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IGN gets ahold of a PS3
- Thread starter Dan Sulyman
- Start date
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And to add fuel to the fire, they just did a hands on the controller again this time with Americans...here are the verdicts from the staff:
SIXAXIS Impressions
Is the new controller an asset or a liability to the PS3?
by IGN Staff
October 20, 2006 - At Sony's Gamers' Day event yesterday we finally got some good, quality time with the PlayStation 3's SIXAXIS controller, the latest update to the long-running DualShock. We sat down with it, got a feel for it, tilted it, tasted it, smelled it, and asked it to tell us about itself. Now IGN's editors pass their impressions on to you, the faithful reader: Is the tilt function a legitimate addition to the controller or a cheap rip-off of the Wiimote? Is the SIXAXIS too light for its own good? Are the changes to the L2 and R2 triggers too funky? Read on…
Chris Roper, PlayStation Team: The SIXAXIS is something of a tradeoff. You get increased interactivity with the games, but you also get less (read: zero) feedback from them. It sucks that the controller doesn't have any rumble functionality, which really takes away from games like Gran Turismo HD, but the ability to twist and turn the controller to get into the action is great.
The system's not even out yet, and I'm reasonably impressed by what developers are doing with it. Call of Duty 3 has some neat tricks, like being able to perform a melee attack by twisting the SIXAXIS quickly, and being able to steer in things like LAIR, Warhawk and Blazing Angels is really cool. For most titles aside from flight games, it's somewhat apparent that the developers still don't exactly know the best way to use the controller, partly because its functionality came late into their design, but they've already begun implementing it in neat ways, so there's a lot of hope for the future.
As for the hardware itself, I've always liked the Dual Shock design so the controller feels great to me, though I wish Sony would have tweaked it just a bit to make it a little more ergonomic, maybe by rounding the handles a little more or something along those lines. I'm not really complaining, however. I do think that the L2 and R2 triggers should have been more like what we see on the Xbox 360's controller, but they seem to work out pretty well so far, and are certainly better than simple buttons.
I'm still in shock at how light it is. I actually wish it was a little heavier, which may make it easier to keep level, but it certainly won't tire out your hands, wrists and arms after hours and hours of play. I am a little worried at how well the USB cable will stay intact if you're charging and playing at the same time, but we'll see how that goes.
Overall, I like the controller quite a bit so far. I've played a number of games on the system and everything has worked really well. I'm still very disappointed in its lack of rumble functionality, but its movement stuff is really cool. As long as developers don't overdo it just to include the functionality because they can, everything will be great. I think it's likely that SIXAXIS may wind up as one of the most versatile controllers ever released.
Jeff Haynes, PlayStation Team: I'll admit it -- I was skeptical of the SIXAXIS controller when it was first announced. It seemed like a knockoff of the Wii-mote, and the lack of vibration annoyed the hell out of me. What's more, when I first got my hands on the controller at E3, I hated the feel of the controller. It felt cheap and poorly made, and pulling on the L2 and R2 buttons felt like your fingers would go completely through the shell of the peripheral.
But now that I've played a few titles that actually use the tilt sensing capability of the controller, I have to say that I'm coming around. Part of the reason is because the sensing feature enhances certain sections of gameplay instead of being the sole reason for the title itself. Whether that's performing a dirty hit in Fight Night, making a crossover or a spin move in NBA 07, or pulling off a special attack in Ultimate Alliance, the motion sensing is there when you need, or want it, to augment the feel of the game. What's also interesting about the controller is that, for the short amount of time that programmers have had to implement these features into some of their titles, they're coming up with some extremely creative ways to control their games, which is exciting to see. While some of them may seem a little strange or gimmicky, a lot of the producers that I spoke to (particularly the sports developers) have told me that they have already come up with a laundry list of ideas that they want to implement using the controller in their next titles.
It's still a little too light for my taste, especially because I have big hands and it barely felt like I was holding anything at times. It can also be somewhat shady on recognizing some commands, which I picked up during some demos, although whether that was the fault of the controller or the demo is still up in the air. But the L2 and R2 buttons now have much better resistance to them, and the shell of the controller feels a bit more solid. I'm also impressed by the ease of moving from wired to wireless play. I still hate the fact that it doesn't have any rumble functionality, but I'm now looking forward to seeing just what developers have in store for PS3 titles and the controller.
