FragFX firmware is a pain to update

I’m terrible at shooters when using two analog sticks. This is why I resort to using the FragFX, a special PlayStation 3 controller that lets me play console FPSes with mouse-like precision. In theory, it’s supposed to be great. Application however, is another story.

My FragFX never really gave me that PC shooter feel. Granted that it could never really replace a mouse and keyboard, but the controls have generally been iffy. When I press R1 to fire, the action for the triangle button is inexplicably activated as well–even if my thumb was nowhere close to it.

This was when I decided to look to firmware upgrades for answers.

According to the FragFX site, the latest downloadable upgrade is said to address the problem of other buttons “bleeding” into each other. The download was over in no time, but the upgrade process was quite a head scratcher.

The readme instructed that the upgrade files should be decompressed into a folder with a specific name. Fine. It also says that the original FragFX driver should be deleted, and that I should use the one included in the download. Let me tell you—it’s not as simple as it sounds.

When all the hairy stuff was done, I plugged in the controller and ran the upgrade program. Inexplicably, an error popped up and it persisted even if I’ve checked the connections several times. I unplugged the FragFX and tried again. Still no dice.

I went back to the readme for options and here’s what I gleaned: either I contact SplitFish support, or I try upgrading the firmware in another PC.

I was in no mood to email support and list down the system specifications of my PC, including the brand of each part. Luckily, my brother has a rig of his own so I tried upgrading it there. For some strange reason, the upgrade worked in another PC but not in mine. When I tried out the controller, the “bleeding” is gone. For the first time, playing console shooters feel more PC-like without the annoying button malfunction.

Watch out Call of Duty 4, here I come.

Image of FragFX is courtesy of SplitFish.