Tiveria
Sheeptastic!
http://swg.stratics.com/
My Story
A few weeks ago, SOE put a survey out on the G15 gaming keyboard. I’m a techie kind of girl, so I looked up the keyboard on Logitech’s website. It looked fun, but I wasn’t sure at the time if it would be worth the $100 or so they wanted me to give to them.
Then, I had a birthday. Unlike a lot of women who ask for gems, jewels, and candy, I ask for and buy tech goodies. Most years I’ve purchased games, graphics cards, and RAM. This year, I decided to buy a gaming keyboard.
Many of the gaming set-ups I saw were based on a small separate keyboard with large ASDW keys for movement, and number keys in an arch above them. I played with them at the store, but they didn’t feel right. I wanted a keyboard that I could use as a regular keyboard since I didn’t have much space on my desk at home. I also wanted one that would help me organize my macros and other commands for the three or four MMO’s I typically play at one time.
I remembered the G15 from the survey, and decided to try it out at the store. All of the systems were turned off, and the flashy LCD display nor the lights behind the keys would function as a result. I saw the infamous “G” keys on the left hand side. The keyboard was about three or so inches bigger than my keyboard at home, but it felt really nice to type on it. The box told me I could customize and record macros on these keys fairly easily.
After much thought and process, I decided to buy the G15 Logitech Gaming keyboard. This decision is one I am still celebrating.
Basic Coolness
After unhooking my old set-up and setting this keyboard into my PC, I un-wrapped the keyboard. It is sleek, black with a beautiful key-touch to it.
The keyboard uses a USB connection to your computer to set up. After a few minutes, your computer (most likely) will see the new device. I then installed the software that comes with the keyboard. The keyboard has several buttons on it, and me being the curious type, I started hitting some of them. One of them (shaped like a light bulb) was the back-lit option. My keys came to life. I pressed it again, and the keys were brighter. The keyboard has two settings of brightness, and also lights up the LCD display. When I played at night, the keys were easy to see, and honestly, the keyboard was just a beautiful object to look at.
The LCD display does not come with programs for the games I play. It is still one of the most useful features of the keyboard as it rotates between a few screens. (You can change the settings to change the screens manually, but I prefer to have it rotate on its own.) The first is the CPU and RAM % of usage at that moment in a bar-graph format. The second screen is my media player that I often keep running while I’m killing countless force sensitives on Dantooine. Buttons below the LCD allow me to change songs without having to tab out of whatever program I’m running. Finally, the most useful screen is the date and time. Now I know exactly what time it is all the time. It’s easy to read, and you can change the type of clock face you see in the settings. Also, on the clock screen, the ability to see if you have new messages works with certain applications. (Outlook Express, Thunderbird, and a couple of other programs)
Another pretty cool feature is the USB ports on the top of the keyboard. The keyboard is a USB hub for two USB devices. You can now insert your mp3 player, or mouse, or game controller, or any device easily into your keyboard. Gone are the days of scrounging around the back of your PC looking for a USB connection.
Ultimate Gaming Setup
The best part of the keyboard are the G keys. When I first installed the software that comes with the input device, the software recognized about half a dozen of the games I have on my system. The software creates profiles for each of these games. You can create a profile for any program you have running on your PC. The profile is based on the executable you set-up, and will activate when that executable is running. For each profile, you have three memory banks. For each memory (M1, M2 and M3) you can set up macros for each of the 18 G Keys. In total you can have 54 completely customized keys in addition to your normal qwerty functionality. To switch between memories, there are three buttons above the G keys that you simply just press.
There are two ways of setting up a Macro. You can set one up through Quick Macros, a button on your keyboard that will record your keystrokes and set that to the key of your choice. You can also set them up through the keyboard settings on your software. Personally I prefer setting them up through the software.
You can either assign a single key, or you can assign a combination of key strokes. If timing is important in your macro, make sure to check the “include pause” button.
To set up your first macro, open the keyboard panel in your software. A picture of your G keys will appear. When you click on the keys, you can either create a macro, assign a keystroke, or assign the key one of the macros you’ve created or one of almost a dozen system functions. Click on create a macro. Name your macro, and then click on the record button. Type in “Hello” then click on the record button again. Open up word, or any other program, and click the G key. It will type Hello on your screen.
This ability has amazing possibilities in games. For instance, in SWG, you can create a combination to shorten the process of Control + R. Just tap a G key, and you start to reply to your last tell. You can create a macro to logout. /sit /logout. Normally this takes 13 keystrokes, and only takes one with this keyboard. Every single process you can type, you can assign to a G key. Checking your g-mail, jumping, the possibilities are endless.
Also, as I mentioned previously, many of the existing games already have functions set up. EQ2, WoW, Pirates!, and Diablo2 all have macros created. Simple functions like guild profiles, sitting, walking around, and inventory are already created, and are waiting to be set up.
Downfalls
The only real downer to this system is that it can be a bit technical. If you are not used to setting up macros, and system configurations, this keyboard may be a bit daunting. You need to be able to switch in and out of whatever game you are playing in order to set it up using the method above. You need to be able to find executables and assign them as profiles.
Conclusion
If you are into technology, this keyboard is amazing. It is fairly easy to use if you aren’t technically challenged. The customization it provides will simply stun you. I would recommend this keyboard to anyone serious about gaming. The LCD panel is fun, and helps you in remembering the time, verify your RAM usage, and knowing what media is currently being streamed through your headset. The back-lit keyboard is handsome, and allows you to play until the dark of night. USB connections allow you to connect your other devices in a matter of moments. And the most amazing feature, the G keys allow you to bring your game to an entirely new level.
You can buy the Logitech keyboard from most gaming superstores, or on their website.
