Replacing Dual Shock 2

[pc999]

Really a [b]impressive video[/b], but the ball seems a bit to big

http://www.whitefusion.com/

It is an upgrade... an upgrade to the standard control for console games.

I hope that the others can have something to match this tech.

 

[sytaylor]

Yeah, I just kinda assumed PS3 would have a Dual Shock 3 which hand anologue hand grips to sense how stressed you were... or something silly like that.

 

[London Geezer]

That's a trackball isnt't it?
I've always wondered why no one's ever though about a simple trackball on controllers.

 

[sytaylor]

Its a revolution!

 

[London Geezer]

It's a Plastic Wheat!

 

[Lumine]

That probably is anweildly as hell. I'm a big fan of trackballs on the computer and you need more than one finger (even if it is a thumb) to really work it right. Although... for FPS games it might be significantly less unweildly than the joystick

 

[gurgi]

I wonder if the lawsuit over the DS2 will have any impact on the DS3 design?

 

[London Geezer]

I wonder if the lawsuit over the DS2 will have any impact on the DS3 design?

Certainly will. For one, it won't use the exact same rumbling tech as the old ones.

 

[Acert93]

This looks VERY interesting! As a Trackball lover (I returned an MX1000 this week after a 1 week trial to go back to a TB) I would dig this a lot! I loved my old Trackball:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=26-104-108&depa=0

The large ball that is poking out more than half way out of the cradle is great for control. Only problem is no scroll on it. But none the less still a great TB. But it broke so I am going with the Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman with Scroll Wheel

 

[Clashman]

It might be a good idea, but that's a pretty half-assed implementation they've got there. I mean, they didn't even take the time to make their own case for the controller. Rather, they merely melted part of a regular DS. It looks like an April Fools' joke, to me.

 

[kyleb]

Good Idea, but damnit they beter make left handed ones.

 

[Fox5]

That probably is anweildly as hell. I'm a big fan of trackballs on the computer and you need more than one finger (even if it is a thumb) to really work it right. Although... for FPS games it might be significantly less unweildly than the joystick

More precision I suppose, but with the way I've always used a track ball there needs to be some kind of resistive force, otherwise that controller is going flying to the floor. Oh, they want us to use just 1 thumb for it? I think that'd be trading speed for precision then, plus games are built around the tactile force of a joystick, so if a game doesn't have an option to turn off auto center then whenever you stop moving the trackball it will go back to neutral. Eh, can't be any worse than trying to use a touch screen to emulate a joystick.

 

[Spidermate]

A trackball wouldn't work since it can't reset itself like an analogue stick can - taking twice the moment to manipulate your character. This ball also consumes quite a bit of dirt and refuse - causing it to stick after so many times of usage. It is the reason it was never implemented into something like a controller; it would likely cause more problems than it would actually solve.

 

[Fox5]

A trackball wouldn't work since it can't reset itself like an analogue stick can - taking twice the moment to manipulate your character. This ball also consumes quite a bit of dirt and refuse - causing it to stick after so many times of usage. It is the reason it was never implemented into something like a controller; it would likely cause more problems than it would actually solve.

The dreamcast had a controller with a trackball, I think the only game that used it was Starlancer.(it was attached to a joystick though and substituted for a mouse or keyboard I guess, but at least it had a hard surface to support it)

 

[Spidermate]

A trackball wouldn't work since it can't reset itself like an analogue stick can - taking twice the moment to manipulate your character. This ball also consumes quite a bit of dirt and refuse - causing it to stick after so many times of usage. It is the reason it was never implemented into something like a controller; it would likely cause more problems than it would actually solve.

The dreamcast had a controller with a trackball, I think the only game that used it was Starlancer.(it was attached to a joystick though and substituted for a mouse or keyboard I guess, but at least it had a hard surface to support it)

A standard game controller is a lot different, though.

 

[Acert93]

A trackball wouldn't work since it can't reset itself like an analogue stick can - taking twice the moment to manipulate your character.

I am not sure I follow you here. There is no need to reset itself--it just just like a mouse (less stationary). Joysticks need to reset themselves because they have an "accumulated" control affect based on the degrees away for a 0-point, whereas a mouse/trackball has no 0-point and moves linearly in relation to the movement of the input device.

There is no need to "reset" itself. The operate on a different principle.

If you watch the videos that the company showed it demonstrated why TBs are nice--smooth, percise aim. You move the ball an inch your player moves and inch--and stops. Whereas with a controller if you move and inch and stay there you keep moving forever.

There are advantages and disadvantages, but in FPS (which I play a lot of and do quite well) I can say a TB has as good, if not better, feel than a mouse. I would take a mouse or TB over a joystick for a FPS any day (one of the intended uses of this device).

