Nintendo copied controller from Microsoft and Sony.

[rbudrick]

Well, if we want to say who did it first, from my memory the power glove was the first to detect position in 3-space plus rotation.

I love the Revolution Controller. It's so bad.

-Rob

[boatofcar]

Well, if we want to say who did it first, from my memory the power glove was the first to detect position in 3-space plus rotation.

I love the Revolution Controller. It's so bad.

-Rob

Sooo tempted to use that as my sig.

[goatdan]

The Power Glove was made by Mattel, not Nintendo. Nintendo isn't "stealing" the technology from themselves. Mattel designed it and released it.

Yeesh.

[SuperNES]

y'know, if you replace wand with wang, it sounds funny:

The gaming wang interacts with a web cam, which feeds into the console and is designed to read only certain light effects (given off by the wang) and will ignore ordinary room lights. The web cam will then map the movements of the light (i.e. the wang) and incorporate them into the application that is running on the console. Looks like both Sony and Microsoft have been toying with their own magic wangs for a while now, but unlike Nintendo, neither has been bold enough to whip it out.

[davepesc]

Uhh. That's not a flaw...did you not watch the video of how it was being used?

Uh, did you read my post? It's realisim in movement however there is NO realistic resistance. Remember how wonky video game steering wheels were until force feedback came along? Moving stuff around with the Revolution controller is fine, point at targets, using as a gun, sure. But when you use it to handle something with real weight (a sword for instance, was Nintendo's example IN THE VIDEO) you lose all tactile feedback since you're just slicing through empty space.

Take it from someone that knows his swords. (see my profile picture)

Yeah! What he said. And you should, like, have to actually have to thrust the controller through your unsuspecting friend's skull to slay a monster in teh Zelda!!!

And then you could throw it across the room and yell "GRENADE!" and dive behind the couch while the Rev. controller fragments, taking out the living room wall.

Now THAT'S a Revolution in gaming!

[Aussie2B]

Say one thing, if Gunpei Yokoi was still alive we'd have many more controller innovations than we have now. The man invented the d-pad for crying out loud, all to resolve the issue of having a joystick on a portable game (Game & Watch series).

YES. Oh how I wish Gunpei was still alive. :( Then again, if he was, he'd just be making the WonderHeron or something. :P

Personally, while the Revolution controller is innovative for the video game industry (which isn't saying much considering this industry survives off of rehashing ideas), it isn't exactly... ahem, "revolutionary". It's a no-brainer, if you ask me, so I'm not surprised if other companies have been toying around with similar ideas.

[Lord_Magus]

And heck, Hopefully they'd port those ideas if not on a better scale to the Revolution.

I'd hoped the Powerglove was going to be better than it was but look how that came out.

I'm going to have to agree with InsaneDavid on the feedback issue. A driving wheel without feedback is worthless and is only half the experience.

"Clashing swords" without feedback just as pointless. There is no sensation of "fighting", nothing pushing you back, no real sesation you are blocking another sword. Pretty much you are waving a little controller in the air pretending its a sword...which doesn't seem to be all that far removed from the Powerglove.

I don't know what you're "pushing upstairs", but lets hope next time its some common sense.

Whats next? People complaining they don't actually die in real life when they lose in a game? Pleaaase... I know its disappointing that the Revolution isn't defying any universal physics rules as we all expected, but when we eventually acheive virtual reality-like interactivity in video games, we'll all have Nintendo to thank for making the first bold steps in that direction.

[§ Gideon §]

[Damn, this sounded negative when I read it back.]

Anyway, wait until you've played a game to judge. Right?

[Slate]

And then you could throw it across the room and yell "GRENADE!" and dive behind the couch while the Rev. controller fragments, taking out the living room wall.

Now THAT'S a Revolution in gaming!

[InsaneDavid]

you lose all tactile feedback since you're just slicing through empty space.

