Titans Sphere - The Failed 3D Game Controller for PC
video description
This is one of those weird (odd, if you prefer) devices that look like it'd be great if it worked properly and you took the time to get used to it.
Great video as always. I see a new LGR video I click it.
Date: 2024-02-24
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Comments and reviews: 19
BerryTheBnnuy
I had a Space Orb and became extremely proficient with it. Like insanely proficient. Like when they stopped updating the drivers and I was no longer able to use it, I was very sad and swore off FPSs for a while. It was the most high octane controller I've ever used. The shit I could pull off vastly surpassed the normal keyboard and mouse control schemes.
I also tried one of these weirdo controls, it wasn't a Titans Sphere, it was something else that looked like a flight yoke. it sucked ass. When I bought it at Fry's I was told it's the most returned item they sell, and I ended up returning it the very next day. It was intended for FPS games, looked and worked like a flight yoke, made a much better flight yoke than an FPS controller, and it sucked at that.
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I had a Space Orb and became extremely proficient with it. Like insanely proficient. Like when they stopped updating the drivers and I was no longer able to use it, I was very sad and swore off FPSs for a while. It was the most high octane controller I've ever used. The shit I could pull off vastly surpassed the normal keyboard and mouse control schemes.
I also tried one of these weirdo controls, it wasn't a Titans Sphere, it was something else that looked like a flight yoke. it sucked ass. When I bought it at Fry's I was told it's the most returned item they sell, and I ended up returning it the very next day. It was intended for FPS games, looked and worked like a flight yoke, made a much better flight yoke than an FPS controller, and it sucked at that.
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bastien-
The bombastic, overdramatic advertising of the 90s. So antagonistic and hyper competitive, every gaming gimmick was supposed to make you better. Better than the game, better than your friends, better than whoever didn't have the cash to buy the gimmick. Everyone else, including the games themselves, was your enemy. As if everyone in the 90s was plagued with being terrible at video games, and everyone else was laughing at you for it, so the only way to succeed was to buy the thing. It was literally edgy, in that everything proposed to give you the competitive edge.
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The bombastic, overdramatic advertising of the 90s. So antagonistic and hyper competitive, every gaming gimmick was supposed to make you better. Better than the game, better than your friends, better than whoever didn't have the cash to buy the gimmick. Everyone else, including the games themselves, was your enemy. As if everyone in the 90s was plagued with being terrible at video games, and everyone else was laughing at you for it, so the only way to succeed was to buy the thing. It was literally edgy, in that everything proposed to give you the competitive edge.
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bartz0rt928
I can't really think of a way to do simultaneous 6 axis control (without an IMU) that doesn't boil down to just being two joysticks. I feel like that's sort of what they were going for here, but I'd imagine you'd really need solid centering and a fixed base to make it work at all. If you don't fix the base, you have to brace one side against the other so you're basically down to 3 axes again, except it's like holding a joystick sideways by a stick that pokes out the bottom. Baffling design.
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I can't really think of a way to do simultaneous 6 axis control (without an IMU) that doesn't boil down to just being two joysticks. I feel like that's sort of what they were going for here, but I'd imagine you'd really need solid centering and a fixed base to make it work at all. If you don't fix the base, you have to brace one side against the other so you're basically down to 3 axes again, except it's like holding a joystick sideways by a stick that pokes out the bottom. Baffling design.
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-sciencetv
The designer likely knew of video games, but never actually spent much time playing one. Products like this are great. A company puts too much faith in one person but that person only sounds like they know what they're doing. This leaves them unable to cope with issues. In this case, Hey, this thing is a pain to center. Oh, okay I can fix that. We'll just put in a massive dead zone. They didn't know or understand the issue that this would cause.
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The designer likely knew of video games, but never actually spent much time playing one. Products like this are great. A company puts too much faith in one person but that person only sounds like they know what they're doing. This leaves them unable to cope with issues. In this case, Hey, this thing is a pain to center. Oh, okay I can fix that. We'll just put in a massive dead zone. They didn't know or understand the issue that this would cause.
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perry92964
did they really compare that to a microsoft sidewinder 3d joy stick i still use my side winder force feedback. did you ever use the strategic commander from microsoft it was marketed for age of empires but was the greatest fps controller ever, it could even steer a car, fly a plane and control mechs in mechwarrior. when i went to win vista just like that no support. it crippled my gaming skills till i found a z-board
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did they really compare that to a microsoft sidewinder 3d joy stick i still use my side winder force feedback. did you ever use the strategic commander from microsoft it was marketed for age of empires but was the greatest fps controller ever, it could even steer a car, fly a plane and control mechs in mechwarrior. when i went to win vista just like that no support. it crippled my gaming skills till i found a z-board
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deterlanglytone
Honestly, the idea if it had a proper weighted flat base without the sphere portion could've been interesting to see. And of course, you'd need to re-set where those buttons are as well. Basically, if the controller was completely different and, infact, a different product it could've been good.
Something like that Playstation analog controller with the two joysticks.
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Honestly, the idea if it had a proper weighted flat base without the sphere portion could've been interesting to see. And of course, you'd need to re-set where those buttons are as well. Basically, if the controller was completely different and, infact, a different product it could've been good.
Something like that Playstation analog controller with the two joysticks.
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Fazeshyft
4: 15 These sorts of things were around and hard to find back then. In fact, Nyko had a series they called the Shock n' Rock that paired extended rechargable batteries with a beefier grip and rumble support. I got one for my GBC, GBA, and Neo Geo Pocket cause they were that damn awesome. Could be an option for future oddware, though not really PC related.
