Review: Nostromo n50 SpeedPad

Reviewed By: Kirk Hiner

Review Date: December 29, 2002

Product: Gaming input device

Developer: Belkin Components

Minimum Requirements: Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X (drivers for each available here), USB port

Retail Price: $34.99

Availability: Out now

I do not consider myself a hard core gamer. I don't consider myself a hard core anything, really, except for perhaps connoisseur of hot dogs. Beef, chicken, pork or turkey. Boil, broiled, roasted or grilled (anything but microwaved...then, they're just nasty). To my death, I will continue to defend the hot dog and the meaty goodness they provide. Ever had one stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and broiled to perfection? Them's tasty, folks.

But, with games, I am not hard core. I do not spend hours of days of weeks playing them...normally. I do not purchase strategy guides...usually. I do not join only forums and insult people in l337...ever. I also don't buy computer hardware designed specially for gaming. To me, the computer is a productivity device that also happens to play games. If I wanted a gaming machine, I'd get a Nintendo Game Cube or a Microvision. Heck, I'd maybe even get a PC.

Of course, now I'm just talking nonsense.

Still, when I saw that Belkin Components had released a Mac OS X driver for their Nostromo n50 SpeedPad, I was compelled to check this one out. This was partly due to my ongoing obligation to my Applelinks readers--my birth-defined appointment to satisfy their Macintosh product curiosities. It was mostly due, however, to my never-ending need to try new things...especially new things that look really, really cool.

The Nostromo n50 SpeedPad is a game pad, I suppose. It's designed to work on its own or with the mouse, on most games, thereby keeping your hands off the traditional keyboard. See, the keyboard was designed for typing words, not for running around through some space station or occupied France during WWII. Perhaps this is why Mario Teaches Typing was the only Macintosh "game" available for something like four years.

Using the traditional mouse/ASD keyboard configuration, you only get easy access to about twelve keys, unless you've got Andre the Giant sized digits...in which case you're probably not doing a lot of typing to begin with. The n50, on the other hand, gives you quick access to...uh...ten keys.

Okay, so where's the advantage, you ask? Believe me, there are many, but I'll stick with the keys right now. There are two rows of five keys each, with a slight bump on the traditional gaming S key to help you keep your hand centered. The keys follow the natural curve of the hand, with those being accessed by the pinky finger lowered considerably for an easier reach. Combined with the adjustable, raised and curved hand rest under the palm, the n50 is much, much more comfortable to use than a traditional keyboard. Probably easier on the wrists, too.

Still, you're probably thinking, "But Kirk...ten keys. Ten!" Actually, it's a little more like forty, give or take some inaccurate math. The keys have three shift states, allowing you to assign different functions to the same key in each state. You don't actually get forty keys because keys will have to be assigned to switch to the different states, but you get plenty. Certainly enough to compensate for the lack of a full keyboard, and all of them are easy to access...if not to remember.

This method first proved its worth while I was testing Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. As those who have played it know, the extremely important Force Powers are assigned by default to the function keys. When you're trying to move backwards with the S key but need to hit F9, it's not quite so easy to accomplish...not even on a PowerBook 2400. So, the game allows you to "band" the key commands, which requires even more coordination and memory to get right. Again, I remind you, I'm not a hard core gamer.

With the n50, I was able to program all the Force Powers into their own shift states, still keeping the movement keys so I could continue to move no matter in which shift state I was. It was a little difficult to remember which shift state to use and which key to use in that state, but I still found it easier to manage than banding.

I should point out that each shift state is designated by a colored light on the left hand side of the n50: red, blue, green or none. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to see this when playing, but my setup allowed it to be seen with peripheral vision. My fingers sometimes obscured the view, but I generally had no problems.

The n50 provides a throttle wheel and a programmable, 8-way directional pad (D-pads, they like to call them). I tried using the throttle wheel for just about everything except the one function for which it was designed, that being a throttle, but I never found much use for it. It works as it's supposed to, of course, but I wasn't happy with the placement. I think Belkin intended for me to use my index finger on it, but I had to pull my finger back too far to access it. It almost required a shift in hand placement to reach comfortably, so I'd then have to reset my fingers on the proper keys. If you're playing a game that's centered around the throttle--a flight sim or racing game, perhaps--you can program your keys with that in mind so you won't have to keep shifting your hand position. Otherwise, I found it best to leave it alone.

The D-pad, on the other hand, is fantastic both in function in placement. It's located on the left side of the n50, perfectly placed (at least for my hand size) for access while your fingers are on the keys. You can use the D-pad for movement or you can program key strokes to the different directions. In No One Lives Forever, because I use the mouse for movement, I programmed jump, crouch and other such functions to different directions on the D-pad. It worked fabulously. Flight sim players, on the other hand, will find it easy to use the D-pad for rudder control. However you want to use it, it's right where you want it to be.

