Daring word in the genre. Testing original gaming sets Splitfish Fragfx, consisting of a mouse and gamepad

Technical characteristics

Platforms: PlayStation 3, PC, Mac * Controllers: 2 – gamepad and joystick * Action buttons: Mouse – 8 pcs., Fragchuck – 6 pcs. * Mouse sensor resolution: 1750 dpi * Radius of reception for wireless controllers: 3.5 m * Nutrition: batteries or batteries, 3 AAA or 2x AA, depending on the model of the manipulator * Opening hours: 9-50 hours in the game mode (depending on the model of the manipulator and intensity of use) * Interface: Usb * Plug-n-Play: yes * SIXAXIS support support (determination of the situation in space): yes * Corps material: plastic * Price February 2011: Piranha – 1,500 rubles, v.2 SE, Pro, Dual SFX Evolution – 2500 rubles, Shark – 3500 rubles

Once in a Swiss company Splitfish They came up with a radical way to shake the market of gaming controllers: they crossed two irreconcilable rivals – a console gamepad and a computer mouse.

Contrary to all expectations, a non -trivial experiment was a success: a strange couple works with RS and PS3 and supports many games. Gambling took possession of five controllers at once and tested them in shooters (Killzone 2, Team Fortress 2, series Call of Duty), Fatings (FIST OF THE NRETH STAR, UFC), adventure action (series Dead Space, Uncharted), and also), and also single strategies and RPG.

An adventurous idea

So, one Fragfx set consists of a mouse and one -handed joystick (ideally – a mouse under the right hand, and the joystick – under the left). The rodent needs a solid, preferably horizontal surface, you can’t disfigure them in the air, so playing with Fragfx better sitting at the table, on the couch or at least on the floor, if only there was where to lay a mouse mat.

The standard PS3-controller Sixaxis is taken as the basis of the kit, “cut” in half. The left half is given the shape of the pine, it placed a cross, shifts and a stick. The right half is made in the mouse form factor, endowed with the right stick and the PlayStation 3 action buttons. Splitfish has been successfully producing its sets since 2007; At first, the system was tested on the PS3 prefix (which remains for Fragfx key platform), and then on Mac and PC.

The line of pleasure

We will talk about five different line models Fragfx Series 2011 – The youngest, Piranha , the most sophisticated, Shark , and intermediate options – V.2 se , Pro , Dual SFX Evolution. Joysticks are very different in quality, price and functionality, but, in fact, remain clones of the best option – Shark. Only the latter, evolution, differs from the rest of the form factor: it consists of two horns, without a mouse. The creators recommend using it for sports games and simulators, and we will talk about it at the very end of the article.

As mentioned above, each of the Fragfx models consists of two controllers. In cheap sets (Piranha and V.2 sE) Joystick wired, connected by a common cord and are connected to PS3 and PC with a complete USB cable.

The leading joystick in any case is Fragchuck, a manipulator for the left hand; It needs to be connected by the first. The controller contains the left stick that is responsible for the movement in games, the cross with the same functionality, the standard PS3-sknops “PlayStation” (includes the gamepad, calls the system menu and the settings of the manipulator) and “SELECT”, the left shifts of L1 and L2 and L2 and L2. The joystick got the role of an auxiliary controller, although she is responsible for all game teams and killing enemies. The left, right and middle mouse buttons correspond to the buttons R1, R2, R3. Four action buttons of any PlayStation (triangle, circle, square and cross) are located on the left side – under the thumb. It’s convenient to handle them right, but the left -handed person will use: the buttons are very tough, especially on inexpensive models, and you will get a little bitter to press them.

Now about unusual keys and functions of controllers. The most curious button on any Fragfx set is, without a doubt, the Frag button on the left controller located above the trigger L1 and L2. If you hold it, then the movements of the mouse that is responsible for the camera and the character’s review in the game become slow and smooth – the “frag” function translates the mouse Heyspin Casino into a sniper mode.

