Gaming Do we lose anything through game control conformity?

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2012/07/25/controlconform/1

 

Learning the twitch reactions required by videos games can take a long time, my girlfriend completed Portal and really enjoyed it. I only had to help her with the level that required you to Portal up between platforms, she doesn't have years of experience with twitch reflexes and it would take her a long time to learn them.

I have tried motion based controllers and I don't like them. I play games to relax and when I do play it is usually for a couple of hours, I don't want to move much

 

Totally agree about Mirrors Edge, it was such a breath of fresh air. One of the more memorable First Person games of recent years.

 

I loved mirrors edge on PS3 and PC

 

If anything, control schemes tend to be about efficiency. Certainly in console games like Halo I always changed to bumper jumper as it was far more efficient for melee than default. Same goes for PC games, I like to remap numerical keys to my naga as I have more thumb accuracy, it also frees up the keyboard for other binds. I don't think that streamlining controls is necessarily a bad thing, as long as efficiency is increased and you don't lose something from the gameplay.

I guess another point I've been mulling over is which control scheme do I like the most? I love the accuracy, speed and simplicity of using a mouse in FPS titles, but the keyboard and lack of tactile feedback is a bit of a problem for me in terms of immersion. I've used consoles and joypads for years as well as using my pc so I'm equally comfortable with both, but I've found the joypad to be more enjoyable in FPS. The motion of actually pulling a trigger to fire a weapon really helps to get me involved in the title, the rumble helps too, a rumble strip for my mouse would just destroy my accuracy so I don't use one.

I think that in a game with really good controls, they should only be remembered as "oh, they worked well when I think about it" as they should feel so natural when using them that you forget they are even there. A unique control scheme works fine only when it does its job well, it's supposed to put you in the game, not build a wall around it that you have to take apart piece by piece.

 

Fable 3's much lauded 'omni-button' control scheme anyone? Too simple to find enjoyable for me (which is a weird thing to say now I come to think about it) and didn't work as promoted - although Peter's got form so not unexpected.

Just let me map them how I like if your default or option schemes sucks.

 

The cynic in me worries we’re in danger of spiralling toward a single context-sensitive super button which initiates every single action in the game.

Played Mass Effect 3 yet?

Slightly more on topic one control system i've always wanted to see is a keyboard with some sort of thumb\finger stick as movement wise analogue stick is superior to the 4\8 directions you get with a keyboard but i hate moving my view point with anything other than a mouse.

 

I usually play with dual control systems. Something like GTA or Saints Row (basically anything with a car in it!) I'll swap between my keyboard and mouse for moving/shooting on foot, then to the controller for any vehicular action! Works great for me and very glad most games will let you use both at the same time, rather than one or t'other.

Saying that I am a keyboard and mouse man when I have the choice, and for FPS anything else feels so very unnatural (maybe due to the being bought on on Unreal Tournament!) so the Halo night having on Friday is going to result in me mostly being fragged thanks to the lack of keyboard and mouse combo!

 

Greetings!

Why is there an image of MechWarrior 4 when the article mentions only MechWarrior 2?

 

I think I bought a new joystiock of Mechwarrior 2 - The MS Sidewinder pro as it had the twist axis that was rather essential iirc.

Nowdays I only really play the X-series games and though they have introduced mouse flight control I need a stick to be waguely effectivbe in combat. then again I am closer to 60 than 11 so maybe your sterotype holds!

 

Growing up using a joystick on the Speccy, Atari ST, and Amiga (new Quickshot every couple of weeks?), when I started gaming on a PC I couldn't get on with using the keyboard for movement, it just felt inelegant. So I got a Saitek ST290, WASD mapped to X and Y axes, crouch, prone, run, jump, reload and grenade mapped to the buttons, 1-4 for weapons on the hat switch.

I have become so used to this that when I received a PS3 for my birthday this year and tried to play Red Dead Redemption with a controller, I just couldn't get on with it. Again it felt inelegant and more than just a little clumsy.

I just wish devs would let me use the full analogue capability for movement, providing more granular or natural control through the varying speeds from slow walk to fast run.

 

Interesting, and I mostly agree.

Although Mirrors Edge is a good example, I would have thought Metroid Prime would be a better as its more a proper FPS. Also I think the controls were specifically made awkward to do the whole enhanced depth thing.

 

I remember buying Mechwarrior 2 and trying to play with a keyboard. I swear it took two of you to play it properly. I'd move and fire , my mate would look around!

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

So did I, actuall still have it hooked up to a Pentium 150MHz specifically to play MW2, WingCommander and X-Wing.
I also do own a Sidewinder FF Pro and I wouldn't touch MW4, Freespace 2 (hail to GOG) or any other flight sim/space sim without a Joystick. Can't wit for MW5 to put it to use again.

