Keyboard like thing, with graphics on it, In PC shops years ago??

David_VI · 15 Mar 2012 at 15:19

The subject is hard to understand I had no idea what to write.

Just something came into my head earlier. When I was young I remember being in the purple shop and seeing one of the first Tomb Raider games on a PC you could try out. But the keyboard wasn't a keyboard it was an object that had like pictures of Tomb Raider on but touch buttons that told you the controls so you could easily play it, I guess?

I'm sure I saw other games doing the same thing but can't quite remember, just the Tomb Raider one sticks out to me.

Is this memory something i've made up? Or did these exist and were they just for use in shops?

I've tried googling and failed as I have no idea what to search for so I thought i'd ask some people who have been into PC's as long as I have, but were probably a bit older so remember

Thanks
David

darren73 · 15 Mar 2012 at 15:23

Zboard?

Kamwah · 15 Mar 2012 at 15:25

Pretty sure you're describing a Zboard but it could be a gamepad aswell which are quite rare.

pooey · 15 Mar 2012 at 15:34

Curse team Zboard, they schooled us in the semifinal of i25.

I WILL NOT FORGIVE!

Tummy · 15 Mar 2012 at 15:34

Hank_Marvin · 15 Mar 2012 at 15:41

Probly just a cardboard overlay.

David_VI · 15 Mar 2012 at 16:12

This was in the 90s, Zboard looks quite new? It didn't seem to be a keyboard with an overlay either, it was mostly flat, like touch buttons not actual keys.. Hmm.

Thanks for your help!

Kosmiche · 15 Mar 2012 at 16:27

Something similar to the optimus keyboard?

Those are lights not stickers.

Devlish · 15 Mar 2012 at 16:56

Ahhh the Optimus, what a shed load of promise with a boat load of fail.

i5aces · 15 Mar 2012 at 17:04

is that a keyboard with each key as a little display,

that looks like such a good idea,
is there a reason that never took off

.Griff. · 15 Mar 2012 at 17:06

i5aces said:
is that a keyboard with each key as a little display,

that looks like such a good idea,
is there a reason that never took off

Price..

djkav · 15 Mar 2012 at 17:09

i5aces said:
is that a keyboard with each key as a little display,

that looks like such a good idea,
is there a reason that never took off

113 OLED keys, and price £1000.

OldComputerGuy7 · 15 Mar 2012 at 17:13

I think what you are referring to is the saitek pc dash.

My copy of tomb raider 2 came with one of the sheets that you used to control the game it had a bar code on the back and as you inserted it the pc dash would recognise what the control layout each game was.

David_VI · 15 Mar 2012 at 17:43

OldComputerGuy7 said:
I think what you are referring to is the saitek pc dash.

My copy of tomb raider 2 came with one of the sheets that you used to control the game it had a bar code on the back and as you inserted it the pc dash would recognise what the control layout each game was.

YESSS.
At last my mind is at rest! I could have sworn it wasn't Tomb Raider 2 though, as I ended up owning that game and what I saw in the shop wasn't in it.. But that still seems to be the thing!

Time to do a bit of googling on it now I know the name!
Thanks!

David

Kosmiche · 15 Mar 2012 at 18:32

That is nerdy beyond words lol

i5aces · 16 Mar 2012 at 08:15

djkav said:
113 OLED keys, and price £1000.

dam thats exspensive,
bloody good idea tho,

i recon that could be done a lot cheaper now,

Voices · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:46

"Play the game - not the keyboard"

TheVoice · 16 Mar 2012 at 09:50

i5aces said:
dam thats exspensive,
bloody good idea tho,

i recon that could be done a lot cheaper now,

Apparently not, seeing as that's what the newest one (from December) goes for.