Flight of the Falcon: Tech-Gaming Reviews 3D Input Technology

Last week, the kind representatives at Novint Technologies
sent us a limited edition Falcon to conduct our review of the unique 3D
controller. After posting a preview of the input device a few weeks ago, we
received a number of comments and emails from fans of the device, each
mentioning how much they loved the revolutionary device. With the Falcon in our
offices, it was time to see if this peripheral could meet our expectations.

Once we opened the box, we found the Falcon Controller with
two interchangeable knobs, an AC adapter, a USB Cable, an installation disk,
Newton’s Monkey Business disk, and a user manual.  The main unit was packaged with enough styrofoam
insulation to withstand nearly any abuse a postal courier could inflict. 

Upon unpacking, we took notice of the Falcon’s revolutionary
design. Unlike 2D mice, which merely have a horizontal and vertical axis, the
Falcon moves along those two planes while also allowing for movement
away/toward the player. Players hold one of the quickly transposable knobs,
which are just slightly larger than a ping-pong ball. On each knob are four,
small buttons that give a satisfying click when depressed.

Installing the software was a snap, which took about two
minutes in both Windows XP and Vista. Newton’s Monkey Business Mini Games took
seven minutes to install on our midrange system. Novint’s main application
launcher, N Vent, conveniently downloaded and automatically patched the
software and we were on our way.  This
front end launcher allows users to download games as well, although
perplexingly, players use the mouse to navigate through the menu system, not
the Falcon controller.

The first title we tried was Feelin’ It: Top Pin Bowling. After
stating the game, we moved our virtual hand toward the ball return and clicked.
Then we felt it- amazingly, the Falcon conveyed the weight on the ball. All
skepticism we had had of the controller was immediately erased. By giving
force-feedback resistance to the two lower arms of the controller, we immediate
felt the sensation of the bowling ball’s mass. After a few games, we
encountered our first software glitch- at the beginning of a frame, some of the
pins were inexplicably missing from the typical ten-pin setup.

We moved on to Newton’s Monkey Business, a collection of
twenty four mini-games, which range from shooting, basketball, fishing and baseball.
Mad Sam’s Shootout was our first choice; a simplistic shooting gallery that
showed off the peripheral’s capability of force-feedback jolts. Firing at
onscreen targets gave the player a satisfying, and realistic kick.

Next,we tried Haptic-Life 2, the Half-Life 2 mod that
expertly integrates Falcon control into the popular first person shooter. After
a brief fifteen minute learning curve, we were engaged in the title like never
before- gun recoil felt much more realistic that the typical force-feed ‘buzz’ on
current controllers. Items carried weight, and jolts were given when the player
ran into walls. Overall, it was a completely engrossing experience and made
going back to playing Half-Life without the Falcon completely lifeless.

Overall, we found the build quality of the controller to be
exceptional. The plastic is high quality; the molding shows no imperfections and
all joints are well constructed.  While
the included software was functional, it felt a bit laggy on our midrange
system- a processor of at least 2.4 GHz is highly recommended to aid in the
felling of immersion. On our higher end systems, we found the software ran
exponentially better. Haptic-Life 2 was a different story- it ran perfectly on all CPUs and
was the perfect showcase for the peripheral.

For FPS’s, the Falcon adds a level of input and feedback
that is unmatched by any other controller on the market. If players have the
money and the desk space to accommodate the unit’s large footprint, we highly
recommend the controller.