No, just no.

Muisee

I'll have to think about it a little more, but I think my main problem is with somewhat frivolous peripherals, such as the Wii Zapper or the Wii Wheel. Mario Kart Wii, for example, can actually be controlled better by not using the Wii Wheel (anecdotally speaking; I haven't played the game yet). However, as you indicated from your story, the Wii Wheel may be more inviting to new players.

On the one hand, it's (usually) good to get more people playing games. On the other hand, the Wii Wheel can be seen as a crutch that will prevent your roommate's friend from trying other games that may use more traditional controls.

As I said, I'm going to have to think about this a little more, but you've made some good points.

kylenalepa

*checks date on post...*

*checks when Banhammer lands...*

Ok, disregarding this article.

Gaff

MasterDex

flukielukie

Stop reading my post now.

In COD4:

1) You can melee without moving your thumb off of the analog stick.

2) You can throw two different types of grenades without any toggling.

3) The game has sprinting and weapon-aiming functionality, integrated on top of everything.

They probably think a touch-tone phone has serious problems.

OhSoDelish

KypFox

See, the thing is.. the difference in analog placement is arbitrary. I can use a 360 pad and a DS3 just as well as each other in terms of using the sticks.

Can you not play first person shooters because the right stick isn't where the face buttons are?

The problem is this.. if you move the left stick to where the d-pad is on a DualShock you then have to put the d-pad where the left stick was. and then that becomes near useless. Try playing a 2D fighter with a 360 pad.
And then after you do try you'll also see why the "akward" seperated d-pad on the DS3 is also a better design choice.

Bastard11

How games actually USE the D-pad for some games, because analog is so imprecise? God.

But it is GamePro, no shock that their suggestions are retarded.

GhaleonUnlimited

L_K_M

simplicity isn't really necessary, you'd still want to use buttons with just 1 function, to quickly do something. going through menus just to select a weapon or something is ridiculous.
plus, it's also game design. they make use of a controller more or less dificult.

also: AC controls (PC version using the classic xbox controller) wasn't hard to learn, they repeat functions and use often enough to make you remember, also showing functions of buttons ingame helps (see AC and Zelda games and stuff)

zyberteq

You know, the ones with 1 volume knob and 1 pickup, and lots of left over empty space.

Billkwando

Well how big of a monkey?...

terminalboredom

1) make wii-motes

which i dont agree with anyway. this gen's controllers are fine.

booyagrandma

HAGE

rainofwalrus

MSUSteve

You hit the nail on the head, friend. These aren't the flight controls to a space shuttle, if you have half a brain you should be able to figure this stuff out in an half hour, hour tops.

Look children play Playstations and Xboxes every day, are there people out there who are dumber than children?

BrandonGK

Right now controllers are perfect. There's just enough buttons so that it isn't too complicated and so that you don't have to enter into a complex submenu's to access certain commands. Can they be improved, yes. The two stage trigger on the GameCubes controller is a simple way to gain an extra control without adding more buttons. But actually removing face buttons, d-pad and the bumper buttons would just make games more frustrating to control.

Sh0dan

Sparkamus

Petezah

Hand_O_Death

Zunnoab

jambe

Antiterra

I think the PS and 360 controllers are perfect the way they are. Any more buttons would make the controllers too convaluted and any less will make it too difficult to control the game. Already games like Metal Gear Solid 3 require more buttons than are present, so they rely heavily on the analogue capabilities of the buttons which makes it incredibly difficult to perform some actions. Maybe it's just me, but I have trouble "lightly" holding a button down.

superevilcube

Do people actually want more controls like Lair and no dpad for 2d games, etc?!?! Do people want to have to use shift buttons or have complex multiple series of control inputs (like a fighting game) or having to change between tapping or holding what little buttons there would be?!

The only reason to simplify controls would be to try and cater to noobs. And it would not really simplify the controls either, they would only appear to be simplified until you encounter shift buttons and multiple input series. So it would do nothing but create a false impression and screw over core gamers.

