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Long overdue controller features.

laxu

Member
Interesting that some months ago I started a thread lamenting how consoles have so poor control over camera and controller mapping and so many responded that the DS4 is perfect etc.
 

ps3ud0

Member
Interesting that some months ago I started a thread lamenting how consoles have so poor control over camera and controller mapping and so many responded that the DS4 is perfect etc.
Didn't realise the DS4 existed in 2012 :p

ps3ud0 8)
 

Harlequin

Member
i think there's a place for what you describe but not for every button. In that way the use would fall in the "neat" category but using this type of tech in say the 4 face buttons would be kind of wasted. i could totally see players not even noticing it much after long extended play sessions.

However, for long travel inputs such as a triggers or thumbsticks the idea has lots of potential. And some people already taught about it. This company has been pitching force feedback thumbsticks for quite some time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYZ8_exnCPQ

In a thumbstick what you brought up can be more useful.

But in the end haptics of this type would be incorporated more prominently in VR oriented controllers than console one. For consoles we' ll probably get latest generation actuators in the next round of systems.

Isn't what they talk about just to make the sticks/trigggers vibrate in specific ways, rather than to actually make it harder to push them *confused*?
 
Isn't what they talk about just to make the sticks/trigggers vibrate in specific ways, rather than to actually make it harder to push them *confused*?
The actuators can give the user sensations of resistance and directions. However, that was the first thing i managed to find since i was in a hurry. As a matter of fact the prototype i was thinking was more in line with something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfUxpOJXdYk

Luckily i manage to find a good showcase video. Let me know if this ilustrates the point better to you.
 

Harlequin

Member
The actuators can give the user sensations of resistance and directions. However, that was the first thing i managed to find since i was in a hurry. As a matter of fact the prototype i was thinking was more in line with something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfUxpOJXdYk

Luckily i manage to find a good showcase video. Let me know if this ilustrates the point better to you.

Ah, gotcha :). That's certainly closer to what I had in mind, though it doesn't seem to actually be strong enough to resist the user's input. What I mean is that it should be possible to (theoretically speaking) turn the resistance up so much that the stick/trigger/... would be completely rigid and the user wouldn't be able move/push it at all. That way you could create scenarios where the user would actually have to work up some effort to perform certain actions which could lead to greater immersion if it corresponds to the tasks the character is performing on-screen.
 
Ah, gotcha :). That's certainly closer to what I had in mind, though it doesn't seem to actually be strong enough to resist the user's input. What I mean is that it should be possible to (theoretically speaking) turn the resistance up so much that the stick/trigger/... would be completely rigid and the user wouldn't be able move/push it at all. That way you could create scenarios where the user would actually have to work up some effort to perform certain actions which could lead to greater immersion if it corresponds to the tasks the character is performing on-screen.
Implemented in the way you suggest it runs the risk of failing totally. Maybe you, i and a very small niche would be attracted but the rest...

The gaming community has proven to be very resistive to change. If the change involves a bit of extra investment (even for the better) whatever the innovation might bring, it's met with an stronger resistance and even reactions of irrational hatred. Take for example the enhanced aiming of the Wii Remote or Move controllers, a considerable part of the user base gave the cold shoulder due to having to move something more than the finger to aim. Hence it's 2015 and we are controlling aiming, pointing and cursor controls with a thumbstick XD

i think subtle directional feedback would be useful and experience enhancing enough to find it's place withouth potentially alienating a part of the user base.
 

Harlequin

Member
Implemented in the way you suggest it runs the risk of failing totally. Maybe you, i and a very small niche would be attracted but the rest...

The gaming community has proven to be very resistive to change. If the change involves a bit of extra investment (even for the better) whatever the innovation might bring, it's met with an stronger resistance and even reactions of irrational hatred. Take for example the enhanced aiming of the Wii Remote or Move controllers, a considerable part of the user base gave the cold shoulder due to having to move something more than the finger to aim. Hence it's 2015 and we are controlling aiming, pointing and cursor controls with a thumbstick XD

i think subtle directional feedback would be useful and experience enhancing enough to find it's place withouth potentially alienating a part of the user base.

You may be right but I honestly don't think comparing it to the Wiimote or PS Move is fair. Those usually required you to stand up and actually get physically active to the point where it could be considered exhausting by some people. I really don't think that what I'm proposing would be as "extreme". I'm not suggesting that pushing the buttons on the controller should become a struggle during normal gameplay when the player is actually still supposed to push it. Just that it should maybe take a little more effort to push it in. Developers would be able to tune it for their game (and base the settings on playtests to make sure it's not too frustrating) and you could always include an option for the user to set the strength of the button resistance. I mean, you'd probably have to do that, anyway, in order to accomodate users of different ages, etc.
 