You play Wario Ware Twisted? It may not have resistance sure.. but several several of the mini-games have very satisfying tactile feedback from simply rotating fast/slow etc. It really works well! And heck, Hopefully they'd port those ideas if not on a better scale to the Revolution.

That's because it's all right there in your hand, you are minipulating balance related objects 1 to 1 right there. Your motions carry weight because all they simulate is the effort of balancing, tweaking movement, etc. Now imagine swinging a controller to simulate say, a baseball bat (I'll lay off the sword example), wouldn't you rather feel a hard, crisp, clean reverberation when you make contact with the ball? A little vibration in response instead would pull you out of the experence, so hits would feel the same as missing the ball completely.

I mean, that Xavix game "system" was somewhat similar for sports games anyway, and that felt pretty hokey because there was no realistic resistance - because at this time such cannot be accomplished. That is unless Nintendo is going to package a 'little person' with each Revolution to grab the controller when you make contact with something. A boxing game where you "feel" your fists come into contact with your opponent and feel them hit your hands when you're blocking is the type of sensory feedback I'm talking about that will complete the link. Understand now?

The controller is interesting yes, and undoubtedly there will be some very unique and entertaining gameplay experences. However this "controller is going to CHANGE the industry forever" stuff is BS. It is nice to see Nintendo trying something new though instead of saying they're doing something new when it's just a redesign. (GameCube controller for instance - come on, stupid Z button in an awkward place, same thin cord that doesn't coil properly - should have just called it the N64 controller Mk.II)

It's time for a Kid Icarus FPS.

I'm going to have to agree with InsaneDavid on the feedback issue. A driving wheel without feedback is worthless and is only half the experience.

"Clashing swords" without feedback just as pointless. There is no sensation of "fighting", nothing pushing you back, no real sesation you are blocking another sword. Pretty much you are waving a little controller in the air pretending its a sword...which doesn't seem to be all that far removed from the Powerglove.

Thanks for seeing my point.

I don't know... Look at that monsterous unit that the radar goes into. That doesn't look like something Sony would market. And what about Sony's 'Boomerang' controller?

Actually the more I think about it the PS3 controller looks like a direct rework of InterAct's PS1 Barracuda...

http://store.videogamecentral.com/ps1inbaco.html

(Best picture I could find) Also at TGS it seemed Sony backpeddled and said the E3 controller mockup was just that, a progressing design. We shall see Xur, we shall see!

[Push Upstairs]

I don't know what you're "pushing upstairs", but lets hope next time its some common sense.

Whats next? People complaining they don't actually die in real life when they lose in a game? Pleaaase... I know its disappointing that the Revolution isn't defying any universal physics rules as we all expected, but when we eventually acheive virtual reality-like interactivity in video games, we'll all have Nintendo to thank for making the first bold steps in that direction.

Thank Nintendo for giving everyone the modern day equivilant of the "Power Glove"? Please. x_x

You want me to be wowed by a controller that can make motions but provides no sensation in return. Forgive me if i wanted something a bit above the standard "rumble" function that the past couple generations have offered.


The more i think about this controller the more it feels like another empty gimmick promise brought to you by Nintendo. Buy it for the promise of using it as a sword, keep it for all the plug in accessories you'll have to use with the controller.

[Zap!]

We've all heard the statement that Xbox's head leader has said about him thinking of a similar control for the xbox, but plans were removed after they though it was not gonna work. Well, now it looks like Sony was also working on a similar device.

http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000200061586/

Nintendo has every right to copy controllers, because Sony and Microsoft (amongst many others) have been copying off Nintendo. Who invented the control pad? Nintendo. Who was the first with a standard vibrating controller? Nintendo. Who was the first with a standard self-centering analong joystick in addition to a control pad? Nintendo. Who was the first to offer top "L" and "R" buttens? Nintendo. Shall I go on, or stop here?

[InsaneDavid]

Who invented the control pad?

