LGR Oddware - Spacetec SpaceOrb 360

Like a shortened joystick that can move in a lot more directions. I've wanted a SpaceNav for years, but even the cheapest used ones are still priced quite high for something where a mouse and two hotkeys serves the same purpose.

Kadah

The puck makes SO much more sense! Makes me wonder how that form factor would work with 6DOF games.

LGR

After seeing this, I can see why the new puck style has been at l the standard since before I knew 6DOF input devices were a thing. The back story on this one was likely marketing dept noticing the rather new and growing PC gaming market and all the random devices being made for it.

Kadah

I love the idea and the CAD/CAM Spaceballs I've used are great, just wish I could use it without seriously hurting my wrists. Ergonomics are dreadful for extended use. And yeah I was immediately concerned about the shaft holding it in place, heh. Will use it with caution!

LGR

Aww. I'm disappointed you didn't like that thing. I had one, and I remember it being my favorite controller for FPS and/or 6DOF games. It's durability wasn't great. There's a weakspot in the shaft that runs through the middle of the orb and eventually it'll just come off in your hand. After my second one broke I had to give up on the dream of a 6DOF controller. In roughly that time period I also tried a Microsoft Dual-Strike. Which was more absurd because of its limited range of motion. (And it's d-pad also had a terrible durability problem.)

Andy

Please make weird noises at the beginning of videos more often :X

aquaz

Thank you! You just satisfied nearly two decades of curiosity. I always thought they used pressure sensors, and wasn't expecting it to actually move. Doesn't seem like logical placement, though, for the X axis utility. It's hard to imagine being comfortable pulling up on that ball from a standard grip.

Paul

Thank you!

LGR

Man, they advertised the heck out of these in PCPowerPlay (AU PC gaming mag). I never saw them in stores though. Always wondered how they worked. Loved the video.

Chris Rainger

Hehe, quite welcome. My wrist was hurting for a couple days after this, glad it was worthwhile!

LGR

Thank you! Yeah my curiosity about these has been killing me for years, happy to finally share the experience.

LGR

I remember seeing the psx version in EB back in the late 90s. Always wondered how it worked. Loved the mini-tech tales episode you snuck in there too. Nice work!

Would love to see that as well! I'm sure there are some things to be learned.

LGR

Oh man, that was one of the pinnacles of 90’s tech. They took so many more risks back then, it was great. Such a great video, thank you for risking life and limb (emphasis on limb) to bring it to us.

Raymond Nichols

The sporb! One of my online friends used to play Quake with this way back when and we used to make fun of him constantly for it.

Balls! You gotta get a grip on those. Welcome to the carpal tunnel society :) "It functions a little better than you can expect". That's a t-shirt right there. I kind of can see the appeal. On paper it seems like a cool idea and it kind of works... The ergonomics of the thing are a downer. This was a more slow paced video 😁 Balls!

Deckard Games

I wouldn't mind seeing some modern footage of someone that's part of the "cult following" of this device actually playing a game. Or maybe an interview with on of them to see what they are actually doing with this thing

perkindo

I still have my SpaceOrb 360. Got it for $60 bundled with Forsaken, in 1997 or 98. You were right about Descent and it being tiring to use. I did get it working with Quake and Quake II pretty well. My secret was using the buttons for jump/duck rather than the orb. The main problem is that it was pretty much impossible to get it to move independently on one axis, so pressing the ball forward means you'll also go a bit left/right/wherever. Eventually, I just decided to use the KB/mouse for shooters.

Chris Rogers

Man if you want something bizarre and useless like this, check out the Microsoft Sidewinder Dual Strike. Instead of a ball or analog stick, you bend the controller.

Robert Launder

How about an episode on Dennis "Thresh" Fong someday? "We think Thresh will do for our product what Michael Jordan has done for Nike sneakers" was what Spacetec were saying about him when he signed up to push the SpaceOrb. Didn't wuite work out like that, but he was as cool as Jordan at the time.

Thomas Petersen

now that's eh something

That promo, I really miss the old Macromedia entertainment that game with various games, demos, etc. It really had it's own kind of unique look that I found pleasing.

Cyclone

the packaging for that ascii sphere 360 is amazing

Peter Metzger

That is one ugly ass controller

Myles MAN

OOOORRRB!

Jeremy Abel

This oddball technology mainly reminds me of my trusty old beige trackball from the mid 90s (either Trust or Logitech, I think). Except that that device was actually comfortable to use, even for a longer period of time.

