FriskyTanuki
08-20-2005, 03:44 AM
http://gear.ign.com/articles/643/643663p1.html
First up is what we'll call the Nintenball. This entirely made up controller features gyroscopic motion sensors, using for controlling on-screen actions in an entirely analog form. It's also motion sensitive, so it'll know if you're moving it from side to side without twisting it.
The Nintenball features four buttons, three for your first three fingers and one for your thumb. A second thumb button would be located on the other side of the Nintenball, making it useful for right and left-handed gamers.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053403459-000.jpg
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053405022-000.jpg
Our next controller is mostly standard in shape and design, allowing it the ability to play most any game from Nintendo's existing library. It features a large A button and smaller B button on the face, exactly as the GameCube controller has, but minus the X and Y buttons. The triggers are analog, though there are only two rather than four like the controllers that Nintendo's competitors have put together. Nintendo has said that today's controllers are too complicated, relying on too many buttons and analog sticks for input. As such, this controller only features four main buttons, A, B, L and R.
The main feature of this controller is its trackball. We figure that using a trackball for camera movement would be more intuitive for casual and non-gamers than a second analog stick, the folks that Nintendo is aiming to bring into gaming with the Revolution.
This controller's trackball and buttons also provide tactile force feedback. For example, if you were to press A to swing a sword, if you hit a brick wall the button would suddenly stop short. If you were to slice through an enemy, it might start loose and then tighten a bit when contact was made. And if you simply missed, the button would slide with ease the whole way.
Behold the Revolution 720.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053417849-000.jpg
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053413537-000.jpg
Our third controller is designed to be played with only one hand, theoretically more in line with a remote control than a conventional game controller.
The Stick features a single analog stick, two action buttons and gyroscope technology. Movement could either be registered with the analog stick or via the gyroscope technology, allowing the analog stick to then be used for camera control. A first-person shooter might work quite well in the latter configuration.
The Stick is design to be ambidextrous like the Nintenball, allowing gamers who favor either hand easy and intuitive control.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053418583-001.jpg
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053414240-000.jpg
These are the mock-ups of possible Revolution controllers that IGN has come up with. What do you like about them? What do you hate about them? Which one will be closest to Nintendo's final build of the controller? Which one do you like the best?
They all look nice just at this point, but I like the 720 the most just because it seems more plausible and probably closer to what Nintendo has in mind. The Stick seems just not geared to being a good controller for many genres. The Nintenball seems the coolest, but it just kind of seems a little awkward to be holding a ball.
First up is what we'll call the Nintenball. This entirely made up controller features gyroscopic motion sensors, using for controlling on-screen actions in an entirely analog form. It's also motion sensitive, so it'll know if you're moving it from side to side without twisting it.
The Nintenball features four buttons, three for your first three fingers and one for your thumb. A second thumb button would be located on the other side of the Nintenball, making it useful for right and left-handed gamers.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053403459-000.jpg
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053405022-000.jpg
Our next controller is mostly standard in shape and design, allowing it the ability to play most any game from Nintendo's existing library. It features a large A button and smaller B button on the face, exactly as the GameCube controller has, but minus the X and Y buttons. The triggers are analog, though there are only two rather than four like the controllers that Nintendo's competitors have put together. Nintendo has said that today's controllers are too complicated, relying on too many buttons and analog sticks for input. As such, this controller only features four main buttons, A, B, L and R.
The main feature of this controller is its trackball. We figure that using a trackball for camera movement would be more intuitive for casual and non-gamers than a second analog stick, the folks that Nintendo is aiming to bring into gaming with the Revolution.
This controller's trackball and buttons also provide tactile force feedback. For example, if you were to press A to swing a sword, if you hit a brick wall the button would suddenly stop short. If you were to slice through an enemy, it might start loose and then tighten a bit when contact was made. And if you simply missed, the button would slide with ease the whole way.
Behold the Revolution 720.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053417849-000.jpg
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053413537-000.jpg
Our third controller is designed to be played with only one hand, theoretically more in line with a remote control than a conventional game controller.
The Stick features a single analog stick, two action buttons and gyroscope technology. Movement could either be registered with the analog stick or via the gyroscope technology, allowing the analog stick to then be used for camera control. A first-person shooter might work quite well in the latter configuration.
The Stick is design to be ambidextrous like the Nintenball, allowing gamers who favor either hand easy and intuitive control.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053418583-001.jpg
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/643/643663/predicting-the-revolution-20050819053414240-000.jpg
These are the mock-ups of possible Revolution controllers that IGN has come up with. What do you like about them? What do you hate about them? Which one will be closest to Nintendo's final build of the controller? Which one do you like the best?
They all look nice just at this point, but I like the 720 the most just because it seems more plausible and probably closer to what Nintendo has in mind. The Stick seems just not geared to being a good controller for many genres. The Nintenball seems the coolest, but it just kind of seems a little awkward to be holding a ball.