David Clayman, IGN Insider: Yesterday I got my hands on the PS3 controller for about the fifth time. What was special about this occasion was that for the first time I used tilt control that really added to my gaming experience. In NHL 2K7 the SIXAXIS motion sensing capability is used for checking other players and for crease control when there's a shot on goal.
Honestly, I don't like the idea of adding strange control functionality to my games. I don't want to jump around, I don't want to "hold the reigns of my dragon," and I certainly don't want to do anything that interrupts my couch potato lifestyle. However, the checking in 2K7 feels right -- moving the controller for the hit makes you really feel like you've creamed the offense and in those really tense moments when I'm defending against a goal I'd probably be on the edge of my seat moving the controller around anyway. This type of control option makes the game more enjoyable and more exciting. And if I get too lazy I can always turn it off and use the circle button.
Marc Nix, Database Editor: I'm really not sure what all the fuss is about with the controller -- for me, it feels like PlayStation gaming I've known for years. Yes, it's lighter and yes, the analog triggers are a little oddball in placement and feel, but I've had no problems playing PS3 games with it. We tested the controller both with USB cords and on pure wireless, and the balance is nice -- I'm not getting that cheap or plastic-like feel that some have worried about or mentioned. I guess I'd say that yes, it does feel less like the workman-like, hefty controller we're used to on PS2 (and it's a total spinner compared to the Xbox 360's pad), but it certainly seems like something you'll get used to fast.
As far as functionality, there are actually several improvements over the PS2 design even though it's lighter and cordless. One change is that the bottom of the controller is more seamless, with the round ridges where the analog sticks come in now molded into the controller itself. Another change is that the analog Triangle / Circle / X / Square buttons feel much more analog -- this pressure-sensitive button design just never felt right on PS2, that you never knew when you were pressing it enough, but the PS3 buttons are a little more mushy and a lot more analog-responsive. This made a huge impression on me while playing F1, as it had an on-screen gas and brake meter to really show the analog at play. Those L2 and R2 triggers are bound to cause some debate, however. Placement is a little canted, and of course the triggers themselves are different from any other triggers before them. Myself, I haven't found them exactly lovable but they also don't bother me. (I do wish SCE had stolen Nintendo's design for 'extra click' on the triggers, and I really found that smart on GameCube, but I guess it's better that Sony didn't give Nintendo fans another reason to hate it.) The analog sticks are supposedly improved as well, and the dead zone is said to be less an issue...tough to say exactly what's going on, because the sticks for sure did feel quite different (a little less weight to them, perhaps with a bit more travel distance to give). Though it seemed I still felt some areas when pushed very gently that the controller wasn't getting, or at least wasn't being registered in the game I was playing at the time.
And, of course, there's the tilt functionality, which adds a lot of potential depth but could also be cause for disaster in games that use it wrong. We can all imagine cases where we're in dire situations, shaking the controller because we're nervous or feeling twitchy or pissed at somebody who did wrong, and all the sudden we grenade ourselves by jerking the controller, and suddenly it's Game Over. Luckily, the game designers seem to know this all too well already, and are already designing their games with this in mind. Games that use it all the time, such as Lair, feel good with the flight mechanics, while games that use it for special events are tuned to try and filter out anything but intentional moves. Genji, for instance, required almost too much jerking to activate the dodge move, but when you needed it, it was there, and when you didn't, it didn't trigger. (Many designers will also add motion-sensitivity settings, if you feel that you need a little more or less jerk to get things done.)
I really think that most will find a seamless transition from old to new console...at least, once they get over that initial feel of it being different.
Jason Allen, IGN Guides: The lightness of the controller is a little jarring. I realized immediately that I do in fact miss rumble feedback. The buzz of the previous controller did a subtle job of accenting the gaming experience. Now, with overt motion like shaking the entire controller, we're easily reminded that we are in fact playing a game. It feels a bit silly. If I could, I'd play with my PS2 controller on a PS3 in heartbeat.
Daemon Hatfield, News & Features Editor: I was initially surprised at how light the SIXAXIS is (surely due to the removal of dual shock), but I didn't think it made the controller feel "cheap." It really does feel like the same old PlayStation controller. The L2 and R2 triggers have been slightly redesigned so they hang a bit off the top of the controller -- a feature I'm not sure I understand but didn't find a detriment, nonetheless. I was impressed with the tilt functionality in most games and was happy to discover it didn't feel like a gimmick. In applications like flOw, Tiger Woods, and Lair, tilt was smooth, natural, and subtle. Overall thumbs up, but I still find the lack of force feedback to be a big disappointment. That's something gamers have come to expect as much as analog control.