My Story
A few weeks ago, SOE put a survey out on the G15 gaming keyboard. I’m a techie kind of girl, so I looked up the keyboard on Logitech’s website. It looked fun, but I wasn’t sure at the time if it would be worth the $100 or so they wanted me to give to them.
Then, I had a birthday. Unlike a lot of women who ask for gems, jewels, and candy, I ask for and buy tech goodies. Most years I’ve purchased games, graphics cards, and RAM. This year, I decided to buy a gaming keyboard.
Many of the gaming set-ups I saw were based on a small separate keyboard with large ASDW keys for movement, and number keys in an arch above them. I played with them at the store, but they didn’t feel right. I wanted a keyboard that I could use as a regular keyboard since I didn’t have much space on my desk at home. I also wanted one that would help me organize my macros and other commands for the three or four MMO’s I typically play at one time.
I remembered the G15 from the survey, and decided to try it out at the store. All of the systems were turned off, and the flashy LCD display nor the lights behind the keys would function as a result. I saw the infamous “G” keys on the left hand side. The keyboard was about three or so inches bigger than my keyboard at home, but it felt really nice to type on it. The box told me I could customize and record macros on these keys fairly easily.
After much thought and process, I decided to buy the G15 Logitech Gaming keyboard. This decision is one I am still celebrating.
Basic Coolness
After unhooking my old set-up and setting this keyboard into my PC, I un-wrapped the keyboard. It is sleek, black with a beautiful key-touch to it.
The keyboard uses a USB connection to your computer to set up. After a few minutes, your computer (most likely) will see the new device. I then installed the software that comes with the keyboard. The keyboard has several buttons on it, and me being the curious type, I started hitting some of them. One of them (shaped like a light bulb) was the back-lit option. My keys came to life. I pressed it again, and the keys were brighter. The keyboard has two settings of brightness, and also lights up the LCD display. When I played at night, the keys were easy to see, and honestly, the keyboard was just a beautiful object to look at.
The LCD display does not come with programs for the games I play. It is still one of the most useful features of the keyboard as it rotates between a few screens. (You can change the settings to change the screens manually, but I prefer to have it rotate on its own.) The first is the CPU and RAM % of usage at that moment in a bar-graph format. The second screen is my media player that I often keep running while I’m killing countless force sensitives on Dantooine. Buttons below the LCD allow me to change songs without having to tab out of whatever program I’m running. Finally, the most useful screen is the date and time. Now I know exactly what time it is all the time. It’s easy to read, and you can change the type of clock face you see in the settings. Also, on the clock screen, the ability to see if you have new messages works with certain applications. (Outlook Express, Thunderbird, and a couple of other programs)
Another pretty cool feature is the USB ports on the top of the keyboard. The keyboard is a USB hub for two USB devices. You can now insert your mp3 player, or mouse, or game controller, or any device easily into your keyboard. Gone are the days of scrounging around the back of your PC looking for a USB connection.
Ultimate Gaming Setup
The best part of the keyboard are the G keys. When I first installed the software that comes with the input device, the software recognized about half a dozen of the games I have on my system. The software creates profiles for each of these games. You can create a profile for any program you have running on your PC. The profile is based on the executable you set-up, and will activate when that executable is running. For each profile, you have three memory banks. For each memory (M1, M2 and M3) you can set up macros for each of the 18 G Keys. In total you can have 54 completely customized keys in addition to your normal qwerty functionality. To switch between memories, there are three buttons above the G keys that you simply just press.
There are two ways of setting up a Macro. You can set one up through Quick Macros, a button on your keyboard that will record your keystrokes and set that to the key of your choice. You can also set them up through the keyboard settings on your software. Personally I prefer setting them up through the software.
You can either assign a single key, or you can assign a combination of key strokes. If timing is important in your macro, make sure to check the “include pause” button.
To set up your first macro, open the keyboard panel in your software. A picture of your G keys will appear. When you click on the keys, you can either create a macro, assign a keystroke, or assign the key one of the macros you’ve created or one of almost a dozen system functions. Click on create a macro. Name your macro, and then click on the record button. Type in “Hello” then click on the record button again. Open up word, or any other program, and click the G key. It will type Hello on your screen.
This ability has amazing possibilities in games. For instance, in SWG, you can create a combination to shorten the process of Control + R. Just tap a G key, and you start to reply to your last tell. You can create a macro to logout. /sit /logout. Normally this takes 13 keystrokes, and only takes one with this keyboard. Every single process you can type, you can assign to a G key. Checking your g-mail, jumping, the possibilities are endless.
Also, as I mentioned previously, many of the existing games already have functions set up. EQ2, WoW, Pirates!, and Diablo2 all have macros created. Simple functions like guild profiles, sitting, walking around, and inventory are already created, and are waiting to be set up.
Downfalls
The only real downer to this system is that it can be a bit technical. If you are not used to setting up macros, and system configurations, this keyboard may be a bit daunting. You need to be able to switch in and out of whatever game you are playing in order to set it up using the method above. You need to be able to find executables and assign them as profiles.
Conclusion
If you are into technology, this keyboard is amazing. It is fairly easy to use if you aren’t technically challenged. The customization it provides will simply stun you. I would recommend this keyboard to anyone serious about gaming. The LCD panel is fun, and helps you in remembering the time, verify your RAM usage, and knowing what media is currently being streamed through your headset. The back-lit keyboard is handsome, and allows you to play until the dark of night. USB connections allow you to connect your other devices in a matter of moments. And the most amazing feature, the G keys allow you to bring your game to an entirely new level.
You can buy the Logitech keyboard from most gaming superstores, or on their website.
