Topic: The future of gaming...should it be "innovative"?

[SgtShiversBen]

I've been wondering, after seeing all these "innovations" that Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are doing with the future of gaming i.e. EyeToy, the Nintendo Camera, the supposed Power Glove and all that buttery goodness, I don't really want to be an avid gamer in the future.  This just seems too hard to do.  I mean when I want to play Mario Party, I don't want to have to stand up and dance around.  Sure DDR causes you to do this, but heck, I have more fun with Flash Flash Revolution.  My point is that I'm seeing gaming of the future to be cumbersome.  I like the old fashioned "here's your controller, now kick some ass!!" but no, now it's going to be like "Here's some bongo's, a camera, a glove, and a touchscreen.....do something innovative with it!!"  I may be optimistic, and it may not be like that, but if it is....I may just be like Sega and quit on games (bad reference).

What are your thoughts....?

[Ian Sane]

Well Nintendo seems to be the only one really pushing for innovation next gen so if they went really wacky with their game designs you could buy another console.  I personally like the odd game that uses some special controller.  I just don't want every game to be like that.  Like probably everyone I still primarily want to see standard controller games.  Nintendo has said that they want everything to be available out of the box which to me suggests that things will remain reasonably normal.  Still I'll admit that Nintendo's vague comments about innovation can be scary.  We really don't know what they're planning and whether or not it will actually interest us.

One thing I do agree with you on is that if gaming became too cumbersome I would lose interest in it.  I remember when arcades used to have tons of games that used the standard joystick/buttons design.  Now nearly every arcade game is a gimmick game that uses some special controls and as a result I've lost interest in arcades.  If the same thing happened to consoles I would lose interest in them as well.

[Draygaia]

Its better than playing DVDs just to simply get people to buy your system.  To me the most cumbersome thing is buying a lot of things in order for things to happen.  Like FF:CC - the use of four GBAs and four link cables, Everquest - harddrive,  memory card space, etc  This starts to make the xbox live's $50/year more attractive.  Also Nintendo is giving us options for gaming.  I don't want option to burn a cd, record movies on a hd, watch a dvd movie, listen to music online, etc  They're not even gaming options.  Also Nintendo is not going to make you use all those controllers for every game.  

[SgtShiversBen]

Yeah I know they're not, but they seem to be wanting to.  The only games without controllers that I like are like Time Crisis or Duck Hunt, becuase you still don't have to stand up or hunch over.  YOu can just lean back on a couch and play.  But with camera's, you have to stand there and wiggle your hips or something odd like that.  If by adding a touch screen they mean "revolutionizing" the gaming industry, bring it on!!  Just I don't want to have to use my hands Minority Report style just to click an option.  Just a little peeve.

[nemo_83]

I've been thinking that Nintendo better deliver with their Revolution.  I like the idea of blatently labeling the hardware revolution to get the point across clearly but I'm afraid that if they make this promise of revolution and don't deliver then Nintendo will be left with only the handheld market to keep them afloat.  I prefer the name N5 coupled with good advertising to get the "revolution" sale across.  I want more than graphics next gen and that doesn't mean I want another computer/dvd/mp3/cd player.  If they don't give us new ways of controlling our games next gen then what is the point of changing.  

I assume they will include at least one camera (possibly wireless) with the console.  But each camera can only track two dimensions of space.  So maybe two or three cameras is what is needed.  I don't think they will go all out with a vr helmet featuring depth perception, but you never know.  As long as they don't underwhelm me with some gimmicky giant sensor pad for games like DDR or Donkey Konga everything will be okay.  I also expect along with the wireless camera two wirless controller prongs with all our traditional digital and analog buttons we've come to expect on our controllers.  I wouldn't waste my time if I were Nintendo with a power glove because the controllers are supposed to offer the functionality of translating to the game what our fingers are doing.  

Not all games will be affected by Revolution.  Platforming games for example don't require cameras.  Any game with combat though like Zelda, Metroid, and Street Fighter will benefit from the simplified straight forward combat control available with cameras.  I heard about cameras being able to track head movements using a type of reflector tab giving you straight forward camera control while you keep your eyes on the tv screen.