No Scope
Score: 90% Developer: BGR Mods Device Type: Miscellaneous
Function: Most first person shooters and, for that matter, third person shooters, feature at least some scoped weapons that allow you to zoom in for better accuracy. Most of those handle the zoom in the same way; the screen changes to show you just the gun sight (with its targeting reticle) and the image is magnified... in some games, there are even multiple levels of magnification available. Most of these games also share an interesting trait: the scope's center is exactly the same as your normal view's center. What does that matter, you might ask? Well, it means that if you could always tell where the scope is aiming, you might not need to use the scope in the first place. The No Scope is designed to serve as a visual indicator that shows just that.
Performance: The No Scope is simple to "install." Simply remove the backing from the slightly adhesive clear sticker with a targeting reticle on it, zoom in using a scoped weapon in your game, then carefully position the No Scope over the in-game targeting reticle. That's it. Now, you can stop using the in-game scope and simply use the No Scope as your targeting reticle. When I saw this product, I already knew that it would work; I had made a make-shift setup to do the exact same thing some time ago, and even my crude attempt helped out with aim. The No Scope, however, is designed specifically for the purpose of putting on your television or monitor, so it's more suited than my attempt. We tested out the No Scope with a first person shooter and a third person shooter. Psibabe and J.R. Nip found it very helpful when playing Singularity, a FPS on the PS3 and Xbox 360. In fact, there are certain visual effects in Singularity that were causing J.R. Nip to aim slightly off, mistaking muzzle fire for where the shot would actually hit. The No Scope allowed both he and Psibabe to become more accurate and to use the scope feature much less. I also tested the No Scope with Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, a western third-person shooter, and found that it considerably helped my accuracy there, as well.
Features: Red Targeting Sight Clear Background 2.25" in Diameter Lightly Adhesive Removeable / Reusable
Drawbacks & Problems:: The first thing I noticed about the No Scope that had me a bit hesitant to use it is that, while it's not overly sticky, there is a layer of adhesive to stick the No Scope to a monitor or television. Some people would be adverse to sticking a sticker to the front of their expensive widescreen television. I carefully stuck it on ever-so-slightly, so that it would hold, but that it was just barely stuck on. J.R. Nip later noticed this and figured it to be a failing to get a good purchase on my part, so he stuck it on real good and proper. Psibabe later removed it without too much difficulty, being careful not to scratch the screen, of course, and the television seemed none the worse for wear. The only other gripe I would have is that the red was a bit difficult to see at times. If the targeting reticle outline had been done in more colors, say red traced in black, traced in white, then it would be easy to see, regardless of what colors were on-screen in the game. The usefulness of the No Scope increases with the number of FPS and third person shooters you play - especially if you don't use the screen for television and movies in between, limiting the number of times you have to remove it. For best results, you should make sure the television or monitor is clean before affixing the No Scope, as dirt will eventually collect on the No Scope and reduce its ability to stick. All-in-all, the No Scope is a useful solution to a frequent issue for shooter fans and worth checking out at around $5.00 USD for a 5-pack.
-Geck0, GameVortex Communications AKA Robert Perkins
Related Links: No Scope Product Page on BGRMods' Website
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