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[FortNinety]

To play Devil's Advocate, her heart may have been in the right place. With all of the buttons on a controller, it's very tempting to give the player as much actual control as possible. I can get behind that, as long as it's mitigated by a learning curve that's reasonable.

As I think it's been illustrated in previous posts, the number of buttons one needs for a game is many times directly connected with the genre it stems from.

In this case, I honestly felt a simple, third person platform title in which there was no rampant or deep weapons changing, and no additional items, did not need to use all 16 buttons (and I'm counting the analogue sticks with their click down action, as well as the each direction key on the D-pad as separate buttons as well) to simply move character, swing sword, jump over pit, and then repeat.

As for my boss/producer, she used to say so many idiotic statements regarding how people "really" played games (and of course, she confessed that she really didn't play many games herself, like everyone else in management) I used to keep a list and dot down all her amazing insights. I have it at home somewhere...

 

[xsarien]

As I think it's been illustrated in previous posts, the number of buttons one needs for a game is many times directly connected with the genre it stems from.

In this case, I honestly felt a simple, third person platform title in which there was no rampant or deep weapons changing, and no additional items, did not need to use all 16 buttons (and I'm counting the analogue sticks with their click down action, as well as the each direction key on the D-pad as separate buttons as well) to simply move character, swing sword, jump over pit, and then repeat.

Well, yeah. I was just trying to get a handle on what may drive that mentality in general.

As for my boss/producer, she used to say so many idiotic statements regarding how people "really" played games (and of course, she confessed that she really didn't play many games herself, like everyone else in management) I used to keep a list and dot down all her amazing insights. I have it at home somewhere...

It happens, but it's largely on or off. It either isolates people from the drek, so they can formulate genuinely good ideas without having to worry about apeing someone else's shit or trying to copy another success, or what happened to you: that there's such a large disconnect that it actually hampers things.

 

[FortNinety]

It happens, but it's largely on or off. It either isolates people from the drek, so they can formulate genuinely good ideas without having to worry about apeing someone else's shit or trying to copy another success, or what happened to you: that there's such a large disconnect that it actually hampers things.

Yeah.... though it was nice that they were so hands off the most part, you ultimately need some insight when all the comments you get from a well thought out game design is simply "it's not cool enough, make it cooler."

 

[teh_pwn]

"Let me guess: The only console controller you like is the original XBox "Duke," right? Judging by how many people I see playing GBAs on any given day - and given the range of ages - I think you should consider chalking that up to pure opinion."

No, that thing is poorly designed. The revised controller isn't that bad, but I like GC's pad and PS2's pad.

Gamecube's pad is godly in some games, like Metroid Prime and other Nintendo games.

But the controller lacks a decent D pad, and so in overall functionality for all genres, PS2 is the best.

But GBA is small and cramps hands.


I fail to see how Halo's sales on Xbox mean that the controls are better. Keyboard and mouse are more accurate and don't need auto aim and other nonsense to play.

PCs just have to ability for better controls. It has keyboard and mouse for RTS which is absolutely necessary. And the setup works better for FPS.

Then if you need a pad for platformers and sports, you can have that too.

 

[xsarien]

But GBA is small and cramps hands.

It cramps *your* hands. Don't assume everyone has the same issues with the GBA as you do.

 

[etiolate]

You give a new game player a modern controller, or someone who hasn't played a videogame since they were a kid a spin on the new console...their first words will almost always be "There are so many buttons!".

Simple controls is a poor wording for what is really meant as Inuitive controls. A control setup that's logical and easy to get into. This in no way reflects possible depth. Mario Tennis has simple and inuitive controls, but strategy and depth is always there.