Razer's Hydra Controller Now Supports Major Valve Games

By Steven Wood
published

A new intuitive peripheral has been added to Razer's lineup with a host of popular games supported and more being added.

Razer recently added a new product to its line of keyboards, mice, and other PC peripherals, but the product is far different any mouse or keyboard you’ve ever gamed on.  The Razer Hyrda is a motion sensing pair of Wii-like controllers with a central hub to communicate with the controllers.

The Hydra supports major games such as Civilization V, Minecraft, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and a long list of other games.  Now Valve games such as Team Fortress 2, Half Life 2 and even games that have not been released, such as Counter Strike: GO, were added to support.

Hopefully, with far greater game support, this device will find an audience with the hardcore gamer and not the Facebook farmer.

Steven Wood
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • amuffin
    I would still take a mouse and keyboard over this any day. Having the idea to "feel" the game isn't as important as having the quick reflexes of winning in a gun fight against your enemy, especially in a game such as call of duty.
    Reply
  • alidan
    amuffinI would still take a mouse and keyboard over this any day. Having the idea to "feel" the game isn't as important as having the quick reflexes of winning in a gun fight against your enemy, especially in a game such as call of duty.
    i have to disagree, let me put it in another perspective, if i want to play a building game, lets say mine craft, if there was a 100x100 button layout, think a simple keyboard like device that would only have the game put a thing there, i would get it. it would make building more fun, and would add a lot to the game if i didn't have to run around and drop blocks everywhere.

    lets say there is a first person shooter, given a keyboard and mouse, OR a handgun/smg/assult like prepherial, and a head mount display, and where ever you pointed the gun, it pointed in the game, and the guns had realistically strong recoil effects, you move your head and it move in game, and they work a system out for movement without needing a wasd like setup, and if i duck, in real life i duck in game... i would pick the experience WAY over the better controls.

    but this just may be me, i HATE being the best in the games i play, and i usually am the best sadly, i love getting killed and losing, because i know someone is better than me. i hate games with luck being a factor because than its not about skill its about luck. i LOVE losing in games and i hate being the top 3 of a 32 player match. for me the fun comes from either the experience, or climbing the ladder, and sense the ladder is easy for me, i chose experience...

    granted i cant see how these would add to any game without at least a head mount display... but from my understanding, they are far better than the wii nunchuk, just without the games based around those controls.
    Reply
  • aznguy0028
    alidan i LOVE losing in games and i hate being the top 3 of a 32 player match. for me the fun comes from either the experience, or climbing the ladder, and sense the ladder is easy for me, i chose experience...lol i dunno how much that applies to most gamers. i play games and it's usually most fun for me when i am on top and pwning noobs. i don't get a kick of having a 1/3 kd ratio on battlefield or coming in last in a racing game. regardless of if you or any of us are the "best", there will always be someone better. in everything u do in life, there is always someone better, so i take that fact, live with it and pwn in the games that i can and worry about staying alive when that someone better does come along.
    Reply
  • amuffin
    alidan i LOVE losing in games and i hate being the top 3 of a 32 player match. for me the fun comes from either the experience, or climbing the ladder, and sense the ladder is easy for me, i chose experience...granted i cant see how these would add to any game without at least a head mount display... but from my understanding, they are far better than the wii nunchuk, just without the games based around those controls.Most of us like winning...
    Reply
  • whimseh
    I'd rather use a keyboard and mouse.
    Reply
  • gilbertfh
    I just had a flashback to the Logitech Cyberman I had. This may be a good controller and very functional but I have a feeling you will love it or hate it.
    http://dl.maximumpc.com/galleries/50peripherals/Logitech_Cyberman2_cd_sm.jpg
    Reply
  • @Alidan - This is what you been looking for. Fully functional VR setup for FPS.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnbUsgJpKqs
    Reply
  • teddymines
    Maybe some day the controls will be completely customizable so they fit the unique movements of the player. I can see a glove device some day, where hand gestures define what happens. For some people, clenching a fist and punching may fire a weapon, and for others it might be pointing a finger and squeezing.

    The point is that having to learn key combinations and sequences for every game is clumsy. Having a game learn your intuitive motions makes a lot more sense to me. Our hands are very dexterous, so why are we using only 4 fingers?
    Reply
  • alidan
    Mark888@Alidan - This is what you been looking for. Fully functional VR setup for FPS.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnbUsgJpKqs
    yes, but the way that i would want it would be the head mount has control over the direction im looking, a kinect like thing to view my bodys position,
    and the guns, if at all possible, would be independent, say i'm dual wielding pistols, im looking down the right one and have the left pointed opposite, i fire the right one, take a quick look at the left one fire it, and so forth...

    what you linked to is an EXCELLENT start, but i want whats next. considering for 200$ a cellphone has the tech that would make what i want a reality...

    if an ar setup like that was possible i would be willing to trade in all my stocks for it.

    aznguy0028lol i dunno how much that applies to most gamers. i play games and it's usually most fun for me when i am on top and pwning noobs. i don't get a kick of having a 1/3 kd ratio on battlefield or coming in last in a racing game. regardless of if you or any of us are the "best", there will always be someone better. in everything u do in life, there is always someone better, so i take that fact, live with it and pwn in the games that i can and worry about staying alive when that someone better does come along.amuffinMost of us like winning...
    i find it more enjoyable to have to try to win, apposed to currently i pretty much automatically win.

    last time i played battlefield, i think my kdr was something like 50 kills to 3 deaths. when the only way to have fun in fpses is for me to use crappier guns, or restrict myself to what i use... i stop having fun... opposite is also true for when players im against work the system to their advantage, case in point, the beta for black light retribution, we had people who SUCKED at the game and the only way they enjoyed it was annoying others, so they took the stinger missile thing, and used it against players, get the kills get another missile use it again, and again and again.

    any game i like playing i get to the top almost effortlessly.
    Reply
  • J_E_D_70
    Well, Alidan, you need a new hobby if you are so elite that video games are boring. That's a clear sign that you are destined for greater things and should move on to dominate the exciting world of competitive crochet.
    Reply