Mouse/Keyboard Adapter Not All It's Cracked Up To Be

From Xbox360Fanboy.com : "Allowing the use of a keyboard and mouse (or a Dual Shock) on the Xbox 360, the XFPS has created quite a stir here at 360 Fanboy. Hailed by PC using FPS fans as a godsend and decried by proponents of an equal playing field, it's a potentially controversial piece of hardware. When it comes to first person shooters, the advantages of a mouse and keyboard over a control pad cannot be denied, but is it fair for certain 360 players to have a distinct advantage over others? It's an interesting question, but ultimately the answer lies in how well the XFPS actually performs. We put the unit through its paces and see what it's worth.

Setting up the XFPS isn't difficult at all. Just plug it into your 360, attach a wired controller, mouse, and keyboard to the XFPS, and turn on your 360. Once enabled, the XFPS has a standard keyboard and mouse layout, or you can choose to map buttons yourself. To map buttons, you need only tap the program button, the button you want to map on the 360 controller, and the corresponding button on the keyboard or mouse. For example, to map the shoot command to your left mouse button: tap the program button, pull the right trigger on your control, and click the left mouse button. Done. The XFPS only has two USB slots and the controller takes up one of those, so we're not really sure how you program your mouse and keyboard if they're both USB, though it is possible to use the default scheme. To use a Dual Shock (even a PS1 Dual Shock will work) all you have to do is plug it in. The Dual Shock simply mimics the layout of the 360 controller (minus the guide button)."

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[Close_Second]

...they never get this working 100% with games on the X360. The great thing about console gaming is that everyone is on an even playing field in terms of hardware and controllers.

If gamers want to play using the mouse/keyboard combo then they should go back to using their PC.

[Captain Tuttle]

I totally agree. Two completely different styles of gaming.

[MicroGamer]

and no sneaking in stealth combat games is enough to kill off this product before it ever sells it's first unit. The reason people want mouse/keyboard compatibility is because they are more accurate and easier to use then a gamepad, but this product screws all that up. The only thing it's good for is using your dual shock controllers on the 360.

[G_CodeMonkey]

With lacking precision mouse aiming, the benefit is gone. gCM

[JPomper]

This doesn't surprise me, although I bet it works really well with a trackball, if you're into 'em.

[DrKing]

I use a logitech trackball with it and gears and call of duty's both work just fine with it. I did have the 360 freeze up while trying to use it with Farcry though. It does tell you that not all 100% of games will work with it. Also I had to unplug it and re plug it in a couple of time casue it does fail to work. But I will say me being a long time pc player I'm happy to see at least an effort to make a devise like this cause it has gotton me to buy more fps games on 360.

[ploody]

my good friend that i play halo with all the time uses a mouse and keyboard on the original xbox and he does just as well as everyone else, and hes been around computers all his life. using a mouse and keyboard doesn't really make a difference, it doesnt help your accuracy, if people cant use thumbsticks and need something else thats cool, think of the differences between boxer/default/legacy and so on

[ArmrdChaos]

Input is irrevalent. This device does nothing more than convert keystrokes/mouse into joystick movements albeit to subpar performance. I have been into computers/gaming for 20+ years. I grew up with keyboard/mouse and having jumped into the console market over the last couple of years I find it frustrating dealing with controllers on FPS games. Seeing how I don't have the liberty to skip work like others skip classes to hone my console skills 8 hours a day...I appreciate anyone who provides me with the hardware to allow me to use the skills that I have developed over the years. Why the hell should I be penalized just because I wasn't born into the console era with a controller in my hand. Forcing hardware choices DOES NOT create and even playing field, but giving someone the hardware optons that allows everyone the ability to play at the top of their game does. Do you think the OGRE brothers for Halo 2 give a rats ass what their opponents use...they would stomp on them regardless. Anyone who complains about this is simply afraid that they will lose their online advantage and won't OWN people like they used to online because now everyone would be on the same level. I also would like to remind those who tell us to go back to the PC that there some games that are only available on console. Just wait for the cross platform games that will put PC user against console user...those will be the games to watch for the results.