Do you think we will see another revolution in console controller inputs that will change gaming?

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onQ123

Member
I remember Atari with the Joystick & Paddle before Sega & Nintendo came along with the dpad . The dpad remains on controllers today, then came along shoulder buttons thumb sticks , triggers & vibration that all became standard on controllers today.

Everyone kinda split off into different directions in the Wii /PS3 & Xbox 360 generation with no new uniformed standards across all platforms.

The Wiimote was a revolution for Nintendo consoles with the inputs still being the standard on Switch & Switch 2 today.


I can't say that Sixaxis or the touch pad was a revolution for PlayStation because they remained optional features without games being built around them but Gyro controls are catching on lately so there is a chance it will become a standard across all platforms next generation.



Do you think anything will come along & change gaming again & make everyone say ok this is the way to go & add it to their controller?
 
It'll be direct brain interface, but god knows which company would be brave enough to try that with a console first.

Mothers won't buy little Timmy something he has to plug into his head.
 
VR controls needs more buttons. The Quest 3 is kind of limited I think they need a giant Xbox/PS button for menu/os things and more buttons for game related things.
It gets confusing when running Steam on the Quest 3 and the limited buttons make things awkwards with what menu takes precedent.
OR maybe get that eye control thing as standard on all VR devices. Right now eye tracking is a forgotten afterthough in games.
 
Hookshot said:
It'll be direct brain interface, but god knows which company would be brave enough to try that with a console first.

Mothers won't buy little Timmy something he has to plug into his head.
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I was thinking something a little more simple like a stroll wheel or touch sensitive nipple on the back of the controller slow down Elon 😂
 
The haptics the dualsense have are pretty amazing when implemented properly. Most games do make real use of it and it's a shame. I definitely adds another dimension to feeling the game world. Otherwise we really need to have hall sensors or better and at least two back buttons (preferably 4) standardized.

For the prices 1st parties are charging already (and some 3rd party) all this should be included already
 
I'm convinced that the next revolutionary set up wont be until VR normalizes the ability to play games without wands of any kind.

Everything else has pretty much already been done in a traditional format and I dont believe the switch 2's mouse controls will take off outside of first party titles
 
Codes 208 said:
I'm convinced that the next revolutionary set up wont be until VR normalizes the ability to play games without wands of any kind.

Everything else has pretty much already been done in a traditional format and I dont believe the switch 2's mouse controls will take off outside of first party titles
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I love the PSVR2 controllers and it made me realizehow much I liked PS Move waggling.
 
No. If we were going to see it, we would have seen it by now. We've had track balls, accelerometers, touchpads, etc. and there have been multiple attempts. I don't think the touchpad on the PS4/PS5 controller is a meaningful addition to the Dual Shock controller. It's still there, but obviously it's not clutch given the same games come out on PC where I play with an Xbox controller and never need the touchpad.

VR/AR have recently tried motion controls and the gesture stuff like Apple has with their Vision thing. Motion controllers are fine for VR, but VR is a very niche market. Gestures are fine for casual games on a flat screen device, but they don't offer anything meaningful over a button press or joystick movement.

For the big selling games, the landscape has been explored and the modern controller with dual sticks and ten(ish) interactivity buttons is the best balance. I don't see that changing any time soon. They can put little stuff around the edges like the haptics and adaptive trigger resistance, but it's still a modern controller.
 
Steam Deck already has the answer. The Steam controller is an abomination but the Deck's controls are so good. Removable mice like the Legion and Switch 2 won't catch on cause they require a flat surface to use.
 
rm082e said:
No. If we were going to see it, we would have seen it by now. We've had track balls, accelerometers, touchpads, etc. and there have been multiple attempts.
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I've always wondered if gamepads would be better if the right thumb stick was replaced with a thumb controlled track ball since much of the time it's used for aiming. I haven't seen that yet. (But I'm guessing if it was ever offered nobody would use it even if it was better.)
 
dave_d said:
I've always wondered if gamepads would be better if the right thumb stick was replaced with a thumb controlled track ball since much of the time it's used for aiming. I haven't seen that yet. (But I'm guessing if it was ever offered nobody would use it even if it was better.)
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Having played with the Steam controller, I'm going to tell you emphatically: NO. Having a hard boundary like the ring on a thumbstick is crucial. When you can just scroll with a trackball or trackpad infinitely, but the cursor/camera has a software boundary, it creates a disconnect that's very difficult to deal with. You try to turn the camera fast, but overshoot, then when you try to correct, the spot on the pad where your thumb is doesn't line up logically with the motion of the camera.