Not Nintendo, Gunpei Yokoi did. Sorry, you know if Nintendo's management didn't have their head up it's ass (to this day) then Mr. Yokoi's dream R&D project, the Virtual Boy, would have had at the very least a FULL DEVELOPMENT CYCLE. And if it had a full dev cycle it would have had at least one or two hit games. And then he wouldn't have left Nintendo and died such a meaningless death.

Eight months (what the VB got) is not a full dev cycle and will cause anything to fail. Hell, geez, remember how pisspoor the first NES games were? Oooohhh... Gyromite and Duck Hunt! Just imagine where the industry would be if we stopped after that. Hint: it wouldn't exist.

*rant over*

Who was the first with a standard vibrating controller? Nintendo. Who was the first with a standard self-centering analong joystick in addition to a control pad? Nintendo. Who was the first to offer top "L" and "R" buttens? Nintendo. Shall I go on, or stop here?

And who came along and fine tuned those developments into feasable standardized designs? Not Nintendo. And Nintendo did NOT have a "standard" vibrating controller, the Rumble Pak was an EXPANSION MODULE for the N64 controller. The Sony DualShock was the first "standard" vibrating controller when it became the norm packed with the PlayStation retail box. Once again, it also made the rumble feature into something that enhanced gameplay rather than made a controller feel like a vibrating pager (which the Dreamcast vibration unit did poorly as well).

Not a Sony fanboy, just telling it as it is. And don't start with the Zapper, Ralph Baer was building light rifles far before anyone else. And guess who began installing lightgun shooting galleries in Japan in the 1970's... if you answered Gunpei Yokoi then you're correct!

[Zap!]

Not Nintendo, Gunpei Yokoi did.

That's meaningless. Nintendo was the first to use it with their Game Watch series, and the NES was the first system to use it. It has been copies countless times.

And who came along and fine tuned those developments into feasable standardized designs? Not Nintendo. And Nintendo did NOT have a "standard" vibrating controller, the Rumble Pak was an EXPANSION MODULE for the N64 controller. The Sony DualShock was the first "standard" vibrating controller when it became the norm packed with the PlayStation retail box. Once again, it also made the rumble feature into something that enhanced gameplay rather than made a controller feel like a vibrating pager (which the Dreamcast vibration unit did poorly as well).

The N64 controller may not have been ready 2 rumble (haha, I made a funny) right out of the package, but it certain was rumble ready, and the N64 was the first system to offer that with an included controler (although you had to buy the rumble pak). Sony heavily copied it with the DualShock. Yes, it was superior, but since it came out a few years later, it had every right to be superior. And what about the analog joysticks that are now standard? Once again, Nintendo starts the revolution, while everyone copies.

Not a Sony fanboy, just telling it as it is. And don't start with the Zapper, Ralph Baer was building light rifles far before anyone else. And guess who began installing lightgun shooting galleries in Japan in the 1970's... if you answered Gunpei Yokoi then you're correct!

I know that, I have a 70's pong system with a light gun. Nintendo can't win 'em all.

Oooohhh... Gyromite and Duck Hunt! Just imagine where the industry would be if we stopped after that. Hint: it wouldn't exist.

Exactly. Video games would be nowhere without NINTENDO.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Double Post Bandit Strikes Again!

[Icarus Moonsight]

Oh well, the Revolution controller while interesting, is going to end up being overrated due to one flaw with the technology. Say you're using the controller to slash like a sword, you hit your sword against another sword in the game AND...... the controller vibrates. :/ Until the tech can get to the point where you have realistic freemotion resistance (ie. you clash swords with an enemy in game and the controller fights you back, as if you ACTUALLY hit something) then this is just another nice little kitsch idea from Nintendo that will undoubtedly set the Revolution up to be everyone's "second console." Kinda like the GameCube except this time around Nintendo has seemed to realize from the start that there's a lot of sweet cash to be made by being in the homes of BOTH PS3 and XBox360 owners.

Then again there are various laws of physics that come into play before controllers like that come onto the market.

