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[Cosmonaut X]

Good, I never wanted to have too many buttons. White is the also good, because we have so many black consoles. Floating hands can also be useful for some people I guess (ex: Jaime Lannister)

Yeah, but only in the Pro Pack? Man, I don't know about Nintendo splitting the audience that early - will any devs make use of the Floating Hands then?

 

[Chû Totoro]

That abstract sounds like complete gibberish at first read.

The more gibberish it is the most things you can put behind it... god I hate the patent system. Such a lame things preventing a lot of other innovations and wide access to a lot of existing ones :/

 

[jeffers]

If it's a clicky scroll wheel it would be useful mainly for things like that, but if it's analogue then it could give you some fairly fine control over movement in game as well - it's the kind of thing that you could maybe assign as "tweaking" movement control in something like a flight game, letting you make the gross movements with the thumbsticks and fine adjustments with the shoulder wheels.

You could also use it for other things to do with character control - instead of mapping "dodge" as a digital button that gives you a single dodge move, why not map it to a shoulder wheel and give you control over the speed/direction of the dodge? Or you could use it as a "rewind" in a time-control platformer to give you intuitive control over the speed of a rewind to get you back to the precise moment you wanted. There are probably plenty of other uses beyond simple menu control, and having it at your fingertips when you're holding the controller makes it natural to do.

2 players 1 controller retro pong. Game changer.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

2 players 1 controller retro pong. Game changer.

Hey, if Apple's big game is multiplayer Frogger, Nintendo need to take it one step further and go full-on with the retro kick!

 

[BY2K]

Scrolling clicking shoulder buttons?

That... could be amazing.

 

[jeffers]

Hey, if Apple's big game is multiplayer Frogger, Nintendo need to take it one step further and go full-on with the retro kick!

2016 is the battle of crossy road and batting ball for the living room!


Also in the images you can see what looks an arm for the wheel with it on a textile switch, so looks clickable.

 

[Turrican3]

but if it's analogue then it could give you some fairly fine control over movement in game as well [...]

Seems a bit cumbersome to be honest.

Damn, how I'd love an enhanced wiimote-like controller with a pointer... :-\

 

[Bowl0l]

As long as that's a handheld gaming system. Please don't make another home console with a tablet style controller.

Your wish has come true. Nintendo will use a tablet controller as their main controller for NX.

 

[Loptous]

I've actually thought of this before, but also with the ability to push the wheels upwards or downwards.

 

[abstract alien]

Nice. Love me some controller innovations.

 

[Taker666]

I wonder if they could be useful in a racing game? Either to control acceleration instead of an analogue trigger (certainly handy on a handheld with its small form factor ....that doesn't really have room for fat triggers)..or to even act like a mini steering wheel.

Could be useful for something like Starfox as well with a wheel be used for fine horizontal rotation.

 

[ss-hikaru]

sounds tailor made for Monster Hunter I can't remember now but damn was it convoluted trying to scroll through item menus during a fight.

 

[madstarr12]

Wii U Mini-er Version incoming!

 

[suavelicious]

Such a simple yet innovative idea that I wonder why no one thought of this sooner

 

[Jorok Goldblade]

Scroll wheel shoulder buttons?

Could be great for item selection, especially in shooters with more than two weapons and games like Zelda.

 

[Dicer]

Not enough buttons...

Not enough reading comprehension either...

OT: interesting development,could serve many a purpose for quick access

 

[sinxtanx]

Huh, scroll wheels as shoulder buttons. That's actually cool.

 

[BGBW]

That's it. Gaming is over. Scrollable shoulder buttons will never be bested.

 

[Graphics Horse]

I've been asking for shoulder wheels for yeeeears! I think the panasonic Jungle might have had them? but I wasn't fortunate enough to try that.

 

[Eteric Rice]

I feel like this should have already been a thing. Why isn't this already a thing? It's so obvious it hurts.

 

[Dr. Buni]

So that is the handheld NX, huh...

Spoiler

Probably not?

That idea sounds pretty cool anyways.

 

[Kathian]

Scrolling shoulder buttons makes a good bit of sense.

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

This patent + swappable buttons patent = hmmmm

 

[KingBroly]

To me it seems like this could free up buttons for additional actions.

Well...for the purpose of a handheld, I think 'how do I press R1 + R3 at the same time.'

 

[Übermatik]

Wait, wheels the scroll?