Gam3r

"X? Which one's x? The blue one? What? Let me get my hearing aid. Eltee? Where's that?"

Modern controllers are fucking great. They're compact, ergonomic and easy to use for anyone with basic hand-eye coordination. Assassin's Creed is a great example, the high-low profile system really streamlined things. You could easily go from strolling down the streets to leaping from roof to roof with a single button.

• Reduce the number of face and shoulder buttons.
No, fuck you. We've had four face buttons since the SNES and now you want to reduce that as the games get more complex? Triggers and bumpers are essential to FPS; shoot, reload, grenade, aim, all right where you need them.
• Merge "Start" and "Select" into one button
Again, why simplify the controller while the games are more complicated.
• Lose the D-pad
And with it goes the simplest (ie. best) inventory system for consoles? Laughable my good sir. They distinction between the buttons makes it unlikely you'll choose what you didn't want. Even in Half-Life 2 for the 360, with nearly ten weapons, it's easy to get what you want.
• Use motion-sensing controls
Why does everyone have such a hard-on for the Wii? Motion-controls don't work for every goddamn game, dipshits. They're awkward and useless, outside of a few quirky sports games, as far as I'm concerned.
• Add attachment peripheral
Awesome idea! Let's pay $59.99 for some stupid wheel controller and then have to get it out every time I jack a Lambo in GTA 4! Don't forget the joystick for the helos!

Fuck you, I'll keep my 17 buttons. Assholes.

Enimor

ThisCharmingMan

First you take issue with Blockbuster following a industry standard policy and not throwing their money away just to make the $4.76 profit you give them when you purchase a new game.

Then you come up with that sensationalist PS3 GTA Freeze vs RRoD piece. Failing to even note that at least PS3 users have a solution to the problem where as 360 users with freezing problems don't.

And now you label Assassin's Creed's controls as "hard" when not long ago all the coverage on the game highlighted how simplified the controls are. And you even go as far as to agree that we could lose the d-pad and a few buttons?

I'm not trying to come down on you and I respect that you are entitled to your opinion but I'd like to maybe just point out that you come across as very out of touch with your audience man. For evidence to back my claims just read the reader comments on any of those articles.

Maybe all this blogging is preventing you from actually reading enough articles about games and playing said games or something.

As far as controls go.. it is totally up to the game designer to ensure the controls aren't complex. Taking away options and variety is not something that will help this medium progress.

And don't forget about the rest of us that have invested the most time and money into this industry. The people who can handle, and like, complex controls. TIE Fighter was one of the best games ever and that beast used the whole keyboard plus shift commands and a mouse/joystick!!

Bastard11

Blah8

argh

Assassin's Creed is kind of hard to get used to, but its very simple when you think of it, because one button does actions that are generally related. There is only one button to Jump, Climb, etc. and only one to attack (2 if you count grabbing as attacking) and if you want to go somewhere is just a matter of holding the R1 and X (in the PS3 version) and pointing with the analog where you want to go, Altair will do all the flimsy jumping and climbing for you.

FP Belias

Their favorite pad of all time was the Saturn pad.

That+analog sticks would be more then enough for me and anything I'd want.

arstal

There is always going to be that jarring first experience, where your grandfather has a string of misses in Wii Bowling, or can't stop shooting the floor in GTA - it's part and parcel of learning a new skill.

In other words, I believe the current number of buttons is alright for the moment, but difficulty arrives when more are added, or they are rejigged around the controller in order to seem 'new' (I'm looking at you, 360 controller)

Kiriphii

Controlling Altair is 10x smoother then controlling Niko. GTA is by far a better game. But Ubisoft's game is a better technical marvel, imo.

Damn shame they forgot to put some actual gameplay in in though.

terrydwj

jambe

Nobody is forcing the developers to use every button in combination with every other button to unleash three dozen moves.
If they want to make more "casual" games, games that people with no videogame experience can pick up and enjoy, they can just come up with a scheme that only uses the D-pad and a couple of buttons, for example.

