Console controller design.

You're... you're serious?

Super Serious! At my last job, we had a representative come in and show us all the adaptive peripherals for gaming. Technically, they're not legal because they're all "modded", but afaik they've been given a pass since no one else is helping to make gaming accessible to all.
And of course, there are cheaters who use these peripherals to their advantage, but they are so flippin expensive, it's not a big problem. But yah..... heh, it was pretty fun

Those, those sound like they were designed to the handicap. Pitch that as a section of your periphials, and you would morally shame anyone trying to stop you from making periphials.

Instance: Microsoft suing over someone making periphials for those with impaired motor ability? Shame Microsoft...

Heh, honestly I never thought of what armless people did with video games, that has to suck. I have broke/cut fingers and had to "claw" with controllers for weeks, but never considered alternatives for feet-enabled controllers or ones using other imput.

Don't assume all change is good change, or that all evolution is an improvement.

The advantage that the keyboard has over the controller is that, with one hand, you can do five different things simultaneously (your thumb and fingers). When a controller can match that, you'll see controllers replacing keyboards.

I like the postitioning of the control sticks on the Xbawks. Very comfortable to play with,

Soon....




Also there'll be a whole new set of conspiracy theories when this stuff comes out.

It's a weird area for World of Warcraft. There is a fairly large population of players who are disabled to varying levels who play World of Warcraft. Technically the controllers many of them use to play the game are against the EULA and there have been a number of occasions where people have been banned for using them, though usually once it becomes known they require assistance to play Blizzard is very good about "making things right" (unban them, swag, etc.).


That "mind control" stuff though, it's all worthless right now. Even the best stuff, there's so much signal noise and latency that they're not going to be useful for any kind of traditional gaming. I can see it being used in a VR version of Gone Home, but not as a twitch gaming input device.

The problem is, you're never thinking about one thing at a time. To use a horribly oversimplified and inaccurate example, trying to "type" and email by thoughts would come out as:

Dear sir/stroke madam

I am writing to you to inquire about SEX-HUNGRY-TAXES-FOOD your recently opened position in zero-gravity neurosurgery FOOD-HUNGRY-TAXES. I have six PhDs including advanced mechanics and neurologyHUNGRY-FOOD-HUNGRY-HUNGRY-SEX.

dr Freud would have a field day with you.. you have some pretty blunt issues.

Yay?

I never said all change was good, or an improvement over the status quo. However, there's a reason they didn't ship keyboards with consoles

There are things that keyboards can do that controllers can't. There are things that controllers can do that keyboards can't. It's not a replacement exactly, nor am I suggesting an existing controller to replace the keyboard. I'm saying something should replace the keyboard if PC gamers can get around their really annoying elitist mentality that MOUSEKEYBOARD BEST FOR EVERYONE ONLY SCRUBS DISAGREE. Not that I see you saying that, it's just something I see an alarming amount.

the reason consoles don't have keyboards is because they're not really suitable for use on couches or laps, they're desk items and therefore don't have really any sense of ergonomics. But by sheer design keyboards are just better for a vaster range of more complex games because of the amount of input

inb4 next console gen comes with keyboards that you strap on your arm

The D-pad on the dreamcast controller was so bad. It would just destroy your thumb if you played lots of capcom fighters with it.

Done.



Or, just forget about strapping anything to your arm at all.

Well, there's one console that almost shipped with a keyboard.


Depending on your definition of game console, you could claim the various Commodore computers are game consoles that come with keyboards. I know I personally only used Commodores to play games, many hooked up to normal TVs.

But even if you don't count the Commodore 64 or the various small home computers that were sold to connect to a TV, or the Atari consoles before that like the Atari 800XL, there's still this glorious wonder...

The Odyssey 2


Of course it still has the good old joystick and one button controllers that were the gold standard for so long. Because keyboards (especially that one) are terrible for gaming on a couch.

Except that Phantom Lapboard. It amazingly doesn't suck! Its mouse does though...

Does anyone have a Leap? I'm getting one soon.

I don't have any experience with the Leap myself, so I can't confirm these, but I have heard many people have had major issues using the device. It appears to have issues with any kind of light near the device causing significant amount of error. This includes desk lamps, as well as overhead lights, or floor lights that shine on the ceiling, or even your monitor if it's too close. On the other hand if you have favorable lighting conditions it can have impressively accurate tracking.

Hmm... desk lamp, ceiling light, window behind me (with curtains)... Poop. What if I put a little hood on it? Would it still work?

I tried one once. It worked alright, but it was slower to use that keyboard shortcuts.