E3 2006: PS3 Controller
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/705/705934p1.html
May 8, 2006 - The boomerang is out, and the DualShock is back in. Except, of course, that the new PS3 DualShock doesn't shock, and instead lets you shake it around to play. Unexpected? Yes. Disappointing? Perhaps. Plagiarism? We won't comment on that just yet...
The good news first: SCE is "jumping on the bandwagon" with motion control technology. The EyeToy is still going to be a giant accessory for PlayStation 3, but the main form for the "casuals" to get an easier hand on PS3 is the new "six axis of movement" control technology put into PS3. There are six axis of movement (described as "six degrees of movement" at the Sony pre-E3 conference). It understands roll, pitch and yaw, and "3-dimension acceleration information". You can move it around like a steering wheel, or like a Sit & Spin, or like you're shaking an Etch-A-Sketch, and you can even pull it up and down like you're ringing a bell. All of this is accomplished without additional motion sensing, unlike the Wii. Of course, the PS3 controller also won't be capable of as much versatility of motion of Nintendo's new console controller -- it has a wide range of movement, but not as open a sense of movement. The Wii, for example, lets you swing the controller as if it's a tennis racquet -- perhaps the PS3 controller will also work that way if the game is programmed correctly, but judging from previous controllers with similar tilt technology, we wouldn't bet on it. (In the meantime, the EyeToy can take care of that, but you will have to buy the accessory, and it might still not be as accurate as the Wii for most uses.)
Sony made no comment on how its competition had staked all of its console's potential on its unique controller input, other than saying that its own technology was a breakthrough for gaming. Our editorial team is divided on how impressive this addition is -- most comment that the Game Boy had the same types of controls years ago (and WarioWare: Twisted! even had force-feedback), while others say that since they have no interest in a Wii, it's good to have such intuitive gameplay features built into a full HD console. The internet rabble is more heavily divisive, with some planning on storming the gates at SCE to raze it for ripping off Nintendo. As to whether Nintendo has really been robbed from, that's a matter of debate -- Sony had experimentations and partnerships with motion-sensitive controllers (the same as it had plans before Xbox Live to do what Xbox Live does before Microsoft brought its product out), but the question still remains as to whether SCE would have bothered had Nintendo not come up with its gaming "revolution."
The PlayStation 3's controller still features its wireless compatibility promised at E3 2005, and connects up for charging to the PS3 via USB. This is likely the same USB size as is used to plug in your PSP, so while the system is wireless, you'll probably have a wire dangling from the USB plug for most of the system's lifespan. You can play wired, if you wish, via USB. There look to only be four-player compatibility for PS3, judging by the four lights up on top of the system (the PS3 can take up to seven wireless connections, but the other three slots are likely being saved for Bluetooth headsets and other wireless features.)
As we have previously mentioned, the PS3 controller will apparently no longer feature rumble capabilities. This apparently interferes with the DualShock's motion sensing capabilities (although we could imagine quite a few games that will not use the motion control and yet would really enjoy good ol' rumble.) No mention was made of the cost of replacement or extra PS3 controllers.
In other small news, the top trigger L2/R2 buttons have been enlarged slightly for better control and more analog sensitivity. The analog sticks have also been broadened for better control, with a technical boost from 8-bit sensitivity to 10-bit sensitivity.
As far as hands-on impressions, it certainly feels like the good ol' old times playing the new PS3 controller. Honestly, there isn't much to say about the PS3 controller that can't be easily demonstrated with your own PS2 dual shock. Just imagine a lighter, silver version of your current PS2 peripheral. The strange thing was that even though the controller wasn't as hefty, it completely avoids feeling cheap. The shoulder buttons and analogue sticks have a bit more spring to them, although that may have been wishful thinking and adrenaline left over from the MGS4 trailer.
As for the brand-new six degrees of freedom via its tilt sensitivity, Warhawk was the only game on display that currently makes use of the technology but it seems to work very well. Granted, being as Warhawk is a flight game and controlling a ship's yaw, pitch and such are never instant, it's difficult to say how the pad's freeform control will work in other titles, but it plays great with Warhawk.
While on the topic of borrowing ideas from other companies we noticed that there is a "guide" button in the center of the controller -- SCEA did not comment on this, and many of the developers at the show still had not been able to make use of the feature on their debug units.
We'll have further hands-on details with the PS3 controller as we get even more impressions with PS3 titles on the show floor.
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OMG that looks freaking sweet!
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