Topic: Gyroscopic controllers have already been done.... And they're damn good.

[NotSoStu]

A while back, I bought a Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro (Microsoft?! TRAITOR!) ... Which happens to have a tilt sensor in it. I haven't touched it for years, but today while looking through my shelves for my history books for finals, I found it, and with all the recent hype about Revolution possibly having gyroscopic controls, I decided that instead of doing finals, I'd plug this thing into my laptop and play around with it.

So, anyway, to make a long story short, I played Battlefield 1942 (Possibly the best PC game of all time) and started flying planes around with this controller, and it was truly immersive. Ever play StarFox64 and find your head moving along with your Arwing? It's a lot like that, but you're actually doing something when you're moving your body around. If Nintendo decides to put a gyroscope on the Revolution controller, kudos to them, since this is some of the most fun I've had with a PC game in years.

Oh, and actually, I tried it out with SF64 in an emulator too...... Fun stuff  

[RABicle]

With a PC peripheral division as awesome as Microsofts, their only divisoin that isn't the subject of scrutiny and ridicule, you have to wonder why the Xbox controllers have all been so lackluster.

Another awesome gyroscopic controller was the Dreamcast fishing rod. It was awesome.

[jasonditz]

LOL, I forgot about that fishing rod... my dad loved that thing. That and those Sega Bass Fishing games were the first things I could get him to play since the Atari 2600 days.

[KDR_11k]

I know two people with Freestyle Pro pads, both say it's worthless for anything but Motocross Madness... Perhaps they should try digging those out again...

[Nephilim]

namco had a tilt controller for psx....

[jasonditz]

Since Nintendo said what they're doing is revolutionary I think we can safely say its more than just gyroscopes. That might be there too... but there's no way they're hyping up something that's been on the market for years.

[KDR_11k]

Perhaps they're more advanced than that?

But then again Nintendo also called the microphone and touchscreen on the DS innovative despite PDAs having touchscreens for quite some time now so they seem to selectively ignore prior art they don't like.

[Stimutacs Addict]

im beginning to think that the 3d rev. rumors might be accurate.  add up the facts: 2-3 times the GCN's power; very small in size; nintendo claiming that we will be amazed when we turn the games on, that they're gorgeous etc etc. I think it might be 3d

[Hostile Creation]

Quote
But then again Nintendo also called the microphone and touchscreen on the DS innovative despite PDAs having touchscreens for quite some time now so they seem to selectively ignore prior art they don't like.

There's a difference between innovation and revolution.  Nintendo took a pre-existing concept, added to it, made it a little better, and applied it to a new idea (games have existed on PDAs and such, but not nearly at this level; this is an entirely different situation from tetris rip-offs).  Revolution suggests something totally new.  Maybe not, could be similar to the reinvention we see in DS, but I'm willing to bet it's a bit more than that.

[notic]

:X

[Don'tHate742]

I agree with the person that said that the gyroscopes are not the entire revolutionary aspect.

If you read Iwata's latest interview, he kept emphasizing the "user interface." He did mention how the controller will be part of the revolutionary aspect (obviously), but he never said that it was the entire aspect itself. The "user interface" is what seperates Nintendo from the pack. It could be anything really.

Reggie mentioned the Rev controller's ability to play every previous generation. That is the only concrete fact that is known about the controller. You might be wondering why they included the cube controller slots. Well, it was a nice addition, and basically demonstrates Nintendo "being on the ball." This way, those that want to play cube games that can't be properly emulated or aren't fun to play through the controller, can play directly with the proper controller (Donkey Konga).

So the controller, I'm guessing, will look like my mock-up in it's basic form. If gyration is included, I know it'll break apart and I also know it will feature every button/stick featured on the cube controller (maybe more). I'm not sure if a cable connects both sides of the controller, or if it's completely wireless. Either way, the main concept is there. If they can somehow pack in force feedback and even a mic and speaker, it would be the best controller ever made.

^^That alone is pretty revolutionary. It boggles my mind to think of what else they have in store. I know the Rev's size is going to become a major factor as well as online, but what else is Nintendo planning?

[trip1eX]

Nintendo has already said you can expect something like the DS in terms of the concept of what they will do to the REvolution controller.  The DS hadsa touchscreen and 2 screens overall and has a mic.  Not those aren't techs you've never heard of but were never in a handheld before afaik.  That's the same sort of thing I would expect with the Revolution controller.   It's not going to be 2050 tech.  It's going to be tech that's been around and we've all heard of it but hasn't been in a console controller.