Talk:Game controller

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This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Game controller article.
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This article was previously selected for Gaming Collaboration of the week.
VG To-do:
To-do list for Game controller: edit · history · watch · refresh
  • Add pictures of controllers from systems ranging from the classic Pong to a full timeline picture of all Atari controllers up to the Jaguar. Also, Intellivision, Colecovision, 3D0, etc.
  • Discuss the evolutionary trends that can be seen in game controller development.
  • Discuss how controller design has influenced game design.
  • Add info on Sega Master System controller
  • Add info about fishing rod and reel controllers (these exist for at least the PlayStation and PlayStation 2); moreover, an article and category listing these controllers could/should be created. Many of these controllers can be found on ebay, which could be used as a source for this improvement.

Contents

[edit] What to add?

I'm kind of confused on what to add to this article. I want to put up short entries on each system's controllers (like the Dreamcast, Xbox, PS2, GC, etc.) but then I get confused by the gamepad article, which needs some clarification or something. Any ideas? Thunderbrand 20:51, Mar 17, 2005 (UTC)

Gamepad seems to refer mostly to systems during the 8-bit and 16-bit era. To be honest, I wasn't aware of the article when I nominated this. I'd say a little blurb about every type of controller (or every controller itself) and some trends or evolutionary growths would be appropriate here. It'd be nice to get some images of the different controllers, too. Oh, and I've added a Todo list (which you all can add to) so we won't run out of ideas as quickly. --pie4all88 21:04, 17 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Thanks, that clears it up a bit. Thunderbrand 21:20, Mar 17, 2005 (UTC)
I was wondering...would an addition about Dance Pads for games like DDR be appropriate for this article? Morwen 18:10, 22 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Well it is a game controller. I'd say go for it. K1Bond007 18:26, Mar 22, 2005 (UTC)
There's no part about detrioration of gamepads and health concerns, which I'm able to write about. However, should I indent the gamepads one more to the right, and place "Longevity of hardware" and "Health Concerns" as new scetions, or place them in the oppening text ? wS 16:35, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Below "Gamepad", above "Microsoft" would be good for an overview of gamepads, including what you want to write about. Right? I'd hate to indent again, but if has to come to that then I say go for it. K1Bond007 18:20, Mar 23, 2005 (UTC)
After looking at the sections, I've noticed it was a more-a-less general oriented section, and moved them above gamepad. wS 19:47, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)

The Wiimote\Nunchuk combination really deserves a bigger section in this article. Listing it in 'other' does not do it justice. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.211.72.3 (talk) 03:37, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Merge/Redirect

Don't you think we should perhaps merge and redirect Gamepad here? It's really confusing. I thought I understood, now it makes no sense. I'm currently thinking the article should go like this:

  • Overview of Game controller
  • Gamepad <- Main focus of the article
    • Various different types (PS2, DC, GC etc)
  • Keyboard & Mouse (overview, link to main article)
  • Joystick (overview, link to main article)
  • Paddle (overview, link to main article)

+ stuff in todo list

Any thoughts on this? K1Bond007 02:16, Mar 18, 2005 (UTC)

  • I think the Gamepad article should be merged. Sorry about the messy way the article looks! Thunderbrand 02:59, Mar 18, 2005 (UTC)
I concur. There's no real reason to keep them separate, and you run the risk of confusing people. --CVaneg 16:49, 18 Mar 2005 (UTC)
  • I came to this talk page to suggest that Gamepad get it's own article. It seems like too much info to slap in the middle of this article, and it should definately be separated. 152.13.204.128 01:37, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
I think its too confusing to have a seperate article, this was the point of merging the information here because game controller and gamepad are virtually synonymous these days. If the gamepad section here were to be expanded with more information that was exclusive to the gamepad, beyond descriptions and names of gamepads, then I might be more open. Right now, I disagree. K1Bond007 03:22, May 2, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] A new header image

Does anyone have a fair ammount of controllers to take a photo of ? I don't like seeing the N64 pad over there, so if anyone could take a photo of a few varied controllers (a joystick, a gamepad and if possibly a steering wheel, a light gun and the MS strategic controller) and place it in the header, I think it would illustrate the article much better. I could do it myself, but I only have a fair bunch of gamepads (7 or 8) and nothing else wS 13:33, 19 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Do we really need one? I mean the page has tons of images already. It's not like we would be doing it an injustice by not having one at the top. Speaking of which is grouping images into one image a bad idea? I'm seriously considering taking every picture for one company and grouping them together. Meaning for Microsoft -> Sidewinder, Xbox, Type-S in one picture similar to Image:Gameboyline.jpg. Is that a bad idea? I think we almost have too many images now. Perhaps a better way of showing them. A gallery for instance similar to the screenshot sections of a video game console article? K1Bond007 18:42, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
That is a good idea, K1Bond007. I was thinking of putting up more images, like for the NES and SNES controllers, but I like your idea of the lineup. Thunderbrand 19:13, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
I did one for the Nintendo line - I just haven't uploaded it. Do you guys like 1) [1] or 2) [2] that is if you like the idea at all K1Bond007 20:10, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
Oh and is there anything I'm forgetting? I only want to do major official releases. So I started at NES -> GameCube and added the Wavebird since it's notable. K1Bond007 20:14, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
I like the second one better, since it takes up less space. Thunderbrand 20:38, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
Heres one for Sega. [3]. Any comments on this or things I'm forgetting? K1Bond007 21:29, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
That one is good, too. I guess all of the console types should be like that. Thunderbrand 22:45, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)
Well theres really only one for PlayStation and I'm starting think against doing it for Microsoft since it's been split between the Sidewinder (PC) and the Xbox line (console). K1Bond007 22:49, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)

Please do one for Atari as well-it would be interesting to see them all lined up together.

