Revolution - Touchpad controllers: Could it work?

[javeryh]

If the touchpad technology was PERFECT and customizable then it might work. Imagine the two analog sticks but instead of the buttons there was just a touchpad that could be customized to play any game. Street Fighter? No problem - just program 2 rows of 6 buttons. DDR? No problem just program 4 buttons in a diamond. You get the idea.

It would have to be perfect though and I think it would be tough to substitute a button that you can feel for something you couldn't...

[drumbandit]

It sounds cool in theory, but you need tactile feedback or you'll never be able to find the buttons without looking down. Especially if they change postition for every game. That'd just be nuts.


I can't see this happening at all.

[evilmax17]

Couldn't work because there'd be no tactile response, at least for me anyway. I mean, how often is it that when you're changing the channel with a TV remote that you land your thumb right on the button? If i'm putting in a channel manually, I can find my way around the buttons because I know what they are from what's around them. But if I had a completely flat remote, that might make things difficult.

I wouldn't want to play games if there were no buttons or sticks or Dpads. It would take half of the experience out of gameplaying. Customizable yes, but at what cost?

Now if it were an optional peripheral, I'd be fully on board.

I'm pretty sure that Iwata explicityly denied the touchscreen controller though.

[jimbodan]

I really hope they don't go this route. You just flat out need analog sticks to control most games effectively.

[Altered Beast Returns]

If I can't feel what button I'm on, then I'll have to look down at the controller. An all touch pad controller is no good. If it was a regular controller to some extent, but with a center area that was customizable (think of the old Jaguar controller with the dial pad in the middle), that could work.

Also, I hear that Nintendo has licensed gryscopic techonlogy from this company that makes computer mice that you control in mid air.

[soulyogurt]

I just want a smart controller that can play the damn game itself. That way I could finish these things in record time and trade 'em in while the iron is hot. Too much time wasted playing games in my almost non-existent 'free' time... these things could be getting done while I'm off at work!

[ryanbph]

I wouldn't want to be looking down to make sure I hit the right button

[Roufuss]

I really hope they don't go this route. You just flat out need analog sticks to control most games effectively.

Not to mention that Nintendo would kill the possibility of getting ANY multi-platform games. No developer is going to recode their game to take advantage of a touchpad, and will just pass on Nintendo altogether.

[Hex]

If I can't feel what button I'm on, then I'll have to look down at the controller. An all touch pad controller is no good. If it was a regular controller to some extent, but with a center area that was customizable (think of the old Jaguar controller with the dial pad in the middle), that could work.

Also, I hear that Nintendo has licensed gryscopic techonlogy from this company that makes computer mice that you control in mid air.

I doubt that they would use something like this. Usually, these 3-D wand controllers are used by mathematicians to explore 3- and 4-D worlds that they render in university laboratories. Don't quote me on this, though. I just figure that a truly 3-D controller would cost too much for manufacture for Nintendo, and the fact that the Nintendo games are developed for a more family-friendly audience, and less of a geek community, that a revolutionary controller such as the wand wouldn't sell very well, at least, to tehir major demographic. ( I'm not bashing Nintendo, but their trends point towards that particular democraphic. )