270°

VR/3D Controller for your Sony PS3

Lately Virtual Reality/3D game control devices have been all the rage. Wii Remote or various VR gloves come to mind.

But while Wii Remote is good at tracking your 3D hand movements, basically that's it. VR Gloves can capture a wider array of control gestures, but they are very inconvenient to use. Just think of putting them on and off everytime you want to play a game.

What if you could have a device that is as easy to use as Wii Remote, but could capture all your palm, finger and hand movements? Wouldn't it be cool?

Sony thinks so too and may soon have a 3D PS3 game controller to prove it. At least that's what their patent application for "Hand-held computer interactive device" describes.

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unwiredview.com
Scythesean6216d ago

I see the spiderman games being very fun with this. Swinging around shooting web then releasing your grip and you let go of the web. Throw punches pick people up and throw them around.

ItsDubC6216d ago

I'd like to hear some Sony fanboys explain why the Wiimote is a gimmick but this won't be.

techie6215d ago

Who said the Wiimote is a gimmik? I believe it's 360 fans that say "motion sensing is a gimmik".

My stance is..innovation is fun! And wait until the Eyetoy comes out...you wont believe your eyes.

ItsDubC6215d ago

Some ppl from both camps have said that the Wiimote is just a gimmick so I'd like to hear their comments specifically.

Regardless, I agree that innovation is fun and has gotten the videogame industry to the point that it is today. I can only imagine the kinds of games and applications that the Eyetoy would allow for so I'm eager to see what comes of that as well.

Though this VR/3D control device reminds me of the PowerGlove, I'd like to see it materialize into something more successful.

techie6215d ago

Well they are stupid.

Did people really say the Wiimote was a gimmik...or that the Wii itself was a gimmik...?

I'm so excited about the Eyetoy. You have no idea! q:

rbanke6215d ago (Edited 6215d ago )

I own a wii and consider the exclusive use of the wii remote to be gimmicky, the remote is awesome but there should be an alternate controller for when it would be prefered. If I had it my way, the remote would be the optional controller. Its very cool, but in some games its tedious and unnessisary. I would see this ps3 type of controller as the same deal, cool but hopefully not required for most games.

weekapaugh6215d ago

"Some ppl from both camps have said that the Wiimote is just a gimmick."

..show us some examples. [awaiting link]

Oncnawan6215d ago (Edited 6215d ago )

I am no Sony fan, but I'll answer your question.

The problem with the Wii-mote is not that it, in and of itself, is a gimmick, but that most applications of the Wii-mote are gimmicky. The motion sensing, particularly motion beyond tilt functionality, has potential. However, many games outside of sports simply replace a button press with a Wii-mote "shake". I have no desire to shake a remote when a button-press would suffice. Games that go beyond this appear limited to sports and mini-games. Why is that? Well, most sports involve a focus point of physical activity that can be easily replicated by the Wii-mote (swing a bat, swing a racket, extend your arm in a punch, etc.) and the gameplay is focused almost exclusively on those areas and abandons the rest of the sport. As an example, how important is court-positioning on Wii-Tennis? Not important enough to let you control it (or such is my understanding). I look forward to EA's take on sports, that may actually change this aspect of Wii sports games. Mini-games succeed because the developers can base an entire game around the control scheme, and Nintendo's sports games so far have been mini-gamish.

Larger, more complex games involve a variety of actions that can't be approximated by the Wii-mote, so a generic "shake" is required (where a button press would be in a traditional controller set-up). The problem with shakes compared to button presses is that they are less precise (lots of room for human error), potentially slower, add superfluous body movement and will be more varied across games and publishers (think of moving between two FPS games that have totally different control schemes).

Non-traditional controllers succeed when they allow motion that approximates their real life equivalents. Shooters on rails succeed in the arcade, but not on consoles, because the controller is fashioned to appear like a gun. Guitar Hero is a smash hit because your controller IS a guitar...sort of. Motion detection succeeds when it approximates real life, and is unnecessary when it is just a placeholder action, an exagerated button press, if you will.

I would totally be on board the Wii-train if the Wii-mote enabled swordplay that tracked your motions one-to-one. There are many problems implementing such a gameplay scheme, however, so I doubt that it will be accomplished successfully this generation.

The Wii is a "gimmick" because developers are trying to cram Wii-mote functionality into games for which it is not appropriate, or for which there is no value added.

ItsDubC6215d ago

@weekapaugh-
News article comments can't be searched on n4g to my knowledge, but there are some tidbits on these links:

http://www.n4g.com/NewsCom-...
http://www.n4g.com/NewsCom-...
http://www.n4g.com/wii/News...
http://www.n4g.com/industry...

