Jump to content
IGNORED

Just saw the CDi controller...


doctorclu

Recommended Posts

Turn the Wii controller sideways and it works quite well as a dpad+buttons, very responsive - I think they did a great job.

 

I bought a classic controller, but it was too much hassle plugging it in so I never used it.

Most of the time it works within reason but ergonomics are pretty bad imho.

I bought a classic controller too and I agree with the hassle remark but it does work much better (when it is supported that is).

I love Geometry Wars Galaxies and thank god for the classic controller (even there they screwed up the ergonomics a little, the classic controller pro being better at that).

 

For twitchy arcade/shooters the WiiMote is barely acceptable (most of the VC content kinda fits that bill), it's not horrible but a far cry from an ideal joypad, the designers did great with what they were trying to achieve but it is obvious that the sideways position is just like the back seats of a cabrio car, they're there but barely.

 

Among the 2 (WiiMote sideways and Jag Pad) I am not really sure, I don't know which one I would prefer to play your up and coming Xenon II port with, if I could a Saturn pad would be my choice (the Jap version and not the US first version).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought the remote was pretty functional considering its primary use was for CDs and VCDs, but was also good for "casual" games like Zenith.

 

The gaming controller probably could've used an extra button or two - as Travis mentioned it really needed a pause button. It's actually two distinct buttons with the third being button one and two pressed simultaneously. If the CDi attracted a lot more interest from developers wishing to port games off popular systems like the Genesis/SNES I think it would've been a bigger problem. And while the snes-style one is nice the other feels cheap and almost like it'll break on you (imo, at least).

 

The light gun is really cool though, as it uses a sensor so it works with LCD / Plasma TV's. In additional to gun games it also works well with adventure games. Wish other light gun games of the saturn / psx generation used that tech.

Edited by Willard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Among the 2 (WiiMote sideways and Jag Pad) I am not really sure, I don't know which one I would prefer to play your up and coming Xenon II port with, if I could a Saturn pad would be my choice (the Jap version and not the US first version).

 

I'd go with the jagpad, otherwise you'll just be sat there waggling the Saturn pad around watching the title screen loop around....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

Wish other light gun games of the saturn / psx generation used that tech.

And by that I guess you mean you're disappointed that we can't play Sat/PS1 light gun games anymore due to them relying on the CRT tech.

I am not sure the "AirMouse" tech of the CDi was that great, it works but it is somewhat slow and imprecise but it was 15Y earlier than the WiiMote so can't fault them for having tried.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And by that I guess you mean you're disappointed that we can't play Sat/PS1 light gun games anymore due to them relying on the CRT tech.

I am not sure the "AirMouse" tech of the CDi was that great, it works but it is somewhat slow and imprecise but it was 15Y earlier than the WiiMote so can't fault them for having tried.

 

yes! I know what you mean about the imprecise feeling. With some games that have the calibration feature sometimes I find myself aiming to the far edge of the screen to get it to calibrate a shot to the center properly! But I've also found where you position the sensor makes a big difference for games without the calibration feature, although sometimes that may be in a crappy spot (like the top of the TV).

 

There's never been a game that I couldn't get working well with the cdi gun (besides a few that that aren't intended for use with it) but as you mention there are a few issues with some games that could've been ironed out.

Edited by Willard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, but I still don't get the need or want for a keypad, (I get it Atari had Joypads leftover from the failed Stealth Computer), but if they would of done any market research, everyone would of told them they had to have a 6 to a button controller, also what where their 10 to 12 games that actually used the Keypad and included an overlay, I will give them credit it did make games like Doom and Theme Park operate easier.

 

For the record I think the Pro Controller was one of the best joypads ever made for adults

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As the owner of a Philips CDI 220 I can honestly say the controller was utterly useless - trying to actually use it for any of the CDI games was a nugatory effort. The lag was in the region of a good half to three quarters of a second, and diagonal movement was a legendary event sung of by remote tribes as part of their oral history. People would gather around the log fires and sing of the time they managed to return a ball in international tennis.

 

But I digress...

 

 

I sold the CDi and a load of games a few years ago to the guy who does those reviews - He basically loads a retro game and then plays it - usually badly while giving a running commentary

Edited by Welshworrier
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL the guy on the video is complaining the CDi control is not bluetooth LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

If you listen carefully he just says it's infrared not blutooth which causes one of the problems. He's not bemoaning the lack of blutooth but the fact it uses infrared for the control.

 

There's a moment in the video when he shows up as a black shadow in front of the TV with the "commander" controller in his hand and I swear I saw something else ....

 

CD-i_Remote_2.jpg

I thought the same, If you listen to the dialogue with that in mind it sounds even more suspect after spotting it :)

The resemblance to a 'sex aid' is explored in his review of Video Speedway:

Edited by Welshworrier
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the "commander" controller and I agree it can only be used for point and click games (Myth, 7th guest ...), strategy (Axis & Allies, Defender of the Crown ... ), edutainment (many but I don't even care to list a couple), some movie based games (you can probably play Dragon's Lair on it) and a few others like some puzzle games but nothing that requires real time action (The Apprentice, Alien gate, Hotel Mario ....) ... for that you need a real gaming controller ... period. Both of the controllers (remote or gaming) tend to be piss poor substitutes for gun based game (too slow) and even the mouse has serious issues (it helps but still ...).

 

So yeah, if you have a CDi and refuse to buy one of the 2 gaming controllers for some reason and continue playing real time action based games with the "remote" controller and judge the gaming experience of the CDi by that token, then the joke's on you.

And yeah outside of a couple of quirky titles, maybe a handful, the CDi is NOT a better gaming machine than a Jag. I did find a couple of titles I enjoyed playing (in the FMV dept no less).

In all of this the Jag sold 250K units over 2.5Y while the CDi around 1M over 7Y, no doubt many used in kiosks etc... and NOT as gaming devices but both were failures.

 

How the CDi continued to be produced for 7Y is beyond me .... and there were couple of hundred movies on it as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did the games play better with these?

Those are the kids roller controllers and they are trackballs, there was also an "adult" version of the trackball called trackerball and both seemed to enhance a couple of games that were not gun enabled games but require fast pointer movement (I tried one of those games with a mouse and it is not very satisfactory but the animation is very entertaining).

 

So yeah, it seems some games do work better with a roller controller/trackerball.

 

As I said earlier all CDi controllers are serial, so even the joystick directions are read as delta changes (like a mouse would send) of a fixed amount, the gun is the fastest as the sensor can "see" where you're pointing at, but still you can sense a lag.

 

I stopped short of buying either of them after the non stellar perfs of the mouse .... no point really for a couple of games.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a McDonalds around my house that still has a CDi with the Roller Controller playing the Wacky World of Miniature Golf! I wonder if anybody ever questioned whether or not its time to retire the system :P

 

It's probably not as old as some of the burgers.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...