Introducing the ALT Avatar Motion Controller

Before this ALT Avatar Motion Controller review, it never occurred to me that there was something inherently wrong with using a gaming keyboard: after all, my fingers are used to moving between W, A, S, and D. The problem is, , even the models, which are praised for all their gaming features, are designed to be written first and played later.

The best PC controllers address many of these issues with significantly more modern setups, from comfortable, ergonomic designs where you don’t need to change your hand position to detailed control of analog sticks and triggers. Unfortunately, that also means giving up the precision that comes with the best gaming mouse, which is generally not well-suited for shooters or strategy games.

Created by PLA Labs, the ALT Avatar Motion Controller combines the best of both worlds with your rodent in one hand and a unique gamepad in the other. But before we get to the heart of the matter, this is a crowdfunded article with all the usual caveats. When you pledge a tier on Indiegogo, it’s an investment in a product idea, not an outright purchase. Plans can change even after a successful campaign and there are no guarantees. That said, PLA Labs is run by Edward Larkin, creator of the rubber band mouse and former Razer consultant, which gives it a level of credibility that many others lack.

Design

Although we first saw the device in February 2022, the ALT Avatar Motion Controller has been in development since at least 2015. I had a hard time figuring out how I would use it because it deviates so much from what I’m used to. but the reality is a little different.

Its reversible design is versatile without sacrificing comfort. As a right-handed gamer, I use it on my left hand, with my thumb on the right analog stick, my index finger in the center, my middle finger on the tire-shaped wheel at the bottom, and my pinky on the far left. My palm fits naturally under the bulge as it is curved in all the right places.

Tastes vary depending on your game setup, but the glossy gray trim that surrounds the matte black chassis and white branding looks a bit dated. If the retro look doesn’t appeal to you, the RGB LED rings under each analog stick provide a pop of color, but you’re left with one tint for all three and animation isn’t there yet. At least the lighting is useful and helps you find the ALT Avatar Motion Controller in the dark.

Another blast from the past is micro-USB connectivity, which is a holdover from its long development. This is a minor note as it doesn’t affect how the ALT Avatar Motion Controller works and everything you need is in the box, but it’s much more difficult to remove another micro USB cable if you’ve lost the original to do so. take the closest one. USB-C Fortunately, Larkin says he’s updating the next set of samples to the latest version.

There are four clear rubber feet under the mat to keep it from sliding around on the gaming table, and they do a great job of not moving an inch. While I rarely turn it over to admire the bottom, the tech in me loves the little window that shows part of the motherboard, so much so that at some point I want a fully transparent version of the case.

One of the analog sticks is a bit flimsier than I’d like and slips off axis too easily. It stays in place quite well during gameplay, but it does get a bit dodgy when the pad is put away. However, the other two analog sticks are much more durable. The controller is fully customizable if you don’t mind finding the parts and modifying it yourself, so there’s room to modify if you run into problems.

software

This first sampler comes with an ALT flash drive with everything you need to get started, from instructions for using the device to the software you need to set it up. Most of the videos are already available on plalabs.com, so you can check them out for yourself, and more videos will be ready before you submit.

It seems a bit unfair to pit software called PLA ALT against big brands like Razer Synapse or Corsair iCue because it’s made by a much smaller team and is still in development, but those apps set the standard for what to expect. There are a few annoyances at the moment, like not being able to resize the window to something more comfortable on my 4K gaming monitor. You’ll also want to save the app somewhere you can remember, because my Windows start menu doesn’t seem to find it when I search for it.

Other than a few shortcomings that need to be fixed, PLA ALT is quite intuitive and is divided into five sections: Profiles, Lighting, Programming, Wheel, and Macros. Profiles allow you to create as many builds as you like, since you probably won’t be using the same controller layout for Call of Duty as you are for Assassin’s Creed. The lights let you customize the color and brightness of the LEDs, but you’re limited to one setting for all three. And macros are the third explicit heading where you can write multiple functions under a single action.

The Wheel section is for the grip ring under the center stick and allows you to add two hotkeys, switch between digital and analog steering for racing games, and adjust actuation sensitivity. In general, the default threshold works for me, but it’s nice to have a choice.

