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What should be the NX's controller?

Nilaul

Member
Something like this could be cool, with strong magnets that can hold it together when you want it to be a normal controller, and can be switched off through a menu or physical switch.

Buy why? Why would you want to attach the half's together? Having your hands free on any desirable width in a natural position is more comfortable.

Also the magnet will mess with the motion sensors.
 

Brickhunt

Member
Just a regular controller. The gimmicks are killing Nintendo.

I don't want motion controls or giant tablets. I just wanna sit on my couch and play a normal game made by Nintendo.
By the time the NX with a regular controller releases (presumably 2016), it will be in a market with two established competitors, both in sales and 3rd party support, (PS4 and XOne) AND with regular controllers too. And in maybe two or three years they will have successors too with traditional controllers and even more power (probably more than the NX).

How do you expect NX to stand up to PS4 and XOne without a gimmick? Do you think a traditional controller is really going to bring back the third parties? Why should they support the NX when they can stick with what they already have?

Gimmicks is not what is/were "killing" Nintendo consoles, it was is too much emphasis on gimmicks. The third parties weren't fleeing the Wii, in it's last years, because of the "unconventional" Wiimote, they were fleeing because the console was too under powered to handle PS3/360 ports (consoles that were very profitable for them). The Gamepad is pretty much a traditional controller with a big screen, but it was too expensive and diverted costs from power processing into it.

And I feel that people asking for a traditional controller are not thinking in the consequences for the marketing. It may make the NX a more preferable console for them, but it could pretty much kill it against the current AND future competitors. I feel that the NX is going to need a gimmick, be it in a controller or the console itself, to stand a chance.
 
I love Nintendo's unconventional approach to controllers.

I enjoy the fresh challenge of getting accustomed to a new layout, and playing both traditional and non-traditional games a new way.

For me, the more memorable games that past 7 years have been the ones that were impossible to play using the conventional scheme -- this includes Wii, Kinect, and DS titles.
 
Dear Nintendo, please just give us the option to use our Wii U Pro Controllers, or release an NX version of them and we'll all be happy.

I'd really like to avoid being forced to use something like this:
latest
 

Anth0ny

Member
By the time the NX with a regular controller releases (presumably 2016), it will be in a market with two established competitors, both in sales and 3rd party support, (PS4 and XOne) AND with regular controllers too. And in maybe two or three years they will have successors too with traditional controllers and even more power (probably more than the NX).

How do you expect NX to stand up to PS4 and XOne without a gimmick? Do you think a traditional controller is really going to bring back the third parties? Why should they support the NX when they can stick with what they already have?

Gimmicks is not what is/were "killing" Nintendo consoles, it was is too much emphasis on gimmicks. The third parties weren't fleeing the Wii, in it's last years, because of the "unconventional" Wiimote, they were fleeing because the console was too under powered to handle PS3/360 ports (consoles that were very profitable for them). The Gamepad is pretty much a traditional controller with a big screen, but it was too expensive and diverted costs from power processing into it.

And I feel that people asking for a traditional controller are not thinking in the consequences for the marketing. It may make the NX a more preferable console for them, but it could pretty much kill it against the current AND future competitors. I feel that the NX is going to need a gimmick, be it in a controller or the console itself, to stand a chance.

their gimmick is "great first party games"

always has been, always will be

you don't need a weird, shitty controller that third parties hate to do that
 

sörine

Banned
D-pad, ABXY buttons, scrollable shoulder wheels with button press, dual analog with button press, start/select/home, gyro/tilt, 3.33 inch 240p capactive touchscreen. Identical accross NX handheld and console.
 

Tobor

Member
I wouldn't mind them ripping off the touchpads and haptics from the Steam Controller. Assuming they can make it work correctly.

Otherwise a simple dual analog setup seems like the best option.
 
New controllers are good for innovation... but it's a big risk.

Wii remote brought some of the best gameplay mechanics, Gamepad too but people are afraid of change and even if almost every Wii U game can be played with the Wii U pro controller they still focus on the big ugly Gamepad.
Also not having that many games using the Gamepad the best way makes the thing looking like an option rather than the main controller... bad Nintendo, bad !

So new controller based on Wii U pro controller (almost nothing to change really, the thing is so soft hmmmm) and then optional gameplay mechanics using the portable NX maybe? (but not something like the Wii U where you have all options possible but at the end none seems to really stands out).