Removing the option to use more button seems like a terrible idea, not unlike removing the advanced functions in an email client because "most people only use it to send one email at a time anyway".
When you have 12 buttons but only need 3, then just use the 3 -- what's so complex about that? But when you need 12 and only have 3, watcha gonna do? Right: set up ungodly combinations such as "to open the door, press A and Up while performing a twirling counterclockwise motion at an angle of 45-50°, while singing God Save The Queen into the microphone. Heartily."

Antiterra

BrandonGK

TeknoVagrant

RykinPoe

I don't see how it can be more complicated then the current gen buttons. An additional buttons with triggers or the DS shoulders will be no fun.

Did anyone have a go with Steel Battalion?, the 200 dollar game and 50 pound controller?; WE need more of those kinds of games.

Fyren

Removing the d-pad gets rid of all fighting game controls for those who don't use a stick. If you're using an analog stick and are decent, then bless you. I don't understand how people play fighting games on the XBox controller. Quarter and half motions look unwelcome, as well as dragon punch motions.

The select button doesn't "select" anything anymore. It should be renamed to something like "mode" or "option". Just like the start button doesn't "start" anything at times. We've learned to confirm anything with the other face buttons. On the Dual Shock, they just conveniently look like the "play" and "stop" buttons on any media player.

Every game should have a choice of remapping, axis inversion, southpaw, and sensitivity. GTAIV's controls are horrific as I can't invert my camera on the X separate from the Y axis.

Games just need to sit down, evaluate what will be functional, and then make a base scheme based on that. Assassin's Creed did something to that effect, but still felt like some stuff could be changed. Indigo Prophecy had that "move your stick up down left or right to choose a dialogue" when all of those choices could be replaced with a face button or a menu. Minimizing the controller is an absurd concept.

Shalashaska

@NessD12: not at all; really? which game was that?

@Krackatoa: psst...you might enjoy the dualshock 3. its a vibrating SNES controller.

agree with a lot that's been said here. you know what happens when i try to play katamari on my PSP's simplified controls? not a whole hell of a lot.

TheIrishNinja

Motion controls can very easily get more complicated, but often it's easier remember to do something like "point" or "shake" than it is to remember to "press button Y... which is where again?"

pogotiki

Item 1: Poinitng control - The most overlooked part of the Wii remote is also its most powerful tool. Imagine being able to point to the target reciever in Madden. You'd eliminate 5 buttons, make it easier to play, and actually gain precision.

Item 2 - MORE D-pad not less. - often the analog stick is unnecessary and sometimes even a hinderance (smash bros). Making the D-pad a viable option for those who prefer it will relieve a lot of headaches.

Item 3: Rely less on shoulder buttons. - Unless you have a really intuitive way to use both a left and a right shoulder button (air brakes in Wipeout 3 come to mind) don't use them. Many people struggle with coordination. Using both shoulder buttons for urgent actions should be a last resort.

Item 4: It is a controller, not a crutch. - If your game really needs 16 buttons so be it, but most games with that use that many are full of lazy design choices.

Minister of Fun

Yuki

This guy has obviously never played on a flight sim.

I remember that my keyboard was absolutely full of Ctrl+(x), Shift+(x), Ctrl+Shift+(x) and even some Joystick+(x) button combinations. That's about 400 button commands.

It did simplify things a lot. Shift+(x) was mostly engine and fuel things, and Ctrl+(x) was mostly technical radio/GPS/electronics things, while the most basic commands didn't have any combination requirements.

Oh, what wonderful days.

RPharazonius

Many of my PC games have about 23-30 buttons to remember, just for basic functionality. It takes me about 5 minutes to memorize and get comfortable with them all. I really don't see a problem with console controls.

ShaggE

Sure it could be simpler, but only if the game itself was simpler. Not necessarily a good thing. Trying to make AC as it is playable on a controller with fewer buttons would be an effort in futility and end user pain.

Personally I find the PSP lacking with it's missing shoulder buttons.