Programming is where the magic happens. You’ll spend most of your time in this menu setting up what each of the eight directions on the analog stick does. It could be as simple as W, A, S, and D for up, left, down, and right moves, or adding a default grenade or jump button. You can even adjust the sensitivity of each axis, either eliminating accidental diagonal keystrokes or making them easier to hit.

Within a single profile, you can configure eight different settings in what I would call sub-profiles. Similar to DPI on a gaming mouse, you can switch between them on the fly by pressing the white LED buttons around the center trigger. Personally, I find them useful for switching between different FPS games, but I think they’re also useful with MMO games where you have a lot of spells under your belt.

If you want to go a step further, you can add a second function to each trigger that fires after a certain pressure is pressed. For games that don’t play well with all-analog inputs, half W for forward and full tilt, Shift + W for sprint, are good examples, but your options are only limited by your imagination.

La combinaison du système de sous-profil avec les doubles fonctions sensibles à la pressure de chaque stick analogique et de chaque molette vous offer 130 commandes pour chaque profil individuel, et vous n’avez pas à plier le bras pour activer l’une d’ between them. And to make it easier to understand, I was told that the software will come with an out-of-the-box Shooter profile to satisfy FPS lovers.

Performance

The main goals of the ALT Avatar Motion Controller are to eliminate the need to constantly move your hand across the keyboard without sacrificing the mouse, and it succeeds on both fronts. Every stick movement is within your natural reach, it’s far less tiring to use than its clickable counterpart, and you even have more room to turn your mouse.

It’s certainly quieter than the clicks and clicks of the best gaming keyboard, but it’s not completely silent. In all but the most complicated moves, you hear a distinctive thump as the wheel and each stick meet the furthest point. It’s far from intrusive and can be useful if you’re installing pressure-sensitive secondary features, but it’s worth noting if you need to share a room with someone.

Not a convincing win for the ALT Avatar motion controller, though. A different objective is to reduce the necessary time to develop the muscle mémoire that you apprenez à jouer à des jeux en capant, mais la manette de jeu elle-même nécessite a good dose of patience to configure the control schemes and the apprentice pendant that you play.

Your mileage may vary, but I’ve found that the number of checks required by the game plays a role. PLA Labs mainly brings the ALT Avatar motion controller to FPS games because they are simple in design and have many similarities such as movement, grenades, melee, weapon swapping, and additional gadgets. It only took me a few days to get back into shape in Rainbow Six Siege and Halo Infinite, though that might not say much about my skill cap.

It’s not impossible to jump into other genres, but the more complex controls of RPGs and MMOs require you to spend more time preparing the software first, then trial and error to find your own comfort zone. Even playing an adventure game like Gotham Knights baffled me more than I’d like to admit, leaving me feeling as clumsy as I did when I switched from console to PC many moons ago.

There’s a proud moment where you finally feel comfortable enough to play without having to go in and out of the software, but getting to that point can be a huge hassle. Fortunately, the time it takes to learn each game decreases with each new game you play.

Verdict

Don’t think of the ALT Avatar Motion Controller as a gaming keyboard killer, PCs will still be versatile and you won’t be able to print with a tablet. In addition, there are various games with cluster control that are always more convenient to play by pressing the keys.

However, if you get your hands on the best steering wheel for PC, racing games will be transformed and you will feel like you are on a racing track. The beautiful joystick will enhance your space simulation games by giving you unparalleled control over the shuttle. Similarly, the ALT Avatar motion controller makes FPS gaming so smooth that you won’t be hitting the grenade button in the heat of battle or inexplicably melee when an enemy surprises you.

The price of $349.99 is hard to accept for an additional device, but it is the price of innovation since there is no other product like it on the market. If you act fast enough, you can get one at a discount on the official Indiegogo campaign page, but we should point out that this is due to all the usual crowdfunding caveats we talked about above. . You may need a fair amount of courage to stick with this while you learn, but the payoff is well worth it if you’re primarily into shooting games.