Mod
The Omniscient
/ Moderator
Jun 4, 2005, 3:51 AM
Post #1 of 1
(1186 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Xbox 360 Controllers
|
Can't Post
|
|
Now that the cat is out of the bag about Xbox 360, it's time to start talking about peripherals. And, what's the most important peripheral on any video game system? The controller, of course. Or, in this case, the controllers, both wired and wireless, since the new console has wireless functionality for controllers built right in.
Xbox.com was able to sit down with folks behind both varieties of Xbox 360 controller—including Bryon Ashley, programming director for peripherals, and Craig Ranta, director of research and development for Microsoft hardware—and we learned all the details we could about how and why the new hardware looks and plays so good.
Some things have not changed much from the original Xbox controller or its more recent offspring, the Controller S. The four primary face buttons—A, X, Y, and the shiny, candy-like B—are where they ought to be, as well as a pair of thumbsticks in about the same place. An approach from the front reveals two comfy-looking left and right triggers. "You don't want to stray too far from a good thing," Ashley told us. And, if it wasn't broken, the designers of the new controller didn't fix it.
But, as you draw closer, more crucial differences than the merely cosmetic emerge. There's no memory card slot, which immediately makes the new controller both smaller and lighter than the original or the S-type. The memory card port is in the console instead, freeing up massive space and stripping out size and weight requirements.
What about the headset? There's no need for a connector that fits into the MU slot since the Xbox 360 controller has a rear-mounted (as in gamer-facing) connection slot that takes a single headset or a text input device. "It's really up to the imagination—it's an input port that can be used for a various number of things," Ashley said. Then, he demonstrated how a palm-sized text-input device (TID) keyboard and a normal headset can connect with equal simplicity.
Though nothing is confirmed at this early stage, some of the folks we spoke to believed that it would only make sense for more peripheral controller devices to take advantage of the handy TID slot.
Where have those beloved white and black buttons gone? Fear not, brave new Xbox 360 gamer. They've just been replaced by more conveniently placed left and right buttons (LB and RB) right above the triggers. They're digital buttons. That is, they simply click when pressed—unlike, say, the analog input of the left or right triggers, which allow variable amounts of pressure to control, used as gas pedals or weapon triggers in-game. "Developers are real keen to develop with the [shoulder buttons]," Ashley confirmed.
Some Xbox.com writers—though certainly not this one, of course, ahem—expressed a minor amount of surprise over the movement back to the center for the Start and Back buttons, which are so important for roleplaying games and any other game with complicated menus, like the Madden series' dynasty mode. The placement on the original controller felt a bit awkward, and on Controller S it was just right. Why go back again? Easy. There's "center" and then there's "center." The new Back and Start buttons are placed to the left and right, respectively, of where the "jewel" would be on your Controller S—you know, that big X in the center that doesn't do anything.
As for the jewel itself—gone. Replaced by "something awesome." It's a smaller version of the old, decorative jewel, complete with engraved green X. This "Xbox Guide Button" is an all-purpose button for controlling features of your Xbox 360 itself. The simplest function? Wake up your console without trudging all the way to the TV like some kind of primitive cave-person. Just press the button from the comfort of your couch, and you're ready to play. While playing, it serves a few other functions, though some of our experts confided it might be able to do much more later. For now, no matter what you're in the middle of, you can use it to immediately go to the Xbox Guide to hook up with your friends, the Xbox Live Marketplace, and even your custom play lists so you can groove to your own music while you play any Xbox 360 game.
On both the wireless and wired controllers, the Ring of Light around the button (which is broken up into quarters numbered 1-4) even tells you which player you are in a split-screen game. This is more important with the wireless setup, we are told, because you won't have the USB port to tell you where you're plugged in.
Different types of controllers—dance pads, steering wheels, and the like—are sure to become available in some form or another in the future. Perhaps you'll even be able to use them for additional memory storage or some other function I'm not fit to conceive. "Keyboards and mice … these things have been discussed and are possible with this technology," Ranta told us. Then, he really started to dig into what the wireless version of the controller could do.
One of the coolest features of the Xbox 360 is that wireless connectivity for controllers is built into the console. That allows the designers of the innovative wireless controller to focus on making the best controller they can, rather than focusing on how to connect and what extra hardware will be required. The wireless controller will be available at launch, and a few months later we can expect some add-ons that will help keep the battery juice going as long as you need it.
You'll have a choice of the plain wireless controller, which runs off of a pair of AA batteries that should give you plenty of play time before running out, or you can also use the rechargeable battery pack (sold separately) with a play-charge cable, which temporarily turns your wireless controller into the wired variety, but only as long as it takes to recharge your gear. That means you'll never have to stop playing, even if it's 2:00 A.M. and the stores are closed. It's an ingenious little piece of equipment. "If your batteries die in the middle of a game session," Ranta told us, "You can just snap the cable in, keep playing, and it's charging your batteries at the same time."
The batteries are, near as can be told from holding them side by side, the main cause of weight difference in the wireless and wired controllers. The wireless is naturally a bit heavier, but it's still lighter than even the Controller S, since you still have no memory card slots to worry about. We suspect most gamers won't mind. "Losing the cord is just an awesome thing," Ranta said. "Imagine four controllers and four cords—then you need an extension cord, then four extension cords … in the past, you had to give up performance if you went wireless."
A controller is meant to be held in two hands, often for long periods of time. Too big, and it becomes awkward. Too small or strangely shaped, and you'll get cramped up in whole new ways. All the new buttons, bells, and whistles (note: there are no actual bells and whistles, that's a figure of speech) don't mean a thing if the controller doesn't feel right in your hands. My first reaction upon taking up the hardware was that it felt a bit like a "baby Duke"—that is, a smaller, more compact version of the original Xbox controller, nicknamed "Duke." The same attention to ergonomics is there, providing a better shape that fits perfectly into the palm. The back and start buttons are easy to get to, being right next to the thumbsticks, which have just the right amount of give. And then you go for the shoulder buttons, and whammo—you'll want to be using this thing on your original Xbox right now. Unfortunately, that won't be possible, since the connections are different, so for now, we'll just have to wait until the end of 2005. Which, seriously, cannot get here fast enough.
Now you know as much about the Xbox 360 controller as we do. Bet you never thought that a controller could be so important, but they're like the tires on your car: the most-used and often least-considered part of your gaming setup. At least, until now …
A picture of the new controller is attached.
Join DVG Forums 4 FREE! Only takes 5 seconds to join!
|
xboxcontroller.jpg