MattB

Why wouldn't it? Most games I've played don't use select all that much and start is usually used for pausing the game and showing a game menu. I find that to be the sanest idea of the bunch myself, since the rest really sounds like they want every controller to be like the Wiimote.

Fraeon

sc00t420

Seriously, if EVERY button is used on a xbox controller for a game, then the game is designed poorly. Most of those buttons are extra buttons designed for specialty games. (Analog triggers for racing games, shoulder buttons for fighters, some of the few games that actulaly use more than 4 buttons, ect)

All of these ideas for reducing the number of buttons is great, the only problem is the systems are already out and the only successful after launch controllers in history were controllers that ADDED controls (the genesis 6 button, to play sf2 and the dual shock, to fool people into thinking the p.o.s. ps1 was an actual 3d system).

The wii has already tackled this problem quite well. The main controller has very few buttons and since most smaller developers can't afford a special perephial they are forced to work with what they have. For those rare exceptions you have the gamecube controller, the classic controller and the nunchuck (which I really count as part of the wiimote).

People who complain about this setup obviously either don't have a wii or don't play their wii. The only isssue with it is finding a place to store all of it, but it's a small price to pay for ensuring that all controls have to be well-done by default.

I would also remind people that things like the zapper and wheel are completely optional. They are nice to have, but you can play the games just fine without them, wheel games in particular.

HowardC

The only game I truly played where controls are always obtuse is Metal Gear. Other games have all needed it or were worth the learning curve (if they are decent games themselves, bad games are just that... bad games)

Daizaru1

My big problem with NES games these days is that there's not much more than what you see.

Akanubon

On a controller, there definitely are not 24 buttons. :(

Quine

laencythe

I haven't tried GTA4, but I'm sure the controls would be very smooth as well. Decreasing buttons? Look at the PSP compared to PS1&2 fans to see how they feel about missing shoulder buttons and a 2nd analog stick, it causes limitations.

GamePro should turn into a joke magazine for screwed up ideas. If gamers are truly intimidated [by today's controllers], one has to wonder how they can operate a TV remote or computer.

超外人

dry-roasted-peanuts

underthechestnuttree

wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!

Or a peripheral can let you do things that a standard controller just plain *can not* do. See:
DDR
Guitar Hero
Rock Band
Wii Fit, really, does the same.

The Wii Wheel and Zapper are just optional ways to hold the controller that just decrease complexity. I was at a friend's when her roommate walked in when we were playing Mario Kart Wii. We asked the roommate if she wanted to play. She said no, until she saw the Wii Wheel Controller ... Which she figured would be a lot easier than anything else. Thus, controller complexity problem solved.

rekenner

underthechestnuttree

Ditto, but I think my biggest gripe is games that give you preset profiles without allowing you to completely remap everything.

In this day and age, that's totally unacceptable in a game.

I want to remap everything, hell, I want to be able to set up two buttons to do the same thing if I want.

/I'm looking at you GTA4, I would have really liked to move the handbrake to the left trigger.

lordargent

And they're complaining about having a start and select button? Are you ****ing serious?

NoFunShogun

I didn't enjoy the controls in Assassin's Creed, but I didn't think they were too complicated-- just an unnecessary revision. My bigger problem with the game was that it seemed too repetitive for me. I lost interest in it quickly.

I don't agree that motion control is the answer-- it's ok so long as the movements are representative of the result. But when they just make up complex moves that have nothing to do with what I'm doing in-game (see Ultimate Alliance, Wii) that's a huge problem. Most games, the way they're designed, have very little need for motion control. It just feels tacked-on and unintuitive.

wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!

Herbal23

arstal

PixelPeZ

One of my least favorite things about modern control schemes is that often, companies try to design something that gives you "the maximum amount of control" while not giving you intuitive control.

When you're walking around, the X button interacts with things, but when your gun is out, it switches to Y so that X can reload, but Y pulls up inventory normally, which is remapped to B, which does nothing in normal walk mode.