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4: 15 These sorts of things were around and hard to find back then. In fact, Nyko had a series they called the Shock n' Rock that paired extended rechargable batteries with a beefier grip and rumble support. I got one for my GBC, GBA, and Neo Geo Pocket cause they were that damn awesome. Could be an option for future oddware, though not really PC related.
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FeralRC
Ah, yes. Barberton, Ohio. Known exclusively for their awful fried chicken and failed tech startups. Wright Tool Company makes some of the absolute finest hand tools in the western hemisphere though.
If you see a Barberton native on the street do not argue the quality of their fried chicken with them. It isn't worth your time.
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Ah, yes. Barberton, Ohio. Known exclusively for their awful fried chicken and failed tech startups. Wright Tool Company makes some of the absolute finest hand tools in the western hemisphere though.
If you see a Barberton native on the street do not argue the quality of their fried chicken with them. It isn't worth your time.
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lazygamereviews
It's controllers like these that really hammer home how important a good controller is, and why most of them fall flat. The only controllers that I can think of that deviate from the standard design and have any success are the Wii remote, Wii U gamepad, and the Switch Joycons, and even then, those all have their flaws.
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It's controllers like these that really hammer home how important a good controller is, and why most of them fall flat. The only controllers that I can think of that deviate from the standard design and have any success are the Wii remote, Wii U gamepad, and the Switch Joycons, and even then, those all have their flaws.
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animalhouse8849
Most of the out there new controller concepts almost always came with a list of games they recommend using the controller with. Not having that bare minimum in the box speaks volumes about it. That being said, I miss when companies tried new things and tried to innovate instead of just playing it safe.
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Most of the out there new controller concepts almost always came with a list of games they recommend using the controller with. Not having that bare minimum in the box speaks volumes about it. That being said, I miss when companies tried new things and tried to innovate instead of just playing it safe.
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Riley-nq3tc
Man even with the most peculiar, obtuse and failed Oddware/Accessories you can usually at least see the purpose they meant to serve
But this thing. Form and Function never even met for a quick handshake.
It cant do any of the things you might imagine or hope it would as a SphereX
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Man even with the most peculiar, obtuse and failed Oddware/Accessories you can usually at least see the purpose they meant to serve
But this thing. Form and Function never even met for a quick handshake.
It cant do any of the things you might imagine or hope it would as a SphereX
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vicolin6126
Great, now you got me imagining some weird 90's sitcom about Airforce pilots. The pilot episode (heh) would feature one of the actual pilots trying out a new, experimental, steering apparatus for his F-22.
Queue the Titans Sphere.
Hilarity ensues.
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Great, now you got me imagining some weird 90's sitcom about Airforce pilots. The pilot episode (heh) would feature one of the actual pilots trying out a new, experimental, steering apparatus for his F-22.
Queue the Titans Sphere.
Hilarity ensues.
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MANTISxB
Dude. My dad passed away 2 years ago, but when i was VERY young he bought me this for the PC Game Road Rash. It barely worked, and he got me a joystick for DESCENT soon after.
You just awoke 20 year memories for me. Thank you. Miss you and love you dad.
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Dude. My dad passed away 2 years ago, but when i was VERY young he bought me this for the PC Game Road Rash. It barely worked, and he got me a joystick for DESCENT soon after.
You just awoke 20 year memories for me. Thank you. Miss you and love you dad.
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KairuHakubi
honestly it seems like a decent idea. controller-halves connected to large joysticks that can even discern between strafing and turning. i like the way the buttons are laid out. but there was probably no chance of it being made WELL.
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honestly it seems like a decent idea. controller-halves connected to large joysticks that can even discern between strafing and turning. i like the way the buttons are laid out. but there was probably no chance of it being made WELL.
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erniemiller1953
I remember this coming out. I wanted it badly. Then, I tried a display version.
I got the feeling engineers had great ideas and marketing sold the dreams where manufacturing limited the dreams for cost saving purposes.
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I remember this coming out. I wanted it badly. Then, I tried a display version.
I got the feeling engineers had great ideas and marketing sold the dreams where manufacturing limited the dreams for cost saving purposes.
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nestromo83
I have nothing to add other than the usual awesome friggin' job. but how about that Pharmor shirt That's a pleasant blast from the past. Rented many an NES game from one in Charlotte for the weekends, on the cheap. Good times.
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I have nothing to add other than the usual awesome friggin' job. but how about that Pharmor shirt That's a pleasant blast from the past. Rented many an NES game from one in Charlotte for the weekends, on the cheap. Good times.
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LordOfCrabz
I had one of these as a kid! It didn't work well but we used it for Whacky Wheels and Descent! It just didn't roll easily at all and, if memory serves me right, it split down the middle and that was that. It was cool though.
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I had one of these as a kid! It didn't work well but we used it for Whacky Wheels and Descent! It just didn't roll easily at all and, if memory serves me right, it split down the middle and that was that. It was cool though.
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Metal_Maxine
I just can't see why they needed it to be a baseless sphere. It would be better with suckers on the bottom to hold the thing in place so you can independently move the controllers. It wouldn't be good, just better, maybe.
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I just can't see why they needed it to be a baseless sphere. It would be better with suckers on the bottom to hold the thing in place so you can independently move the controllers. It wouldn't be good, just better, maybe.
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peterzerfass4609
We had one of these at a lab I was working in for testing as a 3D controller in virtual environments. Yes. It was utter crap. Took about an hour to figure out that whatever the problem was: this wasn't the solution.
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We had one of these at a lab I was working in for testing as a 3D controller in virtual environments. Yes. It was utter crap. Took about an hour to figure out that whatever the problem was: this wasn't the solution.
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