Review ZBoard for NWN inspected by Sorcerer's Place

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Neverwinter Nights

Here's the <A href="http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/nwn_zboard.htm">review</A> of the <A href="http://webstore.ideazon.com/banner_img/?click-1065279617-1068759899">ZBoard keyboard</a> with <A href="http://webstore.ideazon.com/banner_img/?click-1065279617-1062716973">NWN package dealie</A> for playing <A href="http://nwn.bioware.com">Neverwinter Nights</A> on the thing. This is part of what was said:
<br>
<br>
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/nwn_zboard.htm"><img src="http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/Zboard/nwn_1.jpg" height="220" width="471"></a></div>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>The Neverwinter Nights keyset I reviewed is lavishly decorated with Neverwinter Nights artwork all over the face, with artwork around the keys indicating their NWN functionality. That brings me to my only complaint with the NWN keyset: Most of the keys on the interface are the size and shape of small round gamepad buttons with the labelling not on the keys themselves, but in the spaces between them. Now this isn't a major consideration when playing a module in single-player mode, but when you play online, and use the chat interface frequently, the small keys make for an awkward typing experience.</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
I always figured a custom keyboard for <A href="Http://nwn.bioware.com">Neverwinter Nights</a> would just be a huge spacebar that plugs in to the USB port.
<br>
<br>
However, since buying them from our banner pool thingy supports keeping us staying online, they do make great Christmas gifts - even for people without computers, so buy a dozen of them!
<br>
<br>
Thanks, <b>Taluntain</b>!

 

[Volourn]

I'm sorry; but that looks ugly.

 

[Spazmo]

And NWN sucks, too.

 

[chrisbeddoes]

Ok .The first reason that adults buy PC instead of consoles is that they do not want to be seen as playing games.

So in this respect this keyboard is not very good.

 

[Volourn]

Haha!, Spazmo, I'll let that comment go as it was funny!

 

[axel]

I'll take two!!
drug-stores landlord-laws catholic-churches criminal-lawyer insurance-progressive Ultram cardiovascular office-manager legal-secretary training-insurance meds Soma commercial-lighting-insurance passport-application cost-of-living dental-assistant map-of-counties talent-agencies sonography points-of-interest academy-of-family-physicians Lunesta stateof yorkie-breeders farmer-insurance bmw-dealerships interior-designing board-of-pharmacy retailers veterns Valtrex equine nuring law-firms banking-commission dermatologist zip-code ultrasound-technician permit-test real-estate

 

[Seven]

Here's the <A href="http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/nwn_zboard.htm">review</A> of the <A href="http://webstore.ideazon.com/banner_img/?click-1065279617-1068759899">ZBoard keyboard</a> with <A href="http://webstore.ideazon.com/banner_img/?click-1065279617-1062716973">NWN package dealie</A> for playing <A href="http://nwn.bioware.com">Neverwinter Nights</A> on the thing. This is part of what was said:

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/nwn_zboard.htm"><img src="http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/Zboard/nwn_1.jpg" height="220" width="471"></a></div>

<blockquote>The Neverwinter Nights keyset I reviewed is lavishly decorated with Neverwinter Nights artwork all over the face, with artwork around the keys indicating their NWN functionality. That brings me to my only complaint with the NWN keyset: Most of the keys on the interface are the size and shape of small round gamepad buttons with the labelling not on the keys themselves, but in the spaces between them. Now this isn't a major consideration when playing a module in single-player mode, but when you play online, and use the chat interface frequently, the small keys make for an awkward typing experience.</blockquote>

I always figured a custom keyboard for <A href="Http://nwn.bioware.com">Neverwinter Nights</a> would just be a huge spacebar that plugs in to the USB port.

However, since buying them from our banner pool thingy supports keeping us staying online, they do make great Christmas gifts - even for people without computers, so buy a dozen of them!

Thanks, <b>Taluntain</b>!

Say it aint so, has the great SP finally sold out to corporate Canada? :wink:

 

[Spazmo]

Well, when your hosts tells you to do something, it's often better to do it if you want to stay hosted.

Unless you're Killzig and it's GameSpy, but that's something else.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

The damn thing looks like something I threw up after an all night drinking binge.

 

[Greenskin13]

That keyboard offends every photoreceptor in my eye. I can't imagine using that for any practical purpose....

 

[Jed]

That keyboard offends every photoreceptor in my eye. I can't imagine using that for any practical purpose....

How about decapitating Dave Gaider?

 

[DarkUnderlord]

In that case, I'll buy 50! How much are they each? More or less than your standard keyboard?

Now a ToEE keyboard. THAT I could really go for. I'd get a 100 of those.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

In that case, I'll buy 50! How much are they each? More or less than your standard keyboard?

Now a ToEE keyboard. THAT I could really go for. I'd get a 100 of those.

Especially if they were shaped like the Pentagon!

