I am a pretty picky guy. I admit it. However, being picky is a good thing. It has allowed me to cull items that are worth mine and other people’s time. I was fortunate enough to meet with Alex Verrey, a public relations representative of Mad Catz. He was excited to show me some of the products his co-workers are working hard on. This article previews upcoming peripherals for your favorite systems, Rock Band 3 and the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops.

First is the Wireless Keyboard Controller. This is one of the necessary peripherals to play Rock Band 3. Obviously, this worked with the keyboard section of the game. It is a wireless device and takes AA batteries for about 40 hours of activity. Its range is rather narrow as it only spans C3 to C5 (in other words, the keyboard covers the bass cleft), so it isn’t very large. And it works just like a regular keyboard or piano. The harder you hit, the louder the tone. Furthermore, it’ll comfortably sit on your lap or a small table in front of you. It has a touch sensitive “wammy bar” on the left side of the board. What truly surprised me was that the keyboard does not feel cheap. It feels pretty good on the fingers. If it was longer, then this might be a keyboard I would be interested in and buy. The keyboard itself will cost about $79.99 and $129.99 if you buy it with the game.

Next was the Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller for the Rock Band series. This is an official representation of the classic guitar, complete with 128 “buttons.” And if you plugged it into a midi outlet, there’s nothing stopping you from treating it as a real guitar. It looks like you can pull off the same tricks as an actual guitar, such as quieting all the strings at once. This is due to the palm-sensitive portion near the frontal hole of the guitar. It is also, as of this writing, one of the few ways to play pro mode without the use of an adapter. It will cost $149 and will work with all three systems (Wii, PS3, Xbox 360). How well it holds up from constant use will be seen when people officially get to play with it.

If you already own a keyboard, bass or guitar, then the Midi PRO-Adapter might be up your alley. It has, as the name implies, a midi input and output, and you can plug it into your computer using the USB. And you can tell the peripheral which of the three of the instruments you are using by simply switching a switch. You also do not need to use the controller as it has the necessities to navigate the menus. Heck, even the “home” button is in the middle of it. Plus, it can be attached to your belt. It is about the size of a deck of cards. It is also very light, thus you do not have to worry about it dragging your pants down.

The last item that goes with the Rock Band series is the Wireless PRO-Cymbals Expansion Kit. It is essentially like its predecessor such as being pressure-sensitive. However, this model differs by being quieter due to the foam completely covering the cymbals. Plus, they have been redesigned and now sit at a 10-degree angle. How well this works is unknown to me because I am not familiar with large percussion instruments, and I did not get a chance to fiddle them.

Then there are the Call of Duty: Black Ops PrecisionAIM controllers. These Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers are not cheap knock-offs. In fact, it uses the same technology that those systems do. So everything feels just right, especially in the analog department. What makes these controllers unique are three-fold. First of all, there is rubber on the side of the controllers. This could allow for some comfortable intense gaming.

Second, there are two round buttons on the back of the controller. You can set them to be any of the face buttons. The idea behind this is that your fingers are on the trigger buttons and the thumbs are the analog sticks. Thus, you have to adjust your hands and stop moving/looking if you want to do something with them. Now you do not have to. It is supposed to give the game, and any other first-person-shooter on a console, the feel of playing on a PC.

Third, by holding down those two buttons you can slow things down for precession aim. Hypothetically, it’ll give you more control over difficult situations.

I was able to touch these controllers, and they feel very solid. I was definitely not used to the rubber on the sides, but it didn’t feel ill-placed. The oddest part was simple: I couldn’t tell the difference between Mad Catz controllers and the old standards that came with my systems. While I do not foresee this as a necessary addition to my gameplay, I do imagine FPS fans loving this controller.

Next was Call of Duty: Black Ops OptiCOM ProGaming Glasses for the Xbox 360 and PS3. These lightweight glasses are meant to filter out glare, enhance the colors seen on screen and reduce eye strain. They are currently on the small side as they didn’t fit over my glasses very well. Verrey did tell me that when the glasses are finished, the lenses will be full size. I do confess that I wish that they would clip on instead of being traditional glasses. When they are released, they will cost $99.99 each.

The final item shown to me was the Call of Duty: Black Ops PrecisionAIM Mouse and USB Dog Tag Bundle for the PC. What sets this apart from other mice is that you can move parts of it around to fit your hand. And it certainly seems like it is not going to fall into pieces because it is made out of metal. It also boasts 5600 DPI (supposedly this allows for a very sensitive and responsive mouse). It also comes with limited-edition dog tags. But these are not simple tags: They are 2 GB flash drives. They contain everything you need to use it well and take it to a friend’s house. They contain the drivers and default configuration and your own customizations. This mouse will cost about $99.99.

Overall, it is hard not to be impressed with all of the peripherals and controllers Mad Catz has in the works. Some of these items might even be great additions for gamers regardless of genre preference.

For more information on these products and many others, visit www.madcatz.com.