Monday, September 19, 2005

More on the Revolution controller

Just to follow up on my last entry about the Revolution controller.

It is definately a mixed bag across the internet in regards to the Revolution controller. These seem to be the big complaints...

1. Not enough buttons or control sticks.
-Turning motion into input reduces the need for buttons and analog sticks. Current games use too many buttons as it is making you fumble over the controller. Simple = good.

2. How do they expect you to play .
-The popular fillers have been Madden, FPS's, and so forth. First off these people need to get out of their shell and realize there is more than one way to play a game. People need to stop thinking about how they couldn't play their current games with the new controller. Its new! Give developers time to develop their flagship games for the controller and you will see NEW ways to play your games.

3. All it is good for will be Duck Hunt 2.0
-Wrong... it means playing old game types in a new way. The market and various genre of games have become alarmingly stale the past few years. It has been more about sequels than originality. Any game on the Revolution is going to be a new experience for a while... it will be inventing new ways to play games. All because of the controller.

4. It is meant for Japanese gamers who like sword swinging and knick knack games.
-Sorry... this thing was built to be fun. If fun is limited to Japan... I may be moving there. People are sadly taking the tech demos as real games... believing the controller only works for the applications it was shown in. With developers there will come FULL GAMES built around this controller. Give it time people and let the developers do their jobs.

Heartless_ out.

11 comments:

  1. Microsoft called Longhorn a "bet the company" initiative. Turns out Windows Vista is looking more and more like Windows XP with some new stuff tossed in - much like X-Box 360 and PS3.

    Nintendo - these guys rock. THIS is a bet the company initiative, and in my book, I really hope it works!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree 100%!

    And Vista almost feels like its meant to sell higher end graphics cards and more RAM for every PC... sad.

    The innovation that lies behind the controller is endless honestly if you ask me. Just watching the video and reading more reviews I am finding endless supplies of new ideas on how I could be playing a game using the controller.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:40 PM

    I can't believe anyone would complain about playing an FPS with this new controller. If anything it is going to be a better experience than anything else on the market. It easily beats current console controllers and even betters, imho, the mouse-keyboard combo for PCs.

    As for other buttons, I guess people aren't reading, since this controller is modular with a port to attach additional buttons/sticks/etc.

    Perhaps the negative comments are mostly from the die-hard MS and Sony fans, and those that hate Nintendo.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think the negatives are heavily from the line of trying to put their current games onto the Revoltion. On my FPS clans website there is one person who will not stop about how the controller will not work for Madden. He will not accept that maybe that there is an even BETTER way to play Madden out there.

    And yes FPS gaming will be better if you are a good shot. It will make different people more skilled IMO. Some people are just too hand fed into the idea of a normal 2 analog stick controller.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous9:58 AM

    So, if you're using the controller as the mouselook in an FPS, what do you do when the controller is sideways to the TV, but you still want to turn more?

    When playing with a mouse, and you're out of mousepad, you pick up the mouse and move it. I don't see how a similar action is possible with the Revolution controller, unless you press a button to disengage it for a second. (And how many buttons do you have to work with again?)

    Or perhaps in an FPS type game, the controller will act as a virtual joystick, not a virtual mouse. That's sad.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous1:03 PM

    Towards Rayonic's comment...

    In real life, when I look (which is what mouse-look is simulating), and I run out of neck range, I have no choice but to turn my body (i.e. move) if I want to look further to the side. This controller may not replicate using a mouse, but it should more accuratly replicate life.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous1:23 PM

    That's an excellent point, Anonymous. My only remaining issue would be how to switch between strafing and turning with the joystick. Or perhaps the d-pad could handle one of those functions...

    Either way, I feel better about the control situation on the Revolution.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The analog stick attachment should help in FPS to replicate what has been said. If you need to turn farther you simply use the analog stick to turn your character.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous5:06 PM

    Here's how I expect FPSs to work with the Revolution: when you point the controller at something on-screen, you look at it (i.e., it is centered on the screen.) When you point the controller off-screen, you turn in that direction. The analog stick on the nunchuk attachment is then reserved solely for forward/backward movement and left/right strafing. Essentially, the right hand controller becomes a more sensitive right analog stick. I think this setup will allow Revolution to kick butt, not just on FPSs but with anything that requires analog control on the right thumbstick. I expect it will be much easier for game companies to transfer games to this control scheme than people realize; it's not as different as it at first seems--just way more precise and emersive.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good points Nick, but there could a "wall" that may prevent developers from easily developing their games for it. They may "think" it is harder than it actually is.... and therefore scare off some companies.

    I hope that isn't the case, but it is my one worry. Oh well... Nintendo still makes kick ass games.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous11:20 AM

    I would like to see how first person-rpgs will play out...

    ReplyDelete

Join the conversation; leave a comment!