SteelSeries WoW mouse gets new functionality
by Zach Yonzon 
Oct 29th 2009 at 9:00AM
This should make the mouse completely usable out of the box for all players without fear of breaking the game's end-user policies, as opposed to how it was when it first shipped as it took advantage of disallowed automated and timed scripts. The Steelseries website notes that players can "achieve faster response time(s) by customizing (their) mouse setup in-game and thereby removing a layer of software." It was this "layer of software" outside the game that delivered commands to the mouse and conflicted with the game's policies. So fear not, players! The Steelseries WoW mouse is now completely EULA-compliant! I mean, it still kind of looks like a robotic turtle, but at least it won't get you banned from the game anymore.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Hardware
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rastakitty Oct 29th 2009 9:10AM
I don't understand all the hate for this mouse. I have it and found it to be very helpful without breaking any of the rules. The extra buttons are what I love and it would be hard to use anything else.
It did take some work to get ready, but you could remap all the keys to say the numpad (or any keys you don't use) and get the same functionality they talk about here by then mapping the numpad to your abilities.
Let us hope this lowers the setup learning curve.
Sven Van Herck Oct 29th 2009 9:13AM
Ye the numpad trick is a great way to fix it, if you still want to use the software I suggest this
Sven Van Herck Oct 29th 2009 9:11AM
Finally I'd say, i've been messing around with the functionality of the software ever since I got it and i'm glad they finally made it what it should have been from the beginning.
I saw the function ingame already a few weeks ago but i didnt get it to work yet, turns out I have to enable it in the software also.. Thnx for the article, helped me fix it ^^
Faar Oct 29th 2009 9:13AM
I've never been interested in this mouse, simply because the buttons have been unusable inside the game. Now I might reconsider, as some classes I play are running out of keyboard and skillbar hotkeys, but I'm still not sure the mouse itself is any damn good. When it launched, complaints were leveled at it the quality felt flimsy and that buttons could get stuck, and of course, it was overly expensive. I also wonder about the precision of the LED or laser tracker; some non-Microsoft/Logitech mice use simply terrible tracking detectors.
Finally, I am not sure if this mouse is even sold in my country, I've never seen it displayed or advertised over here... :P Maybe the Blizzard store carries it, I dunno.
Skonged Oct 29th 2009 9:14AM
A mouse with wings for more noob pownage. It also draws water away from the skin!
Paultab Oct 29th 2009 9:44AM
Gross?
Skonged Oct 29th 2009 10:10AM
I am talking about the mouse. What ever are you referring to?
Bonksy Oct 29th 2009 10:44PM
Paultab
What's more gross, sweaty hands, or a mouse that dries your hands?
Shadowlore Oct 29th 2009 9:17AM
*copy and pasted from another site I posted this on*
Unless they just recently completely redesigned it (The hardware), the mouse is a piece of junk. Earlier this year, I went thru 3 of them within a month. Here’s a rundown of the issues:
1.) The cord the mouse has has ‘reinforced braiding’... which is nice.. if it actually WORKED. This mouse commonly suffers from the same issue that the older v1 MS Intelli-explorer mice had, they develop a short in the wiring right where it joins the body of the mouse. You can get through this by adding some sort of support (I had to use a popsicle stick) to keep the wiring from bending where it connects to the mouse body.
2.) If you’re used to the ergonomic features of just about any mouse out right now, the WoW mouse will find you wanting to kill someone. The back end of the mouse has a steep drop off, and the base of your palm will sit MUCH lower than other mice on the market…. it doesn’t feel natural, and the center of your hand will have nothing to support it.
3.) The placement of the buttons were WONDERFUL… for my 8 year old. My daughter plays WoW as well, and she had no problems with the button placement on the mouse, but my wife and I found that many of the buttons were positioned badly. For example, the directional thumb button requires you to almost completely double your thumb under your hand to press the top portion of it. Admittedly, I have large hands, so I assumed it was just me… but my wife has small hands, and even she complained about it.