Official size options is #1. It honestly boggles my mind when I remember this doesn't exist yet. Using the DS3 feels like the equivalent of Chinese water torture for my hands.
 

Slayven

Member
200px-Vmu.jpg
 

Nzyme32

Member
apple-iphone-6s-live-_0824.0.jpg

It is interesting to see when some ideas are brought to life. While nothing new this is one of the few stylus that have motion sensors.

In one of the Zelda threads we were discussion about some innovations for the franchise, here was an idea brought up some years ago that used the Gamepad and a peripheral to allow a new play style:

http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=44704451



It would be interesting so see if iOS developers come with actual gaming applications for this pen. It's kind of a waste that we could potentially something like this a bit more early.

It's amusing to me how much the stylus has been around forever and with the same functionalities in many devices, from tablets to hybrids like the MS Surface series, to phablets like the Galaxy Note series - yet it is Apple that triggers the response of the stylus (PENCIL) being something ground breaking, with all the same features others have offered before.

Are you talking about something like this:

Xbox_One_Elite_Controller_Gamepad_PC_for_Windows_10__5_-pcgh.jpg


But as default?

The only problem with this is that it doesn't really add functionality, it just moves it around to a position that makes it far more useful for many games. What I love with the Steam controller is giving them all kinds of great functionality, from rebindability and combinations of keys, to mode switching to allow for an entirely different mapping configuration for the whole controller when they are held.
 
It's amusing to me how much the stylus has been around forever and with the same functionalities in many devices, from tablets to hybrids like the MS Surface series, to phablets like the Galaxy Note series - yet it is Apple that triggers the response of the stylus (PENCIL) being something ground breaking, with all the same features others have offered before.
The irony gets a boost to stratospheric levels when we consider that the most relevant CEO and founder of the company totally dismissed the stylus importance as an input method not even a decade ago.

In this case the company is just reacting to the competition yet it gets alot of attention from people. It's the Apple baggage, grab a bunch of features lying around (not even with very inventive or clever implementations) and get called innovators XD

i was aware of buttons and pressure sensitive stylus, however i don't recall (even years ago when i made the stylus for Zelda post) about a pencil with motion sensors included, it just occurred to me. Do you have any examples?

The only problem with this is that it doesn't really add functionality, it just moves it around to a position that makes it far more useful for many games. What I love with the Steam controller is giving them all kinds of great functionality, from rebindability and combinations of keys, to mode switching to allow for an entirely different mapping configuration for the whole controller when they are held.
The way it's implemented in the Xbox Elite controller is not as useful as it can be. But i guess that's the price we pay since it's not an standard feature of the console.
 
A modifier key.
Controllers lack buttons and a modifier on the back for your middle finger is such a no brainer. Instantly double the amount of hotkeys you can have...

Extra buttons in general.
6 face buttons on xbox controller was a start, then they removed them again...
As others have sad there's room on the back of the controller and you have your middle and ringfinger on each hand to operate more buttons.

A lack of hotkeys is really crippling game design atm, it's especially glaringly obvious when you see previously pc exclusive games/series go multiplatform and you see the cuts and concessions they have to make to fit the controls on a controller.

the whole 4 weaps in shooters thing instead of 10, 2 syringes in far cry 3, no walk key in most shooters , no lean unless they leave out other things and the rise of contextual buttons and animations to replace player input.

So ignoring the obvious (camera control) problem with controllers, a modifier button and extra buttons would be the first obvious step to making them better.

Interesting that some months ago I started a thread lamenting how consoles have so poor control over camera and controller mapping and so many responded that the DS4 is perfect etc.

People are really good at rationalising shit if they think they have no other choice than to deal with it, the second you give them more they'll gladly accept it.
 

Parfait

Member
Push-to-talk and a mic mute button, somehow.

This really bugs me when im on my computer. I'm seriously thinking of finding some cheapo foot pedals to use just to talk on mumble but that might give me bad driving habits...
 
A modifier key.
Controllers lack buttons and a modifier on the back for your middle finger is such a no brainer. Instantly double the amount of hotkeys you can have...

Extra buttons in general.
6 face buttons on xbox controller was a start, then they removed them again...
As others have sad there's room on the back of the controller and you have your middle and ringfinger on each hand to operate more buttons.

