Kotaku
The SIXAXIS motion controls in Rockstar Games' sublime opus Grand Theft Auto IV feels like a last minute appendage, and not a particularly useful one. It's like the game's third nipple, you know it's there, and maybe you can't resist a fiddle, but no good will come of it.
When Mike told me that he didn't like the SIXAXIS controls for the game, and wasn't even able to complete the tutorial, I chalked it up to some innate hatred of the PS3's motion controls on his part. In fact he did admit that he doesn't really like the PS3 games that use SIXAXIS motion sensing, but there are several that I quite like (Warhawk comes to mind), so I decided to give it a whirl.
After playing through GTA4 on the Xbox 360, I swapped seats with Mike and settled down to get to the bottom of his SIXAXIS hatred. A few minutes into the tutorial I figured out what the problem was. The special SIXAXIS controls for this particular game suck, they're absolutely abysmal.
I suppose with some time I could master using the bike, in fact it wasn't that hard, and maybe one day I would fly the helicopter, but that's not the point, the point is there's no benefit using the motion sensing in Grand Theft Auto IV.
The in-game tutorial for the controller, which is an annoyingly permanent option on your in-game cell phone, walks you through the four ways you use the special controller in the game. Here's the break down and my thoughts:
Reload Weapon: Instead of having to mess around with, you know, pushing a button, the SIXAXIS lets you snap the controller back toward you to reload. Very easy to do, but absolutely no benefit.
Motorcycle: This was by far my favorite of the lot, allowing you to steer your bike by tilting side to side. Unfortunately, it also allows you to lean forward on the bike or do a wheelie by tilting the controller forward or backward. It's unfortunate because if you're leaning forward as you play, or sitting back in the chair, it forces you to hold the controller oddly.
Power Boat: The steering works quite well and while this also lets you tilt the controller forward and backwards to adjust the trim, its not as problematic because doing so really doesn't have much of an impact on the controls.
Helicopter: Whooo-boy, this is what prevented Mike from wrapping up his tutorial training. It took me a good three or four tries to pass it as well. Not only do you have to worry about the pitch problem seen with the motorcycles and boats, but the helicopter is much touchier than the other two vehicles. I also seemed to notice a lag issue with the controls that had me overcompensating and, twice, turning my copter so far sideways it would slam into the ground. It was an exercise in frustration and made me want to throw the controller across the room in frustration. Fortunately, you don't have to fly using it.
Final Thoughts: I'm not sure why Rockstar decided to include SIXAXIS motion controls in GTA IV, maybe they had to, but I'm sure happy they don't force you to use them. Not only can you override the motion controls at any time with the sticks and buttons, but you can turn them completely off preventing it from really flawing this fantastic title. Now if I could only remove the SIXAXIS tutorial option in the menu I might be able to stop fiddling.
Check here for a detailed comparison of the 360 versus PS3 versions of the game.
Ed's note: While the SIXAXIS does include the ability to use aftertouch, that function was not included in the tutorial written about above.
Comments
I never liked SIXAXIS controls, ever. Only in Folklore.
Final Thoughts: It's great that you guys dedicated an entire article to this topic but why waste the time and effort on reviewing the SIXAXIS controls.
@MoeB: Why not?
Sucks that the SIXAXIS controls blow, but at least we can turn them off. Whew.
Maybe that was part of the deal with Sony? Sort of surprised that after all the care R* put into this game, that they couldn't nail the motion controls, or that they would just leave it in all half-assed like that.
@MoeB: Probably because it's still worth passing on the specifics due to some not-so-shitty aspects of the controls (ie. the boat)
The reloading gun motion sounds pretty cool to me. I will check it out, but expect the outcome to be like yours. I'm not a particular fan of SIXAXIS controls unless they're used in a first party game, in which they often are alright. Except Lair.
maybe they will update it to make them better.
@MoeB:
Somebody out there may have made that a deciding factor on which platform to buy for.
also... now I know not to get too frustrated... when I crash sideways into a building... because i know its not my fault.
Oooh. That makes the decision a lot easier right there. No competitive advantage here...thanks Brian. :)
maybe they'll patch them at some point.
I'll definitely use the reloading, it was cool in army of two as well.
Considering that most people who have ever used this feature for any game will probably not use it (like you've already suggested), was a full post on the Sixaxis controls really necessary?
Just an observation.