That, then, brings us to programming. On the PC end, gamers need only download pre-programmed sets for many popular games and simply import them into the n50 control panel. We're not so lucky on the Mac side...at least, not yet. However, programming the keys yourself isn't too difficult once you get the hang of it. It's actually not much different from programming game pads before Apple gave us InputSprockets and then so mercilessly yanked them away.

When opening the control panel, you're presented with a map that shows each key on the n50 along with the keyboard key assigned to it. You simply select the key on the n50, tell the software how you want to use it, then select the equivalent key on the keyboard. That simple. Even better, it's more powerful than that. Using macros, you can assign a sequence of keys to one key on the n50. For instance, in Oni, hitting keys in certain combinations would result in more powerful attacks. With the n50, you can assign that sequence of keys to one keystroke, making it much easier to memorize and execute these special moves. If you're into multiplayer gaming, you can preset various commands to send to your teammates. You're just one keystroke away from typing any phrase you've pre-programmed, such as "Cover me," "Run away!" and "Sweet mother of pearl! I'm getting my butt handed to me here! Would you guys quit going to the kitchen for Doritos and provide me with some assistance?! I mean, good God, this is supposed to be team capture the flag!"

Or something like, you know, like that.

Oh, and yes, you can adjust the delay between the keystrokes, so hitting the single key on the n50 won't necessarily execute them too quickly or too slowly. This takes some trial and error at first, but settings that worked on one game tended to work on others, I found.

You can also control axis banding on the throttle, if you so desire. Using the control panel, you can split the axis into different bands, and then assign functions to that band. This is somewhat awkward to use, but can prove quite effective if done correctly. For instance, if you need a couple more buttons out of the n50 and don't want to bother with shift states, you can program the throttle to work as a keystroke. Set up three bands on the throttle, assigning the region near 100 to cycle up through your weapons, for example, while the region near 0 cycles down. Then, adjust the dead zone on the axis to provide a gap between the two buttons, and there you have it.

Each key can behave its own way on the n50. It can be programmed to function just once, you can set it to repeat, and so on. There's no shortage of ways to use the n50 to your advantage.

Now, how about getting the n50 to work with a specific game? It's relatively easy. Once you've got the n50 set up the way you want it, you simply use the control panel to assign these settings to a specific game or application. In Mac OS X, the settings are remembered each time you launch the game. Now, at first, I thought this wasn't working. I tried all kinds of settings and all kinds of methods to get the n50 to work with No One Lives Forever, but no. Nothing. Then, after about a half dozen tries, I noticed in the dock that two icons for NOLF were appearing. The first, the main app to which I assigned my n50 settings, merely launched a configuration control panel. After I accepted these options, another icon would appear and the game would launch. I soon realized that this was the LithTech engine application. I assigned the n50 controls to this app instead, and everything worked fine. I can't imagine this will be the case with most games, but it's something to keep in mind if you find your settings aren't working.

The n50 is equipped with rubber pads to prevent slippage, but I found it still pulled in towards my keyboard as I played. This isn't a big deal, though, as the movement was slow and gradual, and it's easy enough to slide it back over when you notice it's too far out of your comfort range. More importantly, the keys and pads are responsive, and the unit seems sturdy. In fact, if for no other reason, picking up an n50 may be a good idea simply because it'll stop you from banging away on your main keyboard, potentially increasing its life.

Does the Nostromo n50 SpeedPad improve your gaming capabilities? Yes. Or, at least it did for me. More importantly, though, it's better on your wrists and joints than a normal keyboard, especially if you're a marathon gamer type. It's disappointing that there aren't pre-programmed profiles available for Macintosh games, but they'll game. Any setting you create for the n50 can be saved and exported, so you can share them with friends or put them online.

Unfortunately, the user's manual is PC-biased, and would probably be confusing to get through anyway. On the Mac, the n50 doesn't work exactly the same way as in the manual, so you have to use the online tutorial to figure out what's going on. This tutorial seems to have been thrown together in haste, however, just to get something up in an attempt to limit the number of support calls. After reading both that and the PC user's manual, I was able to figure out what was going on and get the n50 running.

So, I would say that the n50 is something that would appeal only to hard core gamers, but I'm not a hard core gamer and it appeals to me. Indeed, those who just play games to kill some time will love the n50 because it makes the games easier and more comfortable to play. You won't be needing the n50 for games like 3D Spades Deluxe or Bejeweled, but if you play anything with a complex control system, the n50 can make it...well, less complex.

You know, kind of like a hot dog. There are a lot of parts in there, but they make them easy to eat. I don't need to know what's in a hot dog, I just need to eat it. I don't need to know what's in a computer game, I just need to play it. The games are the hot dogs, the n50 is the bun.

Uh...for fear of where this will lead, I'll kill this analogy--and this review--now.

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