Edit: lol at people talking about "gimmicks"... gaming is serious business for sure when gameplay is the same for the 5 past years in most of the big franchises (even so similar you could mistake Uncharted 4 for Uncharted 2 Remastered...
this part is a joke of course... even if sadly gameplay in Uncharted has to evolve! Look at Assassin's Creed... its dying because of the lack of innovation
)
 

AppleBlade

Member
What I want is unpopular and not what most people want.

a Wii U Gamepad (updated to modern tech by being smaller, thinner and with a larger battery and better touch screen).

a Wii remote and Nunchuk IN THE BOX!

I still like the idea of Assymetrical multiplayer but without putting a wii remote in the box it became an after thought.

The Gamepad can support traditional games. Nintendo just needs to work on their online infastructure, hardware capabilities, and API's and some type of incentive to lure 3rd parties.

In addition to working with third parties they need to go to the Engine/middleware companies. Find out what Epic, Crytek, Havok, Unity, etc. want in the hardware and make their lives easy.
 

oni-link

Member
And I feel that people asking for a traditional controller are not thinking in the consequences for the marketing. It may make the NX a more preferable console for them, but it could pretty much kill it against the current AND future competitors. I feel that the NX is going to need a gimmick, be it in a controller or the console itself, to stand a chance.

Nintendo stands out from the other two consoles by having Nintendo games, no one who wants Nintendo games is going to buy an XB1 or PS4 because the new Nintendo system has a standard controller

People who want Nintendo games will buy the NX if it has a standard controller, they'll buy it if it has a new gamepad, they'll buy it if its controlled by slamming your head against a wall, because they like Nintendo games

That said, there are a lot of people who, like the Wii U, won't by the NX if it has another gimmicky controller (just look at the majority of people in this thread, just look at the Wii U sales)

It makes business sense to release it with a standard controller for this reason alone, it will alienate the fewest number of people and it will keep the overall cost down
 

Cyd0nia

Banned
For me, ideally:

  • Bundled: Standard controller.
    The Wii U pro controller is great, but it needs analog shoulder buttons for racers and flight sims, and I think dedicated share / capture buttons are gonna become the norm. Not too sure I like the roller shoulder button patent, it'd be great for weapons/inventory cycling, but I think it'd feel naff for aforementioned racers, flight sims etc.​
  • Available at launch or soon after: Wii Remote Mk III
    A totally new take on the Wii remote would be surprising and awesome. I don't think they're acting on VR yet, but if they ever do - new motion controls would be amazing. The concept behind the Oculus controller is insane. Actually, if they wanna just talk to Facebook and get Oculus support, I'm okay with that.​
  • NX Handheld compatability: The new handheld functions pretty much exactly as the Wii U gamepad does today, but anywhere.
    Zelda on my toilet. Zelda on your toilet. Mario Kart on everybody's toilet. And on the train.​
 
For me, ideally:

  • Bundled: Standard controller.
    The Wii U pro controller is great, but it needs analog shoulder buttons for racers and flight sims, and I think dedicated share / capture buttons are gonna become the norm. Not too sure I like the roller shoulder button patent, it'd be great for weapons/inventory cycling, but I think it'd feel naff for aforementioned racers, flight sims etc.​
  • Available at launch or soon after: Wii Remote Mk III
    A totally new take on the Wii remote would be surprising and awesome. I don't think they're acting on VR yet, but if they ever do - new motion controls would be amazing. The concept behind the Oculus controller is insane. Actually, if they wanna just talk to Facebook and get Oculus support, I'm okay with that.​
  • NX Handheld compatability: The new handheld functions pretty much exactly as the Wii U gamepad does today, but anywhere.
    Zelda on my toilet. Zelda on your toilet. Mario Kart on everybody's toilet. And on the train.​

I like this scenario.
 

Brickhunt

Member
Nintendo stands out from the other two consoles by having Nintendo games, no one who wants Nintendo games is going to buy an XB1 or PS4 because the new Nintendo system has a standard controller

People who want Nintendo games will buy the NX if it has a standard controller, they'll buy it if it has a new gamepad, they'll buy it if its controlled by slamming your head against a wall, because they like Nintendo games

That said, there are a lot of people who, like the Wii U, won't by the NX if it has another gimmicky controller (just look at the majority of people in this thread, just look at the Wii U sales)

It makes business sense to release it with a standard controller for this reason alone, it will alienate the fewest number of people and it will keep the overall cost down
PS4 and XOne and their successors won’t and will never have Nintendo games, that we can agree with, but the people who buy Nintendo games are just not enough anymore, as we all can see by looking at Nintendo sales and the early announcement of the NX.

