The same company that brought us the NES Advantage has proven the Wii control scheme isn’t as bad as critics speculated. The beauty of adding the “waggle” technology is limiting your button count to a reasonable level without overwhelming gamers.
We’re seeing casual gaming on the rise both in the press and in the public. Yet, each “next generation” console brings new features and functionality to the consoles, games and accessories. Since NES birthed the SNES we’ve seen button count increase on controllers.
Nintendo has usually been conservative on buttons, trying to work “shape” over sheer volume of buttons, barring the C button count on the N64 controller. Nintendo controllers change shape with each generation and they’ve evolved, not innovated, their way around with the Wii control scheme. Each function of the controller exists, on its own, in other products but nobody has built a fully functional controller in such a way for a game console until now.
Sony took pieces of this concept in their PS3 controller and its ability to detect “tilt.” Xbox 360 stuck with the beefy controller with lots of buttons and analog sticks. Not just a D-Pad but two analog sticks and a ton of buttons to press, some pressure sensitive as well. What of our next-generation console? Maybe a few new buttons?
Or, maybe a few new motions? Wii evolved the control scheme and Sony validated their decision, what’s next? Are the controllers just too damn complicated in today’s world? Or, perhaps limiting the buttons brings in more gamers, like Grandma and Grandpa, to play your console as well.
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Good show guys but I’m missing Paul and Dan.
I heard you mention your playing Shadowrun Returns Jonah, how are you liking the game? I’ve gotten it myself and it seems to have a short campaign seeming to rely on the community to create campaigns themselves like with the Neverwinter games.
Speaking of Sierra Online and Kickstarter, Hero-U being made by the Coreys was mentioning the various other creative leads also kickstarting their old franchises as well. Although changed since they don’t own the original IP like (Space Quest = Space Venture).
As for what I’m playing I’m playing Civ V BNW, Minecraft and Jade Empire. It’s my first time playing JE and I got it off GoG and I can see why it got the reviews it did, it is a well deserved reputation. Good atmosphere and challenge in the fights, at least for me since I’m not a great action game player.
@Getting old
Happy Birthday Jonah. Congratulations on getting one year closer to death. On the bright side, your mid-life crisis is just about over. Roll on arthritis, weak knees and a man-sized diaper.
@Phil Fish is no longer aPHILiated with FISHy gaming business (damn I’m punny)
Man. That sounds so childish. But it would have a better effect if FEZ would be Halo or Mass Effect. Personally, I never heard of FEZ until he started making all that racket. In fact , this could have a good post-mortem marketing effect.
@Shadow of the Eternals back from the dead (again)
It’s funny how the game is already f**king with you. And it’s not even out yet. I really want to see it released. It will be a nice £5 title, considering that It will sell next to no copies on the Wii U. Although I am afraid that this project will not see the light of day regardless of how many times they put it on Kickstarter. Not until Silicone Knights sell off the IP
@Neil Gaiman making games
That sounds terrific. Neil Gaiman is a talented writer, so the story is bound to be good. Lets hope the game can keep up with him. I read a number of his books. Enjoyed all of them. Looking forward to this game.
@The worldwide Internet sensation
I played WoW for the first time a few month ago and was very disappointed. It did not live up to my expectations. But that is most likely because I played a lot of WoW clones for the past few years and I am fed up with the genre. I found WoW to be very basic compared to its clones. I am sure it is a good game, but I just have to much of a life to waste my time on this.
Ps: I haven’t played Walking Dead past episode 1 yet, so I didn’t listen to the last podcast discussion to avoid spoilers. Thought I was successful, but did not expect Jordan’s stealthy revelation about Lee. For the future, it would be nice if you could maybe mention that spoilers will follow or put it in the podcast description, that would be nice.