Left trigger and Right Trigger let you cycle through your weapons in weapon mode, but when you're in walk mode, you have to go to the inventory menu to do so.

Left shift lets you put on the goggles, at which point A is your inventory, B is your weapon, X is shift view modes (unless you have on the infrareds, in which case X is lock-on) and Y is enter weapon mode.

Right shift is enemy status, in which case B is inventory again, A is lock-on, Y is weapon mode and X is Hyper Action mode.

Select brings up the Magic/Powers Menu, where A is select, B is enter card game, Y is status mode, X is the upgrade menu, either trigger is Magic inventory and the shifts cycle through your available Magics and Powers.

Don't even get me started on the soccer side mission.

hegemonyhog

It was a bright sunny day and the trees wer.....

Anaxymander

Don't worry, we still love you :D

Except for this guy.

Inebriation makes a good excuse for everything, I suppose.

man in gauze is king ramses II, silly.

It's kinda retarded to ask for something like this and expect it to work. What exactly are developers supposed to assign everything else to? Controller shaking? Bullshit. Go jump off a bridge.

Moonshadow101

Peripherals are pricey and can complicate things, motion control is gimmicky and slower. Think of GTA for example, are we supposed to switch between a light gun and a steering wheel whenever we try to play? How do you suggest changing weapons without a d-pad? Or should we just use the classic voice command "win"? Simple controls work with simple games, for everything else the 360/ps3 controllers do just fine.

tcrat

Ryuujin1024

Besides, a big no to removing the D-pad or combining select and start. Select and start have nothing to do with gameplay anyhow. All their other ideas were stolen from Nintendo.

supercrap

Personally I feel controls need more buttons, but then again I come from a PC gaming background. If I were to change the PS3 or Xbox controller I'd change the four face buttons into the Genesis/Saturn 6 face buttons and leave the rest of the controller alone.

Cabal17

It kind of followed the 'merge start and select' concept, except it was just a simple pause button on the system. It wouldn't seem like such a problem for an RPG assuming you're playing on a floor like I do, but when you're in a game like Fantasy Zone, you can't pause at all without risking bumping that reset button.

I find six face buttons to be ideal with two shoulder buttons; that's one reason why I love the Saturn controller.

The d-pad can prove to be the best control method for many games, assuming it's not forced into being the main method of control (Playstation) or made so tiny it's only there for little commands (Gamecube). The Dreamcast did it right, so it's the best for 2D games like Bangai-O, but you still have a control stick for other games.

Attachments add more useless junk to your shelves, and motion controls prove overly complex for people that haven't played a game before. You pick up a controller and expect one of the buttons to make you to jump since that's all you see on the controller, not some waggle.

My name changed for an unknown reason

Poor, poor article here. Forgetting about the first 3 options, the last 2 will just make things more complicated. The only thing seperate attachment will do is allow you to label button's a "jump", "shoot" and stuff like that.

Now let's come back to the first 3:

• Reduce the number of face and shoulder buttons
• Merge "Start" and "Select" into one button
• Lose the D-pad

We've had the same number of shoulder buttons and face buttons now for a LONG LONG time, I was like 10 when I was playing with the same controller the PS3 uses. WTF will merging start and select do, both useless buttons in term of gameplay (for the most part).
As well for the D-pad... half the time it's just a second left analog stick and the other half is just weapon changes... if you can't wrap your brain around left d-pad is weapon change, you shouldn't be playing games.

Anyways, I'm sorry Kotaku but this article is amongst your worst excluding those dumb cake posts. Not news worthy at all!

wildmatt

Mii

valleyshrew

I actually liked AC's control scheme and didn't find it tough at all. Almost everything is context and controls just seems more complex overall because there are mappings for quick-selections (like on the d-pad). Intuitiveness isn't in the pad design, but in the game design. Saying the controller needs to change is as about as dumb as saying, "people type slow because there's too many keys on the keyboard, so let's boil it down."