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I can't see a good thing about the keyset. First, the buttons should always have a viable cromatic contrast, like the typical black and white. But, purple and black? :shock: Granted i can see it very well, but not everyone will. I can imagine the typical situation of a gamer playing at the wee hours in the morning, with nothing but the monitor's light illuminating him and the keyboard. He suddenly needs to press a button which he has to find. Black and white will help him find it; purple and black won't

Second, i think its just a habit problem, but... first i'm used to click on the Return button's upper part to activate it. There or in the middle of it. This keyset has only the lower half of the button. I'm also used to activating the Space bar by clicking in the middle right of it - specially the part that's missing And thirdly, was there really a need to use circular buttons? Yes, circular buttons are better when we're using gamepads. They certainly are more comfortable. But this is a keyboard. Not only is it hard to adapt, but their distance is enerving. I have good hand coordination, but this is ridiculous. Going the extra length just to press a button that should be closer might be hazardous in a game. Fourth, the NWN-usable buttons are surrounded with that golden circle, and have a description above them. The problem is that 1) the description is too small. And 2) even for people that see very well, adjusting your eyes to the over-the-top colourful background in which they're inserted is annoying. Was there really a need to fudge up the visibility of the NWN main keys' description?

The keyset's main problem, i think, besides the ones above, is the artwork in it. On one hand, it's all over the keyset, but its visibility is severely botched because the keys cover most of the good pieces of artwork; on the other hand the artwork gets in the way of the button descriptions. Not only that there are some insances where you just go 'WTF' with some things - there a need to put the same sword, twice (one mirrored) on the keyboard, in the numeral section? Was there a need to put the *same* sword on the rightmost portion of the keyset? Why is there a cramped reptile above the camera control part? Was it also required to have arrows pointing out directions *besides* the keys themselves in the radial menu part?

I suggest the folks who devised this to reduce the amount of the artwork, and reduce the placement of unnecessary random graphical elements.

While i'm at it, was there really a need to use several buttons for zooming and paning? I can do that effortlessly with my wheel mouse.

I'm inclined to agree with Saint, here. It'd work better if it was just a Space key plugged in via USB (with 4 directional buttons, of course).

Now, who's up for a ToEE keyboard? :D

 

[Seven]

I'd like to know why do people buy stuff like that? Have they no sense?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

I'd like to know why do people buy stuff like that? Have they no sense?

I guess it makes the geeks feel like they are cool. Like they are somebody important. I can see some people doing it just for collector's purpose. All in all it's just the geek thing to do, man.

 

[Taluntain]

Spazmo, just FYI, I didn't "tell" Saint to do anything. I gave him the link, and that was it. I didn't even ask him to post it, trusting that if he thinks it's worth posting he'll post, and if it isn't, he won't. So save those sarcastic remarks in the same bin those about "selling out to corporate Canada" should go. We weren't paid for the review, we didn't write a partial one, heck, I didn't even write it myself. The keyboard has been reviewed by BTA on the basis of the impressions he got from using it over a test period. And if you know someone in "corporate Canada" that would be willing to send me funds to pay for the server bill every month, BY ALL MEANS - tell them to contact me, as I know no such person.

 

[Seven]

Spazmo, just FYI, I didn't "tell" Saint to do anything. I gave him the link, and that was it. I didn't even ask him to post it, trusting that if he thinks it's worth posting he'll post, and if it isn't, he won't. So save those sarcastic remarks in the same bin those about "selling out to corporate Canada" should go. We weren't paid for the review, we didn't write a partial one, heck, I didn't even write it myself. The keyboard has been reviewed by BTA on the basis of the impressions he got from using it over a test period. And if you know someone in "corporate Canada" that would be willing to send me funds to pay for the server bill every month, BY ALL MEANS - tell them to contact me, as I know no such person.

I think you're taking this a little too seriously. Those comments were made in good fun. If you spend any time around here then you should already know this, but if you don't then now you know.

 

[Spazmo]

*snip*

Oh, of course not, Taluntain. I'm just kidding around. You're easily the best hosts we've ever had and we just <3 you to pieces.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I couldn't resist the One big spacebar joke, which is why I posted it. I'M WEAK! WEEEEEEAK!

 

[Greenskin13]

That keyboard offends every photoreceptor in my eye. I can't imagine using that for any practical purpose....

How about decapitating Dave Gaider?

I'd rather use the CD for that. It's sharper, so I can put in less effort.

 

[Psilon]

Yeah, but if you recall the first batch of CDs had this annoying tendency to fracture under only mild use. Consequently, I doubt an NWN CD would make an effective throwing weapon.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Yeah, but if you recall the first batch of CDs had this annoying tendency to fracture under only mild use. Consequently, I doubt an NWN CD would make an effective throwing weapon.

Except in the hands of Bullseye.... >.>

 

[Taluntain]

Well, with most of people's comments here it's near impossible to tell when someone's being serious or not. So I guess I should have added "just in case" to my post. :wink: