“My controller sucks!”
I have barked that exclamation many times while playing video games, all the way back to my days with the Atari 2600. 90% of the time, I knew deep inside, in places where I have to be honest, that I didn’t react fast enough, or precise enough, or was too drunk to pull off the move I wanted to execute. It was that last 10% of the time, however, that really made me want to chuck my controller through my TV screen. I would swear, in my mind, that I pressed the button on time, or I pulled off the move correctly. What did I do wrong?
Cinch Gaming, a tech startup out of Southfield, MI, believes it has the answer. It has an “intelligent” game controller, the CinchTech Game Controller, which aims to answer that question unequivocally. The controller is currently on Kickstarter attempting to get funded, and it promises to capture and display real-time button, d-pad, trigger and thumbstick data, as well as help a gamer analyze the data in a way that will help him or her improve their gaming techniques.
Sounds like a bold concept to be sure, but Jim Hackney, CEO of Cinch Gaming, is ready to prove to anyone with earshot that it’s not just a mere concept, but a full-fledged product.
Speaking with Jim, you come to realize that his roots did not just start in gaming. He and his wife are engineers by trade, her in electrical engineering and him in software engineering. After owning their share of tournament-type controllers, they believed they could make one that was better. They decided to create one that melded their experience in gaming but from an engineer’s perspective. The result was the Cinch Game Controller.
The genius behind the controller lies not just with the controller itself. The controller, a modified version of a standard PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, or Xbone One controller, is embedded with tech that allows the capture of real-time data from the controllers’ button, d-pad and thumbsticks. The real-time data can be displayed on a Twitch livestream to show what inputs were pressed at any point during a gaming session. The data is also captured by a companion smartphone app that works with the controller. The app, compatible with Android and iOS, helps you analyze your controller inputs. This is where the “intelligent” part of the controller comes into play
Pure statistical data like thumbstick movement rates, button press rates, and combo button presses, is digested by the app, translates them into ‘actions’ based on the game profile loaded into the app, and used to generate a score and statistical profile for that game. This profile allows a gamer to see exactly what they are doing during a game session – every trigger pull, every button press, every swing of the thumbstick. These profiles can then be compared to other gamers to see what they are doing right or wrong while playing. Button mashing, incorrect input and other unintended mistakes can be seen so they can be corrected.
The other main draw of the Cinch Game Controller is that it allows a certain level of customization. There are four programmable triggers on the back of the controller that are ergonomically placed and allow face buttons, bumpers, and triggers to be remapped using the app so gamers do not have to move their fingers off a thumbstick to press a button. This allows an edge when playing games that require you to keep your in-game character’s head on a swivel, moving the camera around to avoid getting picked off from the flank. The triggers can even be programmed to activate based on percentage of trigger press, allowing them to be set up as hair triggers or allow a bit of travel before activation. The customizability is aesthetic as well. The smartphone app allows a user to change the controller’s LED color. Cinch Tech promises further customization available depending on individual preferences, and are willing to work with handicapped gamers who need specific button or stick placements.
The controller is very capable, but a controller such as this loses its utility without support. Cinch Gaming promises full support for the controller and its accompanying app. In order for the controller to work at its fullest, the app must have the profile for the game. The Cinch Gaming smartphone app comes with a gaming profile for Call of Duty at launch and will be adding profiles for other games like Halo, Gears of War, Battlefield and Rocket League. The dearth of games may seem troubling, but Jim plans to add more games, primarily by polling the gaming community to see what games interest them. You may also notice that the list of games was very FPS-heavy. Not to worry, says Jim. Although they have made FPS games their focus during development and testing, they plan to embrace all tournament games, including fighting games.
The controllers will be supported by their respective platforms. The Xbox One will also work with PC games. The tech sounds very impressive and real useful for gamers that are looking for a comprehensive way to improve their gaming performance. As of this writing, there are 5 days left on Kickstarter. It is looking for a modest $10,000 to be fully funded, and are a little over $1000 short. If you are interested in the CinchTech Gaming Controller, take a look at their website for more information, and look at their Kickstarter if you are interested in helping them reach their funding goal.
