Topic: GC Controllers Won't Work on Rev Games

[Jonnyboy117]

Of course, they'll still work with GameCube games and possibly other Virtual Console games.

Speaking to Game Informer at this week's D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas, Nintendo exec Reggie Fils-Aime clarified a minor point about Revolution controller compatibility, which still the most significant new information about the system in months.    

Reggie told Game Informer that the shell (which has yet to be shown) will be required to play "traditional" Revolution games with a familiar style of controller -- you can't just use an old GameCube pad for this purpose.  The compatibility with GameCube accessories is only backwards in nature.  The old controllers will work on GameCube games played on Revolution, and they may be compatible with NES, SNES, and N64 games played through the Virtual Console feature.    

Nintendo's stance on this seemingly minor hardware issue may indicate that the traditional controller shell will have more or fewer buttons than the GameCube controller, or that Nintendo has told developers to include some motion-sensing features even in traditional games meant to be played with the shell (which does not preclude the freehand controller's sensors).  Reggie has mentioned in the past that the traditional shell will look similar to the WaveBird controller.

[trip1eX]

Well  I think it's probably  a case of standardization.  They don't want to confuse customers and cause extra work for developers by supporting two totally different sets of controllers.  Manuals would have to show two sets of controls throughout.  GAmes would each have to tested with both controllers.  IN games controller config screens would have to show both sets of controls.  Any onscreen 'Press the A button' to do this would have to be programmed for both controllers.  TAke WindWaker.  They showed the X,Y and Z button in the top right of the screen and what item you had mapped to the buttons.  Well you'd have to do this sorta thing for both controllers.  All that adds up to a bunch of extra work for something that isn't that important.

Plus of course their new controller is the highlight of the new console and they want to show it off.  

[BlkPaladin]

I really didn't think they would go that direction in the first place (using the Gamecube controller for Revolution games). So this isn't earthshattering news for me. And this basically solidfies that there will be a controller shell that will more than likely be included with the numbchuck.

[King of Twitch]

This only makes sense! But what about telling us stuff the Rev CAN do?

[KDR_11k]

The basic controller API probably includes exactly the features of the rod and contains plugins for the various add-ons available. The GC controller doesn't provide this basic functionality so it couldn't be abstracted away. That'd need a fall-back, not just for graphics but for basic input handling. Plus, if it would still work people would expect the GC controller to handle everything and you'd see devs cutting out rod features to support the GC controller or other stuff that would hold back the rod's potential.

Of course Ian will complain that he wanted to use the GC controller for traditional games but I don't think he wants new gameplay, anyway.

[vudu]

[Ian]So now I have to purchase four new controllers to play a traditional multiplayer game?  That sucks.  Nintendo is just doing this so they can force us to buy multiple controllers which yield a high profit margin.  I would use the Revolution controller anyway, but at least give me the option to use the Gamecube one.[/Ian]

There should totally be an [Ian] tag.

[Jonnyboy117]

What this news says to me is that the shell probably won't have the same button layout or even same number of buttons as the GameCube controller.

You guys might consider this blasphemy, but I'm hoping there will be some kind of goofy third-party USB converter that lets me use an Xbox 360 controller for traditional games.  But maybe the shell will be even better, who knows?

[Bill Aurion]

But we already have an Ian emoticon!

This was to be expected, and I think this makes it that much more likely that the Shell will have a different button layout...(Possibly enough to make do with 360/PS3 ports)

Edit: The 360 controller is inferior to the Wavebird in terms of feel...

[Infernal Monkey]

But even the Mega Drive let me use Master System control pads, didn't matter that they lacked a button and made most games unplayable! Revolution isn't worth my time now!

[ruby_onix]

This blows.

Nintendo doesn't have to worry about devs "dumbing down" their games to meet the GameCube controller. The two-button Revmote is the standard controller. It will (barring some insanity) ship with each and every Revolution system. The games will clearly be built with the Revmote being assumed to be the standard. The GameCube controller is an accessory.

Nintendo just locked out that accessory. And you guys are apologizing for it.

