its just too early to really talk about sony/MS motion control. we havent seen a single real title yet, its all kinda up in the air tech-talk, and most of us have closets full of accessories that keep us from jumping on the hype train too early.
Since the conception of the Wii (well, okay, since the Activator), I have thought motion controls were a stupid idea, because we're still a long way off from it being accurate enough to be a fully usable control scheme. What they continue to give us is just a fancy phony meant to catch the eyes of passing impulse buyers. A snake oil, of sorts.
Let's be honest: Do we really think video games are going to originate something as genuinely useful as that? Maybe get out a little more.
It's no surprise to me that PSPgo is overpriced, Sony have spent this entire hardware generation overcharging. What has concerned me is today's ludicrous pricing of the downloadable version of Need for Speed Shift for PSP. Currently standing at £32 ($51) on the UK PlayStation Store where Amazon have the UMD version for £25 ($39).
I always felt like one of the primary factors for motion controls not taking off is space. If you live in a tight apartment or dorm room, you ain't got space to play. If you live in a decent sized house, you gotta move furniture out of the way just to play. Sometimes (most of not all of the time for me), I just want to grab a controller, sit down, relax, and play a game that brings me to another place.
@Impreza_AWD: Good point. In my tiny college apartment I didn't even try to play Wii Sports or Boom Blox - there just wasn't room. The lack of space definitely affected which titles I bought, at least while I was living there.
I voted Natal as the motion control scheme I'd be most ineteresting in trying, but to be honest it wasn't because I thought it would be a kick-ass way to play games. What I'm interested in is it's ability to navigate the dashboard and activate/interact with the various data sources on it.
Imagine getting home and flopping on the couch. The X360 senses movement and powers up out of stand by. A few quick hand motions and I've checked for Live messages, skimmed some feeds and start browsing my Netflix queue, no controller needed. Satisfied with a choice, I set a timer for music to begin playing in 2 1/2hours and flick my hand to start my movie. From there I can just melt into a happy, slothy puddle on the cushions.
@M.u.s.o.u.k.a: I'm not talking controls, I'm talking pure use. There have been attempts to replace the keyboard, hell even the mouse was supposed to kill the keyboard, but nothing ever did. Talk about adapting all you want but there's also a saying that if it isn't broken don't fix it and frankly life applies that thought process as well if you've ever noticed the species that didn't need to change to continue living.
I guarantee you even if we go virtual the keyboard won't disappear. It's fast, efficient, and provides everything we need in regards to language input.
@Dead Giveaway: Well that question works for multi owners too, I didn't vote but if i were too I would have picked PS3, and i own all the consoles too, its just preference really, i play all my consoles but PS3 gets used the most and I feel most comfortable on it, others may feel more comfortable on wii or PSP etc, you cant be completely vanilla about everything
@Dead Giveaway: For me it changes. Last year and this year its been the PS3/Wii.
2006-2007 was all Xbox 360/PC.
So I don't think Owen needs to put a more direct question for multi-console only owners/users.
@Dead Giveaway: But the question asked which was more enjoyable not which one do you own, albeit that would be a good question I would like to see implemented in the future I'm only disagreeing with the fact that the question asked an your complaint with the question are two different things.
I'm not fighting you on this, I'm just saying :)
(I missed the vote btw, I would have voted had I got there in time)
@VEX: This is also a small, biased sample. In real life, I know more people that have 360s and Wiis due in large part to the initial high cost of the PS3. The one guy that I know that does have a PS3 got it because he wanted a Blu-Ray player and his roommate already had a 360.
Not that that's representative of everybody's experience, but Kotaku's readers don't represent the "normal" population.
@VEX: Up here in Canada the PS3 is outselling the 360. I'm not sure by how much since it's been about a year since I checked the stats from a reliable source (which I have bookmarked somewhere), but I should check again. I'm sure the numbers have changed even more in favour of the PS3 since the Slim was released and the price was dropped.
