Name:  - Xterminator Force Gamepad
Gravis Description:
The World's First Force Feedback Game Pad
Feel what you see with Xterminator® Force, the first game pad with true force feedback powered by TouchSense. Proportional control D-pad and flippers, ten programmable buttons, and on-click Precision Mode deliver unmatched accuracy and higher scores.
Features
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Feel It - Be fully immersed in your favorite game with the proportional D-pad's force feedback.
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Win It - Two proportional flippers let you accelerate or decelerate - you've got the control you need to win.
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Nail It - Press the Precision button to turn the D-pad into an unbelievably accurate advantage, letting you quickly master the trickiest maneuvers.
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Master It - All the controls are right where you can easily reach them.
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Play It - Easy USB connectivity - without needing a power brick - so you're ready to go.
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11/22/2001 - There is rumble, and there is force. And until now I have only experienced rumble in game pads… until now. Gravis introduced an actual force feedback game pad, and then packaged it with a game that would show it off!
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Rumbers Vs. the Force
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94.9
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| First Impression |
At first glance I knew that this was going to be a new experience with Gravis. Sticking the thing in my hands convinced me all the more that this was going to be a whole new way of playing with gamepads. |
9.5
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| Software Installation |
The installation was very simple, and I didn't experience any problems at all. Standard issue for USB was the rule here - then just follow the Quick Start instructions. |
9.0
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| Software Controller Interface |
Gravis has updated their Xperience interface to the latest 4.42 version. If you have seen any of the other reviews that talk about the Xperience interface - you already know I think it is outstanding and sets the visual mark for all other controllers to hit. It looks outstanding, and if you haven't seen it - you will flip!
Once you get over how impressive the interface looks, you can dig into what the interface does. At this point, the interface follows a standard that is becoming common to controllers - the ability to save customized controller settings for individual games.
The menu options, help files (see help later for more details), and configurations are exceptional. |
9.5
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| Game Included |
Man, if you're going to package a game with a controller - I generally expect to see a partial version or old out-dated game. But Gravis went all the way packaging the complete version of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 with this controller!
I have messed around with several skate and surf games over the years, but this is the first skate game I really spent some time with… and it was worth every minute. The game was an absolute blast, and I would recommend it to anyone - skaters and even people like me who have observed, but never spent several hours/nights/days/weeks playing with a skate game. If you have been waiting for a skate game, wait no more!
Controller Response in the Game
While playing the game, I turned the force all the way up to 100% on all of the forces. The force was evident throughout the game… in a good way. It was never annoying, and definitely enhanced the game play.
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9.5
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| Help Instructions |
Paper Manual
The controller comes with a very detailed paper manual that includes excellent graphics to help you see what they are writing about.
Searchable Help
Gravis uses a Browser based interface to electronically display their help information. This interface is simply the BEST I have seen and used to date. I can't say enough about the detail, layout, and look of this help information. Following up on their great paper manual, they make excellent use of graphics to show users as they describe the topic. This is just the kind of help I like to see to keep my friends and relatives from trying to call me for the answers (that I don't know either until I read the manual).
Again, Gravis has set a mark in this category that I would love to see everyone else aim for. For that reason, they earn a rare (from me) perfect score.
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10.0
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| Comfort |
The seams of the controller are nicely contoured and present a very smooth comfortable feel. I can't say enough about how good the buttons all felt. They were positioned in the right place, and had a great 'high quality' feel. The directly pad felt superb and is unlike any directional pad I have ever felt on any other controller (partly because this is where the force is directed).
One of the things you will notice immediately is the weight of this gamepad. It is the heaviest gamepad I have ever used, and I wasn't sure how much that could go against the rating. After using it for several consecutive hours, several consecutive nights in a row I simply didn't find the extra weight any kind of factor. You may want to consider this however if a young child or girly man will be using it.
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9.2
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| Construction (Quality) |
The quality is incredible. The 3 year warranty behind it, always lets you know that Gravis is confident in the quality. You only have to pick it up and feel it to know that it is a high quality controller.
Force
It can't be overstated enough that this pad is not like any other I have used. Rumble force feels very different than the full force effects that this controller offers. The rumblers that I have used have a more universal feel when things happen (meaning you feel the feedback throughout the entire controller). On this controller, the feedback is more centrally located on the directional pad. It is a different feel, but nice. I was surprised that it didn't has as much 'kick' or 'umf' to it as I expected. When I turned it all the way up, I was expecting it to nearly come out of my hands - but it didn't. I would rather have it really nasty at 100%, so I could turn it down as necessary. One final note on force - the force was powered through the USB and no batteries were necessary (I like to add that, because batteries and additional plug-ins are a pain in the butt).
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9.8
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| Looks |
The controller has a nice fresh look - that gives you that hint that this controller is different than what you are used to. |
9.4
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| Value (price for what you get) |
Straight up the controller is currently one of the highest priced gamepads you will find. You should take note that it is packaged with the full version of a really good game, and it offers unique game play that you currently won't find with other gamepads. The 3 year warranty that Gravis offers should always be a factor. |
9.6
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| Recommend to Others |
The first thing I would say here is that if you can find one to play with, try to. The force feels different than rumblers, and this could really come down to personal preference. If you like the way this force is implemented over the rumble feel, then if you can afford it - get one (or two). If you can't afford it, you may want to hold off until you get the green backs. One caution is that if you buy one and are playing with two people, there could be an argument over who gets to use it. |
9.4
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RECOMMENDATIONS to the Vendor
LAZ
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I got the slippery sweats after several hours, and no slip pads may have prevented this - so give it some grips boyz!
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Put some more power behind the force. When I turn it up to 100%, I want it to physically throw me out of my chair and into a wall! Well, almost.
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