Giving the NX a standard controller will just put Nintendo at direct competition with the XOne and the PS4. In order to cannibalize their market, Nintendo would have to make the NX more powerful than them, which may conquer them a sizable audience, but will also put the NX at risk when the competition’s more powerful successors arrive in the market, unless Nintendo is willing to cut down its life to release a NX2. Not to metion current Wii U users that will feel burned by the early death of the console they bought.

A gimmick controller may alienate people like in this thread, but I doubt all these people who really give up a gimmicky NX if it has good games and solid third party support. The problem is that the gimmick needs to be balanced with the other console’s needs.

The Wii had a cheap gimmick and low power and it worked for them in the short term, but it hurted them at the end, when ports from X360/Ps3 games weren’t viable at all.

The Wii U had an expensive gimmick and low power compared to the competition, and this expensive gimmick in particular reverted everything the Wii brought (viable motion sensoring and IR aiming).

The NX can and, in my opinion, should have a gimmick, but it just needs to be cheap enough to not impact processing power.
 

oni-link

Member
PS4 and XOne and their successors won’t and will never have Nintendo games, that we can agree with, but the people who buy Nintendo games are just not enough anymore, as we all can see by looking at Nintendo sales and the early announcement of the NX.

Giving the NX a standard controller will just put Nintendo at direct competition with the XOne and the PS4. In order to cannibalize their market, Nintendo would have to make the NX more powerful than them, which may conquer them a sizable audience, but will also put the NX at risk when the competition’s more powerful successors arrive in the market, unless Nintendo is willing to cut down its life to release a NX2. Not to metion current Wii U users that will feel burned by the early death of the console they bought.

A gimmick controller may alienate people like in this thread, but I doubt all these people who really give up a gimmicky NX if it has good games and solid third party support. The problem is that the gimmick needs to be balanced with the other console’s needs.

The Wii had a cheap gimmick and low power and it worked for them in the short term, but it hurted them at the end, when ports from X360/Ps3 games weren’t viable at all.

The Wii U had an expensive gimmick and low power compared to the competition, and this expensive gimmick in particular reverted everything the Wii brought (viable motion sensoring and IR aiming).

The NX can and, in my opinion, should have a gimmick, but it just needs to be cheap enough to not impact processing power.

The bolded are contradictory points, if people buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games, then they're not competing with the other systems, as they don't have Nintendo games.

You're describing a situation where someone who loves Nintendo games chooses a PS4 over the NX because it has the same controller, despite the fact it has no Nintendo games (which is what they like) That is just not going to happen. No one who currently has a Wii U wouldn't have bought one if it launched with the pro, because they bought the Wii U to play Nintendo games.

How many people do you think bought the Wii U for second screen gaming, but wouldn't have done so if it launched with a standard controller?

A gimmick controller with alienate everyone other than the few million Nintendo fans that will buy anything that lets them play Nintendo games, because the kind of people that don't play on consoles or PC play on mobiles or tablets, which they already own. Who else are they marketing the NX at? Kids that are too young for smart phones? Luddite pensioners? There is no one else, and the people that buy a lot of games prefer playing with a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse, and almost every game is designed around those input devices

That's not to say they're the best, or that there are not cool things you can also do with other devices, but do you want Nintendo to innovate with a console that sells 5m and dies, or do you want them to succeed and launch a platform that supports dozens of great games?

I'm fine with them offering second screen gaming, or motion/pointer controls, or tablet/handheld integration with the NX, in fact, it would be silly not to, but make the primary controller a standard one, then use the games to prove why getting the gimmicks is worthwhile

On Wii U, I'd use the pro for everything if I could, and I don't even dislike the gamepad, I just like the pro a lot more, and rarely does the gamepad bring enough to the table to make me want to use the inferior controller.

By all means give us choice, but make the default choice the instantly recognisable industry standard, not something most people might not give a shit about, and whatever you do, don't hike up the price of the system in order to feed us gimmicks
 

jpax

Member
sörine;182988446 said:
D-pad, ABXY buttons, scrollable shoulder wheels with button press, dual analog with button press, start/select/home, gyro/tilt, 3.33 inch 240p capactive touchscreen. Identical accross NX handheld and console.

That sounds awesome! Only thing I would hope for is a better resolution like 960x540 or so.
 

Josh5890

Member
Wouldn't this be a controller that would last for multiple NX systems? Isn't the going rumor that the NX is something that could be updated every couple of years like cell phones?
 