I say add keyboard and mouse support to my consoles. It's my preferred platform, but not my preferred control method (for certain genres). Make it crazy! Make it so that two people need to control the character at the same time so that all the whiners can quit their bellyaching and find something else to do. :D

dunetiger reads kotaku, seems pleased

Koolsen

belo

I think you just described a mac keyboard....oh I see what you did there.

Marasai

Honestly this post is one of the most poorly done I've ever seen.

Aside form the fact that the assassin's creed controls are incredibly simple

HINT: each face button corresponds to a part of the body. Take a wild guess whihc one. The trigger shifts between stealth and action gameplay. Boom. Now you know how to play the game.

The current complexity of controls is because we have FEWER buttons than we need. We need at least 2 more face buttons...ala sega saturn or N64. You could also put buttons where the black/white start/back buttons were on the controller S. You could also have buttons recessed in the main face button group...bringin the total up to 8 without changing much in controller size. That alone would make controllers much easier to deal with because it would require less of this context sensitive nonsense.

Marasai

Owen Good

Any control scheme with fewer than 50 buttons is simple to me.

lordargent

2. Merge "Start" and "Select" into one button
Why? These buttons aren't used in gameplay, so they add no complexity to the interface.

3. Lose the D-pad
Why? The D-pad is the de facto method of controlling fighting games. You would destroy an entire genre of games just to simplify the look of a controller? That just makes no sense.

4. Use motion-sensing controls
Again, that would just add complexity. Plus, there's just too much potential for shovelware with a motion-sensing controller. I mean, look at the Wii: people are so infatuated with the Wiimote that companies put all sorts of crap on there that makes use of the Wiimote just because people will buy it, looking for the next Wii Sports. If companies can stand back and figure out creative ways of using motion control, as well as exercise enough self-restraint to only implement it in a limited and accurate manner, then sure, go ahead and add motion-sensing controls. However, judging by the games available on the Wii, most of these companies aren't there yet.

5. Add attachment peripheral
Yes, because adding more peripherals always simplifies things. Again, let's look at the Wii as an example of what not to do: we've got a Wii Wheel (that came out at launch with some monster truck racing game), another Wii Wheel (Nintendo's version), a Nunchuck, a Wii Zapper, a Wii Fit balance board, and God knows what else. It's my view that if you have to add peripherals to a controller to make it work with a game, then either the game is badly designed or the controller is badly designed. As for complexity, adding multiple attachments that have to be swapped out depending on the game adds complexity rather than reduces it.

Honestly, I have no idea what GamePro was smoking when they made this list. Modifying the hardware is not the answer because it will alienate people who actually know how to use a controller. The best option would be for games to have a "casual" control scheme and a "normal" control scheme. The "casual" one could have some things automated in order to reduce the number of buttons used, while the "normal" one could just be what the rest of use are used to.

kylenalepa

Just look at Japanese arcade games and it should be obvious that control schemes are only one of the many factors leading to their demise: ever-complex moves and frame-specific throws and combo systems make fighting games very difficult to get into as a novice; on the other hand, unforgiving game systems that just seem to keep getting harder as new releases come by, as well as the fact that a 2D shooter is a 2D shooter no matter how you slice it, keeps shmups from expanding markets, even though controls are usually as simple as shoot, dodge, and fire bomb (add a few extra buttons for gimmick controls when applicable).

muu

Its 2008 and I've just about finally gotten to grips with the controller for my Atari Jaguar!

DreamcastRIP

Yuki

Shoot - right trigger
Sights - left trigger
Reload - A
Pick up weapon - hold A
Crouch - B
Prone - hold B
Run - Left thumbstick click
Melee - Right thumbstick click
...
Switch weapon - Hold A for three seconds?
Jump - Double tap B
Grenade - Hold A and right trigger
Flashbang - Hold B and right trigger
Special weapons - Go to store and buy D-pad add on

Missing anything else.

Tifosi24

Yuki

Weirdwolf

chemical_eng_mx

This leads into the casual gaming ruining gaming discussion.

