Topic: Controller Wars

[nemo_83]

I believe that traditional gaming will die except for on the portables.  That would mean the REV would destroy the NextBox and PS3.

[Spak-Spang]

I just watched the Falcon demo.  It was very interesting...and yet I am left baffled on how to actually create a controller for that for gaming.  If that is what Nintendo is trying to do.  The technology would work really well actually with Gyros, but how does it give you feel within the controller?

How could you get traditional buttons to work with the controller?

Obviously, they have somebody working already with them.  They made mention to that, but who and what is left unanswered.  Could it be Nintendo?  Hmmm...

Time will tell.  I wish E3 is now.  

If Nintendo is truly using that for a controller they could get away with just the concept and a few tech demos.  

[trip1eX]

Quote
Originally posted by: mantidor
he never said it was for moms, he said that if a mom sees "her kid" playing she would want to play it too. That implies that "kids" (lets just say fps fans as an example) will also enjoy the product they are offering.

SAme difference.    Look Iwata didn't come out and say hey we want to improve the game experience for our loyal gamers out there.  He didn't say hey we don't think the controls are as smooth for fps games as they could be so we want to remedy that.  

He said we want Moms to find our controller inviting.  What does that mean to you?  It means to me it's gonna be simplified in some way, shape or form.  Maybe they'll be pink or yellow in color.  Maybe they'll have a microphone in them so you can say 'start' instead of hitting a button.  They probably will have a microphone in them and you can give voice commands to replace some of the buttons or dpad.  Women generally are  more communicative.  And probably would respond better to something they can talk to.  

Don't get me wrong I want a trackball or something innovative for the true gamer.   But the writing on the wall so far spells something else.   If you want to guess want Nintendo is going to do I think you need to ask your Mom if it sounds inviting or not.

[Ian Sane]

Does anyone else find it funny that Iwata's quote has caused "your mom" to be used in a way that isn't against forum rules and is on topic?

I will agree that referencing moms and non-gamers and such suggests simplification to me.  Iwata has constantly suggested that the current controller design is too complicated.  I think it's logical to fear that Nintendo may be not have the best interests of gamers in mind and is focusing on the non-gamer market, regardless of whether or not the existing fanbase wants to come along.

[Bill Aurion]

Stop putting the terms "simpler interface" and "simplistic games" in the same sentence...Creating a more intuitive interface doesn't mean simpler games...It's to create a system of input that not only is easy for those that have played games before to use, but also those that haven't...STOP SAYING NINTENDO IS NOT FOCUSED ON THE HARDCORE GAMER, PLEASE!

[Luffy1Piece]

Quote
Originally posted by: nemo_83
This is not going to be a war won or lost by graphics as all consoles will have great visuals, but the controllers could be the deciding factor for success.  Will MS and Sony win with traditionalism or will Nintendo be able to meat current standards for controllers while progressing control accuracy and transparency?  What do you guys think?

Here is an acumulation of what I feel is important info on Next gen controllers including the new pics of the NextBox controller which has shoulder buttons above its triggers and a track ball in the center of the controller (why did they not put the track ball in the place of the dpad?).  Too bad it does not have mouse scroll wheels where the new shoulder buttons are.

http://tinypic.com/2nopj7

http://tinypic.com/2nopef

Well, the site that originally posted those pics seem to think that it's a power on/off switch for the controller and not a trackball. That would make more sense given the placement.

[mantidor]

Seriously, its was just something Iwata thought in a second, what he really means is that they are aiming to everyone, guess what? They've been doing that since the NES, the company's policy hasnt changed, the only difference is that they talk more about it than in past years. So just stop with your "Nintendo will dumb games down" thing...

[Stimutacs Addict]

people need to realize how bulky the Falcon technology is and how unlikely it is that Nintendo would impliment that in a videogame. You would need to rest the tactile force feedback agent on some sort of desk/floor/flat surface for it to be able to generate that level of force feedback against you. Recall Newton's third law.... its the same reason why you can't pick yourself up by your underwear

[nemo_83]

It has been said that the Revolution will be like the DS.  That the REV will have a touch sensitive controller.  That everyone will be able to enjoy it.  It was said people were thinking too hard, and that the technology already existed.  I believe this is the key to the REV.  

This is the paradigm shift.

[IceCold]

No No NO there is NOT going to be a touchscreen controller...

[nemo_83]

check out these awesome VR glasses.

http://forums.nintendo.com/nintendo/board/message?board.id=np_gw&message.id=625275

imagine that with an internal gyro built in.  i guess we will have to wait until the gen after next for that to be standard though.

But the haptic technology is affordable now, and it does not need a touch screen for touch control.  I was just using the DS as a comparison.  This is the meaning behind the touch controller rumors.

[Truthliesn1seyes]

What if instead of a pen at the end of the arm on the falcon, you could put a controller instead. Like that, you can have full control over characters in a game and it'll still have the unique features of the falcon. Besides, holding a controller would be easier than a pen for gaming.