SIXAXIS Impressions
Is the new controller an asset or a liability to the PS3?
by IGN Staff
October 20, 2006 - At Sony's Gamers' Day event yesterday we finally got some good, quality time with the PlayStation 3's SIXAXIS controller, the latest update to the long-running DualShock. We sat down with it, got a feel for it, tilted it, tasted it, smelled it, and asked it to tell us about itself. Now IGN's editors pass their impressions on to you, the faithful reader: Is the tilt function a legitimate addition to the controller or a cheap rip-off of the Wiimote? Is the SIXAXIS too light for its own good? Are the changes to the L2 and R2 triggers too funky? Read on…
Chris Roper, PlayStation Team: The SIXAXIS is something of a tradeoff. You get increased interactivity with the games, but you also get less (read: zero) feedback from them. It sucks that the controller doesn't have any rumble functionality, which really takes away from games like Gran Turismo HD, but the ability to twist and turn the controller to get into the action is great.
The system's not even out yet, and I'm reasonably impressed by what developers are doing with it. Call of Duty 3 has some neat tricks, like being able to perform a melee attack by twisting the SIXAXIS quickly, and being able to steer in things like LAIR, Warhawk and Blazing Angels is really cool. For most titles aside from flight games, it's somewhat apparent that the developers still don't exactly know the best way to use the controller, partly because its functionality came late into their design, but they've already begun implementing it in neat ways, so there's a lot of hope for the future.
As for the hardware itself, I've always liked the Dual Shock design so the controller feels great to me, though I wish Sony would have tweaked it just a bit to make it a little more ergonomic, maybe by rounding the handles a little more or something along those lines. I'm not really complaining, however. I do think that the L2 and R2 triggers should have been more like what we see on the Xbox 360's controller, but they seem to work out pretty well so far, and are certainly better than simple buttons.
I'm still in shock at how light it is. I actually wish it was a little heavier, which may make it easier to keep level, but it certainly won't tire out your hands, wrists and arms after hours and hours of play. I am a little worried at how well the USB cable will stay intact if you're charging and playing at the same time, but we'll see how that goes.
Overall, I like the controller quite a bit so far. I've played a number of games on the system and everything has worked really well. I'm still very disappointed in its lack of rumble functionality, but its movement stuff is really cool. As long as developers don't overdo it just to include the functionality because they can, everything will be great. I think it's likely that SIXAXIS may wind up as one of the most versatile controllers ever released.
Jeff Haynes, PlayStation Team: I'll admit it -- I was skeptical of the SIXAXIS controller when it was first announced. It seemed like a knockoff of the Wii-mote, and the lack of vibration annoyed the hell out of me. What's more, when I first got my hands on the controller at E3, I hated the feel of the controller. It felt cheap and poorly made, and pulling on the L2 and R2 buttons felt like your fingers would go completely through the shell of the peripheral.
But now that I've played a few titles that actually use the tilt sensing capability of the controller, I have to say that I'm coming around. Part of the reason is because the sensing feature enhances certain sections of gameplay instead of being the sole reason for the title itself. Whether that's performing a dirty hit in Fight Night, making a crossover or a spin move in NBA 07, or pulling off a special attack in Ultimate Alliance, the motion sensing is there when you need, or want it, to augment the feel of the game. What's also interesting about the controller is that, for the short amount of time that programmers have had to implement these features into some of their titles, they're coming up with some extremely creative ways to control their games, which is exciting to see. While some of them may seem a little strange or gimmicky, a lot of the producers that I spoke to (particularly the sports developers) have told me that they have already come up with a laundry list of ideas that they want to implement using the controller in their next titles.
It's still a little too light for my taste, especially because I have big hands and it barely felt like I was holding anything at times. It can also be somewhat shady on recognizing some commands, which I picked up during some demos, although whether that was the fault of the controller or the demo is still up in the air. But the L2 and R2 buttons now have much better resistance to them, and the shell of the controller feels a bit more solid. I'm also impressed by the ease of moving from wired to wireless play. I still hate the fact that it doesn't have any rumble functionality, but I'm now looking forward to seeing just what developers have in store for PS3 titles and the controller.
David Clayman, IGN Insider: Yesterday I got my hands on the PS3 controller for about the fifth time. What was special about this occasion was that for the first time I used tilt control that really added to my gaming experience. In NHL 2K7 the SIXAXIS motion sensing capability is used for checking other players and for crease control when there's a shot on goal.
