Cooler Master Debuts the World’s First Analog Keypad

"Alright first this, I don't get it? Why does a company with plenty enough cash flow need to create cash flow from a Kickstarter in the first place?"

To see if there's any genuine interest for such a product. Cheap marketing as well.

 

Same thoughts here.

 

I have really old gaming/work/... pad from Saitek...

Spoiler: Pro Gamer's Command Unit... before it got renamed and renamed again.

Does not have analog "mousepad", but has joystick. And is fully programmable. That includes assigning macro to different analog ranges.
Top key row placement was not the best as shape made them hard to reach.

This CM unit does not seem to be very comfortable. And if we excuse mechanical keys, there are better gaming pads available.

 

this one has pressure sensitive keys, like analog stick on a gamepad, does yours do that?

 

Are we talking abut the same thing? pressure sensitive keys that could gradually steer the wheel in a driving game like analog joystick/gamepad/wheel would do?
I am not trying to pick a fight, am just curious since I never seen this kind of "analog" keyboard keys, and my first (DOS) PC was 486 DXII.

 

That doesn't look like an analog keypad. It seems to be a normal keypad with extra things attached to it that happen to be analog.

What I always wanted is being able to have WASD keys that I can press more or less in order to adjust my movement speed in games. Right now, you need a controller for that. On keyboard, you either walk really slowly, or run really fast. There's no in-between.

 

Well, outside of PC, yes... I mean, if you give them 55$ on KS you get the damn thing, but for 55$ I can get a very good wireless gamepad which is much better then this thing imho. Still, this is interesting idea, I wouldn't mind having it on arrow keys so I can use them for the driving games

Trackpad on the side, I don't even understand how that can be analog or any different than any other touch sensitive trackpad (ie. Every laptop since 2000s ...)

 

Keypad maybe, but there are a few "analogue" keyboards (more like mechanical with lasers in the switches),

https://www.wooting.nl/

https://www.bloody.com/en/product.php?pid=11&id=111

 

Even neurons are digital in that analogy buddy I get what you mean tho.

 

There are things to be considered. Is analog measurement done via potentiometer or other technology?
How does one recalibrate it?
Since it is analog, one can expect possibility to set custom trigger height. Can it do it?
Does it have custom per key profiling to enable/disable analog behavior?

 

That's quite different, we're talking about analog KEYS. Something sorely lacking IMO

Imagine being able to press gradually with more and more pressure to go from a slow walk to a run; something you can do with a controller stick, but not with keyboards. I've been wanting something like this for years.
It seems like there would be a lot of hurdles to overcome with this; game implementation/support, convincing people of the utility of such a device and so on

 

Read the post above yours.

 

Why? Oh I get the point but I just don't see why. Most games that require the finesse of control analogue gives you already have better suited peripherals that not only already support analogue control input but just give you better control in general certainly better than any keyboard is going to afford you; flight sims have joystick, driving games have wheels and just about everything else has control pads. a few examples of games that require keyboard are FPS shooters and RTS games neither of which really require the finesse offered by having analogue controls.

 

This does not apply to me, but, for some, just having keys with progressive sensitivity is an ok replacement for 3 peripherals. I am fine with gamepad, but joystick and wheel? No. Too costly, too much space, if you can even find a place (especially for a wheel with pedals) for them.

 

How many of you actually read the article before posting?

That's exactly what they're claiming this keypad does....

That "trackpad thingy" is the wrist rest...

There is no track pad on the side. If you read the article and actually looked at the pictures, you'd know that what you guys keep calling a track pad, is a wrist rest.

 

I meant "trackpad ASIDE" , my bad...

 

The post above mine is a post of yours asking questions. I don't see how that pertains to anything I said.

 

This is most definitely not the world's first pressure sensitive keypad. And the price, especially for Kickstarter which typically offer lower than retail prices for early backers, is an absolute joke. It's from Cooler Master anyway, so I wouldn't buy it even if I wanted such an item regardless.

 

If I did not talk about analog KEYs, I would not ask about custom trigger height. Because Membrane/mechanical can't have it customized as keys have no idea they are being pressed till contact is made.
And Last underlined part kind of mentions enabling and disabling analog behavior of each key.

So, yeah, I knew it is supposedly having analog keys. You just did not realize and started to explain what is analog behavior and how it affects gaming...

Then there is that another misunderstanding on your side. Games do not need specific support it at all. All they need to support is generic gamepad and ability to rebind controls from one axis to another.
No hurdles, keypad will only need its own profiling support which will decide if key is analog axis, gamepad button, keyboard key or mouse function.
That mentioned Saitek had that functionality over decade ago.