@Oncnawan-
Kudos for the fair and detailed explanation. I share many of your views of the Wiimote and do roll my eyes whenever I hear of development companies porting over a game and just changing the controls. Most of the time it hasn't been for the better. I was pleasantly surprised with SSX Blur though, as that was a good implementation of Wiimote use in my opinion.

I was disappointed to learn that the way I swung the Wiimote while playing Zelda didn't translate to a one-to-one animation of Link doing the same motion, but the fact that WiiSports can detect slight variances of spin in my bowling or tennis swing leaves me optimistic. So I think you're right that it really is up to developers to make the Wiimote work successfully. It's a new control paradigm and I hope devs are up to the challenge of learning to use it to their advantage, as I don't see the standard controller being used in the videogame industry forever.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 6215d ago
BIadestarX6215d ago

Developers are in a mission to make us look stupid while playing games... as if is not enough that most people think we refuse to let go the games and grow up.

power0919996215d ago

You sir, get a bubble for that one.

Can't agree more.

eclipsegryph6215d ago

While I think that you make a valid statement, I'm inclined to disagree. Obviously the intent isn't to make people look bad playing games - the intent is to provide new ways to enjoy the games that we play. They are not content with believing that standard controllers can provide the most fun. That's where the Power Glove and U-Force came from, and the Eye Toy and the DS touch screen, and so much more.

Besides, I, for one, don't understand how one can "look bad" while gaming. Usually one plays a game to have fun and enjoy themselves, not to worry about their "coolness" factor whilst doing so.

sak5006215d ago

We play vid games to relax and enjoy after a hectic day..Well most of the working people. Also I usually spend 1 - 2 hours 5 days a week in gym, so WII or motion sensing controllers r not my way of keep in shape. I prefer sitting on my pc and fraggin the hell out in BF2142 or lying down on my couch and playing 360 games. I dont want to be to flay my arms/hands around to play games.

Violater6215d ago

I though this was the ps3 section , yet there are so many people here trying to start an argument.
Hmmm ohh well back to watching those sweet LAIR vids.

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90°

10 Weirdest Video Games of All Time

Plenty of unforgettable games have completely messed up their players throughout the years, all the way back from the PS1 days to the dark recesses of the modern internet.

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culturedvultures.com
JonTheGod19h ago

Why are the Katamari games not on the list??

80°

Tales Of Graces Ƒ Retro Review – Holding Out For a Hero

Gary Green said: Namco Bandai heard the call of many fans asking for the PlayStation release of Tales of Graces which was originally released seemingly exclusively for the Wii back in 2009. If you’re acquainted with the Tales series then Graces f won’t be something entirely new to you, yet if you’re a newcomer then you’ll find a plethora of gameplay mechanics and nuances that distinguish this series from other JRPGs. While the game finds itself following the traditional archetype of JRPGs, such as a somewhat clichéd story, Graces has something to offer to both veterans and newcomers alike.

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pslegends.com
GoodGuy093d ago

Odd this and the xillia games still haven't gotten remasters yet.

120°

It's A Crime That There's No Sleeping Dogs 2 Yet

Huzaifah from eXputer: "Sleeping Dogs from the early 2010s is one of the best open-world games out there but in dire need of a resurgence."

LG_Fox_Brazil3d ago

I agree, I consider the first one a cult classic already

isarai3d ago

You say "yet" as if it's even possible anymore. United Front Games is gone, along with anyone that made this game what it is

CrimsonWing693d ago

That’s what happens when games sell poorly. And I’ve seen people wonder why people cry when a game sells badly… this is your answer.

solideagle3d ago

Majority of the time it's true but if a company/publisher is big (in terms of money), they can take a hit or 2. e.g. I am not worried about Rebirth sales as Square will make Remake 3 anyway but if FF 17 doesn't sell then Square might need to look for alternative. <-- my humble opinion

Abnor_Mal3d ago

Doesn’t Microsoft own the IP now since they acquired Activision?

DaReapa2d ago

No. Square Enix owns the IP.

Abnor_Mal2d ago

Oh okay, Activision owned True Crime, but when that didn’t sell as intended it was canceled. Six months later Square Enix bought the rights and changed the title to Sleeping Dogs.*

*As per Wikipedia

boing12d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Sleeping Dogs was a sleeper hit back then. It was fantastic. It actually still is. Would love a sequel to this, or at least a revive of True Crime series.

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