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"Revolution controller revealed"

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Fri 16/09/05 at 04:01
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
[URL]http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/15/news_6133335.html[/URL]

Ummmm...


Picture of the controller:

[URL]http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/15/screens_6133335.html?page=3[/URL]


Analogue stick expansion (phew):

[URL]http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/15/screens_6133335.html?page=4[/URL]


More pictures:

[URL]http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/15/screenindex_6133335.html[/URL]



Controller game demos:

[URL]http://hardware.gamespot.com/Story-ST-15143-2567-x-x-x[/URL]




1st Article for the lazy people:

"Though the Nintendo Revolution was partially unveiled at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, its controller is the final piece of the venerable hardware manufacturer's next-generation puzzle. Speculation about the device has run rampant, because its manufacturer has made a point of keeping it well hidden. Nintendo has chosen only to drop hints that it would be an integral part of the Revolution's unique gameplay experience.


Today, in his keynote address at this year's Tokyo Game Show, Satoru Iwata touched on those themes again, giving further clues about Nintendo's vision for the future. But while Iwata's speech offered a bit more clarity on what Nintendo is aiming to offer gamers with the Revolution, he was vague about exactly how its controller will fit into the company's grand plan.

Thankfully, GameSpot had the chance to gain a better understanding of what Nintendo is going for with the benefit of a visual and tactile aid--a working prototype of the Revolution controller. Yes, we touched it. Yes, we used it. But is it a "revolution"? It just might be.

Our guided tour of the Revolution controller was led by none other than Shigeru Miyamoto, the industry legend whose talent has been one of the driving forces behind Nintendo's success. But, as always, he was his humble self, emphasizing that the day's presentation was about the possibilities of the controller and not his own upcoming projects. With that disclaimer, Miyamoto and the assembled Nintendo Japan reps unveiled the long-awaited controller, a modest-looking device that is low on flash, but big on functionality.

Miyamoto noted that the impetus for the controller design came from Nintendo's desire to do something "different" after hearing user feedback on consoles. The company felt the current generation of machines was coming close to overwhelming players by taking up too much space in their living rooms and creating briar patches of cables that must be navigated. As a result, Nintendo wanted to offer a solution that starts simple but supports expansion and that offers accessible experiences for casual players and more intricate experiences for hardcore gamers.

The form factor on display wasn't the absolute final design for the Revolution controller, and Nintendo reps noted that it is still a work in progress. That said, it was enough to give us an idea of where the company is headed. The controller itself bears no resemblance to the myriad fan-generated renderings purporting to be the real deal. The unit basically looks like a slim, ergonomic television remote that's about as long as your hand.

As can be seen in the images released today, the controller features core elements along with some you wouldn't expect. A power button at the top left of the unit appears to let you power the Revolution console on or off. An old-school digital D pad rests just below the power button. A large GameCube-controller-style A button is prominently placed below the D pad. Its counterpart B button is located on the opposite side of the remote, like the Z button on the Nintendo 64 controller. Directly below the A button is a series of three buttons: select, home, and start. While it's easy to guess what they do, Nintendo reps offered no details on their exact function.

Below the select, home, and start buttons is another set of vertically aligned buttons labeled X and Y. On some of the prototype controllers we looked at, the X button had a small "B" next to it and the Y button had a small "A" next to it, indicating that the controller can be held sideways to approximate a classic NES controller. Directly beneath those buttons is a horizontal row of colored lights that indicate which controller slot the owner is using--1 to 4 are planned at the moment. The plan is for the controllers to include built-in rumble packs and to run off of batteries, ą la the Wavebird for the GameCube.

Finally, the base of the controller features a unique plug that lets you make use of a wide variety of peripherals. One such peripheral is an analog stick attachment with two shoulder buttons. Though it gives the combined items an odd, nunchaku-like appearance (which is actually Nintendo's tongue-in-cheek nickname for it), the add-on demonstrates the controller's versatility. While Miyamoto didn't say much else about what other attachments were in the works, he did note that it's theoretically possible to have entirely different configurations plug into the port--which got us thinking about SNES and N64 controller attachments.

One of the most interesting features of the peripheral is tied to its functionality as a "pointing device." A glossy section of the top of the controller houses a transmitter--much like any remote would have--that was used extensively in the demos we saw. The signal from the unit is picked up by sensors you'll place near your television, which will then reflect your actions on the screen. Based on the responsiveness of the demos that we tried, this feature has the potential to turn the entire base controller unit into a new kind of pointing device. It also has great potential applications for sports games, such as laser-pointer-style play calling.

Overall, despite its unorthodox appearance, the Revolution controller has a comfortable feel. The assorted demos on hand also indicated that playing Revolution games will be a more active, physical experience than playing current-generation games. Whether you're using the pointer mechanic to actively control onscreen action or using two hands to take advantage of attachments, the Revolution controller will likely change how games are played.

Will the change the Revolution heralds be successful? It's too early to say for sure. But given Nintendo's well-documented history of breaking new ground in gaming (such as the DS) we're game to see just how this all pans out. The potential for a revolution is there; Nintendo just has to lead the way with software."
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Fri 16/09/05 at 09:10
Regular
"Pouch Ape"
Posts: 14,499
If you're in the same room as someone, you can swing your arm round and knock their teeth out with a decent excuse: "Sorry, I was getting the Rune of Wario, or something". Yes.
Fri 16/09/05 at 09:08
Regular
Posts: 11,038
I think that looks really really cool.

And teh person modelling it has very nice skin.

It's like an iPod without screens, so the public will have to love it.
Fri 16/09/05 at 09:03
Regular
"Pouch Ape"
Posts: 14,499
I think it's amazing, think of the possibilities. FPS (imagine using it to wave a torch, like in Doom 3, moving with the joystick), swordfights, RPGs (interaction with objects), basically it can be applied to any type of game.

Nintendo have clearly thought outside the box (unlike Sony and MS who have just rehashed their current controllers). Can you imagine how big the balls are on the man that ok'd it? HUGE I tell thee.
Fri 16/09/05 at 09:01
Regular
Posts: 2,781
It just doesn't seem as though it's going to be very user friendly. Playing some games seem as though they'd be very difficult.
Fri 16/09/05 at 08:50
Regular
"Devotion 2The Ocean"
Posts: 6,658
Hey, don't judge till you've tried it.

But then again, Joe-Public will just take one look and go WTF!?! More than likely.

Still, you can just make use of the old Cube pad if you want. Not sure how many developers would go for that though...

:)
Fri 16/09/05 at 08:16
"Tesco value"
Posts: 992
Well done Nintendo

piece of crap, i'm sure they will make a different controller to compliment it.
Fri 16/09/05 at 08:16
Regular
"Devotion 2The Ocean"
Posts: 6,658
hehe, initial reaction was.... WTF!!!

But after watching the trailer, not that it actually showed game footage, I was impressed.

Hopefully it is incredibly accurate, then it will be really good.

I wanna test one out!! :(

:)
Fri 16/09/05 at 08:11
Regular
Posts: 2,781
The worst looking controller I've ever seen.
Fri 16/09/05 at 07:38
Regular
Posts: 10,437
Have to say, I'm impressed. Sounds decent.

My only worry is it could be a little limiting and make some games awkward. Still, I'm pleased. the Kururin-type demo sounds amazing, perfect for the controller.
Fri 16/09/05 at 06:32
Regular
"Dunemaul NE Hunter"
Posts: 549
Can controll older games by useing a 'Cube controller as previously mentioned below :P Anyway, you could use the analogue stick the same as the N64 one, and use the movement of the controller for the C-buttons.
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