I work in computer store that sells consoles and games as well, and we sell way more PS3's than 360's. We had 8 copies of ODST all throughout the launch week, and when I next went back into work (on the weekend, I work part-time) about a week later, we had one copy sold since then. And I know it wasn't restocked because I can check those records.
More people need to quit their flapping about console wars nonsense and try the Wii version of RE4. It's brilliant, certainly the best version of a great game, and I look forward to having quality motion controls and powerful hardware for the next generation of consoles.
Just gotta have some vision. The Wii isn't being properly exploited for games like RE4 Wii because it doesn't have the right userbase or developer interest, but I just know motion controls are the future. Not in this generation for the big budget games, but certainly the next.
@Toasticus: It seems that the hardcore Wii players usually only go for the established franchises, most skipping out on No More Heroes, Zak and Wiki, Little Kings Story (one of my GOTY candidates), etc.
Saying that, what's your take on RE5 going the RE4 Wii route for the PS3?
And why do you think motion controls are the future?
How is swinging your arms around any more intuitive that using a joystick, or a mouse? I've tried playing Conduit on my friend's wii... and it's God damn impossible.
Motion controls are only more "natural" to people who have not played many games. For Gamers, traditional controls are FAR more comfortable, and for both audiences, motion control will never outclass traditional controls in terms of accuracy usability.
Motion controls are great for specific styles of games, just as a big ass plastic instrument is good for rhythm games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but traditional controls have, over decades, evolved to become the most objective control method available.
While motion controls improve certain types of games, traditional control methods work well for ALL styles of gameplay.
To say that they will fully take over is just dumb. There may be "core" games for the Wii whose motion controls are passable, but in almost every case, the game could have been made less intrusive with traditional control methods.
Honestly, it's not about vision. Innovation in control methods is, for the most part, an excuse for those who cannot innovate within the current/traditional realm of controls that we've been working in and improving upon for the last 25 years.
We're not done with it, and we won't be done with it for a long time yet. Lets work on improving what we have, not inventing something completely different that, by this polling, the average gamer holds no interest in.
If you want a conversation to go somewhere you might try offering up some actual counterpoints, chief.
@(Zombie) Goldwings - Zombie antidote. Attempt 1: Well, here's the thing with that list of games. None of those had the kind of mainstream appeal that would bring them success on the 360 or PS3 either. I don't see the lack of success for those particular titles being due to Wii woes, but simply for being quite niche overall.
For the RE5 deal, I haven't followed it closely and don't have a refined opinion of it. Offhand, it seems like they should charge for it as DLC instead of putting out an entire rerelease.
@ReconToaster.: Traditional controls were probably at one point just as unintuitive as motion controls are today. What you have to remember is that motion control is still new, and the kinks have to be worked out. Obviously, it's not perfect yet. "Traditional" controls are called such because they've been around for a long time. We've had a while to get "traditional" controls right, and I'd say that many of today's games are far more streamlined and simplified than games of old. A bunch of old PC games would assign different keys to specific actions; nowadays you can press a button to do anything, depending on the context. Then again, that's partly an issue of gameplay, but I hope you get the point: motion control is still in its early stages.
I would also argue that traditional control methods do NOT work well for all styles of gameplay. To me, tilting a marble along a course, or making sword motions feels more natural with motion controls (obviously, playing a game like Devil May Cry would be impossible if you had to replicate every sword swipe, but I'm talking about sword fighting akin to Wii Sports Resort or Red Steel 2, something that would never feel the same with an analog stick or button press). Furthermore, I think of the Wii remote's IR sensing as very intuitive. Point and press a button to shoot at things in RE4. It's been done since the dawn of light gun games; while the Wii's sensor bar obviously doesn't provide 1:1 control in a game that isn't calibrated for it, like RE4, I would definitely not say that RE4's controls feel unnatural, and I'm sure many people would agree. I have been using traditional controls for years, and I would say that RE4's Wii Edit motion controls feel far more natural and comfortable than the traditional controls (which still carry their own charm, and actually make the game more difficult to play because the AI has time to react to your actions).