Say one thing, if Gunpei Yokoi was still alive we'd have many more controller innovations than we have now. The man invented the d-pad for crying out loud, all to resolve the issue of having a joystick on a portable game (Game & Watch series).

You know... when we were childeren we would gather up our toy guns and cap revolvers and disappear into the woods for an entire day yelling "bang" and falling over in feigned death. I can personally assure you that we were so enthralled with this activity due to the realistic recoil/kickback produced by th... wait a minute... no... we didn't! We could give a shit about realism... our little pretend world of murdering each other with toys far surpassed reality... why else would we brave the mosquitoes and poison oak to play hmmm? Duh, to play a GAME! Remind me never to play Risk at your house man... I mean damn...

[zerohero]

One thing I did notice that was funny was the gun aspect of the controller. IMO, that was kinda over the top. It reminded me of Super Scope 6 commercial with the kid dodging behind the couch. It looks cool, but in real life, you'd just be sitting there.


Oh, and about the sword aspect. It could work, let say your fighting and your swords clashed together. Now both of you are face to face so there needs to be some sort of push off. Now the player would have to tape a button to see who would win the position hold etc, etc.

[zerohero]

And heck, Hopefully they'd port those ideas if not on a better scale to the Revolution.

I'd hoped the Powerglove was going to be better than it was but look how that came out.

I'm going to have to agree with InsaneDavid on the feedback issue. A driving wheel without feedback is worthless and is only half the experience.

"Clashing swords" without feedback just as pointless. There is no sensation of "fighting", nothing pushing you back, no real sesation you are blocking another sword. Pretty much you are waving a little controller in the air pretending its a sword...which doesn't seem to be all that far removed from the Powerglove.

I don't know what you're "pushing upstairs", but lets hope next time its some common sense.

Whats next? People complaining they don't actually die in real life when they lose in a game? Pleaaase... I know its disappointing that the Revolution isn't defying any universal physics rules as we all expected, but when we eventually acheive virtual reality-like interactivity in video games, we'll all have Nintendo to thank for making the first bold steps in that direction.

I could so see people complaining about that. " Dude I so didn't even lose a arm last night in Metal Gear solid!"....

[goatdan]

Oooohhh... Gyromite and Duck Hunt! Just imagine where the industry would be if we stopped after that. Hint: it wouldn't exist.

Exactly. Video games would be nowhere without NINTENDO.

If you really believe that...

If Nintendo didn't reignite the flame, someone else would've. They were just at the right place at the right time. But computer games had never died, and the Sega Master System came out at about the same time... If it wasn't Nintendo, it probably would've been Sega. And if not Sega, someone.

Yes, Nintendo did some amazing things. But saying that there would be no video games is like saying that movie sound would've never progressed beyond mono had Disney not made Fantasia the first surround sound movie. It would've happened anyway. Disney just happened to be there first.

[InsaneDavid]

Oooohhh... Gyromite and Duck Hunt! Just imagine where the industry would be if we stopped after that. Hint: it wouldn't exist.

Exactly. Video games would be nowhere without NINTENDO.

If you really believe that...

If Nintendo didn't reignite the flame, someone else would've. They were just at the right place at the right time. But computer games had never died, and the Sega Master System came out at about the same time... If it wasn't Nintendo, it probably would've been Sega. And if not Sega, someone.

Yes, Nintendo did some amazing things. But saying that there would be no video games is like saying that movie sound would've never progressed beyond mono had Disney not made Fantasia the first surround sound movie. It would've happened anyway. Disney just happened to be there first.

No no no no no no no no no, I was talking about the Virtual Boy not having a full development cycle there and what would happen if the NES didn't have a full development / release cycle in the US either. A "what if" if you would since I've never been able to even mention the VB without a "the Virtual Boy sucks" comment, and never been able to mention Gunpei Yokoi without the VB coming up sooner or later.

Besides, Walt Disney simply followed in the footsteps of Winsor McCay.