Nintendo Revolution Controller Revealed

[Powderkeg]

That's not even an issue, you don't need yo keep your arms up at all. You can rest it on your knee like any other controller and still use it effectively.

Are you positive about that? Care to show me some specific information regarding how much movement will be required? After all, if a game requires this controller to be moved a foot up and down from center, you can't rest your arm on your leg at all.

So, can you back up this claim, or are you just saying it because you want to support Nintendo?

 

[DEO3]

Sure they can afford not to.

A game on the 360 or PS3 doesn't cost more to make than the Revolution.

Eh, from everything I've heard coming out of Nintendo's mouth, they're goal with the Revolution is to make it much more affordable to develop for than the PS3/X360. I mean how many times have we heard them recently talk about how the increase in game development budgets will eventualy kill off the industry?

 

[DEO3]

Are you positive about that? Care to show me some specific information regarding how much movement will be required? After all, if a game requires this controller to be moved a foot up and down from center, you can't rest your arm on your leg at all.

So, can you back up this claim, or are you just saying it because you want to support Nintendo?

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143782

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.

 

[Teasy]

Powderkeg

Your in no position to throw stones.

I can back up my comments, since I've actually bothered to read some impressions. Maybe you should do the same before discussing the subject..

From the 1up impressions, playing Metroid Prime using Revolutions controller:

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.

Oh and yeah of course your not going to be resting the thing on your leg if your using it as a virtual sword or baseball bat. But then your not going to be holding it still either. The original comment was clearly about having to hold the controller out in front of you when playing something like a FPS.

 

[JarrodKing]

I got this from IGN's test of it-

Demo #1: Point and Shoot
Like a laser pointer, the main controller was used to move a simple cursor on the TV screen and shoot square blocks for points. It was simple, merely colored lines in 2D, but effective. It was easy to get a feel for just how sensitive the device is -- it responded to all the movements quickly and smoothly. We did feel the need to use two hands, however, to steady it and improve accuracy, but that only lends to the idea of just how sensitive it is.


If you've got to use BOTH hands to even get close to accurate aim, how are we supposed to also simultaneously press buttons, use the d-pad, the analog attachment, etc.?

And this is on some test square blocks! Can you imagine how much harder it will be to try to shoot or target something or someone else that is moving? If you are constantly fighting with the controls, you will find something else to do in a very short time.

At least it was sensitive, that's way more than could have ever been said for the power glove!

 

[Powderkeg]

I can back up my comments yes, since I've actually bothered to read impressions. Something you obviously haven't done, why is that BTW?...

From the 1up impressions, playing Metroid Prime using Revolutions controller:

So one game can work like that. Can all of them?

Oh and yeah of course your not going to be resting the thing on your leg if your using it as a virtual sword or baseball bat. But then your not going to be holding it still either. The original comment was clearly about having to hold the controller out in front of you when playing something like a FPS.

And so far, you haven't been able to debunk the point. You've managed to show a single game demo can work with your arm resting on your leg, but I had no doubts that some games would be able to work like that.

However, if you really want this controller to be supported, you're going to want it to be used to the extremes. If every game can be controlled by a wrist flick only, then why bother with the crazy controller at all? Why not just go with a standard gamepad, and not have issues with it's appearance, developer support, functionality and comfort?

 

[Teasy]

How small were the blocks (in comparison with a normal on screen enemy)? How shacky was that particular persons hand?

The 1up guy didn't seem to have any problem with the same demo, no mention of needing to use both hands:

IMPRESSIONS: A great demonstration of how intuitive the controller can be-pointing it to aim felt perfectly natural, right from the very first second, just like with a light gun. It always shot exactly where it felt like I was aiming, and was incredibly responsive to even slight wrist movements-I barely had to move my hand at all.

 

[Powderkeg]

Eh, from everything I've heard coming out of Nintendo's mouth, they're goal with the Revolution is to make it much more affordable to develop for than the PS3/X360. I mean how many times have we heard them recently talk about how the increase in game development budgets will eventualy kill off the industry?

