The Duke, Xbox’s Biggest Controller of All Time, Will Be in Stores Soon

Megalith

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Seamus Blackley, one of the designers of the original Xbox who is leading the charge to recreate The Duke in all its glory for Xbox One and Windows 10 devices, has announced that his efforts are nearing completion. I think it’s crazy how he put an OLED display in it just to show an animated Xbox logo.

Blackley reports that the final prototype has been certified by Microsoft, and has gone to tooling where the plastic molds will be created. Among the improvements is a nine-foot breakaway cord and a fancy display screen. All that’s needed is to produce them in quantity and get them into the hands of consumers. No word yet on the price.
 
All it's glory? Wasn't the Xbox going after the Dreamcast and had a memory card slot or two in the controller as well?
(nope, didn't read the article and I'm not near my controllers)
 
Nifty.. I wonder if they will make their way into the Navy's hands?
The Navy is beginning to use an Xbox 360 controller – like the ones you find at the mall – to operate the periscopes aboard Virginia-class submarines.

Unlike other types of submarines people are familiar with from Hollywood, Virginia-class submarines don’t have a traditional rotating tube periscope that only one person can look through at a time.
[...]
The Xbox controller is no different than the ones a lot of crew members grew up playing with. Lockheed Martin says the sailors who tested the controller at its lab were intuitively able to figure out how to use it on their own within minutes, compared to hours of training required for the joystick.

The Xbox controller also is significantly cheaper. The company says the photonic mast handgrip and imaging control panel that cost about $38,000 can be replaced with an Xbox controller that typically costs less than $30.
https://pilotonline.com/news/milita...cle_5c24eefc-8e70-5c4a-9d82-00d29e052b76.html
 
You can't meet the Duke! Are you crazy? Nobody gets to meet the Duke. You meet him once and then you're dead!

Oh... Xbox... What?
 
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I have big hands(can palm a basketball) and hated the OG controller
 
Even before the OG XBOX, MS had a habit of designing their hardware for big hands. I wasn't fond of the original controller due to the odd ergonomics that go with it - even though I also can palm a basketball.
 
I was a fan of the original controller and hated the Type S when it came out. Assuming this isn't $200 because of the OLED, I'm planning on getting one.
 
Making a replica of this controller for xBox and PC is just more evidence that President Trump is Making America Great Again.

Some of you guys creep me out since that sounds an awful lot like the personality cult of the rocket man's clan.

Returning to the original topic. Yeah, what about all those Dreamcast like features such as cartridge?
 
Some of you guys creep me out since that sounds an awful lot like the personality cult of the rocket man's clan.
Or maybe you cannot sense humor? Maybe it was a clever throwback to a recent political campaign slogan? Maybe....



Just for the record: Donald Trump is my God.
 
I've got my 4 OG dukes sitting right next to my OG Xbox 180. I'm glad to see this is making a comeback.
 
Some people liked the big controller and they tended to have bigger hands.

Having a choice is good... unlike the PS2/3 controller, which was crap.
 
Back to the old shit dpad I see, anyone know what those two extra buttons do?
 
You can't meet the Duke! Are you crazy? Nobody gets to meet the Duke. You meet him once and then you're dead!

Oh... Xbox... What?

Is it weird that I know what film that is from and that it was Cabbie that said it? :)

Oh and the controller, do want, gimmie.
 
But why? People didn't really like the original big XBOX controller...

Most people's tiny hands caused all the hate.

I personally loved this controller because I have huge hands and would love to buy this. Not sure how I feel about the screen, kinda useless.
 
I actually use one of those original Xbox giant controllers for my PC. Just gotta wire a USB connector to it and Ubuntu will detect it with no problem.
 
I thought they went smaller due to lack of love from the Japanese market?
 
Is it weird that I know what film that is from and that it was Cabbie that said it? :)

No, not weird. Now let's start calling me A #1 ok? :p

He was only the duke for a little while though. He got fired, and sent to South Park to make school lunches for children.
 