ManjiKengo

What you need is moar face buttons. on top of each analog stick should be a T-9 keypad. All buttons should be analog so they have 65536 different gradients of sensitivity. The actual face should be a position sensitive touch pad. out of the microphone port should come electrodes that attach directly to your spinal column. There should be 128 128-way dip switches in the back of the controller to allow you to remap any key to behave like any other key even though each and every key is remap-able in software!

okenny :)

I do however understand this movement to reduce complexity of controllers, because to new gamers, they might seem a bit confusing at first. But this is just part of the larger movement to expand consumer base, and how could you blame companies for trying to get more sales?
What we need to do is find a way to please the existing gamers, including the hardcore ones, and attract new ones. A difficult thing, yes, but doable. I believe the focus should be put more on software than on hardware, though.
Also, maybe the next step in controllers is finding a way to customize them. Give us big, medium and small controllers for different sized hands... give us different shapes, and give us a plethora of ways to add things to the controller and change the way it's used. The wiimote did this very well (just look at the huge amount of available peripherals, and they do sell).

biznatch

ManjiKengo

Being able to remap all the buttons and triggers would be good for everyone, though.

Evil Tortie's Mom

Jeez, that whole list sucks, except for 2.

1- Meh, it's obvious, but personally I don't think it's a good idea.

2- I'm in favor of that.

3- Many games have d-pad uses that are quite fundamental, beneficial, and irreplaceable, except by a shift key + stick (not an improvement). Squad commands are the best example. A d-pad I touch once every five minutes is much preferable to 5 different context sensitive uses for the same button.

4- HA! Yeah, allow for even more options than current controllers, without the standardization, except without all the reliability and convenience. When I click the left stick, it took me a fraction of a second I know that I clicked the left stick. When I flick the controller to boost, it takes me 5 tries at 1/2 second each, and I get no tactile indicator of success. BOO!

5- That'll simplify gaming, dozens of different peripherals! That way, it will be a bigger pain to store and transport your games and systems, you'll have to spend more money, you'll have another piece of junk to break or lose, and new players will be baffled as to why there are different controllers instead of just one! It's PERFECT!

The 360 and PS3 controllers are perfect, as far as I'm concerned. Any bad controls are the fault of the developer.

If a new gamer is confused by the controller, they're going to be confused by the game that uses it. It's still possible to write a game that uses the left stick, A and B, in which case the new player only needs to understand the left stick, A and B. Get that across to them, tell them to ignore the rest, and everything is fine, without sacrificing anything.

Jawajoey

Kenny

Simplifying the controller is not exactly the best concept... simplifying the controls in-game but still leaving the opportunity for developers to have a broader control scheme as well. I'd have to have to try playing Halo with the controller shown in this news story... or even Brawl, Mario Galaxy, or anything of the like...

M. Kava

If more advanced users need the missing letters, they can hit Ctrl+Alt+s for z or Ctrl+Alt+g for q, which is simple to remember because z and q are a lot like s and g turned backwards.

Other possibilities for a simplified keyboard:

* Remove confusing and antiquated keys like CapsLock, Tab and F1-F12.
* Reduce keys with similar function. Delete and Backspace are almost identical, have Shift+Delete replace Backspace.
* Loose the Num-pad.
* PgUp, PgDn, Home and End should be completely replaced by mouse gestures.

All this will make it a lot easier to learn how to type on computer!

(Please note: This post is sarcasm. Anyone with half a brain should be able to see that more keys don't necessarily mean more complexity. If more keys made things harder to use, then "media" keys on computer keyboards wouldn't be so popular. People like being able to hit "Play/Pause" to pause their music, rather than having to mouse over to their music player and then hit Ctrl+P or some other combo. Why should we look at video games differently?)

figmentpez

Have to note that since DualShock was introduced '97 the number of buttons in controllers haven't increased. Not a single button has been added for over 10 years. So I would claim that the increasingly complex controls have nothing to do with the controllers and everything to do with the game design.

ara

Golem29

no no no no no no

Many games are VERY VERY intuitively played with a d-pad (anything 2d, turn-based strategy, anything with lots of menus, etc.) i realize he's basing his analysis off the 360 controller which has a downright broken d-pad but that doesn't mean they all don't work. Besides its one of the most intuitive bits of hardware on the controller as is right now. No one ever doesn't "get" what the hell a dpad does. Up is up, down is down. end of story.

ajay42

I think the controller layout we have today is pretty decent. It's not overtly complicated, and allows a good range of button combinations.