I highly doubt motion control will ever "take over" traditional methods of control, simply because we have to remember that not only are traditional controls built around the games we play, but that the games we play are indeed also built around the controls we use. I do, however, believe that motion control will open up a number of possibilities for entertaining gameplay that can't quite be emulated by button presses - take, for example, sword slashes and the like. Ever played Penumbra? The controls are awkward with mouse and key, and I think the game would have been much better fit for the Wii if the controls had been tailored to take advantage of Motion Plus.
@Toasticus: Motion controls are a gimmick (No, I'm not saying the wii is a gimmick, I'm saying that motion controls are) And that's exactly what they are. Almost everyone here, prefers the standard controller to motion control, and we are the people that keep the industry alive.
And no I'm not a fanboy, I recognize that the PS3 motion controls will fail completely and utterly.
@ReconToaster.: "Motion controls are only more "natural" to people who have not played many games."
Bullshit. I have played, to completion, over two dozen first person shooters ranging from Doom to Unreal to Call of Duty 4, and in no game was the shooting as satisfying and "natural" to me as in RE4 Wii. And that's no Wii fanboy gushing either; I'm actually in the process of selling my system because I hardly ever play it. Even so the controls were so much better for the Wii version of RE4 that I aced all of the shooting galleries with perfect scores, something that would have been incredibly difficult in the Gamecube version.
"Innovation in control methods is, for the most part, an excuse for those who cannot innovate within the current/traditional realm of controls"
More bullshit. Innovation in controller hardware comes from hardware developers; innovation in the application of controls comes from software developers. Who is using what as an excuse? What does this even apply to? Are you saying that people who try to make innovative use of Wii controls lack the capacity to innovate in games on the software end of things? What is the logical basis for this observation?
I'm not lauding the Wii as the true gamer's console here, folks. Far from it. I'm saying that motion controls will become more prevalent, whether you think you will like that or not. Because the funny thing is, once you see more examples of it done properly chances are that you'll be wondering what took so long.
@Slagathorian: Nintendo seems to be doing OK without your approval.
The thing is people here are mostly familiar with gimmicky "waggle" applications of motion controls and haven't really seen how they work when done right. That's why I'm saying people need to have vision. If not for RE4 Wii I'd probably be siding with the skeptics, but since I have I can imagine what it would be like for a proper blockbuster action shooter to have an even further evolved version of those controls.
@ReconToaster.: "Motion controls are only more "natural" to people who have not played many games. For Gamers, traditional controls are FAR more comfortable, and for both audiences, motion control will never outclass traditional controls in terms of accuracy usability."
Ya...and every time I get a new pair of shoes they hurt my feet and I like my old ones better...but that's only because I haven't gotten used to them yet.
@Toasticus: I sold my $9.95 copy of RE 4 for Will @ $16 on eBay as I already have the Gamecube and PS2 versions. I prefer the Gamecube one as the PS2 seemed choppy w/ the frame rate.
I'm surprised at the amount of Halo hate (not really). It's just... damn. It has a good cannon (not great) and excellent commando gameplay for the 21st century. There's really nothing quite like it.
@Delano_J: Nothing quite like it? I'd criticize it for being generic. I understand that the story is probably more complex than most of the games would show, but every Halo game has had pretty generic gameplay, in my opinion. Not to mention the game's too slow for my tastes. It's fun to kill time with friends playing Halo, but what I don't understand is how anybody can take Halo seriously.
You know, I'm more meh on Natal than Wii and PS3 motion control(where the first is a proven concept and the second a play on said proven concept). Give it to me on PC first where we can test practical application. Until then it's just an eyetoy plus. Microsoft's big hitters for it are really good at hyping a pitch where as all their proven tech geeks moved on from videogames.
