A lot of products sound weird at first, and quite a few have unusual names. But rarely do we come across a product that is quite so initially strange and with such a distinctive name. It's also a unique piece of gear as well, the only one of it's kind. Funded successfully on Kickstarter, the project made waves at some recent gaming conventions like PAX East.
We've seen a lot of computer peripherals, but nothing quite like the Stinky Footboard from new company SteLuLu. There are keyboards and mice in every shape and form, of course, but a few target gamers especially, like those from MadCatz. We've seen several other interesting ways to interact with your desktop or laptop, like the Peregrine Gaming Glove and the Penclic input device. But, aside from basic racing and flight simulator pedals, this is the first major way that we've seen to use your feet. The promise is simple: plug the Stinky in via USB, and now you've got a new way to interact!
The Footboard provides quick access to other shortcuts that you can use in any application, not just gaming, but it's specifically aimed at gamers who need quick controls for use in MMOs and RTS game and similar titles. Sometimes, you need to be able to make changes on the fly rapidly, while you use your keyboard and mouse for primary movement and targeting. Even in FPS titles, we setup our Stinky to help with some alternate weapon modes, which worked better than fumbling with 20 buttons on a mouse. The aluminum body itself is extremely sturdy, raised slightly from the ground, with springed sections that work like switches- one for each foot, and another pair on the upper and lower sections of the board. The left and right switches worked perfectly well, with great tension in the springs, but the other pair were a bit harder to use. You can actually switch out springs between soft, medium, and hard tension strengths, which is pretty cool.
It does take some time to get used to the device- the Stinkyboard can feel like learning a new instrument. The creators want you to be able to "stomp out your competition", and thanks to the fairly responsive and sturdy "buttons", we found some fun ways to use it, in Company of Heroes 2 and even in Photoshop. Windows-only, it can only support two-button controls, so don't expect it to take the place of complicated macros. But you can- with some work- set up profiles for use in different programs. We wouldn't call it portable, as it does weigh about 12 pounds, but it held up well in our test and feels incredibly durable. Available soon, pre-order early bird models run $120, and ship soon! It's definitely worth trying out if you're a gamer who loves new ways to improve your play.