Scott Hanselman

I'm stoked about this new (and inexpensive) add-on. The Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver is a USB receiver, modeled in the style of the receivers many already have for keyboards and mice, that let's you use your existing Xbox Wireless stuff like the controller and driving wheel with existing games.

I've always been a little underwhelmed with Joystick support in Windows, but DirectX 10 (only took 10 tries) tries to rectify that. Additionally, the new "Games for Windows" branding insists that all games that receive the label must:

• Support the XBox controllers and wireless receivers (specifically, support the DirectInput stuff)
• Support DirectX 10 (check out this screenshot from Crysis)
  
• Support the Windows Vista parental controls. That means Z only plays "E" rated games if he's by himself.

Basically, Windows gaming works like Console gaming. The Windows machine is just another Console - as it should be. I stopped PC gaming altogether (except for Guild Wars) because it was a hassle. Anything that makes it less of a hassle is a Good Thing™.

ASIDE: A few corrections and comments for this weeks podcast (that was on gaming.) A listener pointed out that:

• The Wii supports WiFi out of the box, but to support Ethernet, you need an adapter.
• While Nintendo has said in the past that you'll be able to download "any Nintendo game" that my have been hyperbole, as certainly there is a small subset of classic games currently available for the Wii "Virtual Console," which is Nintendos brand for the Classic Gaming stuff. It's a 'trickle' so far.
• He also comments that the podcast was leaning a little towards Xbox360-fanboyness, and a little against Sony and Nintendo, both from a commentary point of view, but also from a content perspective. Valid points, all.

About Scott

Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author.

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