamepad. You can also buy the DLC separately from the controller, but you won't be able to play it without the Hydra. In addition to Portal 2, it's supposedly compatible with 125 other games right out of the box.

As far as I know, the Hydra is the first of its kind for the PC. It looks neat, although I've never really had any experience with motion controls. And either way I'm sure it'll be too expensive for my blood

If anyone feels like taking a closer look, here's the link: Razer Hydra - PC Gaming Motion Sensing Controllers | Razer | For Gamers. By Gamers.

 

So its basically Wiimote+ or PS Move without the camera remade for PC.

Would be neater if they where wireless, at least its a possibility to get them now.

 

Saw this live at the Gadget Show Live 2011, in Birmingham UK about 2 weeks ago.

It was being demoed by Josh from Sixthsense apparently they are ones behind the technology and and in a partnership with razer in creating the hydra.

This thing is really accurate, and adds another dimension IMO. Sure it's like PS move but since the PC doesn't have anything like it should be interesting. It worked from a decent distance away, and I'm pretty sure that the one he was using was wireless but I wasn't 100% sure.

I didn't get to try it out since Portal 2 wasn't out then and no one was allowed to test it.
Pretty cool, he was able to twist the gun so that you could put portals at 90 degrees to normal, or twist a cube by rotating your hand which you can't really do with a mouse.

Also the link mastershroom posted has some videos of it in action.

 

Yeah, it really makes sense for controllers of this style to be wireless, but apparently they're only wired so far. In the FAQ, it's mentioned that they "have no plans" for a wireless version at the moment, but they also won't rule it out.

 

I think the best of the demos for this that I saw on youtube was the L4D one where you can control melee weapons with the motion of the controller. So it moves where your controller moves, seemingly mapped 1:1. So it's not "make slashing motion" and game makes vague slashing motion. It's "move control top right to bottom left" and the axe on the screen moves the same.

There's also the Portal 2 levels where apparently you take blocks and resize them as needed using the two controllers as if you're grabbing and pinching the sides and stretching them.

I like Razer peripherals, I like Steam, I even like Portal 2, but I'm not convinced by this device. They keep using FPS's to sell it, but we already have superior controls for FPS's. Kb/m are better than this. For console gamers, sure, they don't have kb/m, so this is better than just a controller. PC gamers, though, already have better. Not sure what this brings.

The good news is that if Valve intends to make Steam into a platform alternative to consoles, this is another step in that direction. Price is way too high though.

 

Not interested .. nothing new in there.
And in wired ... ftl

Projector + kinect + wiimote is the only way to go

 

Uhhh it's exactly like the Wii Nunchuck with more buttons; for the PC...

 

For anyone who's interested in getting one, Razer are taking pre-orders now, and they'll ship in June.

Buy Razer Hydra PC Gaming Motion Sensing Controllers | Official Razer? Store

It costs $140, which isn't too bad, at $10 over the Mamba. I was personally expecting closer to $200.

 

Eh not bad price, but I'll be waiting for them to drop to below 100. Or until someone on here gets one and shares the details, and hopefully I can mod my wii remotes to do the same

 

This would totally sit in my closet after a half a week. I remember when I bought the Logitech force feedback mouse and the half a game it supported

 

They made a force feedback mouse?

 

It was ghetto. The mouse is attached to the mousepad.