To me, a custom controller can deepen the immersion considerably. I just love cruising around Oahu in TDU with my Logitech G25 using the stick shift.

I am dissapointed though, that with kinect or move, no one came up with a Sword or Battle Axe to use in Skyrim. I think there is potential for immersion into medieval fantasy RPGs like that. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to add a Conan'esque Gamecontroller to my collection ^^

 

I am not a fan of how they are dumbing down controls. I get that it needs to be fairly simple in order to not lose immersion and feel comfortable. I like they question that Ben has thrown up about a structure for all FPS games muting a creative vein for some delevopers. I guess you could use the old....." if it aint broke" line. I do remember trying to get to grips with game controls back in the day. Sometimes though, that was a nice feeling. Like when you use to open the box, read the manual, read the extensive control system and spend a day or two getting used to it!!! lol.

I solidly fall into the PC FPS group. I have grown up from the doom games etc. So it feels almost etched in to my brain that: keys + mouse = movement. So natural infact that I am beginning to think I have a mis-spent youth. I am not against console controllers. Have had a PS3 for yrs now. I learnt how to use the controller for Red Dead, wouldnt say I was good at it. It didnt annoy me enough not to finish the game, put it that way.

The only thing that I would say that ticks me off about control systems are bad ports. Ghost recom future soldier for example..........there I said it............................

 

Great article btw. Everyone knows this is the future of gaming:



It's funny how we all play games like RPG's whose stories mostly boil down to saving the world from evil. And yet the painful irony is that in the process, we have delivered our REAL world in to evil... Electronic Arts. They have bought up every great gaming company they could get their devils claws into, and just want to mass produce the cheapest and lowest quality games they can make. Lowest quality, maximum profit, with huge brainwashing advertising budgets to help them along. So I reckon that is our future. The entire industry run by EA, and we will all be their bitches, sitting with our one button gamepad, playing games like Dragon Age 3, "press a button and something awesome happens", with 2 dungeons that you go through over and over pressing your one button and watching your characters leap about shooting fireballs. And BF4, where you sit back and relax, and watch as your character clears through city streets, occasionally ducking behind a waist high wall and asking you to press your awesome button so he can leap out and shoot a sniper.

At some point it will end up like Battlestar Galactica or something, if you want to keep your brain and free will intact, you will need to unplug yourself from the matr I mean internet, and you can hide away somewhere with a PC like a hacker and you can play old classics on DosBox that you smuggled in to the country on a usb pen where the sun dont shine.

And maybe there will be big wars between the two or three big syndicat I mean companies, and it will spill out on to the streets. There will be Microsoft agents in blue, taking on Apple and EA agents with gauss guns, all fighting over the scraps left over and ignored by the biggest and most unstoppable corporation of all time, the Valve corporation, run by a real life GlaDos.

 

You know as much as I'd like to agree with the fact that standardizing and allowing the "dumb masses" to play games. You have to realize at the end of the day it's still all about business. The reason they're broadening audiences is because it sells. They're in the market of selling video games. And as long as the not so perceptive user is happy. Why make any significant changes?

I still think though, there are a few things even with the modern day control scheme that has yet to be explored. That said, as long as I can customize my own control scheme. Cool. The problem is when peripherals are not being supported. But hey, we can't win em all can we?

 

There are some control schemes that just feel natural. SSX Tricky on PS2, for example, was dead-on. I tried it on GC, and it sucked balls, due to the differences in the controllers. After my PS2 died and I got GTA:VC on PC, I gave up after about 10 minutes and went out and bought a Logitech PS2 controller clone. Same with GTA IV, only it was a 360 controller. I still say the PS2 controller was the pinnacle of console controllers (can't speak to the PS3, although it seems the same but wireless.)

Saint's Row 2, I'll need to custom config the 360 controller, as it just doesn't work in my brain with kb+mouse. I've put 100-ish hours in on TF2, and it still doesn't feel natural (what can I say? I'm always late to the party.)

SO, yeah - standardization is good, so I don't have to dick around trying to figure out the controls. But if the scheme sucks, let me customize it. I've given up on more than one game with a stupid control scheme and no option to customize.

 

Showerheads comment about mass effect 3 and this ^ (great jpg) sum it up for me. There are almost 100 keys on the board I am currently using and Bioware decide the spacebar does around 4 or 5 functions. Sometimes when you try to heal a team mate, you end up kneeling behind cover, watching him take his last breath!?! Lazy game developing? I think so.

I think it will take a small third party game company to come up with some drastic changes to future games. Not drastic in a bad way, innovative like mirror's edge as mentioned. As usual there is too much money at stake for the big companies to try anything new or wildly different!