Revolution Controller Revealed

[sega saturn x]

Let's hope after the novelty wears off you still feel the same.

The DS novelty wore off and i still love it, i think this will be the same.

[Dones]

Right.... I am sure you did, but you are talking two different things here. You still have to sit down and play with your ds. This new console requires you to actually move around and do so physical work to play (gasp! gamers actually exercising?). The remote is no different than a lightgun, a headache-inducing headset, a chainsaw controller or a pair of maracas.

[sega saturn x]

I have to disagree, if nintendo could turn a touch screen in to a new way to play games i think they could do the same here.

[Ze_ro]

Right.... I am sure you did, but you are talking two different things here. You still have to sit down and play with your ds. This new console requires you to actually move around and do so physical work to play (gasp! gamers actually exercising?). The remote is no different than a lightgun, a headache-inducing headset, a chainsaw controller or a pair of maracas.

I can't imagine it'll be quite as much work as you're expecting it to be. The promo video is very much over-the-top. Hopefully every game will have some sort of sensitivity settings so you could adjust things to the point where you only have to tilt/move the controller maybe a few inches.

 

--Zero

[JB]

The remote is no different than a lightgun, a headache-inducing headset, a chainsaw controller or a pair of maracas.

933973[/snapback]

Ummm... since when is a light gun work? I move maybe 2 inches during gun games.

The Rev wand is even better, since I won't be holding it at arm's length for the sake of accurate shooting(don't need a line of sight down it).

 

And DDR has proven fairly popular, despite requiring way more physical activity.

[Lord Thag]

Just checked this thread out. That controller looks *very* innovative. Modular controllers are a great idea. Now, if Nintendo will just get some 3rd part support and broaden their game library, we'll be all set...

[Dones]

Right.... I am sure you did, but you are talking two different things here. You still have to sit down and play with your ds. This new console requires you to actually move around and do so physical work to play (gasp! gamers actually exercising?). The remote is no different than a lightgun, a headache-inducing headset, a chainsaw controller or a pair of maracas.

I can't imagine it'll be quite as much work as you're expecting it to be. The promo video is very much over-the-top. Hopefully every game will have some sort of sensitivity settings so you could adjust things to the point where you only have to tilt/move the controller maybe a few inches.

Yes, but people are also assuming this pointing device will have top notch pointing accuracy. We will have to see until we get a hands on one (and a game to go with it) but that alone could make or break the concept. I don't know you but have you seen a home consumer level light gun that doesn't have accuracy problems? One that will work from almost any distance, from any angle, that doesn't require calibrating and under $30 dollars? Probably what could happen is that Nintendo 1st party games will be simple and numbed down to the point where this technicality is not an issue.

[liveinabin]

Nintendo wouldn't release it if it wasn't totally up to the job. They have a great history of innovative and nigh-on perfect controllers. This is going to be good.

[figgler]

Um, I don't see what's so scary with current-gen controllers. Can you enlighten me?

As for the Revolution's controller... I can now safely say that the Xbox 360's controller is going to end up being the best controller for the next gen, I'll say that much. The Rev's controller looks to be a colossal failure. How in the hell are you going to control traditional fighting games with that thing? Madden NFL? NBA Live? If anyone's expecting third-party support, I need to call the authorities, because whatever you're smoking must not be legal... 

933285[/snapback]

 

Oh they are scary alright. I don't how many newscasters I saw trying to play Halo 2 when it launched. They'd be telling us all about the biggest video game in years, but when demonstration time came, no one but the experts could play it, or even figure out how to hold the controller properly.

I am not scared of controllers, but non gamers certainly are. Consider too that for most people, the last thing they really played was something nice and simple like an NES or a GBA. Pretty basic stuff really. Throw in a couple analog sticks, a bunch more buttons and throw in a chore like camera control and the non-hardcore people just aren't interested anymore.

[NE146]

Personally I'm excited about it. Those of you worried about 'normal' D-Pad controllers (which Nintendo pretty much invented anyway) can relax as apparently you can plug those in too. As far as motion sensing... anyone here played Wario Ware Twisted? The motion sensing on that is AMAZING.

 

Like a lot of people on this forum, I am a LONG TIME Videogame console buyer dating back to the 70's and have actively participated with my fucking dollars in every major console era in the U.S. since then. I will also most likely buy all 3 consoles unlike a good percentage of people. That being said, this is what I see in a nutshell:

 

Xbox and ps3.. they're not bringing anything new to the mix.

Nintendo is doing so.

 

Bravo muthafuckas. Bring it on. I'm very excited to see something new to play with

[kisrael]

Personally I'm excited about it. Those of you worried about 'normal' D-Pad controllers (which Nintendo pretty much invented anyway) can relax as apparently you can plug those in too. As far as motion sensing... anyone here played Wario Ware Twisted? The motion sensing on that is AMAZING.

That's a good point, Twisted's sensor is DEAD ON. Mount 2 or 3 of those and that covers the rotation down cold.

