For gamers, having to deal with multiple simultaneous gaming controls is just something you learn to deal with. Using the WASD keys to move, mouse to look around, space to jump, TAB to open inventory, CTRL+G to go to the small coffee shop on the corner and buy a small hazelnut latte. Well Stelulu Technologies are not happy ‘dealing with it’ so they’ve gone away and done their own thing. A secondary controller that will take away some of the controls from your hands and lay them right at your feet”¦ literally. This is where the Stinky Footboard comes in.
The Stinky Footboard claims to make everything just that bit easier for you. With the Benefits including”¦
- Allowing simultaneous actions such as in FPS games players can strafe, change guns and throw a grenade without taking their fingers off the AWSD keys
- Increasing actions per minute (APMs) for RTS gamers
- Making it easier to reach the extra key bindings for MMO players
- Shaving precious seconds off for eSports players
- Simplifying controls for beginners
If you fancy reading a little more about this then please visit their website www.stinkyboard.com or if you’re already hooked on the idea then you can pre-order one of these gadgets on their kickstarter page for ($119) in only a few days, once they’ve set it up of course.
Will the Stinky Footboard take off? Who knows? It’s certainly a nice idea, but the price tag does seem a little on the expensive side. I can imagine that only the hardened tech-heads will be going after this bit of kit. We’ll just have to wait and see.
You can read the full press release below.
Gamers’ Big Stinky Feet Are the Future of PC Controllers
Stelulu’s Game Controller Allows Gamers to React Quicker By Performing More Simultaneous Actions
The Stinky Footboard will transform how PC gamers play by adding the player’s feet to the classic keyboard and mouse control paradigm. Gamers will always be in control, and able to execute lightning quick, simultaneous commands without ever having to take their fingers off WASD and the mouse.
Conceived by gamers who wanted a more efficient way to deal with those useful secondary actions that usually require finger gymnastics to trigger, the Stinky Footboard enhances game-play in everything from FPS to RTS to MMO titles. It lets gamers assign commands to each of the board’s four buttons to suit their playstyle. The board also supports in-game modifiers, (control, alt and shift), to perform up to 16 actions, and automatically detects and loads saved profiles for the program that is active.
“I tried a lot of different types of PC controllers, but always came back to the keyboard and mouse. Then I thought, why should we limit ourselves to two hands to control games?” says Luc Levasseur, Co-Founder and R&D Director, Stelulu Technologies. “Luckily, I had access to prototyping machinery and a president open to crazy ideas.”
Constructed of steel, aluminum and heavy duty plastics, the Stinky Footboard is built to withstand the kind of abuse excited, (or angry), gamers might dish out. The sleek and ergonomic profile allows the foot to rest in a relaxed and natural position thus reducing fatigue over long play sessions. Each switch can be customized with soft, medium and hard springs and can be micro-adjusted to provide the exact level of responsiveness required by the user.
“This really is a very natural evolution of the game controller,” says Stephane Rivard, Co-Founder and President, Stelulu Technologies. “During the R&D process testers refused to return the early prototypes because they said they couldn’t go back to gaming the old way.”
Stelulu will be running a Kickstarter campaign in order to finance mass production. Early supporters will be guaranteed to receive their rewards upon closing of the successful campaign. The Stinky Footboard will be available for sale in June for $119 USD.
Stelulu will also be demonstrating the Stinky Footboards publicly at PAX East.
The Stinky Footboard is compatible with Windows 8, 7, Vista and XP.
For more details visit http://www.stinkyboard.com
