Berserker technical post?

Drastic

Member
Curious to know the technical differences and future software possibilities between the berserker and the old macro chip.
 

JIM WALKER

Active Member
Curious to know the technical differences and future software possibilities between the berserker and the old macro chip.

The differences are so great that there are no software possibilities between them, now or in the future sadly, it would be awesome if there was a macro/rune hybrid software, but there cannot be ....
 

odingalt

Well-Known Member
Staff member
We can start by comparing the hardware and firmware:

-The Berserker has a 10-bit DAC (digital to analog converter), as opposed to the 8-bit DAC on the XBOX 360 Macro. This means 400% more accurate recreation of joystick and trigger movements.
-Actually uses the same exact CPU as the XBOX 360 macro, running at the same clock speed as the old.
-Slightly newer, but same-sized, 8-mbit/1-megabyte EEPROM. The Berserker EEPROM allows single byte read/write (the old XBOX 360 macro required whole sector erase). This is the main reason the old XBOX 360 macro controller couldn't remember which page you were on when you powered it off. A sector of EEPROM is reserved now for calibration data, user preferences, etc.
-The new Berserker has a custom, aftermarket 4-quadrant LED lense. This is due to the fact that XBOX One stock controller only has one LED inside of it so we can't really hijack it in a meaningful way.
-Due to physical constraints inside the XBOX One controller, we now only have 10 colors available on the RGB LED indicator instead of the full color mixing on the old XBOX 360 macro controller. (You could only access 16 colors on XBOX 360 macro but it was capable of full 256/256/256 RGB color mixing).
-Improved encryption.
-Improved, multi-operating-system compatible bootloader (already beta tested with Windows, Android and MacOS)

Software-wise, Berserker is 100x more powerful than XBOX 360 macro:

-Berserker remember yours pages, modes and activations when it's powered off. The full status of your mods is saved in memory and recalled on power-up. (XBOX 360 macro would always forget)
-Berserker can pick all LED page colors, toggle LED colors, group LED colors, etc. individually. (XBOX 360 macro only let you set all four LED's as the same color.)
-Berserker can trigger the playback of a macro on joystick movements such as joystick up. (XBOX 360 macro could not). This lets you do mods like autosprint assigned to your joystick up movement.
-Berserker can scroll through "groups" of mods, similar to a traditional modded controller. (XBOX 360 macro could not)
-Berserker can scroll forward and backwards through pages or groups. None of our other controllers let you scroll backwards.
-Berserker can assign multiple macro playbacks to the same button. (XBOX 360 macro could not)
-Berserker can trigger playback of a macro by holding a combination of buttons, for example mod switch #1 + right trigger. (XBOX 360 macro could not)
-Berserker can scroll through pages or groups by holding a combination of buttons. (XBOX 360 macro could not)
-Berserker can differentiate between "holding" a button and "tapping" a button when triggering macros or navigating macros (XBOX 360 macro could not)
-Berserker allows for a "cancel/inhibit" button. For example, get rapidfire when pressing RT, but "cancel rapidfire when holding LT + RT. Also known as aim cancel. (XBOX 360 macro cannot do this)
-Berserker allows zooming on the timeline editor (XBOX 360 macro software doesn't)
-Berserker modifies the time axis when you edit the timeline multiplier (XBOX 360 macro software makes you do the math in your head)

In regards to future capabilities of the Berserker, these are near-term:

-The runepack editor is separate from the flasher/programming utility. This makes support for multiple operating systems much easier.
-Android 4.x device support. (Load runepacks or firmware updates without getting off the couch)
-MacOS - don't think this will hit until 2015 unfortunately.
-Record/store MULTIPLE macros at the same time (XBOX 360 macro could only record/store one at a time), do bulk retrieval of your recorded/stored runes into the Forge

There are far-term capabilities:

-Full-blown Companion Android app - allow real-time, touch-screen control of your Berserker mods. Tap the screen to enable/disable rapidfire, change pages, etc. Automatically detect outdated firmware and update your device when plugged in, etc. Access your full Forge library from your Android phone with a special library browser within the Companion App. The whole purpose of the Viking Forge as a web-based platform is to have the ability to make kick-ass apps for mobile devices, to get your whole library in the palm of your hand on your couch.

Viking Forge "API". The Viking Forge architecture makes it a central API that can serve anything. This is the standard in computing now, to create web based apps with well defined API's. This lets the Forge serve content to mobile devices, multi-operating system browsers, integrate with our e-commerce software Magento, etc. In the future we will use the API a lot more, today we are using very little of the API.


We are about $100k into this project, we have about another $50k to spend, as soon as we have the funds available. The console mod industry has been in a huge slump since March 2013, we're still waiting for a rebound. It has not been easy investing in a product. As an FYI for you guys, we sold 2,000-3,000 XBOX 360 macro controllers and they are still selling. We have only sold about 80 XBOX One Berserkers so far. We need to sell about 700-800 of them to break even on this project. So this is a long term project now.
 

odingalt

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Added these to the wish list for customers, this is far-term:

-"XBOX 360 macro emulation" mode in the Viking Forge. Throws back to the old school "GUI" based XBOX 360 macro set creator. We will definitely be looking for an alternative UI for what is currently our runepack editor. It's intimidating for some customers.
-Off-line editor for Windows (for people with bad internet connections). (It may be possible to do this by running a local java machine on your Windows PC)
-XBOX 360 .vkm (viking macro) converter to XBOX One .vra (viking rune action)
-XBOX 360 .vks (viking macro set) converter to XBOX One .vrp (viking rune pack)
 

JIM WALKER

Active Member
Added these to the wish list for customers, this is far-term:

-"XBOX 360 macro emulation" mode in the Viking Forge. Throws back to the old school "GUI" based XBOX 360 macro set creator. We will definitely be looking for an alternative UI for what is currently our runepack editor. It's intimidating for some customers.
-Off-line editor for Windows (for people with bad internet connections). (It may be possible to do this by running a local java machine on your Windows PC)
-XBOX 360 .vkm (viking macro) converter to XBOX One .vra (viking rune action)
-XBOX 360 .vks (viking macro set) converter to XBOX One .vrp (viking rune pack)

Superb and full write up odin, but above extras would be the ultimate dream setup for me, wish list extreme, lol, must go and find that old pot and give it a rub, lol.
 

Tate24

Member
I'm not a computer wizard as Odin once put it to me lol and I have a limited understanding of all the computer lingo used. I will say that someone like me who knows nothing about computers and software I can tell a huge difference between the Macro controller and Berserker and the capabilities it has. I was never really into making macros because I wasn't able to grasp it. For me the Viking Forge is awesome and very easy to use compared to the Macro, huge difference for me. The Forge is by far better than the Macro in my opinion and the capabilities in the Forge shows it. Viking killed the competition with Berserker! I'm in awe that only 80 Berserkers have been sold (Jaw literally hit the floor) so far that's insane. Some people may see the price tag and be hesitant to buy but for the money you would spend on another controller for a few and I mean maybe $20 more you get the most dominating controller out there. I'm currently trying to convince my buddy's to buy the Berserker so hopefully by us spreading the word will help with a sale or few.
 
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