Nerrel

Member
I'll echo what a lot of people have said- a Wii U Pro with gyro + magnetometer and better analogs (or even something new, like trackpads) would be great. I love the U Pro, but the analogs are nowhere near as high quality as the DS4- they have a lot of jitter and very inaccurate center points, requiring big dead zones. The lack of gyro aiming also pisses me off when I use it... I find myself tilting it every now and then and having to remember it's not going to work.

I don't want analog triggers because they suck and do nothing for 95% of games. The face buttons being on bottom is a great design and they really need to keep it- a symmetrical D-pad/button layout is the most comfortable way to play retro games, and having both thumbs in the primary top positions is the most comfortable way to play modern games. It's a better, more logical layout than staggering, and the people complaining about it just haven't bothered to get used to it. The only problem is that the buttons themselves aren't placed ideally, so Y is too hard to hit. Angling them differently or grouping more tightly would solve it.


I'd also be perfectly happy with a Wii remote update that added more buttons and a magnetometer, but I'm not holding out hope. IR aiming was too good to just walk away from and bury after just one generation.


Whatever they do, I'm hoping very hard that they don't include a screen again. It was totally impractical and was nowhere near useful enough to justify the expense, especially considering how the cheap CPU ended up being too weak to even run 360 ports without framerate issues.
If the two screen concept will survive it should be through the NX handheld. They're both set to use the same OS and have greater connectivity than past systems, so it should be easily possible. That way, they can keep the costs down for the console without giving up off TV/ dual screen / backwards compatibility.
 

KevinCow

Banned
I hope to see something more standard than the Wiimote or Gamepad, but still something new and interesting. I think the Wiimote and Gamepad scared away too many gamers who are afraid of change, so it would be a bad idea to go that route again, but I think there are things they could add or change without scaring those types away. Like:

- Keep the Wii U screen idea, but make it smaller so it fits on a normal sized controller. Think something the size of the PS4's touchpad, or even something with a vertical aspect ratio like a cell phone screen. Furthermore, make it so that it can be turned off to conserve battery power.

- Replace one or both of the bumpers with scroll wheels, and add flippers in the back of the controller where the middle fingers rest.

- Touch sensitive buttons, like the one you find on Blackberries. This would give the buttons two distinct actions - touch and press - and you could also slide your thumb around on a button to control something. I could think of some interesting UI implementations for this.

Or anything, really. I just miss the days when you didn't know what to expect out of the next generation's controllers. It's all so predictable now.
 
They should just release the software and let people implement the control schemes to various mobile phones and other controllers.
 

Fou-Lu

Member
I would really like them to keep the controller screen for maps and menus and the like, just make it smaller so it'll fit a less bulky controller. Otherwise go for a gamecube controller mixed with a Wii U pro controller. Still interesting in seeing those scroll wheels too.
 

Vbrasa

Member
Just want something with a D-pad, two analog sticks, a handful a buttons, and hey maybe a gyroscope or whatever you call it. I just don't wanna have to shake a stick to make my characters jump. If I wanted to move around, I'd go outside.
 
The GC controller is incredibly overrated around this parts. It was great for playing Smash Bros Melee but that was it. The only thing they did right was putting the right stick below the face buttons (instead of the WiiU stubbornly doing it backwards) and even then the C nipple nub-stick sucked ass.

-No clickable sticks.
-Outdated polygonal stick base instead of just round
-Weird ass face buttons (I'll admit this is more a Iove it or hate it thing)
-Only one whatever-the-hell buttons (Start)
-Horribly cheap and weirdly asymmetrical Z button.
-Microscopic D-pad
-A good idea about the analog triggers, too bad they suck ass and were perfected later on the 360.

Fix these and then we're talking. But I'm afraid the changes would need to be too many to say it would still feel and look like a GC controller.
 

oni-link

Member
Something completely different, so that developers who learn to develop for it won't be able to use that knowledge anywhere else. Ideally, the NX controller will also making porting games to/from the system expensive and difficult.

The hilarious thing is this is legitimately what some people want
 

AzaK

Member
Just a standard easy to use game pad with no bullshit.

Basically this. At most add something like PS4's touch pad which I think is actually a good idea, even if it's just for text input.

They will have those clickable scroll wheels too I guess.
 

gunstarhero

Member
Nope. Just because people got used to the Xbox controller layout..it doesn't make that right.

Primary control should be at the top on both sides, secondary below.

Agree to disagree then - i want my thumb as close as possible to the primary button used in most games ("B" on the WiiU in this case).
 
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