Atari Founder Goes on the Offensive, Bashes Sony

[Ed Oscuro]

Same here. Why Sony used symbols I'll never understand.

It's pretty obvious why: You don't need to translate [triangle], [square], [circle], and X into Japanese. Any other language system works fine with that, as well.

[Tron 2.0]

I wounder what got into, Nolan for that comment in the frist place

Can't say i haven't had to much of a... problem with the PS1/PS2 pads.

Heck the only thing i hate about it is the D-pad. It's hard on the "thumbs" and sucks for 2-d fighters :P

[hydr0x]

seriously guys, most of you don't seem to understand the problem at all. It's not about gamers like us that are (and want to get) used to every control scheme, no matter how complex it is. It's about the non-gamers.

I had to introduce my gf into games, she never had played anything besides Tetris on the original GB and a few click&point adventures on PC. If you had seen how she reacted to the Gamecube and PS2 controller you'd knew Bushnell has it right here. The Gamecube pad she could handle almost perfectly after 15 minutes of play, why? because she could feel the buttons, she didn't have to look at the pad to know what to press. With the PS2 pad on the other hand, she STILL (after lots of play) needs to look at the controller from time to time to make sure she's not pressing the wrong button. This should tell you enough about who made the better controller for people not gaming every day. Now, i'll admit this, the PS2 pad right now is better for a few genres (sports and beat 'em ups), but the main reason for this are NOT the buttons of the GC pad (as journalists often claim), it's the the horrible D-Pad and the "hard to get used to" c-stick.

[jdc]

I prefer more buttons. Shoulder buttons/triggers have made things much nicer for many genres. BTW....even though I'm an Xbox fan, I'm most likely one of the rare people out there that DOESN'T like the new 360 controller at all.

[syd]

While I don't think the PS2 controller is the best design they could have come up with, I definitely don't think it's all that bad. As was already stated, it only has 2 more buttons than an SNES controller, which was IMO one of the best controllers ever made. I think the directional pad is pretty good for the genres I play, I don't play fighting games so it may not be too good for them. I think the analog is nice too, and I actually like it better than the N64 one.

The thing I hate about the PS2 pad is the fact it doesn't really conform to your hands. The thing is just not that comfortable to use compared to many other pads. If they change the shape of it a little I think it could be a really good controller.

[kevin_psx]

Instead, we get "'triangle', 'square', 'circle', etc.)

Better than Nintendo's confusing mess of A, B, C1, C2, X, Y, Z?????? I'm always looking and thinking, "Which is the B button???" Sony has it clearly labeled with bright-colored symbols. No guessing.

[Truffle]

My parents wont play current gen games very much (except for Animal Crossing ) because they find the controllers confusing.Same with several of my co-workers.
They take one look at the controller, and pass automatically.

[john_soper]

Hope he doesn't think 2600 Space Shuttle has an easier control scheme than Gamecube Super Monkey Ball :P

[Push Upstairs]

PSX controller is a hell of alot better than that damn N64 controller.

Better than the N64 controller? Hah! Since when? The N64 controller has always been better than the SNES rip-off.

Since the morons in the Nintendo design department decided to put the analog control stick IN THE CENTER PRONG OF THE CONTROLLER. I'd rather own a controller where my hands are a confortable distance apart (PSX) instead of having my hands forced into close quarters and cramping up and generally being uncomfortable (N64).

I see it *PAINS* you to see someone just not like something by your beloved Nintendo but deal with it.

SNES rip-off.

[davepesc]

/Grampa Simpson

So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style in the day... Gimme 5 beans for a quarter we'd say. We didn't have any nickel, thanks to the Kaiser...
/Grampa Simpson


I love Atari, but that just sounds like talking about walking to school in the snow





uphill








both ways

[Ed Oscuro]

Same here. Why Sony used symbols I'll never understand.

It's pretty obvious why: You don't need to translate [triangle], [square], [circle], and X into Japanese. Any other language system works fine with that, as well.

Ok, but then why have buttons labeled "Select", "Start", and "Analog"?

Good point.

Here's a random thought- it'd be a neat idea if someone designed a controller that you could use upside-down (for left-handed players).

What the..?

[Lothars]

Honestly the ps2 is by far the best controller, I mean it's a comfortable controller as well as it's not that hard to use

so i think he's really off kilter saying it's bad

[Famidrive-16]

I don't blame him. I remember first trying out the Dreamcast controller and going 'Shoot! This is crazy." Now the controller's pretty easy to use for me.

I like the PS controller. The 64 one too, except when playing the first Mario Party, and the stick could break easily.

[Buyatari]

Excuse me?! Maybe it's just the one near me, but Chuck E. Cheese pizza is FANTASTIC.

I haven't been there in years. I took my son there three years ago. All they had were ski-ball machines and carinval type prize games for tickets. No arcade games. I think Nolan should go down to Chuck E Cheese and tell them what THEY are doing wrong.

[Captain Wrong]

I love Atari, but that just sounds like talking about walking to school in the snow





uphill








both ways

Exactly. Much respect for Nolan, but it kind of sounds like he's operating in a 1978 mindset.

[Diatribal Deity]

It's not a money thing there Kevin-PSX, it's about a time when gaming wasen't so complex and you had make do with what they had to work with,.

Yes. Just meant - Sony is RICH. Really rich. If their ideas were poor as Nolan claims - they wouldn't be #1/rich. Nolan's ideas lack credibility. The facts don't match his claims.

That's why Sony will ignore Nolan.

Ever look at Sony's financial statements?
They are not the cash cow you think they are. Quite the opposite in fact.

[esquire]

I love Atari, but that just sounds like talking about walking to school in the snow





uphill








both ways

Exactly. Much respect for Nolan, but it kind of sounds like he's operating in a 1978 mindset.

More importantly, I think he forgets that controllers with multiple buttons and keyboard like interfaces are nothing new to gaming. One only needs to look back at the Intellivision, Colecovision and Atari 5200 controllers. Hell, take a look at the special controller for Star Raiders for the 2600! All had multiple buttons and/or inputs. I'll take a Ps2 controller over a 5200 controller anyday.

[boatofcar]

He comes off more as a businessman than a “pure” designer or developer. He even brings graphs and charts to show which market segments could be exploited today. In 1982, he tells us, there were 44 million gamers. Today, there are 18 million. Where’d they all go?

Now this is interesting. I always thought the total amount of gamers has gone up as time goes on, but I have no data to back this up.

[CYRiX]

Here's a random thought- it'd be a neat idea if someone designed a controller that you could use upside-down (for left-handed players).

Umm this is WHY there are so many buttons and everything now, because in games YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE THE CONTROLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111[shift + 1]

Would you make a game for system that has a stick and 2 buttons or one with 2 shoulder buttons, 6 reg. buttons, a d-pad, and 2 analog sticks?

Its a scientific thereom:
The more complex (which normally leads to better games) the game is, the more buttons it needs. The more simpler (which normally leads to games that die-hards love) the less buttons needed.

I personally love playing games with a keyboard and mouse. Why? BECAUSE THE MORE BUTTONS THE BETTER MUAHAHAHAHA.


Yeah I'm going to say this now: Don't flame about which controller is better than that controller. I hate flame wars unless I have a strong opinion.

[zmweasel]

Ever look at Sony's financial statements?
They are not the cash cow you think they are. Quite the opposite in fact.

Actually, the game-hardware division of Sony *is* a cash cow, and easily the most financially successful segment of the company. It's the other consumer-electronics divisions that are getting thrashed by the competition.

-- Z.