 

I guess the question is can you get as accurate a reading for position as you can for rotation...

[Stingray]

This new console requires you to actually move around and do so physical work to play (gasp! gamers actually exercising?).

933973[/snapback]

 

From the 1UP review:

 

"incredibly responsive to even slight wrist movements-I barely had to move my hand at all"

 

and

 

"At first, I was standing up and swinging my hand all around to aim - and my arms got really tired really quick. But once I sat down and relaxed, resting my hands on my legs as I would with a normal controller, everything clicked."

 

I don't think that anyone at Nintendo expects us to be up running around the room wildly flailing both arms in every direction in the manner that you seem to envision.

 

-S

[JB]

Yes, but people are also assuming this pointing device will have top notch pointing accuracy.

Because the tech is over 2 decades old, and it was precise THEN.

 

We will have to see until we get a hands on one (and a game to go with it) but that alone could make or break the concept.

I agree. But the feedback from teh people that HAVE played it said it worked very well.

 

I don't know you but have you seen a home consumer level light gun that doesn't have accuracy problems?

My GunCon seems quite accurate.

So did my Zapper, if we want to count that(Older guns cheat).

 

One that will work from almost any distance,

To the limits of the cord.

 

 

from any angle,

THIS I haven't tested much.

I play front and center all the time. There's no good reason to play off to the side.

 

that doesn't require calibrating

GunCon doesn't NEED calibrating. It's actaually spot-on without it.

But just like a real gun, until you caliibrate, the sights are pointing a diffrent place than the barrel, and you'll always hit low while using the sights.

 

On a real gun, you just adjust the sights. That's not an option with a molded plastic gun, so they adjust the hit location(which isn't possible on a real gun).

 

 

The Zapper's hit zones are wide enough that it doesn't matter.

...

Of course, Nintendo also went for a design that kept the sights close to the barrel, to minimize the diffrence.

[kisrael]

This is definately a different technology than those lightguns that rely on a photosensor and measuring when it's looking at the electron beam...isn't that how a lot of lightguns still work?

 

Well at least I hope it's different, or else it won't work on many types of TVs.

[Mindfield]

Have they played with this thing for any length of time during testing?

Considering they've already put millions of dollars into designing the Revolution, and are about to put many millions more into marketing and development projects, I can only assume the answer here is "YES". Have you played with this thing for any length of time? Nintendo is not a stupid company by any stretch of the imagination...

933831[/snapback]

 

Two words. Virtual Boy.

 

This is a long way from changing to digital joysticks from analog, and joypads from sticks. This isn't a simple change they've made, they've completely altered the way you interface with the games. And this isn't one of those cases where it's a risk that people will come around to and eventually love -- dude, it's a fucking TV remote. Have you ever played those interactive games you get with some satellite and digital TV networks? The ones you play with the remote? Yeah, it works, but damned if I'm going to sit there for half an hour or an hour playing the thing; the last thing I want to do is hold the thing up in the air, pointing it at the TV to move around.

 

Now just imagine having to do that while stabbing, swinging, twisting and turning it about. Congratulations! You get to play a game and engage in couch potato aerobics!

 

I'm not denying that it would probably have its advantages in certain genres, but the idea that the same basic mechanics are going to have to be applied to every game (which is to say holding the remote up to control, at the very least) is going to make it torturously uncomfortable after a period of time.

 

There are much more elegant solutions than this. Mercury switches (or equivalent) for example, perhaps coupled with IR triangulation, would have at least let you hold the controller(s) in a more comfortable position where games didn't require any of the thrusty, swingy aspects of the controller.

[Mindfield]

I have to disagree, if nintendo could turn a touch screen in to a new way to play games i think they could do the same here.

933992[/snapback]

 

Dude, this is nothing new! PDAs have been playing touch-screen games for the last 10 years! Nintendo just turned the idea into a dedicated game system.

[sega saturn x]

It might not be new but it's the best it's ever been.

[Atarifever]

I have to disagree, if nintendo could turn a touch screen in to a new way to play games i think they could do the same here.

933992[/snapback]

 

Dude, this is nothing new! PDAs have been playing touch-screen games for the last 10 years! Nintendo just turned the idea into a dedicated game system.

934631[/snapback]

Yeah, you're right. Kirby CC and PDA solitare is a fair comparison. It already being an industry accepted standard that didn't have to be completely introduced into this new market explains why no one at all called it gimmicky or said it'd never work. If you somehow think that the fact that the idea already existed n PDAs somehow explains why it was accepted, then the fact that right now the main source of income for arcades are games that require special perephrials and movement should, by your logic, lead to a quick acceptance of Nintendo's new control scheme. I know more gamers who go to arcades than who played touchscreen PDA games.

[Mindfield]

It might not be new but it's the best it's ever been.

934632[/snapback]

 

That's simple technological evolution.

 

Yeah, you're right.  Kirby CC and PDA solitare is a fair comparison.

 

That in itself is an unfair and inaccurate comparison. If Solitaire is all you think PDAs are capable of you ought to do a little research.

