New PS3 control system?

[Bigus Dickus]

Unless you want lasers bounced off your eyeballs to determine where you're looking, I don't see that happening.

Some of the more precise implementations use laser, but inexpensive IR led works pretty well too. And a new method called electro-occulography sounds promising.

It isn't like this hasn't been done for years or anything. Getting the level of precision required for game control/aiming in an inexpensive package is the hard part.

 

[deepbrown]

There's something called the eyetoy that can do most of that. Eg. head tracking, finger tracking...etc etc

 

[Acert93]

That could be very intriguing as a default control scheme on PS4. Definitely the next step in user interactivity. Now they need to come up with a head band or something like that to track real time head movements. That would enhance the FPS genre significantly imo, if done well. Basically make it free mouse look.

EyeToy 3 Btw, TrackIR is similar to what you are talking about. Some demos. The Armed Assault ones are a good example of an FPS. Using some sort of head tracking in conjunction with weapon and body oriention mapped to a controller of sorts could give a new level of immersion. But there could be a lot of kinks. My FIRST post on B3D was about that possibility of goggles+headtracking, and while there are some negative points I think the general direction of more intuitive feedback and response is good IF it works well and IF it is at least compatible/comparable with current refinements, and hopefully would improve them (as well as opening new doors for new styles).

 

[one]

Old.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=233617&postcount=65

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I'm quite certain that most people look at objects on screen by moving their eyes, not their heads.

Though the eye does the looking, generally the head moves around alot involuntarily. eg. People crane their head upwards to look over walls or hills, or duck down when looking upwards to peer 'under' the top of the display. It's the same with motion controls. When you want to go left, and you have the stick at full left, generally the controller will get tipped a bit left too. Any game that's properly immersive should get these sorts of responses from the people playing, and if you can reference those movements, you can add to interactivity and immersion.

 

[Farid]

Old.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=233617&postcount=65

As I saw the first post, I middle clicked on the search button and opened a new tab, then proceeded to scan the thread to see if anyone would point that it's an old topic on these forums. It took quite a few replies to be pointed out, though.

Anyway, the point goes to one.

Now, concerning the thread, I'll leave it open, since it's a quite old topic and that there's no (too) passionate debate going on that would make the thread another potential example of discussion going in circles.

 

[Hardknock]

http://www.unwiredview.com/2007/04/13/vr-controller-for-your-ps3

Now THATS what I am talking about. Thats what I call motion sensing.

I can imagine COUNTLESS of possibilities with this.

Sony showed similar demonstrations in the past with the PS2 but they werent put into production for comercial use

Haven't read the whole thread. But do your fingers just sit on top? Why not just make it a glove?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Haven't read the whole thread. But do your fingers just sit on top? Why not just make it a glove?

1) Gloves get sweaty
2) Gloves involve more work = cost more
3) The need to be tailored to fit. One size doesn't fit all, unlike an open controller. Although they would need two sizes I think. Certainly a controller that fitted my hands nicely wouldn't do for larger hands.

 

[Kaotik]

The problem with head tracking in FPS is that traditionally you control not only the way you look, but also the direction you're facing.
When your screen is in front of you, sure, you could track just some head movement around, but then you'd need separately control where you're facing, you can't turn your head around to turn since you couldn't see the screen anymore, then, which might cause some serious confusion on people since it would be so much different from how the FPS'es currently work.

 

[_xxx_]

That last part sounds like an INCREDIBLE idea!

I can only imagine the immersion FPS game will have with this

It would hardly be useful if you turn your head away from the screen all the time. It would work if you had a curved screen covering at least 120° of your vision or a moving one, but not with a normal TV/Monitor.

EDIT: Kaotik beat me to it

 

[Ether_Snake]

ONE THING they need to do add to it would be two "thumbsticks" on the index fingers or something like that, you can't just replace a controller by this stuff for a console.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

Though the eye does the looking, generally the head moves around alot involuntarily. eg. People crane their head upwards to look over walls or hills, or duck down when looking upwards to peer 'under' the top of the display. It's the same with motion controls. When you want to go left, and you have the stick at full left, generally the controller will get tipped a bit left too. Any game that's properly immersive should get these sorts of responses from the people playing, and if you can reference those movements, you can add to interactivity and immersion.