Not true. The Duke had a cult following among people with big hands. Real men with big hands loved it. Effeminate girly men with small hands complained. MS released the S controller to make the girly men happy.

Can confirm. Have girly man hands and liked S controller a lot more.
 
Well, I have big hands and still like the S better. It's the layout not the size.

I like the main right-hand buttons to be in a proper "plus" shape. Otherwise I could use a big controller or a smaller one.
 
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I remember reading an article way back about the 360 controller being largely based ergonomically to the Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad from the 90's. I'd believe it. That was the best controller I ever felt in my hands back in the day. I liked the Duke ok, but at the time I preferred the feeling of the dualshock.
 
But why? People didn't really like the original big XBOX controller...
I have big hands and physically cannot use the playstation controllers because they are too small and my fingers get all bunched up. The control sticks are especially frustrating since my thumbs either butt into each other or I have to hold the controller at odd angles.

The duke controller was my favorite even if the white and black buttons were awkwardly placed. If I had the duke with the rb and lb that would be prefect for me, but luckily even the current designs are large enough and space out the control sticks so my hands aren't fighting each other for control of the controller
 
I thought they went smaller due to lack of love from the Japanese market?
Lack of love from Japan was a lot more then just the size of the controller. As evident with how 360 and xbone been doing in Japan. Idk why they even try. I am sure it is nothing but a money pit there.
 
I remember reading an article way back about the 360 controller being largely based ergonomically to the Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad from the 90's. I'd believe it. That was the best controller I ever felt in my hands back in the day. I liked the Duke ok, but at the time I preferred the feeling of the dualshock.
It's too bad they didn't reuse the d-pad from the original sidewinder gamepad (gameport version, before USB). That d-pad saved my thumb from the wrath of Gravis and worked for all game types with digital input. The PC market was trash for this sort of thing and I could tell MS spent a lot of time and money making a good d-pad and controller. Then, they just forgot about it. The Duke sort of had some of its design roots from the sidewinder, but so many things did not feel right including the d-pad.
 
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Hot girl on Tinder:
"How do I know you're well endowed?"

Guy on Tinder:
*shows photo of him holding The Duke*

Hot girl:
"OH MY GOD MY PLACE IN 30 MIN BRING VASELINE"
 
Not being much of a console peep, this Duke thing is entirely new to me (never tried it), but I can see one thing right away: The "axis" line on the ABXY buttons seems to come not straight "down" the pad, but instead along a line laid perhaps ten degrees off to the right...maybe more outside than the current controller? For that reason alone I suspect I might like it because using it for long periods would potentially be more comfortable for my shoulders (wrists, fingers and lower arms excepted). Somewhat the same reasoning, perhaps, behind the Logitech K350 keyboard I'm typing with--it puts less strain on certain joints, like those shoulders.

As it happens, I'm also the type who prefers larger grip sizes on pretty much everything from tennis rackets to golf clubs (jumbos) to steering wheels (when I can get them thicker, I usually prefer them), and to the extent I've used an Xbox controller, I am better with it (not good, just better) having done a quick'n-dirty stick extension to it. Anything that is more comfortable is generally better and I'll potentially use it a lot longer than if I'm constantly fidgeting and adjusting...or wishing I could.

Just one view.
 
I didn't mind it, but the current Xbone pad is easily the best gamepad I've ever held. I use it for PC games like arcade racers and platformers.
 
This thing is gunna be like $250 because it has that OLED display you watch.....
 
I don't think there's many of us, but I was a fan of the original design. Only controller design where my hands didn't fall asleep after a long gaming session (not that I game in long sessions like I did during my high school days).
 
I love the duke controller, I still have mine and planned to convert it to usb. I know they make adapters but just havent gotten around to buying it. Plus I wasnt sure of win10 usage. Super stoked about this actually. A lot of people hated them but for dudes with big hands this this was awesome. I do love the current gen of controllers though
 
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