4.) If you’re used to ‘palming’ your mouse to move it around (Squeezing it between your thumb and little finger to pick it up) you’re going to find the design factor won’t accommodate for this very easily.
5.) While this issue has probably been addressed by now, at the time, Steelseries didn’t have 64bit drivers for the mouse, and the 32bit drivers caused issue with 64bit OS’s if you forced them to install. (I lost the ability to install ANY other pointing device, because their miserable excuse for drivers replaced core OS OCX’s and DLLs)
6.) Their support (if that’s what you want to call it) took forever to get back to me.. I filed a final complaint with them a WEEK before I returned the last mouse to Newegg, and they finally got back to me almost a month after I’d returned the device. Since I didn’t get an official ‘Return Authorization’ from Steelseries (since they couldn’t be bothered to get back to me timely) I was charged a 15% restocking fee to Newegg, because I didn’t want to replace a mouse that had been replaced 2x before. Luckily newegg refunded me the restocking fee after I complained..
Overall, I loved the idea of the mouse, and I REALLY REALLY wanted it to be my mouse of choice, but ultimately I wound up walking away with a bitter taste in my mouth towards anything Steel Series will ever produce, which is a shame, because I’d planned on purchasing a Zboard to compliment the mouse (used one at a game tourney a few years ago, and liked it alot)
Unless they’ve done something rather drastic to the mouse and their support, I can’t recommend any of their products to anyone. While I’m sure people try to be optimistic with their reviews, I encourage them to use the mouse for 30-60 days, and give people their followup opinion on the device. Right now? I’d recommend any mouse or pointing device, over this thing.
Raziellionheart Oct 29th 2009 12:13PM
I Completely disagree with what is said in the above comment.
1. I have no issues with the cord. I have no idea how a cord could be bent so much that it breaks. maybe he winds the cord around his mouse when he's not using it like a console game controler? I have not had this issue.
2. I suppose this might just be me but I dont rest my weight on my mouse. I dont need support for the center of my hand. i think the design matchs many of the mice out there. i have a microsoft wireless mouse out work and i think that I hold this mouse in much the same way i hold my wow mouse. i will admit that it does take some getting used to if you had a $10 mouse before.
3. Maybe the other user doesnt understand how to hold a mouse or maybe we have different mice. The buttons are very easy to get to (and my hands are not the size of an 8 year old girls). the way the mouse is designed i hold it a little further back and it works great. The only way i can imagine the button problem is if he's holding the mouse way too forward.
4. No problems here. The way i old my mouse I can still squeeze it tol move it without pressing buttons. It did take some getting used to. I squeeze more withthe base of my thumb as opposed to the tip. since i hold the mouse a bit further back i donthave a problem pressing buttons with the base of my thumb.
5. & 6 no comment.
I have had this mouse for over 3 months now and I love it. I mostly play a tree druid and it works really well with some nice addons out there. I used bind pad to map abilities stright out of my spell book. I also used an addon for grid that allows me to just press the heal button to cast a spell instead of having to select the play then cast the spell (a mouse over macro addon basically). like many things with wow, addons tot he interface really help this mouse shine.
I do have problems with this mouse in pvp but I think it's more a lack of skill than a shortcoming of the mouse. I really enjoy my mouse.
Shadowlore Oct 29th 2009 12:30PM
Hmm.. can't reply to a reply. oh well...
@Raziellionheart
In response to your reply:
1.) No. I never wrap cords around any piece of electronic device. It's a bad habit to get into, and if console users wrap their cords around controllers, they need to do some research. If I had wrapped the cord around the mouse, I'd fully expect it to short out eventually. My keyboard and mouse never move from their location, so there is no reason to wrap a cord, twistie, it or anything.