A lack of hotkeys is really crippling game design atm, it's especially glaringly obvious when you see previously pc exclusive games/series go multiplatform and you see the cuts and concessions they have to make to fit the controls on a controller.

the whole 4 weaps in shooters thing instead of 10, 2 syringes in far cry 3, no walk key in most shooters , no lean unless they leave out other things and the rise of contextual buttons and animations to replace player input.

So ignoring the obvious (camera control) problem with controllers, a modifier button and extra buttons would be the first obvious step to making them better.

Yeah. You'll be able to setup modifiers on the Steam Controller btw.
 
I'm pretty satisfied with the Xbox One controller, I don't have a pc so dual sticks makes sense to me and always has.

The elite controller with the paddles could be just the upgrade I need tho
 

KiraXD

Member
It's amusing to me how much the stylus has been around forever and with the same functionalities in many devices, from tablets to hybrids like the MS Surface series, to phablets like the Galaxy Note series - yet it is Apple that triggers the response of the stylus (PENCIL) being something ground breaking, with all the same features others have offered before.



The only problem with this is that it doesn't really add functionality, it just moves it around to a position that makes it far more useful for many games. What I love with the Steam controller is giving them all kinds of great functionality, from rebindability and combinations of keys, to mode switching to allow for an entirely different mapping configuration for the whole controller when they are held.

its weird too... as an artist, ive used countless other stylus with tablets like surface to desktop wacom tablets.

Yet that Apple Pencil has me drooling. i dont know why... but just looking at it make me want to draw... it looks like it would draw so good.... is it just because my mind thinks because its apple it has to be "premium?" it could be a piece of shit... but something tells me its gonna be great.
 

Arulan

Member
Controllers have a lot of problems, but it's when these problems effect game design that it's more than just an inconvenience.

The principal example being analogue sticks, relative to a mouse they're simply too imprecise and slow, thus leading to aim assist, intentionally slowing down gameplay, poor user-interfaces, etc. The solution is something that is a lot closer to mouse in terms of precision and speed, and can act as a mouse cursor for the interface. Analogue sticks have their uses though in flight simulation, racing simulation, and a few other select games that use analogue.

Another problem is having to lift your right thumb off of your analogue stick (or replacement). You should never have to do this, especially in first-person games. The solution is to add more buttons that you can press without having to lift your thumb, such as buttons on the back of the controller.

A few other things such as dual-stage triggers, enough buttons so you can spare one for push-to-talk, and a functional d-pad that isn't designed just for menus.

One issue on consoles is the lack of ability to fully customize bindings, macros, create game profiles, etc. I believe the Xbox One Elite Controller is supposed to do most of this, but it's rather sad that such an important feature, which is just software, is exclusively tied to a $150 controller, and not part of the system base software.

I might be forgetting something, but I think that sums it up. Funny enough, the controller that encompasses solutions to all of these problems is the Steam Controller.

CNRgQQ6UcAEeFAd.jpg
 
Controllers have a lot of problems, but it's when these problems effect game design that it's more than just an inconvenience.

The principal example being analogue sticks, relative to a mouse they're simply too imprecise and slow, thus leading to aim assist, intentionally slowing down gameplay, poor user-interfaces, etc. The solution is something that is a lot closer to mouse in terms of precision and speed, and can act as a mouse cursor for the interface. Analogue sticks have their uses though in flight simulation, racing simulation, and a few other select games that use analogue.

Another problem is having to lift your right thumb off of your analogue stick (or replacement). You should never have to do this, especially in first-person games. The solution is to add more buttons that you can press without having to lift your thumb, such as buttons on the back of the controller.

A few other things such as dual-stage triggers, enough buttons so you can spare one for push-to-talk, and a functional d-pad that isn't designed just for menus.

One issue on consoles is the lack of ability to fully customize bindings, macros, create game profiles, etc. I believe the Xbox One Elite Controller is supposed to do most of this, but it's rather sad that such an important feature, which is just software, is exclusively tied to a $150 controller, and not part of the system base software.

I might be forgetting something, but I think that sums it up. Funny enough, the controller that encompasses solutions to all of these problems is the Steam Controller.