Imagine though the posobilities for gaming. I'm picturing a fps where you hold the pen/controller and it'll react like the gun in the game. Tilt the pen/controller down and you can aim the gun down. The arm can move in every direction so it'll be able to simulate you physically aiming the gun. It'll also be able to simulate the weight of the gun in your hand and the recoil when shooting. Sh*t'll be sick  lol.

This has to tie in with what Nintendo has been saying. This would bring in a new level of gaming. With this we could feel characters jumping, we would be able to feel getting hit. They'll be able to simulate wind, waves, any change in elevation on roads. Picture a racing game, the pen/controller could be in its center position. You hold it and start the race. tilt the controller to the left to turn left, right to go right. If you happen to start going up a hill, the pen/controller will start to move up, down hill it'll move down. Now imagine speeding down a road with slight changes in elevation. The controller would be shaking in your hands slightly moving up and down simulating the small dips and jumps. Let me leave it at that, I'm ranting now. I hope this is what Nintendo is planning on introducing.

I still have no idea how Nintendo could include this in their next gen system though.  Hovefully they can come up with a way to make it more accesable for console gaming.

[nemo_83]

So far no sites have picked up on this technology as far as I can tell.  Why can't planetgamecube be the first one with an editorial discussing the possibilities of this being the REV?  IGN covers rumors.  It would surly draw some hits and fuel discussion as we approach E3.  I could type up a piece some time tommorow about haptic technology if noone else wants to.  I would need to know how long/short the article would need to be, and other specifics.  

[kirby_killer_dedede]

Revolution is NOT going to have a conventional controller, people.

A quote from Iwata from an interview from last year's E3 said something along the lines of "Until now, games have been you sit in front of the TV with the controller.  That's going to change with Revolution."  I believe the quote is in N-Sider.com's Rev FAQ.

[Stimutacs Addict]

 . . . now the TV sits in front of you

[KnowsNothing]

In Soviet Russia, game plays YOU!

[nemo_83]

I spoke to a developer at Konami and he said, "The link to that touch technology seems fascinating! It would be amazing if that was indeed incorporated into the Revolution. I would love to see what types of games are made using this technology. It could really work for games when the player is searching for hidden items in the sand/rubble. Very interesting."

I told him before hand that I would understand if he did not respond at all because of NDAs, but he did respond.  I don't know if he is lying about not know what exactly the final REV tech will be (so to comply with an NDA) or if he has honestly never seen this Falcon tech.  The main reason I showed it to him was to see what ambitions it gave him as a developer and gamer.  It made me think about searching in the dark in a game or in tall grass for an item.

[PaLaDiN]

Call me an excessively frugal party pooper, but it also makes me think of shelling out $100 for a controller, and as the thought crosses my mind it effects an involuntary shudder.

[nemo_83]

Hopefully in time the cost of the controller will go down, but until then that is why Nintendo will likely go the same route with REV as they did with Cube and MS is doing with NextBox.  They will make the graphics hardware itself cheap as possible.  This would allow them to package in an expensive controller.

If this really is it, then we will hopefully get to hear some impressions from the media on how well it plays, and if it is really worth the extra buck at E3.  I think it would be like the first time I played Mario 64.  For days after I could only think about buying it because it was so fun.

[nemo_83]

check these links out

http://www1.abqtrib.com/albq/news/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19855_3576012,00.html

"The company is talking to some console makers - such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo - about adding the Falcon to their next-generation systems."

http://img71.exs.cx/img71/3455/revolutiondemopt25ki.png

[slingshot]

I'v seen the falcon in other links- but I thought it was just a floating stylus- I'd love to try it- and see what else that sort
of technology can do.

[wushupants]

well, i think we all went off in these crazy tangents. i mean, its just a simple matter of analyzing the facts.

for one, the controller will have a simple interface, two: it will apparently be revolutionary, three: it can't be TOO much of a revolution (like the ridiculously awesome novint falcon) because according to nintendo, the system will be backward-compatible! (dreams do come true!!)

which could also mean the controller slot will be exactly the same as the gamecube's, making it possible to just plug the ol' gc controllers and having a "blast from the past" (pardon the pun).

what im trying to say is that... i don't know how they're going to pull it off but, if anything, having faith in nintendo is the way to go. they'll deliver... im pretty sure. e3, friends... will be our day of redemption, and it will simply be an event of revolutionary proportions... (yech, i wasn't planning that)

[trip1eX]

Gyroscope
Touch Screen
Trackpad/Trackball
Microphone

So which one of these technologies is Nintendo going to put into it's controller?  

[nemo_83]

hopefully more than one of those and this http://www.demo.com/demo2/demonstrators/video/novint.asx

[Artimus]

How mnay times do you have to keep reposting that video? That's like the fourth time!