- Title: Phantasy Star Universe Special Edition Texter
- Platform:Xbox 360
- Publisher: Blue Orb Inc.
- Genre: Text-Input-Device
- Pros: Works great once you learn how to use it; comes with lots of cool PSU swag
- Cons: Can only use with wired controller; using the Texter is like learning a whole new language
Setup
The Texter itself is a credit card-sized device that has a USB port on one end and a mini-USB port on the other. You use an included adapter to plug the mini end into a USB port on your Xbox 360, and you connect a wired Xbox 360 controller to the big USB port on the Texter. Yes, unfortunately, you can only use wired controllers with the Texter, which is a bit of a bummer, but not a deal breaker. And that, literally, is all there is to setup. You just plug and play.
When you need to use the Texter, you just press the back button twice to go into text mode. The ring of light on your controller will start rotating to let you know that you are ready to type. You can use the Texter anywhere you would normally input text with the onscreen keyboard. Inputting Xbox Live Marketplace codes, naming your players in Madden, playing Phantasy Star Universe, etc., so you actually will use the Texter a lot more often than you’re probably thinking right now.
Pictures
Standard Version Xbox 360 Texter
Texter Letter Guide
PSU Version Texter
PSU Texter Box
Texter Setup Diagram
The way the Texter works is by assigning each letter, number, and punctuation mark to a motion on the two analog sticks. The left stick is broken down into five different colors and the right stick has eight different points where there are five characters, one of each color. You type a letter by holding the color of the letter you want on the left stick, and then pressing the right stick in the direction of the group the letter you want is in. For example, the letter “A” is a pink letter and it is in the group of characters placed at the left position of the right stick. So you would hold left on the left stick, and then press left on the right stick to type “A”.
Sound complicated? Yeah, it kind of is, but there are a couple of different ways to learn how to use it. First off, the Texter comes with stickers that you can put on your Xbox 360 controller that show you where everything is. You can learn how to use it just by looking down at your hands while you type. Or you can use a handy little chart that also comes with the Texter that simply says A= left, left, B= up/left, left, C= up left, etc. Whichever way you want to learn how to use it, the learning curve is pretty steep. It is literally like learning a whole new language. But, with practice, it isn’t all that hard. You learned how to write, and then how to type, and this is the same exact concept. Really, by playing games like Geometry Wars or other two stick games, you are already well trained to use these motions, now you just need to learn to connect a character with those motions.
So how does it perform? Very well, actually. When you finally get comfortable using it, you absolutely do type much faster than you ever could with the normal virtual keyboard. Is it faster than just typing on a keyboard? No, but how many people have USB keyboards hooked up to their 360? The Texter has a key advantage over a keyboard, though, in that you seamlessly transition from gameplay to texting and back without having to take your hands off of the controller. Everything works very smoothly with the Texter, and it works very well when you learn how to use it.
Standard or Phantasy Star Universe Special Edition Version
The Texter for Xbox 360 comes in two different flavors. There is a standard Texter set that will run you $29.99, and a Phantasy Star Universe Special Edition version that costs $39.99. If you are a Phantasy Star Universe fan, I highly recommend the PSU Special Edition because it comes with a lot of extra swag you’ll really like. In addition to a special PSU branded Texter, you get a poster, stickers, PSU skin for your controller, and a coupon for a PSU t-shirt you can redeem online. And all of this comes in a very nice looking metal case. The Texter also comes with some card and diagrams showing how to use it, stickers to put on your controller, and a training CD you can use on your PC to help you learn how to use the Texter.
Overall, Blue Orb’s Texter is a solid product, but it isn’t for everybody. It performs very well once you get over the steep, Everest-like learning curve, but not everyone will have the patience for it. And, of course, some people just don’t need this type of text input device. Some people do need it, though, and it is no coincidence that Blue Orb teamed up with Sega to create a Phantasy Star Universe-branded Texter. If you play PSU, the Texter is very handy and worth the investment. One other thing that definitely needs to be considered, though, is Microsoft’s own little snap on keyboard that should be hitting store shelves soon. Is the Texter worth purchasing with that on the horizon? At this point, I’d say yes, simply because we don’t know how well it will perform, and I really don’t think you’ll have the same seamless transition form gameplay to text and back with any type of keyboard. You can quickly type things without ever breaking the immersion of the game world, and that is something I don’t think you can ever achieve with a keyboard.
Check out the Blue Orb Website for more information. You can order the Phantasy Star Universe Special Edition Texter directly form SEGA or from other retailers.
