SIXAXIS Rumble Version Strongly Suggested 86
Next Generation is reporting that a rumble-enabled version of the PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS controller may be on the way. At the moment its existence is still theory, but there are some facts to back it up. Immersion has entered into a partnership with a 3rd party company to make accessories for the PS3. Additionally: "Sony reportedly informed Kotaku that rumble is definitely coming to PS3, it's just a matter of when, and this latest press release from Immersion certainly raises the possibility that it could be in September. 'Under the terms of the license, these products will now bear Immersion's Feel The Game TouchSense Technology logo,' reads the press release from which the news emanated."
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Some games tend to use it when anything is going on in the environment which I think is overdoing it. Sadly it's overused in too many games. When it's used right it can add just the right amount of influence to make you feel more immersed into the experience of what you are doing - This is quite rare, but when it happens it's still impressive.
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A little quiver when I hit a boundary or bump when I am over an active area would be great.
The wiimote shows this effect quite nicely, just put it in the mouse.
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Hmmm ya I want my mouse to quiver too when I go over certain bumps. Hmm and those active areas, maybe I could get some audio and visual feedback too. Porn at a new level...lol
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Not Useless! (Score:2)
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and it's great with the Wii, where you're holding the remote up to click on the button- For its celebrated ease of use, I have seen a lot of people who push the A button so hard that they move the cursor away from the button. The neutral state of the Wii's remotes are "sitting in your lap".
A mouse has a neutral state of "Staying exactly where it was", so it's not as difficult to click with pixel-perfect accuracy.
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As someone who has accidentally closed a window when I wanted to zoom it - and more than once - I disagree :-)
The mouse is more precise, but you also think less and work faster when using it.
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Welcome to 2001, where Logitech is about to release its new line of iFeel mice [dansdata.com] based on Immersion's TouchSense technology.
As it turns out, rumble in a mouse wasn't all that great. Sure, it was a neat little trick initially, but ultimately there was no support for it but for a very few games. Logitech killed the iFeel line of mice relatively quickly.
That said, I do agree with you that the Wii's pointer feedback is helpful. Part of that is becaus
Wow...this really is news for nerds... (Score:1)
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On your same reasoning, I'll say:
It's 2007! How come the hottest Microsoft console doesn't have motion sensing controllers? Or Bluetooth? Or flash memory support? Or USB ports? Or hard drives standard? Or Gigabit Ethernet? Or HD-Disc standard? Or HDMI? Or free online play?
The list goes on, and yes, it's stupid.
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The previous installments were the only games I've played where rumble actually contributed to gameplay.
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First, Metal Gear Solid's release date in North America was October 1998, a month prior to Ocarina of Time.
Although I would argue that in both cases the rumble really did nothing for the gameplay. MGS used it as a gimmick. The controller shook when you were discovered, which definitely added something to the experience, but really did nothing gameplay wise. It also shook when using the sniper rifle unless you took the Diazapan. I think it also shook when you were hit. In every other case, it was used for
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It was also one of the few games where one was made acutely aware that the R and L buttons on the PS2 had more than two states...
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MGS2 had a "heartbeat sensor". Very useful. Strength of the beat varied with distance.
Another example of something that, while enhanced by rumble, doesn't actually need it. It could have been done by a beating light on the screen. (As I recall, the PC version of Rainbow Six did something like that with their heartbeat sensor.)
It was also one of the few games where one was made acutely aware that the R and L buttons on the PS2 had more than two states...
Not to mention the Square button. Press lightly to aim, hard to fire...
"Freeze!"
RAT-AT-AT-AT-AT! Alert!
"DAMNIT!"
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I still remember the first time I tried the "controllers that shake". When you shot a weapon, it shook. When you crashed your car, it shook. When you blew up an enemy, it shook. No matter what was happening on the screen in the game, all you had was the thing shaking. It quickly became something of a joke, as if exactly the same so
Rumble is needed for some games (Score:2)
Yes (Score:2)
That's so last gen... (Score:2, Insightful)
But I digress, I don't need it anymore now that I have motion sensitive bluetooth IR tracking Wiimotes.
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s/manufacturers/Immersion/. All of Sony's talk about rumble screwing up the motion sensitive SIXAXIS was just a bunch of crap intended to cover up the fact that they refused to settle Immersion's patent lawsuit like Microsoft and Nintendo did. They finally settled, which is why they're talking about bringing back rumble, but like
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Another one bites the dust! (Score:1)
How come sony lawyers where not able to find some "prior art" you know... a motor with an unbalanced axis! heh
I think for women and... a vibrator could be considerated a "Joy Stick"!!!!
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A motor with an unbalanced weight to create a vibrator goes a long way back - think steam power vibrators (I'm at work otherwise would provide a link). Pagers and other more non-erotic controllers have had them long before immersion ever thought of a patent.
So a 100 years of prior art for the lawyers. But we are talking about the Dual-shock controller here; as in two vibrating motors in a controller. Immersion patented the
Now they listen (Score:2)
Will they upgrade already released games to include support through a patch?