Honestly, I don't like the idea of adding strange control functionality to my games. I don't want to jump around, I don't want to "hold the reigns of my dragon," and I certainly don't want to do anything that interrupts my couch potato lifestyle. However, the checking in 2K7 feels right -- moving the controller for the hit makes you really feel like you've creamed the offense and in those really tense moments when I'm defending against a goal I'd probably be on the edge of my seat moving the controller around anyway. This type of control option makes the game more enjoyable and more exciting. And if I get too lazy I can always turn it off and use the circle button.
Marc Nix, Database Editor: I'm really not sure what all the fuss is about with the controller -- for me, it feels like PlayStation gaming I've known for years. Yes, it's lighter and yes, the analog triggers are a little oddball in placement and feel, but I've had no problems playing PS3 games with it. We tested the controller both with USB cords and on pure wireless, and the balance is nice -- I'm not getting that cheap or plastic-like feel that some have worried about or mentioned. I guess I'd say that yes, it does feel less like the workman-like, hefty controller we're used to on PS2 (and it's a total spinner compared to the Xbox 360's pad), but it certainly seems like something you'll get used to fast.
As far as functionality, there are actually several improvements over the PS2 design even though it's lighter and cordless. One change is that the bottom of the controller is more seamless, with the round ridges where the analog sticks come in now molded into the controller itself. Another change is that the analog Triangle / Circle / X / Square buttons feel much more analog -- this pressure-sensitive button design just never felt right on PS2, that you never knew when you were pressing it enough, but the PS3 buttons are a little more mushy and a lot more analog-responsive. This made a huge impression on me while playing F1, as it had an on-screen gas and brake meter to really show the analog at play. Those L2 and R2 triggers are bound to cause some debate, however. Placement is a little canted, and of course the triggers themselves are different from any other triggers before them. Myself, I haven't found them exactly lovable but they also don't bother me. (I do wish SCE had stolen Nintendo's design for 'extra click' on the triggers, and I really found that smart on GameCube, but I guess it's better that Sony didn't give Nintendo fans another reason to hate it.) The analog sticks are supposedly improved as well, and the dead zone is said to be less an issue...tough to say exactly what's going on, because the sticks for sure did feel quite different (a little less weight to them, perhaps with a bit more travel distance to give). Though it seemed I still felt some areas when pushed very gently that the controller wasn't getting, or at least wasn't being registered in the game I was playing at the time.
And, of course, there's the tilt functionality, which adds a lot of potential depth but could also be cause for disaster in games that use it wrong. We can all imagine cases where we're in dire situations, shaking the controller because we're nervous or feeling twitchy or pissed at somebody who did wrong, and all the sudden we grenade ourselves by jerking the controller, and suddenly it's Game Over. Luckily, the game designers seem to know this all too well already, and are already designing their games with this in mind. Games that use it all the time, such as Lair, feel good with the flight mechanics, while games that use it for special events are tuned to try and filter out anything but intentional moves. Genji, for instance, required almost too much jerking to activate the dodge move, but when you needed it, it was there, and when you didn't, it didn't trigger. (Many designers will also add motion-sensitivity settings, if you feel that you need a little more or less jerk to get things done.)
I really think that most will find a seamless transition from old to new console...at least, once they get over that initial feel of it being different.
Jason Allen, IGN Guides: The lightness of the controller is a little jarring. I realized immediately that I do in fact miss rumble feedback. The buzz of the previous controller did a subtle job of accenting the gaming experience. Now, with overt motion like shaking the entire controller, we're easily reminded that we are in fact playing a game. It feels a bit silly. If I could, I'd play with my PS2 controller on a PS3 in heartbeat.
Daemon Hatfield, News & Features Editor: I was initially surprised at how light the SIXAXIS is (surely due to the removal of dual shock), but I didn't think it made the controller feel "cheap." It really does feel like the same old PlayStation controller. The L2 and R2 triggers have been slightly redesigned so they hang a bit off the top of the controller -- a feature I'm not sure I understand but didn't find a detriment, nonetheless. I was impressed with the tilt functionality in most games and was happy to discover it didn't feel like a gimmick. In applications like flOw, Tiger Woods, and Lair, tilt was smooth, natural, and subtle. Overall thumbs up, but I still find the lack of force feedback to be a big disappointment. That's something gamers have come to expect as much as analog control.