Marnix

I have one of the modern USB connected Spaceballs (HP branded), they're wonderful as an input device for Google Earth, a very fun way to waste hours

Julien Goodwin

welcome back lazy green giant!

ogspeace

deadly tide would've been great with this controller.. too bad most movements in DT were done by the computer..

ogspeace

I have the flu at the moment and I swear this thing is just weird stuff my brain is thinking up while the fever is cooking it

Wow man. Interesting product and tech and all, but seriously uncomfortable to watch the game demos. I kept feeling a little dizzy and my wrist hurt in some kind of phantom sympathy carpal tunnel. Oof. 😭

Joon Choi

Vaguely reminds me of the Gravis Firebird. It uses the gamepad and keyboard port to map its 17 programmable buttons. My friends wouldn't play Decent deathmatch with me when I used it. 😅

Adam Christensen

It's probably been done, but I feel like it would make a pretty expressive midi controller and one that can be manipulated with one hand to boot.

Never heard of this, or the "Spaceball" technology, though I kinda want one of those CAD Spaceballs now.

Steve Lovelace

If you had told me that intro video was a parody I would have believed you.

Tanner Schultz

Hey Clint! Really enjoyed this video! I actually live about a mile away from where this place used to be. Let me know if you’d like me to venture out and snap a picture of the outside of their old building.

Aldranis

Also, am I the only one that wants to see that map that was included in the trainer program ported/recreated in unity so that we could walk around it in a VR space.

ChrisFratz

I actually saw a review of the PS1 version oh, but I forgot who viewed it. I think it was Kevin kenson who took a look at it, or it could have been my life in gaming. Either way they said it was actually pretty good and they used forsaken on the PS1 to try it.

ChrisFratz

This makes me think it was designed by a packaging designer. It just looks painful to use.

avfusion

It has a Tomb Raider configuration but I couldn't make myself sit through the pain to try, ha. I imagine it'd be as finicky as the others.

LGR

I have to wonder how this would work for a "tank" control game like Tomb Raider or Alone in the Dark...

Zem Hysong

I've used a couple of the later ones and they're far more usable, yeah. Helps to have the ball mounted on a large base where you can rest your hands and wrist

LGR

The spaceball devices this one “descended” (ahaha) from, like the one from/for Silicon Graphics systems, meant for CAD, were probably usable without cramping your hand(s) as much as this one seems to do.

Rudo de Jong

Yeah I was surprised to see the NASA stuff in their press briefings, it sent me down a rabbit hole of history! This really would make much sense mounted in a larger shell or an arcade stick-style cabinet or something.

LGR

They really were trying SO HARD, haha. Go figure that's what you get from a company that mostly just did CAD/CAM products before.

LGR

In a way, I'm ultimately not surprised to see it's as uncomfortable to use as it is to look at. Really enjoyed the dive into its history, certainly didn't realise it had that kind of pedigree in terms of devices, and it's a bit of a shame that their foray into gaming resulted in this. I do like the idea of that style of controller - but certainly not in an awkward gamepad!

Rob Caporetto

Good thing you brought up the PS1 controller as that's the one I remember from back in the day. Also, that hype video for the controller. So much cringe.

The Enforcer

This has happened to a few of his videos recently, not sure if he ever figured out why.

Yep, just changes the default XYZ orientations. I'll add a note in the video.

LGR

Ha. I work for an 'Orbis' so this made me chuckle. What did the Vertical vs Horizontal do by the way? does it change the orientation of the ball?

zephyrmo

Did you have too only let us watch the video in 360p Great video:-)

Bought one back when I was working at Computer City to play Descent with it but returned it quickly.

Phil Sowers

No kidding! Cracks me up that they even trademarked RealLife 3D

LGR

Oh my god- do you think they threw enough words into the product name? Perhaps they figure it'll sound edgier or more worth your money if they did? 😒

Robert Butler

Thanks, I hope you enjoy! Yeah I've been hoping someone would do a deeper video on Spaceball devices for a long time myself, figured I may as well do my part :)

LGR

Amazing - I've wanted to see a proper video on one of these for a long time, glad its you doing it and not even seen the video yet. These were advertised heavily in pc gaming magazines back in the day but never got to use one or knew anyone that had one. Stuck to my trusty Sidewinder. Looking forward to watching this! Keep up the good work.

That's another I'm trying to find complete! The prototype Screwball I showed in this video sorta reminds me of it.

LGR

My second-most want-to-try controller ever, after the Novint Falcon!

moosemaimer