 

It already being an industry accepted standard that didn't have to be completely introduced into this new market explains why no one at all called it gimmicky or said it'd never work.

 

People did call it gimmicky. I don't know that anyone never said it would work -- the benefits of touch-screen gaming in certain genres are pretty obvious. Whether or not they add significantly to the gameplay is another matter -- in some cases (especially RTS or RPG games) sure it does. In other cases not so much if at all. Just the same, adding touch-screen abilities is still in a different class altogether. It's an additional control mechanic, not a complete replacement of it.

 

If you somehow think that the fact that the idea already existed n PDAs somehow explains why it was accepted, then the fact that right now the main source of income for arcades are games that require special perephrials and movement should, by your logic, lead to a quick acceptance of Nintendo's new control scheme.  I know more gamers who go to arcades than who played touchscreen PDA games.

934641[/snapback]

 

I didn't at all imply that it being a feature of PDAs was the reason it was accepted. I simply pointed out that it wasn't revolutionary or a radically different control scheme that changed the face of gaming. It simply enhanced it for the GameBoy line.

 

Furthermore there's a vast difference between arcade games that require special peripherals or have a radically different control scheme and home video games. Take DDR for example. No joysticks. No buttons. Just feet. It's radical, it's different, it was a raging success. But its success owed exceptionally little to the control scheme being radical and different and much more to do with its relationship to dancing and the fact that it took physical skill and impeccable timing to master, not to mention that those who got good at it were fun to watch. It was as fun for the onlookers as it was for the players. The players who were good got to show off something that could genuinely be called a skill based on more than simple hand-eye coordination, and the observers got to watch a skillful player in action.

 

Absolutely none of this applies to the Revolution control scheme.

[NE146]

I'm not denying that it would probably have its advantages in certain genres, but the idea that the same basic mechanics are going to have to be applied to every game

 

I don't understand why it would have to be for every game. Wouldn't you just use a regular control pad for some games since it has a port for a regular pad?

[keilbaca]

The remote is no different than a lightgun, a headache-inducing headset, a chainsaw controller or a pair of maracas.

933973[/snapback]

Ummm... since when is a light gun work? I move maybe 2 inches during gun games.

The Rev wand is even better, since I won't be holding it at arm's length for the sake of accurate shooting(don't need a line of sight down it).

 

And DDR has proven fairly popular, despite requiring way more physical activity.

934034[/snapback]

 

 

Yeah I hafta agree with that. Doing 9 and 10 foot songs in front of a crowd is awesome.

[Ze_ro]

And this isn't one of those cases where it's a risk that people will come around to and eventually love -- dude, it's a fucking TV remote.  Have you ever played those interactive games you get with some satellite and digital TV networks?  The ones you play with the remote?  Yeah, it works, but damned if I'm going to sit there for half an hour or an hour playing the thing; the last thing I want to do is hold the thing up in the air, pointing it at the TV to move around.

I don't think you quite understand how this thing is intended to work. First of all, the TV remote style controllers you're referring to were designed so that the games would be controlled with a D-pad mounted on the remote. Although there IS a D-pad on the Revolution controller, it's not intended to be the main control for games, and I don't imagine many games will use it as such... that's what the motion/tilt sensing and analog stick attachment are for. Second of all, you won't have to point it at the TV... this thing doesn't use infrared communication like a TV remote does. It's basically been proven that IR doesn't work well for wireless video game controllers. I'm not entirely sure what communication method the controllers use here, but I think the Wavebird controllers used RF, and you never had to point them at anything for it to work. Basically, the only thing this really has in common with a TV remote is the form factor, and even then, it isn't flat like most remotes. It's designed to be comfortable to hold.

 

Anyways, here some other links that are kind of interesting: This one relates various reactions from people in the industry (game developers, media, etc). Some of them are skeptical too, but many are excited at the possibilities. This one is basically a series of answers to what seem to be the common complaints people have voiced about the controller.

 

--Zero

[Mindfield]

I don't understand why it would have to be for every game. Wouldn't you just use a regular control pad for some games since it has a port for a regular pad?

934686[/snapback]

 

Because the basic ergonomics of the "nunchaku" configuration means that you don't have the comfort of having one solid controller you can hold with both hands, where one hand stabilizes the other. Both controls would be used in tandem connected only by a cord, which would feel unusual at best. Probably not something one couldn't get used to.

 

However, given that using it in this configuration pretty well eliminates the majority of the "revolution" from the Revolution's controllers, you can be bet that at least for the first generation of games, the majority of them are going to to be written to use the controller the way Nintendo designed it to be, so at the very least the number of launch games that don't make use of its features are going to be next to nil.

[blastermaster]

It seems to me that if they play the cards right, it could be kickass. But it all depends on what they do to it...There does NEED to be NES SNES N64 hookups and such. If so i am in.

 

~Jon

[sega saturn x]

That's simple technological evolution.

 

That explains why the screen is responsive not why the games are so good. I mean the games are the best they have ever been as well.