CNRgQQ6UcAEeFAd.jpg

Agreed. I can only hope that each system has a Steam Controller copy as a default, supported controller. I would actually play some console games then. As it is, I'm actually holding off on playing quite a few games to wait for the controller.
 
i' ll short your post Sneakystephan to adress one part that picked my interest. The rest has been stated and many agree on XD

A lack of hotkeys is really crippling game design atm, it's especially glaringly obvious when you see previously pc exclusive games/series go multiplatform and you see the cuts and concessions they have to make to fit the controls on a controller.

the whole 4 weaps in shooters thing instead of 10, 2 syringes in far cry 3, no walk key in most shooters , no lean unless they leave out other things and the rise of contextual buttons and animations to replace player input.

Push-to-talk and a mic mute button, somehow.

i wanted to adress Sneakystephan and parfait posts.

We kind of got an answer with the Wii U Gamepad and it id interesting that the suggestions from both ussers got adressed with one game as an example: The port of Mass Effect 3.

The Gamepad has an integrated mic and in the multiplayer part of the game you use the touch screen to "push to talk".

Also the game uses the touch screen for multiple purposes withouth increasing complexity. Displays an overhead map of the area, direct input for squad mate control and the user can add shortcut keys for techniques so the action gets less interrupted.

Also Sneaky, leaning in shooters was solved in a very intuitive way with the Wii Remote and the advent of motion gaming. For example, when aiming down the sights you could rotate the nunchuck to lean with varying degrees of precision even, something that is harder to achieve with a button. Any controller with IMUs like the Wii U Gamepad or the Steam Controller can use this functionality. It is a very natural implementation and it allows extra control options since the user doesn't need to switch fingers, like would be the case if we map that action to a button.
 

Harbin

Neo Member
I don't want so called innovation. It's all gimmicks. I want no analog buttons of any kind, no vibration, no touch pad, no memory card built in, no headphone output or mic input, no click in stick buttons, no wireless connection. That last one means no battery either. The only thing I would consider is a track ball instead of a right stick. There are too many features I don't use in games that require more buttons or strange input methods.

Also Sneaky, leaning in shooters was solved in a very intuitive way with the Wii Remote and the advent of motion gaming. For example, when aiming down the sights you could rotate the nunchuck to lean with varying degrees of precision even, something that is harder to achieve with a button. Any controller with IMUs like the Wii U Gamepad or the Steam Controller can use this functionality. It is a very natural implementation and it allows extra control options since the user doesn't need to switch fingers, like would be the case if we map that action to a button.

That sounds really uncomfortable and intuitive doesn't always mean it works well. Motion controls always seemed to have high latency and just never felt right to me. The motion never matched what I wanted to do.
 
That sounds really uncomfortable and intuitive doesn't always mean it works well. Motion controls always seemed to have high latency and just never felt right to me. The motion never matched what I wanted to do.
The thing with ergonomics is not how it "sounds" but how it performs in practice or real world use. Doing an slight twist of the nunchuck acording to how much you want to lean is easy and natural to do.

More over, the IMUs can be programed to adjust the sensitivity of the twist. You can make that a 1 degree rotation can give you the maximun amount of lean allowed by the character's animation.
 
After the first Kinect, the excitement of cameras for gaming applications gradually slowed down just to end up been buried with the release of Kinect 2.0. A really disappointing turn of events.

But in retrospective and contrary to the above statement, 2014 turned out to be an interesting year for the use of optical sensors in gaming consumer devices. On one hand we had the New 3DS, which uses the camera sensor for face and eye positioning resolving to adjust the autostereoscopic 3D effect of the screen. On the other hand there's Tobii EyeX, a "sensor bar" that tracks eye positioning. While not new on itself, the highlight here is that it brought the technology with enough fideltiy at a low price entry. Eye Tribe does have a similar device, yet they haven't still made a product for the consumer market.

new3ds_2014_630pxhedimg.jpg


Of course there's a lot of really interesting potential applications for eye tracking. Yet the Eye X so far is basically been used mainly in 2 ways: one, by streamers to comunicate in what part of the screen their vision is focused. The other, is to control the on screen reticule for aiming, pointing and interface selection. This is understandable since developers, prominent ones specially, have not taken the initiative to build a game with integral use of the technology at it's core.

tobiipro_x3_120_eye_tracker_2_1.jpg


Controlling the reticule for aiming sounds great and useful in practice, but i don't think there's a good feelback or a sense of satisfaction when picking targets like that no matter how efficient it can be. Mainly because the skill level is very low.

In the case that some of the upcoming dedicated gaming devices adapt this type of technolgy we could see some other potential uses:

-More dynamic camera systems. With the gaming zooming, framing or centering the camera automatically according to the screen coordinates where the player is focusing their gaze.

