7th December 2005, 12:20 AM
Thank you DMiller, but it looks like some people think that man is born with the instinctive ability to play video games (though we are born with instincts to accomplish goals :D)
new·bie Audio pronunciation of "newbie" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nb, ny-)
n. Slang
One that is new to something, especially a novice at using computer technology or the Internet.
Controller 'A' has buttons of different sizes and locations so that each button has a different feel and look as well as a color coded system with colors assigned to each button.
Controller B has uniform buttons with no difference in the feel or look save for a color coded system.
Which controller is the newbie going to learn or master first? Which controller offers a greater possibility of pick up and play? Which controller has more thought put in to it regarding the above?
I completely agree that someone would realize that B is next to A. But if the message appears "Press X to grab, use B to throw, pick up health with Y" You will have to look at the controller to make sure you're pressing the correct buttons as opposed to feeling for them. As people have said here, once you are familiar with the controller it's easy. My argument is that getting familiar with the XBox controller is less intuitive and more frustrating because the button layout has no tactile difference.
It's funny that Miller brought up the DS. The button layout here has no tactile difference, just a color coded system like XBox. But let's keep in mind that in the design of this handheld, you are always looking at the screen and the controller simultaneously. As opposed to holding the controller out of sight (in the lap) while looking at the display.
What i mean by color coded system, is tht when playing an XBpx or 360 game, if it tells you to press X, the X appears on the screen in a blue bubble because the X on the controller is blue. This means that in the engineering of the controller Microsoft made the conscious decision to create a controller that you will need to LOOK AT to familiarize yourself with it. With Nintendo, they took a route in the engineering that would allow players to familiarize themselves with the controller through tactile feedback so that they can keep their eyes on the screen.
Since video games require a display device for the player to interact with the digital worlds, it seems to make more sense to go th Nintendo route rather than the Microsoft or PS2 route as anything that diverts your eyes from the display is something all game developers and players want to avoid.
Now to Paco, not at any time did I make this thread with the idea of bashing the system. You have no idea how much I want PDZ and Kameo. :D All I wanted to do was complain about certain aspects of the system. Spending 500 dollars or more for a system that doesn't meet my standards for what I know from college or other study to be 'better' in design principals seems stupid to me, I also was disappointed by th graphical quality of the games which again, do not justify a 500 dollar purchase.
When I bash a system or company, you'll know it.
And before anyone starts saying it's not 500 just keep in mind that the optimized package is 400, games are 50, controllers are 50 (I would need atleast two), with tax its even more than 500. Going for a core system, it comes out to more than 500 (over 600) if you want all the extras (which I do).
My complaints in this thread have nothing to do with me liking Nintendo more or thinking they are a better company. It would be no different if I was complaining about a movie I had recently seen, any bias towards cetain people on the crew would have no influence in my factor of enjoyment. We are not logical computers, so I can say "I love Steven Spielberg films" and then say "A.I. sucked" and you would understand. Instead what is happening is that your bias towards Microsoft and their products is dictating your leap in logic to defend a design principal that is factually unsound if only in that is an irritation - hence my complants and your jump to "but even a mentally defective innocuous vegetable can learn how to use such and such controller!" which actually has nothing to do with my argument.
new·bie Audio pronunciation of "newbie" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nb, ny-)
n. Slang
One that is new to something, especially a novice at using computer technology or the Internet.
Controller 'A' has buttons of different sizes and locations so that each button has a different feel and look as well as a color coded system with colors assigned to each button.
Controller B has uniform buttons with no difference in the feel or look save for a color coded system.
Which controller is the newbie going to learn or master first? Which controller offers a greater possibility of pick up and play? Which controller has more thought put in to it regarding the above?
I completely agree that someone would realize that B is next to A. But if the message appears "Press X to grab, use B to throw, pick up health with Y" You will have to look at the controller to make sure you're pressing the correct buttons as opposed to feeling for them. As people have said here, once you are familiar with the controller it's easy. My argument is that getting familiar with the XBox controller is less intuitive and more frustrating because the button layout has no tactile difference.
It's funny that Miller brought up the DS. The button layout here has no tactile difference, just a color coded system like XBox. But let's keep in mind that in the design of this handheld, you are always looking at the screen and the controller simultaneously. As opposed to holding the controller out of sight (in the lap) while looking at the display.
What i mean by color coded system, is tht when playing an XBpx or 360 game, if it tells you to press X, the X appears on the screen in a blue bubble because the X on the controller is blue. This means that in the engineering of the controller Microsoft made the conscious decision to create a controller that you will need to LOOK AT to familiarize yourself with it. With Nintendo, they took a route in the engineering that would allow players to familiarize themselves with the controller through tactile feedback so that they can keep their eyes on the screen.
Since video games require a display device for the player to interact with the digital worlds, it seems to make more sense to go th Nintendo route rather than the Microsoft or PS2 route as anything that diverts your eyes from the display is something all game developers and players want to avoid.
Now to Paco, not at any time did I make this thread with the idea of bashing the system. You have no idea how much I want PDZ and Kameo. :D All I wanted to do was complain about certain aspects of the system. Spending 500 dollars or more for a system that doesn't meet my standards for what I know from college or other study to be 'better' in design principals seems stupid to me, I also was disappointed by th graphical quality of the games which again, do not justify a 500 dollar purchase.
When I bash a system or company, you'll know it.
And before anyone starts saying it's not 500 just keep in mind that the optimized package is 400, games are 50, controllers are 50 (I would need atleast two), with tax its even more than 500. Going for a core system, it comes out to more than 500 (over 600) if you want all the extras (which I do).
My complaints in this thread have nothing to do with me liking Nintendo more or thinking they are a better company. It would be no different if I was complaining about a movie I had recently seen, any bias towards cetain people on the crew would have no influence in my factor of enjoyment. We are not logical computers, so I can say "I love Steven Spielberg films" and then say "A.I. sucked" and you would understand. Instead what is happening is that your bias towards Microsoft and their products is dictating your leap in logic to defend a design principal that is factually unsound if only in that is an irritation - hence my complants and your jump to "but even a mentally defective innocuous vegetable can learn how to use such and such controller!" which actually has nothing to do with my argument.