From everything I've heard, they think todays games are too complex in general and want to revert to the 80's style of simplistic gameplay. That's a step backwards, and not one very many developers will be willing to make.

 

[Powderkeg]

How small were the blocks (in comparison with a normal on screen enemy)? How shacky was that particular persons hand?

The 1up guy didn't seem to have any problem with the same demo, no mention of needing to use both hands:

Well, now it seems to be a matter of personal opinion, and not fact, eh? Seems that 2 different people had 2 entirely different opinions on the same controller being used in the same demo.

I think it's safe to say the general public will have a similar response.

 

[Teasy]

And so far, you haven't been able to debunk the point. You've managed to show a single game demo can work with your arm resting on your leg, but I had no doubts that some games would be able to work like that.

However, if you really want this controller to be supported, you're going to want it to be used to the extremes. If every game can be controlled by a wrist flick only, then why bother with the crazy controller at all? Why not just go with a standard gamepad, and not have issues with it's appearance, developer support, functionality and comfort?

You've just answered your own question. Of course not all games will be controlled with the flick of a wrist, becuase it would be counter productive to that particular game to do so. If your playing a baseball game, for instance, then your going to want to have to fully swing to hit the ball. Otherwise its pointless to use such a control method. But we're not talking about those kind of games, and those kind of extreme movements ect. We're talking about possibly having to hold the controller out in front of you for extremely long periods. What game would require that other then fishing (which requires that in real life as well so again its required for realism). Obviously he meant FPS games, which is why I posted to tell him that holding your arm out wasn't required for FPS's according to the impressions so far.

 

[Teasy]

Well, now it seems to be a matter of personal opinion, and not fact, eh? Seems that 2 different people had 2 entirely different opinions on the same controller being used in the same demo.

Entirely different?, quite the opposite those comments are both quite similar. Both saying that the pointer was very smooth and easy to use. Just that one guy felt the need to use both hands to hold it steady when aiming for individual blocks (something he does not mention in the FPS game BTW), but then some people have steadier hands then others. Also of course its a matter of opinion, as is everything in gaming.

I think it's safe to say the general public will have a similar response

Just like with every other product ever released you mean?

 

[Ty]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143782

The funny thing is that's completely different than what their little commercial shows though maybe that commercial was just meant to be high concept.


WRT 1-up's impressions:

The problem imo, of using Metroid Prime as an example is that for me (a hardcore FPS player), MP's super slow turning speed isn't at all accurate for what I need as a FPS player.

 

[aaronspink]

And what happens if you get up to pee, and don't sit down in the exact same spot? Is your controller going to need to be recalibrated before you can continue playing the game? Could you calibrated while the game is paused, or do you have to exit and start over from your last save?

This question is even more important when you consider it not only has to be calibrated from left to right, but also forward and backwards. Simply leaning forward or back after the game started could throw off your calibration.

Has noone here actually ever used a touchpoint device on a laptop.

This isn't a 3d positional sensor. It is a relative acceleration sensor. There will definitely be a learning curve but it won't be because of the issues you've described.

Aaron Spink
speaking for myself inc.

 

[DEO3]

From everything I've heard, they think todays games are too complex in general and want to revert to the 80's style of simplistic gameplay. That's a step backwards, and not one very many developers will be willing to make.

That's not what we were discussing. You claimed Revolution games will cost just as much as PS3/360 games to develop for, and I called you on it. The following is a quote to further press the point, it refers to Satoru Iwata's E3 presentation, and has been echoed many times over by other Nintendo execs and spokes-people since the Revolution was first introduced.

Iwata says it will be easier, faster and cheaper to develop for the Revolution than any of the other consoles. He wants to big idea to prevail over big budget. On masterpieces: “Not everyone sets out to create an expensive, time-consuming masterpiece. Here, Revolution also earns its name. We are convinced that the Revolution will be most developer-friendly. In this next generation, development costs will move easily into 8 figures. We have created a solution to allow them to exercise creative freedom … this is a system where a big idea can prevail over big budgets.â€￾

I'd also like to debate you on your rediculous comment about Nintendo wanting to 'take a step backwards', but I'm afraid you'd just change the subject again.

