Razer President Robert "Razerguy" Krakoff talks with us about the new drivers that let you remap the 17 buttons on the Naga mouse.

The multi-button Razer Naga mouse is touted as the ultimate tool for MMO players. The newest drivers allow players to remap in-game keys and macros to any of the Naga's 17 buttons, so we decided to go straight to Razer President Robert "Razerguy" Krakoff to find out exactly how this update can enhance your gameplay experience.

Krakoff tells us that he uses his Naga to play World of Warcraft, but he also finds it helps him save time in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. He also says that Razer hopes to have the key remapping drivers available for Mac users "within the quarter."

Keep reading after the jump for more details on the Naga update!

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ZAM: For MMO fans, the ability to remap in-game keys to any of the Naga's 17 buttons is a godsend, especially for games that don't actively support AddOns or that sort of functionality. How simple is the remapping process? Is it as easy as opening a new profile and dropping your keys in the appropriate spot?

Robert "Razerguy" Krakoff: Personally I found the remapping easy and intuitive. You select the key on your mouse and then select the key you want to bind it to. It’s that simple.

ZAM: In your Naga driver 2.0 FAQ, you mention that players can create profiles for each of the applications that they use (WoW vs. Windows vs. Photoshop). Will the new drivers automatically adjust the profiles to the game / application the user is running? Or will gamers need to do that before they start their program?

Krakoff: There are basically two options here. The user could choose to manually switch to the profile that they want to use with a particular game or application. However, the more elegant alternative is to automate the task by associating a profile with an application that will enable auto profile switching. The game and application need not support key assignment.

ZAM: Should gamers that already have the Razer AddOns continue to use the AddOn software? Or should they use the 2.0 driver? What are the advantages of each?

Krakoff: If you're already using the Razer AddOn in your game of choice, you should stick with that. The drivers are more complimentary and are useful if you're in need of key remapping or macros outside of those games that we've provided with AddOns. Using the AddOns eliminates the need to get out of the game and are therefore superior.  For everything else the 2.0 drivers are the way to go.

ZAM: Macro functionality is also a large part of the new Naga makeup, although for gamers it might be a more cautious part. What can players do with the on-mouse macros and can these macros be used in every game they play? Do you know of an example of a game that doesn't allow for the use of hardware macros?

Krakoff: Basically you can do everything with it that you'd expect.  From multiple keys bound to one key to command chains and even timed delays, anything is possible. However, quite a few MMOs don't allow the use of a third party software to do chained commands, such as World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online and Aion to name a few. So I'd advise gamers to take a close look at the ToS of your preferred game before you start playing around with the macros.

ZAM: Can you give us a macro a player could set up using the Naga macros? How would this help their play experience?

Krakoff: Most players use a certain sequence of spells, such as Heal Self & Invulnerability or a fireball followed by a freeze spell. Depending on the game, class and personal preference can vary significantly. Using the macros just makes your gameplay quicker and reduces the required number of keystrokes.

ZAM: At this point, Mac key remapping isn't available. Is there an ETA for when Mac users might be able to use the same sort of functionality as their PC brethren?

Krakoff: Our software team is working on it day and night and we're targeting to have these ready within the quarter.

ZAM: Personally, what applications have you used the key remapping profiles for? Are you sticking with strictly games or have you found other applications that are appropriate as well?

Krakoff: WoW was my first; with the 2.0 drivers I have added Illustrator and Photoshop. There are tools and filters I use all the time and the Naga becomes a huge time saver for these apps.

ZAM: This is a pretty major update for a mouse that was released only a few months ago. Can we expect more immense updates like this over the next few months? What next for the Naga?

Krakoff: The Naga was initially developed to support MMO games and there will be additional titles we support based on game popularity and customer demand. With the 2.0 update, the proverbial gloves are off and there are really no limits to where we can go. Unfortunately, in typical Razer fashion, we are being very tight-lipped about the specifics.

ZAM: ZAM and our sister site Wowhead have always loved your products. Is there anything coming down the line that MMO gamers should really be on the watch for?

Krakoff: Well, we haven't announced anything, so there is really not much for me to talk about, but let's just say that we're not going to stop with the Naga. So stay tuned.

ZAM: Thanks for your time, Razerguy, and we really appreciate all the support you've given the MMO community. Is there anything else you'd like to tell the ZAM and Wowhead readers before you go?

Krakoff: Thanks for the opportunity to communicate some of the unique user interface features of the Naga. I think that this mouse signals a new phase in our growth, where software is no longer an afterthought.  Software is very important to us and we are always looking for ways to improve the gaming experience.