Regarding AC, I actually thought it was a brilliant controller scheme. The face buttons all did something similar no matter what, and you used the shoulder ones to modify the specific action. A would always do something athletic (run, leap, dodge), B would move things, and X would attack.

It was very simple once you "got" the logic behind it. And that's what I think we need - logical layouts, that once you get the idea, you don't need to actually remember what does each button do *exactly*, but you can always deduce what you need to press to achieve the intended result. Similar to the idea behind Mass Effect's dialogue system.

Grive

If you remove buttons, you're actually going to end up with games that have to do things like this:

[www.penny-arcade.com]

Cathaoir

enigma89

TalAarahk

*hangs head in shame*

liquidnumb

It's the games, not the controllers.

pile.

liquidnumb

Did he also imply it is a long game with a length comparable to Grand Theft Auto?

Good god, the fallacies in this article are astounding.

branwheatkillah

scottyboi

...innuendo aside, I don't have a problem at all with controls for any game, but then again, it's not as though the DualShock has changed very much during my gamer career. :D

Even PC controls are usually homogenous, to the point where most PC games use the exact same control scheme, so you can just jump in and everything's familiar. The only problem IMO is with older games, before WASD became standardized...anyone remember having to map look/peek/strafe/rotate/dice onion buttons for the Marathon games? They were designed so that you could eschew the mouse entirely and look around with the keyboards; so if anything, controls have gotten simpler since then.

Hey, just think of System Shock, which was probably never ported to a console because it had too many buttons. To say nothing of NetHack or Steel Battalion xD

man in gauze is king ramses II, silly.

MasterDex

Damn it!

Today's controllers are fine.

What is not, is the games.

Like Brawl, every button of the controller should be fully configurable so people can set their own personnal setting. No forces preset.

Is it so hard to understand?

LightStriker

Inhert

Stupidity.

Candlejack

In short not everyone wants Wii controls, makes me sick.

TheNinja256

Cruithne

Silenced

When an FPS uses arrows/mouse, I'm fine, but add anything more than jump and crouch and I'm pooped. I have very lean hands for a guy, and they're reasonably big and dexterous (I'm a Pianist), but always end up hitting the wrong key in PC games.

Game pads though? Awesome. I have come to love the nuances of every controller of the last decade or so now (Fat Xbox pad notwithstanding), and I think we've pretty much reached perfection.

Krondonian

akashhhhh

Yuki

Does Not Equal

BUt I have been trying to teach a new boyfriend to at least be able to walk around a Halo map and shoot, and he can't even stop looking at the floor or sky all the time. I think we as gamers forget how much the thousands of hours of playtime have actually taught us in terms of controllers.

I started with Atari 2600, so each generation basically added a button or two - besides the jump to dual sticks, which took a slight bit longer - no big deal.

No one complains that PC gaming has too many keys or whatever - think of all the commands and stuff to track for the above average World of Warcraft player, for example.

If the gameplay experience is engaging enough, people will invest the time necessary to figure it out for the most part.

lionkitten

"• Use motion-sensing controls (Newton, anyone?)
• Add attachment peripheral (Newt-chuk, anyone?)"

add complexity. So uhh... yea, not exactly a well thought out list.

Tulkamir

more buttons != more complicated

rickless abandon

MaxS

Guu

pABSO

Sentouki

I think the current configuration of the 360/ps3 is fine. Anything more, or anything less would be a pain.

Darkest Daze

Dragonzigg

Maldron

ara

JonC