2.) Don't know what to tell you here. If people didn't rest their hands on mice, there would be no point for any of them to be ergonomically designed. Sure, I know some people who hover their hands over mice, but hovering is generally a good way to tire your arm out. As someone who spends 90% of their day using a computer, there's no way I'm going to ever resort to hovering over a mouse. (Except in those circumstances when I have to use a mouse belonging to some of my rather 'disgusting' users here at work whose mice turn 'green')
3.) Guess I don't know how to hold a mouse then. I mean, dang.. for the last 26 years, I've been doing it wrong the whole time. Must take the time to make sure I figure this out before I use one again. *chuckling*
Seriously, while I can respect the fact you disagree with my statements, I'm pretty sure you could have said as much, without resorting to trying to insult both my and the other readers' intelligence.
Skorn Oct 29th 2009 9:19AM
I purchased this mouse a few months ago at Best Buy. After a few days it quit working. I contacted the manufacturer for support and received none and after several attempts. Back to Best Buy it went.
snowleopard233 Oct 29th 2009 9:29AM
Pff. 15 buttons? That's cute. How many buttons does my new razer naga mouse have?
(ques pyrotechnics and shouts in a booming voice)
Sesese...SEVENTEEN BUTTONS!!!
Sorry, but this thing's just awesome. I tried out the steelseries mouse at bestbuy. I don't know if it was because it was a floor model, but it just felt kind of fragile and awkward. I'd much rather have an organized 3x4 grid on the side of my mouse than a bunch of weirdly shaped buttons strewn all over the place.
Ethan Oct 29th 2009 10:43AM
Obviously you're just fanboying here, but if the BB floor model is accurate at all it's about half the quality of my $30 Store Brand mouse.
Killer Oct 29th 2009 9:35AM
The thing is still a piece of junk. I bought the v2 of this mouse after its initial bout of problems after it's release and I still returned it after 3 days of use because the left mouse button started squeaking.
The mouse and buttons are cheaply made and definitely not worth the price. If you want a mouse with a lot of buttons and that is built well I suggest the Razr Naga or even the discontinued Logitech MX1000. I use the MX1000 currently and have found that the closest replacement to it that has close to the amount of buttons is the Logitech G500.
ultimate_force Oct 29th 2009 9:44AM
Love everything about the mouse apart from the metal finish, if you are a hardcore gamer who sits at their computer for long periods, you will start to get the horrible green stain on your hand where the metal is wearing off. (the same as when you hold a lot of copper coins for a long time)
that kind of ruined it for me as i now have a half plastic and a half metal mouse... absolute crud, decided to go back to Razer :P
Samantha Smith Oct 29th 2009 9:49AM
i played with this mouse at the store, but im afraid it was just too big for my hands. I wish they would make a girl version that was a bit smaller, and maybe pink?!? lol.
Em Oct 29th 2009 9:51AM
I really tried to like this mouse I bought it. It took awhile to get the software to do what I wanted it to do with my bindings, but it worked out. However I have to agree with above posters, the build quality of the mouse was horrible. The buttons literally rattled if you shook the mouse slightly. The left mouse button didn't seem to be constructed correctly and rubbed the side that held the middle mouse wheel. The mouse wheel itself was lopsided and had no 'click' to pressing it. Though the idea of so many button on a mouse was great, I wouldn't recommend this particular mouse to anyone.
Muru Oct 29th 2009 9:56AM
yarly
rika13 Oct 29th 2009 9:58AM
The hate for his mouse is easy to understand.
This is an OFFICIAL WoW mouse, but using it was something that would get you banned from WoW. This makes absolutely no sense to the millions who don't read every blue post and logically think "It has Blizzard's blessing.".
If someone were to force Blizzard into a lawsuit or arbitration over it, Blizzard would be pretty screwed since they EXPLICITLY market the device and it's macro functions for WoW (it is easy to assume a company knows it's own EULA) and sell it themselves.
Incorporating support was something that should have been done WHEN THE THING LAUNCHED.
Now combine the idiocy of marketing and selling a mouse that violates their own ToS with the fact that said idiocy costs $100 (i paid $80 for a new Logitech Wave Pro cordless mouse and keyboard set) and is rather low quality.
Btw, there is also a keyboard for $70.