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CaptainExplosion said:
Here's another thing, what makes Sony's controller an accessibility controller? Is it designed so that you play it while holding it one way or another? |
You can use either hand for the joystick, whichever is more dexterous. You can use an analog stick or what seems closer to an arcade stick, which can be gripped more like an arcade stick. That means the movement is coming mainly from your shoulder and elbow joints. This is good for people with some form of carpal tunnel, which mainly impacts the more sensitive and often overused joints in the fingers.
Because of the disc shape of the controller, you can plant your fingers on five of the buttons, and activate them by simply pressing down. You can set the buttons to toggle, so you won't have to hold a run or crouch button. You can assign two buttons to one input.
With a traditional controller, you are going to have to use your thumb for at least four buttons which involves motion beyond just applying pressure. Your index fingers will each have to cover two buttons and move between them (unless people use their middle finger for the back triggers? Does anyone do that?). You can also lay this flat on a table which means you don't have have to constantly have your fingers flexed as with a typical controller. And, it has multiple expansion ports so you can have other accessories to use with it.
In a lot of ways, this is more like an arcade stick, which makes sense if you think about it. Most FGC players prefer to use fight sticks because they minimize the amount of movement necessary to allow you to do combos and such easier. Likewise, someone who has difficulty with their hands will want to minimize the amount of movement necessary.
The accessibility controller is pretty cool. I sometimes worry that someday I'll find it difficult to play videogames as my hands get older, and I'm glad they're working on solutions. Probably what this Nintendo thing is all about, which would be a good thing.