-Tracking of points/things of interest for user profiling. The game makes an user profile according to what objects, characters or things the user focuses his attention and make proper adjustments or alterations to the game systems or plot/narrative aspects of the game.

-Advanced NPC behavior. This is related to the above. Interactions with game characters could be more involving and interactive if the game knows exactly what the user is focusing on.

-Line of Sight Rendering. In single player games, the available rendering resources are used in the specific screen coordinate the user is gazing in that frame. The rest of the screen space is rendered in a lower resolution or with less of resource intensive effects. This way, the hardware could be taken advantage of for drawing more complex scenes that would be impossible otherwise, if the processing was used to render a frame with even resolution and effects.
 
This was talked about previously in the thread. A controller that can be Split or Connected depending of the use. This is a spin of that with some influence from the latest Nintendo concept.

wiisnes_gafv1xrp.jpg


Basically the controller can work as a Wii Remote. But it can be joined with another one to form a more traditional form factor.

Instead of face buttons there's a Touchpad/Trackpad that is trasspased by a flushed analog stick (think like the 3DS Circle Pad). It works as a point of reference to depress the trackpad in the diferent cardinal directions.

On the underside there's a wide Trigger that can be depressed and also detects swipes in different directions, basically a mini trackpad.

This way the controller ends up been symmetrical and simplifies fabrication since jost one form factor in needed to manufacture, yet another form factor is obtained.

Excuse the rough concept, but i thought it could be an interesting excersize to imagine how something like this could work.
 

jblank83

Member
I'd like a trackball in place of the right analog stick and a scroll wheel in place of the right bumper or R1. A trackball is a logical choice for shooters and the scroll wheel could be used to zoom in or quickly switch between inventories.

I could really go for a scroll wheel. I think that idea has potential.

People **** on the Wii U Gamepad, but a controller with a touchscreen has potential as well. I love the DS/3DS. While I didn't love the Wii U Gamepad, it was more about design than tech. People love their smartphones and that's all they are: a touchscreen. It's good tech that works well. Most importantly, it solves a design problem with a control feature that improves gameplay (example: strategy games). The only concern is providing it in an affordable, well designed package.

Also IR pointers and gyro. I can't play console shooters because the controls are so bad. IR/gyro is a significant improvement to that issue.
 

gafneo

Banned
This was talked about previously in the thread. A controller that can be Split or Connected depending of the use. This is a spin of that with some influence from the latest Nintendo concept.

wiisnes_gaffzsfy.png


Basically the controller can work as a Wii Remote. But it can be joined with another one to form a more traditional form factor.

Instead of face buttons there's a Touchpad/Trackpad that is trasspased by a flushed analog stick (think like the 3DS Circle Pad). It works as a point of reference to depress the trackpad in the diferent cardinal directions.

On the underside there's a wide Trigger that can be depressed and also detects swipes in different directions.

This way the controller ends up been symmetrical and simplifies fabrication since jost one form factor in needed to manufacture, yet another form factor is obtained.

Excuse the rough concept, but i thought it could be an interesting excersize to imagine how something like this could work.

The controllers could attach magnetically from 4 different angles. Maybe even snap a keyboard in between them for even more versatility. The space around the analogue could be a haptic surface if you wanted less protrusion.
 
I want a controller where the grips feels like guns with kick-back, triggers and handles.

Something like this:
41N9GGQNEEL.jpg

hahaha, i remember my friend had this controller. I made fun of it when we played Halo, but then i actually used it and realized its actually pretty rad. The face buttons A,B,X,Y are on the back and your fingers are on them at all times so your finger never leave the sticks. I think you could even re map buttons. After seeing this picture i kind of want the new Xbox Elite controller now lol. I think the Elite is the biggest improvement in game controllers in a long time.
 

New002

Member
My controller should also be able to double as my memory card when bringing my profile to a friend's house.

I just upload my profile to my controller and bring it over, we start playing a game, and it automatically detects my name and all my customized options and we just get going.

I was JUST thinking about this yesterday as I was packing my xcontrolle before heading out for a Halo 5 gathering.
 

gafneo

Banned
You know what else is really long overdue. A voice command remote. I think the X1 remote registers my voice much better than a clunky far away kinect. Controllers should all have this built in.

xfinity-x1-voice-remote-remotes-are-back-large-7.jpg
 

efyu_lemonardo

May I have a cookie?
It's sad, the Wii controller did so many new things right: internal memory card, IR, tilt and acceleration, single handed as well as sideways (NES style) form factor, the peripheral port, split controllers, personal speakers and probably more stuff I'm currently forgetting.

