Logitech
Logitech were showing off a few new products too. The most impressive was their top of the line steering wheel built in conjunction with premium designers of wheels and pedals for car enthusiasts, Momo. Now, for 200 bucks you're going to want some pretty swish features, but it's got them in spades. The steering wheel is covered in hand stitched leather which totally puts every other wheel out there to shame when it comes to comfort and style. There are also stainless steel paddle shifters on the steering column and the pedals even have aluminium trim on them. Plus of course it's got force feedback. It's out of the price range for all but the most ardent of racing fans, but if you're one such obsessive then you've good reason to be excited about this wheel, even if your bank manager hasn't.
Logitech also had some new cordless game pads at ECTS, although they had to take them off the show as the early models weren't working properly. The design is similar to the Rumble Pad but with a deeper base to fit 4 batteries. It also has convex (outward curving) buttons rather than concave (you guessed it, inward curving) ones like the Rumble Pad did, presumably because they're easier to find and use by feel, and they've changed to a more standard D-pad that's a black, circular, slightly concave design which I also suspect feels a little nicer to use than the one on the Rumble Pad.
By far the thing that interested me most though was the add-on for their PlayStation 2 Wheel which will also be compatible with the PC Formula Force wheel. Basically it's a big plastic add-on that clamps under your wheel, and in turn you sit with it clamped between your legs meaning you no longer need a handy table in order to use the wheel effectively. I'll probably be getting one of these as soon as possible, not only because of the unfortunately dodgy clamp system on most Logitech wheels (basically they're large plastic thumb-twisted screws that really don't clamp the desk well enough - I couldn't help smiling as I, with practiced ease, helped someone reattach a demo wheel to the desk after they wrenched it off) but also because it means I don't have to mess around clamping my wheel to the desk if I want to play a racing game with it.
"Allright, shows over, I'm tired"
The first person to mail in guessing where the above quote is from gets a mention in the next instalment as an oh so generous prize. Tomorrow will see the second and final part of Pixel Kill's ECTS coverage, this time detailing all that I can glean from the numerous press appointments I have scheduled tomorrow. Don't thank me, just pity me and my poor aching feet. See you tomorrow.
By Pete Closs
Editor