I thought the steam controller was going to be a big advantage over a standard joystick, but let me tell you - it was such a hinderance, it made 3D action games (first or third person) basically unplayable. I went back to a standard Xbox One controller within a few hours. I even tried multiple times and found the same thing each time.
 
Yes, there's one potential thing. The technology isn't good enough right now. But the brain controller. Being able to interact with your game using your thinking. Brain wave recognition.

Yes it exists and it's a real thing already.

Gonna be the next Wii IMO..
 
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tye sheridan GIF by Ready Player One

The next true controller revolution won't happen until Ready Player One becomes reality.
 
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We (well, able-bodied people anyway) have two feet left totally unused for games. You could track their movement from left to right or simple paddle presses. They could offer additional precise inputs. The obvious use would be car games.
 
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tr1p1ex said:
Only 18 days until a console controller has mouse input for each hand.
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As cool as that sounds...I hope 3rd parties make it more ergonomic somehow. I can definitely see myself playing it old-school style, but plunking down my joycon for a sniper shot. It already sounds badass in my head.
 
IMO next part will be normalized back buttons.
Anyone who used Elite/Pro controller will know, once you get used to them, there is no going back.

It just gives us more options / buttons to use with the remaining / resting fingers.
Things like touch or gloves are not accurate enough for action games.

For VR / Quest I would love if they could use the PS/Xbox button layouts.
So many games are not working fully for me, because some buttons are missing.

For the next level or innovation:, something like a brain link.
 
RaZoR No1 said:
IMO next part will be normalized back buttons.
Anyone who used Elite/Pro controller will know, once you get used to them, there is no going back.

It just gives us more options / buttons to use with the remaining / resting fingers.
Things like touch or gloves are not accurate enough for action games.

For VR / Quest I would love if they could use the PS/Xbox button layouts.
So many games are not working fully for me, because some buttons are missing.

For the next level or innovation:, something like a brain link.
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Standard on Switch 2, even if you're putting the joycons into the controller adapter. 🧠 It almost seems like Nintendo's not talking this feature up enough. Also on the pro controller.
 
Maybe brain wave controls with some form of vr.

I'm personally waiting on TVs to be replaced with 3d holographic projections . Where you can sit on the couch but be totally immersed around you.
 
Deerock71 said:
Standard on Switch 2, even if you're putting the joycons into the controller adapter. 🧠 It almost seems like Nintendo's not talking this feature up enough. Also on the pro controller.
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do you mean the GR / GL buttona on the Pro 2 ?
It is the same feature as on the Elite/ Edge controller.

What I meant was, new / additonal buttons, not remapping the existing omes to the back
 
S0ULZB0URNE said:
Track ball instead of a right analog is perfection.
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Trackball & Stroll wheel was some of the things I was thinking about that lead me into making this thread.

Momentum based input could add some fun back to gaming . But we would probably end up with a bunch of bowling games
 
Vita's back touch had potential and would have been better than the touch pads on top of the PS4 & PS5 controllers.
 
rodrigolfp said:
Mouse =/= Wiimote pointer.

Switch 1 could have pointer controls like the Wii yet almost no one used it?? o.O
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It's used in quite a lot of games. It's not as good though, because it's gyro-based and will drift pretty quickly, unlike the Wiimote which had an absolute reference point.
 
onQ123 said:
Trackball & Stroll wheel was some of the things I was thinking about that lead me into making this thread.

Momentum based input could add some fun back to gaming . But we would probably end up with a bunch of bowling games
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I want it for that precise aiming and menu navigation.
 
Gyro aiming as an option should absolutely be the standard by now.

The other obvious improvement is back paddles.

Neither would exactly allow new types of gameplay though.
 
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