No rumble-like functionality for PC games?

Like many of you, at least I'm guessing, I prefer PC games. Many of the ones that are specifically designed with the PC in mind tend to have deeper gameplay options and provide a better experience overall.

However, if you remember when rumble functionality came out for the N64 it was a pretty big deal. Now in 2014, PC players still don't have anything similar. Yeah, I know, nobody wants a mouse that has built-in rumble, but what about a keyboard that does? What about a vest or some other niche device that rumbles, provides hot/cold sensation, etc.? I'm aware of things like Oculus Rift, but that still only engages the senses of sight and sound as far as I'm aware.

we did have Things that had rumble. Flightsticks driving Wheels and such, and there may still be some (ofcourse the 360 controller I use for fighting games also has rumble :P).

Think the reasons why it may have gotten away if existing nomore, is due to how fragile control input devices are with rumble, can't Count the flightsticks where the rumble engine is damaged, which in some cases made the Whole flightstick inoperable ( fairly expensive too).

Hmm, I didn't think about that. I would think that a well-designed joystick would still be able to operate even with a broken rumble device, and even allow you to replace the rumble component if it wears out, etc.

I've seen articles about these sort of things before, but are there any vests or anything that provide a more tactile sort of experience? For example, playing a game like Halo or Call of Duty the vest would rumble or buzz according to the area you got hit (or more generically, rumble if you get hit anywhere), or what about something that heats up or cools down depending on a spell used against you in a RPG? I'm guessing that even if there are things like this that they are basically useless as the game would have to be designed specifically to make use of it.

Well there kind of is, or rather will be, I am fairly certain that it has been tryied on osme occations to make some sort of haptic feedback via vest, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kor-fx/kor-fx-gaming-vest-4dfx-haptic-feedback-system

It is not the first of its kind either, but to my knowlage earlier attempts have either been abandoned, or used for scenarios outside of gaming, and average consumer.

And yeh games would need some feedback, in fps games I suppose 3rd party coding via developer could easily code it in as to if a bullet hit you in the front, back or side, given that the game usually already tracks that, so just hvavig a sort of plug in program to make use of that info would be fairly simple.

In cases of different kind of feedback, it would be harder. Not to mention it would be hard to make most consumers put on such a vest in the first place. Would go fairly well with VR though.

As for Rumble in flightsticks and such, it was mostly used 10 years ago or such, I can't remember but I saw rumble in PC accesories before I saw in in console controllers, so the PC might have been the testbed for the rumble we see now. Back then it was really clumbsy however, and unstabile, it broke quite often, and was both big and used a fair bit of power.

Why we don't see it as ofte nnow, I don't know, and it might still exist, but my flightsticks simply have been ones without (by the luck of the Draw).

ah memories. i had a big logitech joystick with force feedback support (rumble is so primitive :P) back in the day and it would occasionally dislocate my wrist (not really). good time :D. whatever did happen to force feedback?

anywho rumble works fine when im using a 360 controller on the PC. So we still have that.

i think they did try a rumble/force feedback mouse back in the day but it never took off.

i heard rumours of a device that produced smells also a long time ago....did that ever come to pass?

osan0: Yes, I believe it the smell device was released and just didn't sell well. I think it had to do with probably a) price and b) it could only do like 5 scents.

If the added benefit of a tactile feedback vest or whatever was cool enough I don't see problems with getting people to buy them/wear them. Yeah, there won't be as many people who do but that is what the higher price makes up for. I for one would think it would be cool, mainly for single-player games, where the vest would buzz or whatever depending on where you got hit. Or, in a game that has a stealth or horror element, the thing could rumble/whatever in such a way to make you feel like you're having a rapid/heavy heartbeat. Not sure if that would actual cause problems with people's hearts or anything though, I'm not a medical professional.

Tons of PC games have rumble if you use a 360 controller.

@KHAndAnime: Yes, you're right. Although playing them with the X360 controller may provide a lesser experience. For RPGs no, but for shooters and the like, yes.

Really depends what your preference is, there's nothing that makes the 360 controller an objectively worse experience than using a mouse and keyboard. Rumble is more or less, a bit of a gimmick, and has no real place in PC gaming. Anything that sits on a desk and not in your hand will never be suitable for rumble.

Buy a 360 controller and put it down your pants, enjoy the rumble :)

But seriously, a keyboard with rumble is actually something that has crossed my mind before. I think it would make sense for games but I don't think there would be enough demand for it to be made in the first place.

I dont see many M/KB centric games really needing rumble. it can be good for flight games, but may as well just use a flight stick, which can easily add rumble functions within the device. FPS' already have sporadic fire that's communicated on screen to give weapons a distinctive feel even without rumble.

So far, the only recent game I recall that uses rumble effectively is Fez. It used the rumble as one of the puzzle solutions. I also didnt know the 360 pad had separate rumble functions on the right handle and left handle of the controller until it did this clever thing with it.

You made me remember that Mechwarrior footsteps rumble, good times.

@darkknight9174: I play most games with a controller... it rumbles.