@peAr_nectAr: I haven;t heard a good sixaxis review yet. maybe the controls just suck alltogether.
@Kikouken:
You lied to me... =(
I've found most SIXAXIS controls to be just pointless to be honest. I haven't really played a moment where I absolutely thought it was crucial. It just seemed like dogged motion control.. I could live without it. I would give it in for rumble anyday.. Obviously Sony knows this since they're charging an arm and leg for the DualShock's.
Huh?
That's a shame.
I had the same problem with the bikes in Motorstorm... why the hell do they use your controller's real life x-axis to control forward/backward weight shifts? I think that if they disabled that and used the controller only for left/right, it would become infinitely more playable,
But nooo... gotta use all six of those axes or NOTHING. Well, people'll take nothing any day now. You hear that devs? Rumble's back! You can stop with the gimmicks now.
Good thing it's optional.
But, before starting the game, can you turn off the SIXAXIS controls in the Options or something prior to the Tutorial?
@Slorg: flOw was the best use of sixaxis I've seen so far.
Good to know that the sixaxis controls are being useless as usual!
Yes Im being semi sarcastic but seriously more than half the time nobody wants its.
@Big World: It's about games, it's about consoles, it's about controls, it's about advantages and disadvantages. The SIXAXIS tilt function is one of the features the 360 can not compete with simply because it doesn't support motion controls. To me it's perfectly reasonable to highlight good use of that console exclusive feature as well as the bad use.
Also, since when do we complain about too much coverage? Would you rather have too little, go out and buy the game thinking SIXAXIS gives you the edge, then it turns out to suck?
The reload sounds cool. Everything else sounds frustrating. You wrote the very well every word I read felt extremely tense.
2 games (that I know if) have brought positive motion controls on PS3: Warhawk and Uncharted. Resistance was kinda cool the first 3 times and R6V was ok. After that, it's just a way to wow your friends and turn it off as quickly as possible.
You know, I am rather tired of hearing the devout charade of angst against the SIXAXIS controllers as it is. I understand, yes the rumble is nice, yes, it's not a fucking Wiimote. But unusable? Am I the only mother fucking person on Earth (I must be!) that made it through Lair perfectly fine!?! Am I the only one that uses SIXAXIS and pro flight in Warhawk to have finer aiming and more intuitive control over my plane?? Am I the only insane mother fucker to EVER beat the ENTIRETY of Motorstorm with just the SIXAXIS and have absolutely no problems?!?
I swear everyone is doing something wrong! I can definitely see where it has a sometimes intimidating learning curve, and will never be as precise as an analog (but never will a Wiimote) but for christ's sake, every time I hear someone talk about it, it's like it was an abomination. Well, I am here to say as a proud owner of PS3, with a DS3 and three more SIXAXIS' to boot, they are not bad controllers, the motion sensing is not the greatest, but it is far from shit. I'd far rather play with that than the Wii strictly for the fact that the Wiimote is far too dependent on your location in relativity to your sensor bar. Which for me and most of my friends is a handicap when we play the games.
But also, DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME! I AM NOT BASHING THE WII, I AM SIMPLY SAYING THAT THE SIXAXIS CAN (AND DOES GET) BE HANDLED RIGHT, IN WHICH IT IS PERFECTLY OK FOR GAMING PURPOSES. THE END. THANK YOU AND HAVE A VERY MONTOMBU DAY.
This is regarding using motion controls for driving and flying: people didn't like the motion controls for motorstorm, but i think it has the best motion controls compared to any other racing game. the other game with very good motion controls is warhawk. games with horrible motion sensing like call of duty 3, burnout paradise, etc. where the game is so imprecise with the angle of the controller you cant work with it at all. i hope GTA4 just has a learning curve like motorstorm and warhawk do, and not a flaw like call of duty 3 and burnout.
Too all bitching, nobody is forcing you folks to click the jump and read the story so grow up for christs sake.
Besides, IGN compared the controls to Lair controls in the choppers (it was a smart jab too).
@CitizenInsane27:
i cannot agree with you more, this is exactly what i've been saying for a long time also.
i beat motorstorm with SIXAXIS, and i do use pro flight and sixaxis for warhawk.
The good thing is they are optional!
@Candlejack: Well, if I did that than I'd just be an idiot.
All I'm saying is that the entire post could have been summed up into nine words that everyone can understand:
The Sixaxis controls are awful, don't use them. Seriously.
