| The pointing device used in a First-Person Shooter (FPS) game is critical because it must facilitate the player's ability to control the character in the game's 360-degree virtual environment. The control capability of the pointing device in games of this nature can ultimately make the difference between winning and losing. This thesis explores the viability of an advanced touchpad (a FingerWorks Multitouch Pad) as a pointing device in a FPS game. More specifically, the study involved programming the touchpad and testing its playability against a conventional gaming mouse and a constructed hybrid of the two devices. The results of the tests concluded that although the touchpad and hybrid are viable options as input devices for these types of games, their performance was inferior to a conventional gaming mouse. Additionally, the hybrid design outperformed the touchpad, which suggests that it is easier for a player to control a FPS game character when manipulating a physical object as an input device rather than with his hands alone on a touchpad. |