Not far from the F-cap is a wheel adjustment wheel. He has nine positions – and it actually helps to change sensitivity on the fly, right during the game. For example, in Killzone 2 in an unfamiliar area you can set high sensitivity, look around, pulling the mouse to the sides, and, having made a decision, reduce the sharpness of the rotation of the camera to an acceptable level. All gamepads support the function of continuous firing – Rapid Fire (you can reassign any button to it).

Finally, the mouse is equipped with the "Start/SWAP" button. Sixaxis "Start" is usually responsible for the launch of games and the transition to the intra -game menu; on Fragfx, it allows you to transfer a set into one of three modes – game, change and control of the mouse.

The game mode is most familiar to us: in it the left controller is responsible for movement, the right – for aiming and shooting. In control mode, both controllers change roles, and now the mouse is responsible for moving game protagonists. The last mode, “Mouse Mode”, is useful for navigation in the built -in browser and the PlayStation Store digital store. In this mode, by the way, a cursor appears on the screen that facilitates the Internet surf from the console.

In general, expectations from the mouse are justified by 100% – moderately nimble, it is recognized immediately and reacts without delay, the sensitivity is good, even and according to both axles, and in diagonals. Mice of old models, Pro and Shark are especially soundly made.

Zurich must grow

The Fragfx Shark includes a unique USB receiver called Dongle. It allows you to connect manipulators to the computer and switch between two pre -installed operating modes – gamepad (standard functionality) and keyboard, in which the buttons on the left controller turn into letter keys!

We even managed to gain a small text with the help of the gamepad, see: “Yiftsyfvyvsovsepsepsepsepsepsepsychvyffvtsyfv”. With the sale of the keyboard is clear? Exactly, the left joystick assimilates the WASD combination. But the jaist-mouse gets the functions of an ordinary mouse-even if the main rodent from the computer is not disconnected. Thus, it turns out to control the cursor with two mice at once!

Talent is annoying

With Windows-players in Fragfx small incident. The boxes of budget gamepads are reported only with PS3, but the official PDF presentation indicates that the connection with the PC is supported by the entire lineup.

We connected all the sets in turn to PC and found out that the connection is really supported. But the younger two manipulators are recognized as game controllers with cut functionality, and even in Super Meat Boy , play with three action buttons, only two active keys work. Senior joysticks, on the contrary, are tidied with Windows XP right there, without any installation, and even offer an option to adjust sensitivity.

In addition, from the official SPLITFISH website you can download a special program for configuring and reassigning keys.

There is contact

Only playing with models v.2 se and Pro, you understand how much they saved on the "piranier".

Pro is just right to call the first professional device from Splitfish. It supports the mandatory for some PS3-IGR the function of recognizing the movements of the gamepad in space-when when jerking a Fragchuck controller, for example, in Resistance: Fall of Man there is an attack by a weapon of close combat, and in GTA 4 The motorcycle during the ride deviates in the same way as the joystick in the player's hands. This function is not in demand in all PS3 projects, and Windows does not support it in principle, but the very fact that Splitfish has not forgotten about this is inspired by respect. Moreover, for senior models, it is possible to calibrate the sensitivity of the movements of the left joystick in space.

To three joysticks of joysticks already familiar to us, senior controllers also add the fourth – PMO in which you can program some sequences of pressing buttons. Joystics Pro and Shark are able to remember three macrodations: when recording the fourth macros, the first will be erased, when recording the fifth – the second, etc.D.

Hold on the distance

There are not so many differences between the joysticks of senior models – Pro, Evolution and Shark. So, Evolution and Pro eat from six AAA batteries, and Shark-from two AA-rangers. All devices are attached to USB residents sticking into the USB port of the console or computer. When the console/PC on the receiver is turned on, two colored lights begin to flash, each of which reports about connecting with their joystick. After synchronization of the receiver with the gamepad, they stop flashing and light up with even light.