And yeah, there is such a thing as "too much coverage", lest we be reminded Halo 3 (by the end of that week, I could taste Master Chief in my dinner).
@CitizenInsane27:
Well, you admit to being insane in your name ;)
Only feasible use for me is the Reload and the Bike... I'm used to wiping out doing wheelies by accident. I always have the analog stick upward whenever I play any way.
@Big World: Yea, I think I see your point. I suppose this could have been merged in the comparison article.
But when you think about it - shouldn't the SIXAXIS tilt function be more in the spotlight? I think Nintendo is to blame for people taking tilt as an afterthought or a mere attempt at motion controls. This is, IMHO, how the tilt function would be treated if it wasn't for the Wii.
@mentalboy11: Yeah, and given that we both ironically have something about being 'mental' or 'insane' in our names (mine, personally is a long running Radiohead reference, for anyone that would actually care to know...) we will get nothing but flak for it.
@ca$h: Yet, I'm sure that if my name was Jon_LAST NAME HERE you still wouldn't take me any more seriously.
I know I've asked in almost every post involving PS3 GTA4, but no custom soundtracks?
A good dev can make good SIXAXIS controls that work well, I'm not saying R* is a bad dev, but SIXAXIS was obviously an afterthought.
I don't think SIXAXIS as a whole is totally worthless, I just think it has so far been largely an unexplored avenue.
@slomo788: Nah, they left them out. I read in a small interview with Jeronimo Barrerra or however you spell it, that they thought it might interfere too much with the atmosphere of the game, so they didn't include it. The 360 just has it built in natively to it's OS, which the PS3 will once in game XMB is out, but until then, SOL friend.
"It's unfortunate because if you're leaning forward as you play, or sitting back in the chair, it forces you to hold the controller oddly."
So? I pretty much have to stand up to play the wii (or sit on extreme edge of seat). In this case it really isn't a problem, because you can turn it off if you're uncomfortable unlike the wii.
@CitizenInsane27:
I liked the sixaxis features in resistance (shake off fire, enemies) cod3 (twist for melee attack, set bombs), and flOw/super rub a dub were okay minigame experiments. Oh, and by far the most fun and rewarding was Heavenly swords slow-mo arrow control that would have been rubbish with an analogue stick.
It's clearly better to have it than not in case you like it, which I'm sure a lot of people will. Once you get used to it in some games, it can potentially be more fun.
@ CitizenInsane27: i love flying around in lair, that wasn't the problem. it had its faults but i like it. i always say fl0w help train me.
Personally I thought the SIXAXIS controls in Uncharted and R&C:F were extreme pwn. Both of those games utilized SIXAXIS quite well, to the point of me preferring that a game has motion control support.
@Candlejack: Haha I'm glad you brought that up. I usually chastise Nintendo for their sometimes questionable use of motion-controls, but the Sixaxis controls are a gimmick with a capital G.
With the exception of Heavenly Sword, I've never enjoyed using them in any game, and I don't think that'll be changing with GTA IV.
@CitizenInsane27: Damn that sucks.
@Big World: Heh ;D It was alright in Heavenly Sword but I thought it was really cool in Folklore. You should check it out :)
@slomo788:
I don't get the big fuss about those, games usually have finely tuned soundtracks to fit the atmosphere of the game. I can't imagine listening to music I like during a game, it would be a distraction. Maybe in a racing game, but that's about it.
On 360 how does it work - do you go to custom soundtracks and import from your hard-drive into the game, or do you play your own playlist over the top?
"...but absolutely no benefit."
I don't quite understand this in the article. What benefit is expected of motion control, beyond using motions and gestures to control the game, rather than buttons? What I'm trying to say is that motion control is the benefit, especially for people less experienced at games.
I don't entirely understand this article. Not because it evaluates poorly constructed motion-control options in this game, but that it would rather question the utility of the controls. To me, it asks, "Why would I want to gesture when I could push a button or direction to do the same thing?" I think that's the wrong mentality to have, don't you?
I don't know. I feel like Crecente is expecting a bonus to result from using the motion controls here. Perhaps that he thinks the gun should reload faster, or that a car can handle a little better. This type of control is an alternative control, not something they want to bribe you into using. It's an option for those who would like to try it and maybe use it.
I understand you're trying to differentiate the PS3 and 360 versions of the game, but I just don't think that the controls look like they're described very well here.