[edit] Didn't the Sega Saturn have 3 official versions of its controller?

I'm not a Sega Saturn expert by all means but I do remember they came out a redesigned a white Sega Saturn that came out with a slimmer controller in Japan only. In addition, Sega will be releasing a USB and Playstation 2 version of the exact second revision controller design. [4] I'm not going to edit this article because I really don't know much about the Sega Saturn. Also, didn't they release the second revision controller for North America but left the color black? --Anonymous Cow 18:37, 20 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I think the earliest (or later) versions of the Japanese Saturn console were white (see the Segata Sanshiro ads, for instance, or this google search). wS 18:11, 21 Mar 2005 (UTC)
The first Japanese Sega Saturns were grey not white. It even states that on Wikipedia's article about the Sega Saturn. "The original Japanese Saturn model is virtually identical to the NA first generation model except it is gray in color with blue buttons and the cartridge slot flap is also black in color. Like before, it has the drive access light, and a non-notched power cord. Production was later ended in favor of the White Saturn." --Anonymous Cow 00:12, 22 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Argh. Although I know pretty much that, I've wrote the blunder anyway, maybe I should stay away from wikipedia while I'm not all awake. Either way, considering it's just a cosmetic change, I don't think it's worth mentioning outside the Saturn article. It's the same pad, just different colours, or else we would have to nominate colour changes between the american genesis and the european/japanese Mega Drive. wS 16:32, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sony controllers

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the original PSX gamepad nameless? I thought only the dual analogue pads were named Dualshock. I would edit directly the article, but I'm not 100% sure of this. wS 04:57, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Heh.. the more I think of it, I guess you're right. Make the change, but you'll have to play with the length and the sizing of both pictures to make it look good. K1Bond007 05:47, Mar 25, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Do we really need so much detail in the gamepad section?

Most of that information belongs in the Gamepad article, aside from the really trend-setting controllers like the NES gamepad, the Dual shock, and possibly the Nights controller. --24.114.252.183 21:25, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

As noted at the top of the Gamepad article, the page should be merged here. K1Bond007 22:09, Apr 4, 2005 (UTC)
Well, game controllers are by far the most popular game controllers in the last 20 years, so I think it's quite acceptable how large the section is. wS 23:48, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

[edit] add game and watch to nintendo timeline?

I think the game and watch is a predecessor to the NES controller. I B'lieve it came out in 1981. Should it be added to the timeline picture of nintendo controllers?

[edit] virtual boy

shouldn't we add virtual boy controller to nintendo timeline?

[edit] arcade games

do arcade game controllers have a place on this page? I'd like to include something on the trackball. it was a fairly unique style of control.

[edit] "Axis game lineage" page... does it really need to be there?

I mean, sure, it looks like he put time into it, that much is true. But it's got a lot of omissions and inaccuracies. For example, the NES Max is described as having a "thumbstick", when it was actually a sliding disc, and "360 degree control", when it (like all the other digital controllers of its time) featured digital eight way contact sensors. He also omits the early controllers and handheld games that featured directions pads (such as the Entex ones). While one could debate specifically whether most of the devices had "Dpads" in the technical sense, the aforementioned devices operated identically to modern pads. He also neglects to include the wireless RF controllers distributed by Atari in the 80s; the wavebird relies on an improved version of this technology. All in all, while a nice page, very well designed, it's not centered around hard facts in a lot of places...

[edit] steering wheel

I added the steering wheel section, but I'm not a writer, so it may need to be cleaned up.

Just checked it out; it looks good. Well done! Daniel Davis 02:45, 30 January 2006 (UTC) (Doom127)

[edit] add a section about wii controller?

the wii controller is pretty revolutionary to gaming controllers so why not add it in?


[edit] Is this true

Is it true that the Wiimote can be used as an MP3 player, if it is it shpuld be in the article 211.27.16.96 05:36, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Only if you can find a source for it. Ex-Nintendo Employee 13:20, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Trackball faster than a mouse?

In the Trackball section, it is said: "This is faster than one can move a mouse due to space not being an issue." I believe this doesn't make sense: I can move a mouse faster than I can roll the ball, because the palm of my hand has limited space. And isn't the speed of movement dependent on the configured sensitivity? 130.89.13.224 15:34, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] WASD-style gamepads

Is anyone opposed to me adding a section briefly discussing WASD-style gamepads, i.e. the Nostromo n52 and Fang Gamepad? Modul8r 16:06, 15 June 2007 (UTC)