Nintendo patent input device




Posted by Speedfreak

[quote]

According to a documentation on the US patent website, [url="http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=7959#"]Nintendo's[/url] new console will feature gyroscopic, tilt-sensitive technology, an LCD touch screen, and a greatly reduced number of face buttons.

The patent document referring to the Revolution as "the game device" states that the controller is a "housing held by a player" and "the [url="http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=7959#"]handheld[/url] game device" - it also goes on to describes key aspects of the controller's functionality.

The controller




Posted by Ant

Seems innovative....but stupid. Hopefully it all works out for the best.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

So, I guess this is it eh?

I'm not to sure what to think... at this point in time, I can neither imagine it, nor imagine playing it. I'm excited to see how it looks though, and even more so to try it out.




Posted by Speedfreak

It could well not be it, Nintendo patent stuff all the time. Hell, the report of the patent could be false. I'm not making up my mind until a demonstration.




Posted by Velvet Nightmare


Quoting Speedfreak: It could well not be it, Nintendo patent stuff all the time. Hell, the report of the patent could be false. I'm not making up my mind until a demonstration.


Neither am I, but I still think that the gyros will be a welcome change of pace.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

A different though from someone I know on another board:


Quoted post: Actually... it sounds more like a GBA++ than it does a new console controller.

That would even explain the select button.


As well as putting this whole paragraph into far more sense.

"The handheld game device includes a control circuit (for example, a CPU chip) having a CPU core," more details include; "An LCD controller, a work RAM, a video RAM, and an interface circuit are connected to the CPU core via a bus (an address bus and a data bus)."

There's no real reason for a control pad to have a CPU and work RAM(or even really video RAM) unless it's intended as a standalone gaming device(like the DC's VMU and the PS1's PSPocket).


Furthermore, the motion switch is one of Nintendo's more favored gimmicks on the GB. They may just be sick of building sensors into carts.
Adn if they upgrade the audio hardware at the same time, so much the better. The GBA audio hardware SUCKS. It's essentially unchanged from the original GBO, and if you plug headphones in you can hear the awe-inspiring static issuing forth from it.




Posted by higbvuyb

I think tilting the controller to move will be awkward, and have a steep learning curve. But it's still cool.




Posted by Fate

Another [url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/06/24/news_6128178.html]source[/url].




Posted by Speedfreak


Quoting higbvuyb: I think tilting the controller to move will be awkward, and have a steep learning curve. But it's still cool.


*proves you wrong*

Turns out this patent is for GAMEBOY ADVANCE TITLES, such as Wario Ware Twisted. A game with no learning curve whatsoever.



Posted by Klarth

If this is the real deal, I'm pretty impressed about it. It'll be bodacious if I can land my mitts on one of these.




Posted by Speedfreak

HI READ MY POST.




Posted by Hyper

Hi we can still talk about the possibility even if this particular patent isn't for the controller!




Posted by Fate

READ, PLZ

[quote=GameSpot]The patent--which was first filed on May 19, 2003--describes the Acceleration Sensor as being different from any "conventional technique used for controlling a two-dimensional game image," since that tech "cannot be adapted to a three-dimensional game image which has become prevalent as a game image...Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game system and a game program allowing a player to feel as if a three-dimensional game space is tilted in accordance with a tilt of a game device."

...

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus. Patent 6,908,388 is not the Revolution controller, though without the illustrations, that mistake would be all too easy to make. But it wouldn't be surprising if the Acceleration Sensor is incorporated into Nintendo's next-generation plans in some way.




Posted by Klarth

[quote=Speedfreak]HI READ MY POST.

DIDN'T SEE IT. YOU POSTED WHILE I WAS WRITING MY REPLY, AND I CLOSED THE TAB SHORTLY THEREAFTER.




Posted by Speedfreak

Stfu.

Still want a gyro in the controller, though.

I'll tell you this, so you'll all be prepared. When we find out what it is, we won't be impressed. In fact, most people will think Nintendo has gone loco, just like what happened when they unveiled DS. Fact is, NO ONE was expecting DS to be beating PSP right now because it's simply not something you can understand until you use it. The same goes for Revolution, reserve all judgement until you use the controller. You have been warned.




Posted by Fate

Motion-LCD-censor things sound pretty high-tech. That's kind of exciting to wait for, just to see how gaming could be improved.




Posted by Speedfreak

In theory. There's several things wrong with slapping a touch-screen over a controller, though. Mainly the lack of haptic feedback, and the inability to get used to each control systems (this would be avoided easily if companies actually tried to use the technology properly, but face it, EA are just going to do ports). Also, one gyro sensor gives you one less axis than 2 thumbsticks, although theoretically replacing a right thumbstick with a gryo sensor would be a fantastic advance, as you would be able to have one extra axis than normal and use all the face buttons with a muxh simpler interface. I don't think that's enough for Nintendo, though.




Posted by Fate

If it were fitted with two gyro censors, it'd be mighty expensive to get. Maybe it should be held off if the price is too high.




Posted by Speedfreak

2 gyros would be pointless unless the thing were in 2 peices, otherwise they'd give the same readings. I don't think they're that expensive, anyway. Most interface technology is relatively inexpensive.




Posted by Fate

Hmm, I guess that would be true since there's really no reason for a left gyro censor (even in FPSs that would be weird).




Posted by WILLETH FOR MONTHS

Well, considering two seperate gyros - the left one could be for movement and the right one for aim, for example.

What really conviced me about this is Miyamoto's shrewd murmurings about a new Punch-Out game - each gyro represents each hand in first-person...




Posted by verystrait42

gyroscope wouldnt be bad. just dont use it on every game. DS RULES!!!




Posted by Drewboy64

I highly doubt that thing is real. Nintendo has already said they will not have a screen on the controller. They stated that they didn't want to go for a dual screen idea for the revolution.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: I highly doubt that thing is real. Nintendo has already said they will not have a screen on the controller. They stated that they didn't want to go for a dual screen idea for the revolution.


Wasn't the question something like "would either the Revolution or controller have a screen on it?" and the answer was along the lines of "the revolution will not have any screens whatsoever"?
So, technically they avoided the controller issue. Though, I could just be reading far too into it.



Posted by Random

Honestly I could care less about the Touch Screen idea. I'm more into the Fact that you can play older games. Aslong as it can do that, then i'm fine with whatever Gizmo's they add to it.




Posted by obryen

I'm curious as to how this is such a new idea. There was a peripheral for the N64 that plugged into the rumble pak slot and replaced the analog stick. You'd tilt the controller around, and it would sense it, and there you go.

I like the idea, especially as a first party creation, as the peripheral was some obscure third party and wasn't terribly well designed. However, I know it won't feel right for many games. Imagine trying to play Mega Man like that. But flight sims? Oh my Lord, that sounds delicious.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: I'm curious as to how this is such a new idea. There was a peripheral for the N64 that plugged into the rumble pak slot and replaced the analog stick. You'd tilt the controller around, and it would sense it, and there you go.


The tilt pak and gyros are two different things. You'll notice the difference right away.

Plus, the tilt pack was ****



Posted by obryen

Can you explain the difference, or do I just have to see it for myself? Is the difference fundamental, or is it just that one works much better than the other?