That's a fucking amazing idea

 

[konjak]

I kinda need this now. If action games can be improved somehow, it's active menu navigation.

Best comparison is the classic Metal Gear Solid menus being scrolled with buttons like these.

 

[Plinko]

That really is a great idea.

 

[PetrCobra]

I find the idea of shoulder buttons that are simultaneously scrolling wheels pretty amazing to be honest. If they can make them durable and ergonomic I'm all over that.

 

[LewieP]

What if this means Nintendo is going to go digital only?

But seriously, this is an interesting idea.

 

[KooopaKid]

Such a simple yet innovative idea that I wonder why no one thought of this sooner

lol me too. Nintendo innovation! Oops, it's going to infuriate some.

Scrolling clicking shoulder buttons?

That... could be amazing.

Yes it's an excellent idea. Could be used to lean in an FPS for instance.

 

[Santiako]

I like the idea of mouse wheels for shoulder buttons. I like it a lot.

 

[Litri]

Someone please make this read bearable for mortals.

 

[Galang]

Actually this is a really great idea

 

[DaSorcerer7]

lol me too. Nintendo innovation! Oops, it's going to infuriate some.

.

DOESN'T COUNT !!!

 

[Jorok Goldblade]

Someone please make this read bearable for mortals.

The shoulder buttons are also scroll wheels. Everything else is just technical details. Also, don't take the controller art at face value- it's a generic shell to put the relevant item (scroll wheel shoulder buttons) on for explanation.

 

[Zoon]

This means that with 2 buttons we actually get 6 buttons right?(left, right, click, for each button)

 

[BronzeWolf]

LOL I love how Nintendo makes controller setups so obvious.

This is great idea, why didn't nobody do this before?

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Mousewheels as (additional) shoulder buttons sound amazing.

 

[NippleViking]

I know that sketch isn't indicative of the actual system, but single-screen, dual sticks + scrolly shoulders, would be perrfffect for the NX handheld. Give me an OLED screen (540p is fine) also, and I will buy two.

 

[Volotaire]

If this patent eventually is implemented in the final product, which is unlikely, scrollable shoulder buttons are an interesting idea.

 

[Atram]

This would make Monster Hunter more playable. Scrolling through the items would be much easyer.

Why didn´t someone made this already, i mean Mousewheels are working very well since more than 15 Years...

 

[TVGamer]

Scrolling L/R is an awesome idea, but I hope those two buttons-only aren't representative of the final product (which apparently everyone is saying so awesome).

 

[Rodin]

A controller with a (small) screen that doesn't sacrifice ergonomy AND has that wheel thing is the best thing ever. Hopefully this is NX home controller and the handheld follows the same pattern (or viceversa).

 

[Graphics Horse]

The shoulder buttons are also scroll wheels. Everything else is just technical details. Also, don't take the controller art at face value- it's a generic shell to put the relevant item (scroll wheel shoulder buttons) on for explanation.

It also brings up some other alternatives in the patent, like trigger orientated ones on the back, motor controlled rotational feedback, trackballs(!) and touch panel versions.

 

[cw_sasuke]

Such a simple idea yet it already sounds like it could improve the control our options in a mayor way...not bad, not bad at all.

A controller with a (small) screen that doesn't sacrifice ergonomy AND has that wheel thing is the best thing ever. Hopefully this is NX home controller and the handheld follows the same pattern (or viceversa).

After Mario Maker it would be nuts if NX doesnt have a more compact WiiU Gamepad Type Controller with 4inch screen. Especially if the portable is DualScreen as well.

 

[Atram]

i didn´t need to be a wheel, you could also make a sensored shoulder button where you can swipe with your finger, would have the same effect.

 

[ash_ag]

A potential use is to control the Z-axis on a game with free 3D movement. Scrolling would adjust altitude, and the two sticks would be used for camera control.
Could also prove very useful for adjusting field of view, particularly in racing and action games.

Very interesting input method. The industry has become too settled to the shoulder/trigger scheme, and I'd be happy to see Nintendo keep trying new things in regards to input.

 

[LewieP]

i didn´t need to be a wheel, you could also make a sensored shoulder button where you can swipe with your finger, would have the same effect.

Physical tactility grants greater precision.

 

[BY2K]

I don't think Nintendo is ever going to go back to single screen handheld. There's just too many applications for that kind of setup.

 

[DSix]

I see a unique single screen. That's new.