WTF Sony!?

Linkmax · Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject: WTF Sony!?

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/705/705836p1.html

Gizmog1 · Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 11:46 pm Post subject:

Understand though, that while it's stealing the PRINCIPLE of the Wii's controller, it's not a patent or copyright case. Sony is using a Gyro, if I understand right, and if what I've read is correct, and my understanding of the technology is correct, that kind of a controller is going to have to be nearly constantly moving to maintain the effect.

Think of say, your average flight simulator and joystick. You push the stick left, the plane rolls left, and so long as you're holding the stick left, the plane's going to keep rolling that way. Then, you let go. The plane will quit turning left, and follow a straight line on that flightpath.

But, if my understanding of the system they're using is correct, the plane will roll left, if you roll the controller left, which you'll have to do kind of hard. And then, once you've rolled left, the gyro is going to recenter itself straight, as is your plane. So, to maintain a decent roll, you'd have to be moving the controller at a pretty decent rate to keep the gyro thingy going. Mind you, I might be wrong in this understanding, and it could be as simple as a wheel spinning inside the thing.

Bear in mind too, there's the usual array of buttons and sticks on this thing, so the motion detection may not always play a factor. I'd be miffed about the lack of rumble, if I thought I'd ever have 600 bucks to spend on one.

It's also gonna be kinda hard to spin or flip with two hands on the controller, but they may have an answer for that. I'll hold off judgement as a whole until I actually get a chance to use it.

The Wii, on the other hand, is using an accelerometer, or gyro or something in the nunchuk (Like the PS3), but the remote itself is actually monitored by a sensor or two you put near your TV, kind of like the Super Scope, and can (apparently) judge in 3 dimensions how the controller is tilted, flipped, aimed, or what have you. It works on an entirely separate idea. I'm actually pretty excited to see the full applications of it.

I'm not really surprised at Sony for pulling something like this, but, I think most signs point to it being a last second addition, and I think most game designers are probably going to ignore it as such.

Sadly, even though it's sneaky, and definitely stealing their IDEA, it's not stealing their technology, and thus isn't something Nintendo can sue for, which is the idea I've seen kicked around a few message boards. It'll be interesting for sure to see if Nintendo's got anything else up their sleeve, and how they intend to use the Wii's controller to the fullest extent.

LeRoy_Leo · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 9:22 am Post subject:

This is off topic, but you know, now that I've been exposed to that rediculous name, it's starting to grow on me...

Gizmog couldn't be more correct. And I think Sony is pathetic for adding the wireless/tracking feature last minute after their games were made. It will be a good thing to have, because we won't have people walking in front of the gamers and pulling their wires out or ending up with a tangled mess every time we pack our system up to bring somewhere. However, won't the tracking feature be useless unless they programmed the game to recognize it somehow? The wireless thing makes me realize this too; the Wii's controller will probably be very easy to lose... Like a remote (excuse the alusion)
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