That new tablet notebook they've got going is damn sexy.
So, Kotaku readers don't like motion controls, think the 360 is the best, and don't like ODST. What exactly do Kotaku readers like? Or is this a circle of hate, the PS3 kids hate the Wii kids who hate the 360 kids who hate the PS3 kids?
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Let's be honest: Do we really think video games are going to originate something as genuinely useful as that? Maybe get out a little more.
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Kotaku
Hardcore
Hahahahahaha.
Most of use play nothing but casual games like Call of Duty and Uncharted.
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OSTD
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Imagine getting home and flopping on the couch. The X360 senses movement and powers up out of stand by. A few quick hand motions and I've checked for Live messages, skimmed some feeds and start browsing my Netflix queue, no controller needed. Satisfied with a choice, I set a timer for music to begin playing in 2 1/2hours and flick my hand to start my movie. From there I can just melt into a happy, slothy puddle on the cushions.
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There's a good reason humans stopped evolving: We stopped adapting to our surroundings and began to adapt our surroundings to our way of life.
I don't think of keyboard/mouse combo as the ultimate input controls, so far we're just stuck with them.
10/02/09
I guarantee you even if we go virtual the keyboard won't disappear. It's fast, efficient, and provides everything we need in regards to language input.
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I would really like to see a more direct question for the multi-console users.
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Hence the fact I would like to see a question that would put the 3 main consoles up to see who owns all 3, just 2, or only 1.
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2006-2007 was all Xbox 360/PC.
So I don't think Owen needs to put a more direct question for multi-console only owners/users.
10/01/09
I'm not fighting you on this, I'm just saying :)
(I missed the vote btw, I would have voted had I got there in time)
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This is an American site. For the PS3 to stand up to the 360 so well is quite a good statistic.
Go worldwide and you'll see that number change quick-fast.
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Not that that's representative of everybody's experience, but Kotaku's readers don't represent the "normal" population.
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Exactly my point, thank you.
For example, I know about 5-6 real-life people that only own PS3s. I don't know anyone that owns a 360 and I know 2 people that own a Wii.
According to my experiences on gaming sites (that are US based), my situation does not appear to be the norm.
But I am from Australia.
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I work in computer store that sells consoles and games as well, and we sell way more PS3's than 360's. We had 8 copies of ODST all throughout the launch week, and when I next went back into work (on the weekend, I work part-time) about a week later, we had one copy sold since then. And I know it wasn't restocked because I can check those records.
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lol, the PS3 is not outselling the 360 in Canada. Are you nucking futs, lol.
Canadian sales trend is about the same as the US. Show me where you got this sales data from a year ago, or I'm calling extreme bs, lol.
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Just gotta have some vision. The Wii isn't being properly exploited for games like RE4 Wii because it doesn't have the right userbase or developer interest, but I just know motion controls are the future. Not in this generation for the big budget games, but certainly the next.
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Saying that, what's your take on RE5 going the RE4 Wii route for the PS3?
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And why do you think motion controls are the future?
How is swinging your arms around any more intuitive that using a joystick, or a mouse? I've tried playing Conduit on my friend's wii... and it's God damn impossible.
Motion controls are only more "natural" to people who have not played many games. For Gamers, traditional controls are FAR more comfortable, and for both audiences, motion control will never outclass traditional controls in terms of accuracy usability.
Motion controls are great for specific styles of games, just as a big ass plastic instrument is good for rhythm games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but traditional controls have, over decades, evolved to become the most objective control method available.
While motion controls improve certain types of games, traditional control methods work well for ALL styles of gameplay.
To say that they will fully take over is just dumb. There may be "core" games for the Wii whose motion controls are passable, but in almost every case, the game could have been made less intrusive with traditional control methods.
Honestly, it's not about vision. Innovation in control methods is, for the most part, an excuse for those who cannot innovate within the current/traditional realm of controls that we've been working in and improving upon for the last 25 years.