Yet people loved to shit on it.
 

ViciousDS

Banned
Volume switch with chat/game mix built right into the controller.

PS4 is desperately needing of it, Microsoft has an accessory for it....however it should be standard on the controller along with a little integrated mic for voice commands to the PS4 or Xbox One
 
People who've suggested a trackball specifically should go read up on the Steam Controller's development process. They've pointed out how hard it'd be to emulate other types of input with a scroll ball, among other things such as maintinence. Meanwhile, a right trackpad pretty much gets around that, while still offering precision. I've put a lot of time into my Steam Controller, and it really feels like a natural evolution of the controller form factor, in the way that we used to get a new twist every generation. I don't think I could go back to consoles until one of the sides releases an optional trackpad controller.

I think the biggest issue is Valve doesn't really seem to understand their device, so it's led to a lot of bad first impressions. They have a smoothing slider on really high by default, which negates smaller movements on the trackpad. I know it's a relatively small space on the controller, but if you disable that and give it some time, it really shows how much of a smaller area your thumb can account for. I always set my sensitivity so that I can turn the camera a full 180 from left to right, and it works great. Broad swipes for long turns, and small tilts for tiny adjustments, with scroll ball emulation to check my corners and circle strafing. I have gone on and off of gyro without noticing any difference in my performance. If you give it some time, it does the job very competently.

This mouse-like input accounts for any game with a camera, so 3D games are pretty much covered. What about a game with a fixed camera, like a top-down shooter? Circle around the edge of the pad! Works surprisingly well, since you have a defined edge. Anything with more traditional use of the right stick can work with this format applied to it, and it translates over well. On top of that, this would open up consoles to a slew of genres that are normally inaccessible on consoles. RTS games are a big one that comes to mind. You now have a reticule to hover over the screen with, something that is incredibly clunky with a right stick. Any cursor-heavy game works better this way, honestly. I've played Terraria and Starbound with it, and they play like a dream. It'd also open up gamepads to a different way of menu navigation, when given the option.

Overall, I don't see the negatives of getting a device like the SC on consoles, aside from people's hesitance to try something new. And I totally understand that, which is why I wouldn't ask for more than an optional device. Which would be fine by me! I've turned my main rig into an HTPC solely because of how much fun I've had with the controller, and if we had a similar choice of input on consoles, I'd fly over immediately. Just the right trackpad and the grips, I could live with the left trackpad sitting back for the d-pad if this style of controller ever went mainstream (I'd actually prefer it, since d-pads are still an important feature, especially on consoles). I think those two features would add enough versatility to consoles on its own. And if I may add, scroll wheel bumpers sound great. However, I can't pitch them as I haven't tried them myself. I'm definitely curious, though!
 

jdmonmou

Member
A big innovation would be something to stop my hands from sweating. I always have to clean my controllers because of this.
 

geordiemp

Member
D24 Scuff controller as default where you have the option to program O and X etc

But most of the console playiing market has set on the current Xb1 / Ds4 controllers and are comfortable with them.

Scuff controller paddles as an option and thats about it.
 
You know what else is really long overdue. A voice command remote. I think the X1 remote registers my voice much better than a clunky far away kinect. Controllers should all have this built in.

xfinity-x1-voice-remote-remotes-are-back-large-7.jpg
The Wii U Gamepad has an integrated microphone, pretty handy for the few multiplayer games that support it. But you are probbly suggesting for voice input to be inegrated more generally, like at OS level.

MS had something like this with the Xbox, too bad that like with Kinect, they don't know how to exploit the technology optimally.
 
Some type of layout to put buttons on the back of a controller done well would be a good solution. I've always thought so anyway.
 
My controller should also be able to double as my memory card when bringing my profile to a friend's house.

I just upload my profile to my controller and bring it over, we start playing a game, and it automatically detects my name and all my customized options and we just get going.

I was JUST thinking about this yesterday as I was packing my xcontrolle before heading out for a Halo 5 gathering.
The Wii Remote did this. In Smash Brawl you could save profile data in the Wii Remote for use in another console. Related to the built in memory in controllers, the Wii U Gamepad was one of the first controllers with upgradable firmware also.
 



The Wii Remote did this. In Smash Brawl you could save profile data in the Wii Remote for use in another console. Related to the built in memory in controllers, the Wii U Gamepad was one of the first controllers with upgradable firmware also.

Hell, it should be easy and cheap to plonk in about at least a couple of gigs of flash memory, which would be more than enough for every save file from the system.
 
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