Not
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Presumably the PS3 was always capable of sending rumble commands to the controllers (after all, the original PlayStation didn't ship with rumble-capable controllers and the DualShock was added to it later). So people who already own a PS3 will just have to buy new controllers. If I owned a PS3 I'd be ticked off, but it's not like I'd have to run out and buy a new PS3.
Then again, I always suspected that Sony would do something like this and was planning on waiting until after rumble support was readded bef
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Apparently some games already support rumble and will use it when rumble controllers are released. The API's and every
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As the PS3/Xbox 360 fanboys love to point out, the Wii and PS3/Xbox 360 "aren't competing with each other" (I disagree, but anyway). I already have a Wii, which means that when looking at the other two consoles I'm only comparing them with each other.
So in order for me to choose a PS3 over an Xbox 360, it'd have to be worth getting. Having a worthwhile online service would be one reason to get it. Having it cost less than the Xbox 360 would also work.
Of course, then there's the whole "games" factor, whi
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FSVO "highly desirable," "strong protests," and especially "their gamers." Most of the complaints came from people who were looking for any excuse to bash Sony; everyone who was honest with himself could admit that while losing rumble wasn't a good thing, it was hardly something that should be hyped up to the ex
Wait.... (Score:2)
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Again.
I am honestly curious how this will hit. How are current owners going to react to their controllers now being 'obsolete'. Will we see the rumble controllers packed with new systems? Patches for old games that don't have rumble?
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Patches on the PS3 are easy because every single one has a hard disk, but besides that, the API's have been there since day one, so a lot of titles actually already support it.
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Rob
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This is the killer feature! (Score:1, Flamebait)
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(Switzerland :-)
Tagged as... duh (Score:2)
If the Sixaxis isn't backwards compatible with the PS/2 emulation (both hardware and software) that would be BAD.
And while we're on the subject, Sony, take a cue from Microsoft and make external battery packs for the Sixaxis. You're SONY for cryin' out loud. You already manufacture battery packs for your various cameras and walkmen! Think of the extra sales of charges and batteries (hard core gamers will
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Well, until they burst into flames, that is.
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You did mention that you'd have to find the USB cable - which is a good point. Any USB cable with a mini end (same as digital cameras, etc) will work. You can buy a super long cabl
Great News!! (Score:1)
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I never understood Sony not selling the SIXAXIS as a PC controller too, if anything 2-3 ppl would buy em for that and that's a few extra bucks. How hard can a driver be to make for it?
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Logo required? Blech. (Score:4, Insightful)
Oh, great. 'Cause we all know that the reason why third party controllers are all so attractive is the delightfully gaudy logos that enhance their aesthetic appeal.
Seriously, though, this is part of why I really don't like third party controllers. They all look seriously tasteless compared to the standard controllers that most console companies come up with. (That and the shapes are always awkward feeling in comparison. Mad Catz, I'm looking at you.)
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http://www.logitech.com/repository/367/jpg/2646.1. 0.jpg [logitech.com]
Better than the Sony-one.
It's wireless. It's rounded, better to hold. There's *one* thumbswitch rather than the braindead 4-buttons-allthough-theyre-one-under-the-shell of the PS2 original controller. I personally also find it prettier than the original controller, but that's a matter of taste I guess.
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And the Logitech controllers for the PS2 are generally regarded as being superior to the originals as well.
How about force feedback? (Score:2)
http://kotaku.com/gaming/sixaxis/no-force-feedbac
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But can developers expect rumble? (Score:1)
If the new Metal Gear makes rumble integral to the gameplay, it will mean possibly millions of early adopters will have to buy new controllers.
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Rumble is subtle enough to where it wouldn't really be that hard to emulate it using on-screen features, and turn off those features when vibration is turned on. In MGS4 you might have to buy a new controller to get a slightly more immersive gameplay experience, but that would only really make a difference to the hardcore gamers who are going to buy new control
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But I'm wondering if this will be considered a basic feature of the console, and Sony will require all new games to use the rumble feature.
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They didn't with the PS2, which started with rumble. Plenty of games allowed you to turn it off, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were some that didn't even use it.
Rob
Have we also forgotten the incompatibility? (Score:1)
a reminder [gamesindustry.biz]
another reminder [hexus.net]
yet another reminder [ign.com]
I used to be a huge Sony fanboy, but between the pricing, the trainwreck release, the lack of decent titles, and their constant lying about things.... I'm fed up with them.
Why is rumble a feature and not a bug? (Score:1)
Oh well, back to rumble=off being the first thing I do with any new game.
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You mean on top of the bouncing breasts and areal moves that'd require a wire rig to pull off?
Finally... (Score:2)
Huge step back... (Score:2)
The whole rumble "debate" is so funny. Just about every mobile phone can rumble, my dishwasher can rumble, the washing machine is just far out, and Lord, does my car ever rumble on a bad road.
It's old news. And it's also useless. I want real force feedback that's actually telling me something about the environment, like proper racing wheels of the ancient MS Sidewinder sticks have; not some generic on/off crap, but something with actual direction to it.
Also, PS3 owners should be glad that there are new co