We're not done with it, and we won't be done with it for a long time yet. Lets work on improving what we have, not inventing something completely different that, by this polling, the average gamer holds no interest in.
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If you want a conversation to go somewhere you might try offering up some actual counterpoints, chief.
@(Zombie) Goldwings - Zombie antidote. Attempt 1: Well, here's the thing with that list of games. None of those had the kind of mainstream appeal that would bring them success on the 360 or PS3 either. I don't see the lack of success for those particular titles being due to Wii woes, but simply for being quite niche overall.
For the RE5 deal, I haven't followed it closely and don't have a refined opinion of it. Offhand, it seems like they should charge for it as DLC instead of putting out an entire rerelease.
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I would also argue that traditional control methods do NOT work well for all styles of gameplay. To me, tilting a marble along a course, or making sword motions feels more natural with motion controls (obviously, playing a game like Devil May Cry would be impossible if you had to replicate every sword swipe, but I'm talking about sword fighting akin to Wii Sports Resort or Red Steel 2, something that would never feel the same with an analog stick or button press). Furthermore, I think of the Wii remote's IR sensing as very intuitive. Point and press a button to shoot at things in RE4. It's been done since the dawn of light gun games; while the Wii's sensor bar obviously doesn't provide 1:1 control in a game that isn't calibrated for it, like RE4, I would definitely not say that RE4's controls feel unnatural, and I'm sure many people would agree. I have been using traditional controls for years, and I would say that RE4's Wii Edit motion controls feel far more natural and comfortable than the traditional controls (which still carry their own charm, and actually make the game more difficult to play because the AI has time to react to your actions).
I highly doubt motion control will ever "take over" traditional methods of control, simply because we have to remember that not only are traditional controls built around the games we play, but that the games we play are indeed also built around the controls we use. I do, however, believe that motion control will open up a number of possibilities for entertaining gameplay that can't quite be emulated by button presses - take, for example, sword slashes and the like. Ever played Penumbra? The controls are awkward with mouse and key, and I think the game would have been much better fit for the Wii if the controls had been tailored to take advantage of Motion Plus.
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And no I'm not a fanboy, I recognize that the PS3 motion controls will fail completely and utterly.
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Bullshit. I have played, to completion, over two dozen first person shooters ranging from Doom to Unreal to Call of Duty 4, and in no game was the shooting as satisfying and "natural" to me as in RE4 Wii. And that's no Wii fanboy gushing either; I'm actually in the process of selling my system because I hardly ever play it. Even so the controls were so much better for the Wii version of RE4 that I aced all of the shooting galleries with perfect scores, something that would have been incredibly difficult in the Gamecube version.
"Innovation in control methods is, for the most part, an excuse for those who cannot innovate within the current/traditional realm of controls"
More bullshit. Innovation in controller hardware comes from hardware developers; innovation in the application of controls comes from software developers. Who is using what as an excuse? What does this even apply to? Are you saying that people who try to make innovative use of Wii controls lack the capacity to innovate in games on the software end of things? What is the logical basis for this observation?
I'm not lauding the Wii as the true gamer's console here, folks. Far from it. I'm saying that motion controls will become more prevalent, whether you think you will like that or not. Because the funny thing is, once you see more examples of it done properly chances are that you'll be wondering what took so long.
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The thing is people here are mostly familiar with gimmicky "waggle" applications of motion controls and haven't really seen how they work when done right. That's why I'm saying people need to have vision. If not for RE4 Wii I'd probably be siding with the skeptics, but since I have I can imagine what it would be like for a proper blockbuster action shooter to have an even further evolved version of those controls.
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Ya...and every time I get a new pair of shoes they hurt my feet and I like my old ones better...but that's only because I haven't gotten used to them yet.
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That new tablet notebook they've got going is damn sexy.
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@grantanamo:
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Green = 360
Black = PS3
Gray = Wii
: p