One unpleasant thing often happens with receivers: if you turn off the joysticks during the game, and then turn it on, then the receiver may simply not recognize them. We had such a glitch on PC and PlayStation 3, but it was especially unpleasant to encounter this problem during testing in PS3 versions Mass Effect 2. A set of six AAA batteries is enough for a short time, an average of 9 hours of play, and in Mass Effect 2 very long videos and screensavers. To save the charge, we turned off the joysticks – and it was not possible to launch them “on hot” again. I had to turn off the USB resident, then again insert and re-activate both gamepads. However, if the batteries are very sorry, any of the older Fragfx models can be connected to the PS3 by the mini-USB cable.

Double blow

The most interesting set in the series, in our opinion, is not repeatedly sung “shark”, but a set Dual SFX Evolution , where instead of the mouse is used by the Joystick Evochuck for the right hand. Evochuck is larger than Fragchuck, as it has more keys than other joysticks and mice: an additional macros control button and “Motion” button were added to turn on and off the recognition function in space.

In general, however, this is the same mouse, only with the departure from the usual shape and the need to fue the device on the table or sofa. And this is a bonus: Evochuck removes the load from the shoulder joint. Obviously, after all, that for the most part people play PS3 from a chair or sofa, and the mouse hardly fits into the sofa format. Somehow the situation is called up to fix the position of a special solid rug attached to Pro and Shark, but this is a palliative solution. But the Evolution controller allows you to keep your shoulders at the same level and in a relaxed state, even sitting on the usual ottomank.

Shoot, Vasya

We tested manipulators in games of various genres: on the PlayStation 3 these were UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves, Killzone 2, Dead Space 2, LittlebigPlanet 2, Mass Effect 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Fight Nigh T Round 4, UFC 2010 and Saw 2. The controllers showed themselves in the Uncharted 2 and UFC 2010 multiplayer, where the mouse with its accuracy gave a tangible advantage over opponents. But for the dynamic Modern Warfare, we lacked the usual nimble of the PC mouse (although officially the resolution of Fragfx manipulators is 1750 dpi and should complain about our own hands).

Mostly Evolution and Shark gamepads were tested on the PC, and there were not too much compatible games for them-Shank, Worms: Reloaded, Super Meat Boy, Team Fortress 2, Call of Duty 7: Black Ops, Blade Kitten.

The conclusion is spinning at the tip of the pen: Splitfish controllers are created mainly for first -person shooters. This is indirectly confirmed by the professional player of ZDD, the leader of the online battles Black Ops on PS3: reviewing Fragfx, Guru gives skill lessons exclusively in the most important PS3-players.

But compatibility with shooters for PC can be called at best satisfactory. The key game of our testing, Team Fortress 2, fully recognized only the Shark-Gampad, and then only after the transition to the keyboard mode with the Dongle resigner (and this is despite the fact that the patches for TF2 go out weekly).

* * *

Now the Swiss city of Zurich is associated not only with first -class chocolate, the most reliable banks and the most accurate clock mechanisms, but also with unusual joysticks Splitfish. Of course, against the background Kinect or Move Fragfx sets are not a revolution from the world of game controllers, but simply an additional help in games, a tool that simplifies work rather than gives a novelty of impressions. But Splitfish designers managed to come up with something useful and unusual in the era of mass replication of secondary ideas.

Hybrid manipulators handed over the capacity test for, but or not to be friends with them – this is, as always, your choice is your choice. And if the owners of the PS3 have no other way to add up to mice, then PC games should still be reflected: the assortment of compatible gamepads oh-o-ohrick, new models from large manufacturers appear on a quarterly, and with the controller from the Xbox 360 games work much moreterly, than with Splitfish sets.

Be that as it may, you will receive a good manipulator in the face of Fragfx, and emotions – well, only if you beat Mr. ZDD on his favorite field. But this does not mean that Fragfx cannot become your personal surprise. As it can.

Pros:

• Two separate controllers add freedom of movement
• The joystick allows you to play shooters on PS3 faster than rivals
• Mouse sensitivity adjustment in the game
• Suitable for the games of most genres

Cons:

• more expensive than Dualshock 3 Sixaxis Wireless with similar functions
• The right shoulder gets tired of working with joystick