 

[DemoCoder]

With respect you don't know what your talking about. Nintendo are offering completely the opposite of the one size fits all controllers being offered by Sony and MS

Umm, No. Do you really think I haven't seen the pictures of the expansion modules? You misunderstood what I meant. Nintendo is trying to replace what is now today, N different controllers (gamepad, racing wheel, flightstick, mouse, lightgun, DVD remote) with one controller -- a modular one, that can have different "addons".

But the reality is, their "lightgun" is inferior to a real sniper/pump-action/force feedback gun. And their mouse is inferior to a real optical mouse. And their "steering wheel" is inferior to a real force feedback wheel, and their flightstick is inferior to a real one, and so on.

That's because a controller custom engineered for one type of game is going to be better than a universal modular system designed to function under many scenarios.

Maybe the addons will get better, I predict the main controller unit will then just become a Wifi-hub for the addons and that the 3D positional HW will essentially become secondary in importance.

 

[LunchBox]

The only thing that really interests me in the whole game controller movie of possibile uses...

Is the sword fight

and the chopping/cooking game

 

[DEO3]

Umm, No. Do you really think I haven't seen the pictures of the expansion modules? You misunderstood what I meant. Nintendo is trying to replace what is now today, N different controllers (gamepad, racing wheel, flightstick, mouse, lightgun, DVD remote) with one controller -- a modular one, that can have different "addons".

But the reality is, their "lightgun" is inferior to a real sniper/pump-action/force feedback gun. And their mouse is inferior to a real optical mouse. And their "steering wheel" is inferior to a real force feedback wheel, and their flightstick is inferior to a real one, and so on.

That's because a controller custom engineered for one type of game is going to be better than a universal modular system designed to function under many scenarios.

Maybe the addons will get better, I predict the main controller unit will then just become a Wifi-hub for the addons and that the 3D positional HW will essentially become secondary in importance.

As I see it, the add-ons acctualy hurt the Revolution. Think about it, the Revolution's base 'freehand' controller is the meat and potatoes of the system. It alone allows entirely new types of gameplay to be developed. The add-ons handicap that - turning the 'freehand' controller into just another steering wheel, flight stick, or control pad, and taking away just what's so special about it.

They also allow developers to get lazy, instead of thinking up new ways to utilize the new freehand interface, they can instead make yet another first person shooter, racing game, or flight sim - making Nintendo's console really no different than Sony's and Microsoft's.

It's like everyone says, do we really need three identical consoles?

 

[DEO3]

The only thing that really interests me in the whole game controller movie of possibile uses...

Is the sword fight

and the chopping/cooking game

I think being able to use the freehand controller as a flashlight in a survival-horror type game could REALLY help immerse players, though if your freehand was controlling the flashlight, I'm not sure how you'd aim a gun - unless you set it up Doom 3 style, where you can only use one at a time (which is a terrible idea).

 

[c_k_i_t]

There is a nice interview with Jim Merrick of Nintendo at Gamesrader:
http://www.gamesradar.com/news/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=37344&subsectionid=2504

Info summary:
Apparently the Revo Controller uses Bluetooth technology to communicates with the "sensor bar" which you put above or below the TV.

Another nice info is that you don't need to calibrate the controller before use because of those sensor bar, the sensor bar detect where the controller is being held.

The controller also works with any kind of TV (e.g. Plasma, crt, lcd, etc)

Jim Merrick also said that they have not shared everything that there is to know about Revolution or its controller.

 

[Rodéric]

I think being able to use the freehand controller as a flashlight in a survival-horror type game could REALLY help immerse players, though if your freehand was controlling the flashlight, I'm not sure how you'd aim a gun - unless you set it up Doom 3 style, where you can only use one at a time (which is a terrible idea).

Herm, what about existing weapons having flashlight integrated ?
That would be just fine IMO, you see what you target, or target what you see, as you prefer ^^