This ball also consumes quite a bit of dirt and refuse - causing it to stick after so many times of usage. It is the reason it was never implemented into something like a controller; it would likely cause more problems than it would actually solve.

Your comments would be true of older gear/roller driven TBs, but this TB is obviously an Optical device. Because of such gunk is not an issue because there are no rollers. Gunk is overcome 2 ways: A hole in the bottom lets small stuff fall through and the fact you pop the ball out, wipe the inside out, and then replace the ball.

You really should give the new TBs a test.

 

[Spidermate]

A trackball wouldn't work since it can't reset itself like an analogue stick can - taking twice the moment to manipulate your character.

I am not sure I follow you here. There is no need to reset itself--it just just like a mouse (less stationary). Joysticks need to reset themselves because they have an "accumulated" control affect based on the degrees away for a 0-point, whereas a mouse/trackball has no 0-point and moves linearly in relation to the movement of the input device.

There is no need to "reset" itself. The operate on a different principle.

If you watch the videos that the company showed it demonstrated why TBs are nice--smooth, percise aim. You move the ball an inch your player moves and inch--and stops. Whereas with a controller if you move and inch and stay there you keep moving forever.

There are advantages and disadvantages, but in FPS (which I play a lot of and do quite well) I can say a TB has as good, if not better, feel than a mouse. I would take a mouse or TB over a joystick for a FPS any day (one of the intended uses of this device).

This is silly. For an example, you choose a FPS designed purposely for a PC to rate a trackball's performance on a console. We are talking about a standard controller. I would really like to see such a design work in something like Tekken or DOA. Because a trackball doesn't recenter itself, a contant feed must be applied to the ball for continuous navigation. Laser or not, even a trackball's cursor gets lost and requires a second pass. With different genres, frequent utilization will be required from this side of the pad. If numerous passes must be made, not only will this tire out the digits a lot faster, but after so many passes, the ball becomes unaccurate and therefore requiring the digit to be repositioned. Under extreme conditions, one does not have to for repositioning, which is probably the reason for PCs being limited to a lot of the titles launched on consoles.

This ball also consumes quite a bit of dirt and refuse - causing it to stick after so many times of usage. It is the reason it was never implemented into something like a controller; it would likely cause more problems than it would actually solve.

Your comments would be true of older gear/roller driven TBs, but this TB is obviously an Optical device. Because of such gunk is not an issue because there are no rollers. Gunk is overcome 2 ways: A hole in the bottom lets small stuff fall through and the fact you pop the ball out, wipe the inside out, and then replace the ball.

You really should give the new TBs a test.

I don't know about you, but I'm sure there are many that don't find any interest in cleaning out their controller ever other time it is used. Think about the analogue stick for a second. How many do you know enjoys cleaning that thing when it gets dirty and sweaty? Yet, that's more accessible than the crud under a trackball. That doesn't even count for this ball getting lost or chipped if you're careless enough causing you to replace the entire controller. And trust me, I have seen this happen many times before with the mouse.

By the way, I do have a trackball, and although it comes in great handy for a PC, it would make a horrendous idea for a standard controller. As I said before, it would cause more problems than it would actually solve.

 

[kyleb]

This is silly. For an example, you choose a FPS designed purposely for a PC to rate a trackball's performance on a console. We are talking about a standard controller. I would really like to see such a design work in something like Tekken or DOA.

What do you use the right anolog for in Tekken or DOA?

 

[Iron Tiger]

This is silly. For an example, you choose a FPS designed purposely for a PC to rate a trackball's performance on a console. We are talking about a standard controller. I would really like to see such a design work in something like Tekken or DOA. Because a trackball doesn't recenter itself, a contant feed must be applied to the ball for continuous navigation. Laser or not, even a trackball's cursor gets lost and requires a second pass. With different genres, frequent utilization will be required from this side of the pad. If numerous passes must be made, not only will this tire out the digits a lot faster, but after so many passes, the ball becomes unaccurate and therefore requiring the digit to be repositioned. Under extreme conditions, one does not have to for repositioning, which is probably the reason for PCs being limited to a lot of the titles launched on consoles.

Only masochists play fighting games with analog sticks. Not to mention, the trackball replaces only the right stick, and the left stick is still there for those masochists to play their fighting games with. A better example could have been a driving game or a flight game. But then, the left stick is still used for steering in those games. I use the right stick for throttle/braking in my driving games (until my Driving Force Pro arrives), which wouldn't work on this controller, but that's why I'd keep my standard dual stick controllers. Just like I'd use someone would pull out the wheel and pedals for driving games, I could imagine someone owning a trackball controller for specific types of games (that place camera controls on the right stick).

 

[Blazkowicz]

The Atari 2600 had a optional trackball controller, for playing Missile Command and Centipede
(I'd like to have one, Centipede/Millipede is my favorite on this system, but I guess the trackball is very rare)