It could certainly be used to give a new layer of interactivity, and it eve n could be used for aiming, but I don't think that would be very precise or even intuitive. We do have muscle contractions in our head and neck that can be measured even when we try to move only our eyes, but picking up on the resultant motion of the head is going to lead you into a chase into the noise floor. And as our eyes dart all over the place, with the head lagging substantially, I would think it would get very frustating to stare at your target and have to conciously move your head until the crosshair aligns. At least, for me it would... I'd rather just stick to using another muscle... like my finger.

But with eye tracking technology fairly established now, it is only a matter of time before it becomes consumer friendly ergonomically and economically. Why not just set your sights (pun intended) on doing it right?

 

[Bigus Dickus]

The problem with head tracking in FPS is that traditionally you control not only the way you look, but also the direction you're facing.
When your screen is in front of you, sure, you could track just some head movement around, but then you'd need separately control where you're facing, you can't turn your head around to turn since you couldn't see the screen anymore, then, which might cause some serious confusion on people since it would be so much different from how the FPS'es currently work.

Personally, I like the PC FPS method of doing it using a mouse, where the aiming and looking are tied together. Crosshair remains center screen, and you turn your player's "head" to aim. Body direction movement controlled independently... i.e., you don't have to look where you are running, just where you are aiming.

 

[Arwin]

Personally, I like the PC FPS method of doing it using a mouse, where the aiming and looking are tied together. Crosshair remains center screen, and you turn your player's "head" to aim. Body direction movement controlled independently... i.e., you don't have to look where you are running, just where you are aiming.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Epic's implementation (or anyone else's for that matter) for this using the sixaxis. I'm starting to get a feeling that using it to control your field of view and aiming combined could actually be good enough, and certainly better than using analog sticks. Then combined with the analog sticks for strafing and running around, it could be awesome.

I wish we had PC drivers or PS3 Linux drivers that supported reading out the motion control, as then I would start testing what you can do with it immediately.

 

[doob]

1) Gloves get sweaty
2) Gloves involve more work = cost more
3) The need to be tailored to fit. One size doesn't fit all, unlike an open controller. Although they would need two sizes I think. Certainly a controller that fitted my hands nicely wouldn't do for larger hands.

But still regarding sweat and that concept sketch, the finger extensions and the main block where they are attached should be imo on the back of the hand to avoid the sweat itself from the palm and on the finger nodes.

 

[MrWibble]

But still regarding sweat and that concept sketch, the finger extensions and the main block where they are attached should be imo on the back of the hand to avoid the sweat itself from the palm and on the finger nodes.

I think the idea with this particular design, is that it can simply be picked up and put down, only using one hand, without having to "put it on" like you do with a glove, or your idea of putting it on the back of your hand.

Admittedly if it were on the back of your hand or a glove you might still be able to reach into your bag of crisps while playing, but you'd probably get them covered in artificial colourings and flavourings. With the design here you could put the controller down safely, stuff your face with reconstituted potato, give yourself a good scratch and then get right back into action.

 

[doob]

That wouldnt change much either, since the grease would still be on ur fingers after stuffing with the chips in your example, unless you paused to get them well cleaned and scratch urself after (or before lol), and that wouldnt be anymore usefull than just outfiting the controler on one hand do the same and normaly slip it back onto our hand.
I personally would prefer to be able to strap it on the back of the hand, since i got very sweaty hands.

 

[ninzel]

So the question is even if it's great how do you introduce something as radical as this into a market that is so well established like the PS fan base.
Nintendo's done a good job with the DS and Wii by offering a little bit new while keeping some traditional controls as well.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Bundle it with with the console alongside the sixaxis! Or create a number of killer applications for a peripheral, but ensure a constant development of top quality titles to maintain momentum. You don't have to get rid of the old system.

 

[archangelmorph]

Bundle it with with the console alongside the sixaxis! Or create a number of killer applications for a peripheral, but ensure a constant development of top quality titles to maintain momentum. You don't have to get rid of the old system.

I'm with shifty on this..

Sony has established an entire platform brand on offering diverse experiences which can cater for a wide variety of consumers.. They really don't need to force anyone to use/support the input device but making it standard and this doesbn't necessarily mean it can't do favourably on the market (provided the software support Sony provide is strong enough as Shifty said)..