When third parties make PS3/Xbox2 games available on the Rev, not only will the Rev version likely be graphically inferior, and not only will the gameplay likely be dumbed down to fit a two-button controller (with maybe a 3D space control gimmick tacked on), but you won't be able to choose between the shell and a Wavebird.

Yay for Nintendo.  

[Infernal Monkey]

Buy a PS3 and/or 360 to sit next to your Revolution then. Pretty simple.

[Mario]

Wait, so there's going to be Rev games that use a normal controller? I was hoping I woudln't have to buy a lame pointless "shell" controller, since i'm fine with using the GameCube controller for all the old systems.

[Karl Castaneda #2]

My guess is that they'll include a shell and analog attachment in the package, so you'll probably only have to buy shells for multiplayer. Thing is, you'll have to buy both the extra remote and a shell. How much is that gonna be?

[ruby_onix]

BTW, you can now say to goodbye to the idea of using GameCube DDR mats and Keyboards and Microphones and what-have-you as Revolution accessories. They're all officially dead now. Time to buy now ones. Ones that you can plug little Revmotes into. And you know that this time around they're sure to last through more than a couple of years and a number of games you can count on one hand.

[Mario]

Well, good thing any Revolution games that may require those will probably come with free ones, just like the GameCube games that required a Dance Mat / Mic / Bongos did, so that really isn't an issue at all.

[ruby_onix]

Do you really see them coming out with a "Donkey Konga Revolution" and giving away more free bongos? I don't.

If a Rev game needs a GameCube controller/peripherial, there's another alternative to "It gets a custom shell". It's called "The game gets cancelled" (or more accurately, it never makes it past the design stage). Or maybe it just gets crippled.

[mantidor]

Its the same for any game on any console that needs a peripheral anyway, so your complains are just silly.

[Pale]

See, I want to know the opposite.. will the revMote be usable for GCN games?  Obviously stores aren't going to sell wavebirds forever...  Relying on the old tech as the only way of playing the old games would be worse than this news.

[Nile Boogie]

I was wrong.

I understand why you can't use the GameCube controllers for the Rev.  I also disagree that this is a smart move. I think it places unnecessary limitations on the REV and its Backwards compatibility. Until we see the Revolution, the "shell" and some games then this seems like a so-so move at best.

I bet you .57cents that Ian thinks this is a smart move.

[Bill Aurion]

Um, I bet you a cookie and this piece of lint that the Revmote/Shell combination can be used to play GC games...

[Artimus]

So...we can't use a controller that not longer serves all the needed functions to play a game? Oh my, what a tragedy. If we're talking about ports then using the GCN controller only continues the port flaw of the controller in the first place! If they release a shell with "enough" buttons then you get the best of both worlds. Using the GCN controller would be stupid on all front...

I just don't get the problem...you have to get new controllers with every system, duh?  

[Pale]

hehe...

Anyway, the only legitimate worry I think Ruby brings up is that of bongos and dance mats.  That said, I would rather have wireless dance mats, and wireless bongos, assuming they continue to release games that use them.  

[Mario]

How could the three buttons on a bongo be used to replicate the billion-possible-combination controls of a Revolution controller anyway? Might as well just make a game like that on a GC disc.

[UncleBob]

Quote
The old controllers will work on GameCube games played on Revolution, and they may be compatible with NES, SNES, and N64 games played through the Virtual Console feature.

Okay, I'm going to be really ticked if GCN Controllers (and such like the wonderfully spectacular Hori Digital Controller) do not work on the older games.  I want to play NES/SNES games with the Hori.

Here's a good question though - the GameCube is fairly smart - it knows if you have a regular controller, Bongo, Action Pad or GCN/GBA cable plugged into it.  Is there any chance that while Revolution games won't work with GCN Controllers they *could* work with the bongos or such?

[Mario]

Quote
Okay, I'm going to be really ticked if GCN Controllers (and such like the wonderfully spectacular Hori Digital Controller) do not work on the older games. I want to play NES/SNES games with the Hori.

I agree with that, but i'm pretty sure it will be. It would take 5 minutes to enable the GC controller to play SNES / NES games, not sure about N64 though.