Is the ‘joy’ in the joystick waning?

Game designers mull device's future in wake of camera, motion controls

Will this year mark the death of the joystick?

With major video game publishers adopting camera and motion controller technologies, the end of the traditional controller — you know, that thing with all those buttons, sticks and pads — could be imminent. Microsoft and Sony will introduce dueling systems for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 later this year that could rival Nintendo's popular Wii. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

"I think it's going to be awhile, if ever, that we get away from a solid control pad, especially with our game," said Robert Bowling, creative strategist at "Modern Warfare" franchise developer Infinity Ward. "In a first-person shooter, you have to have that accuracy, so I don't think we will ever move away from having that stick control and using a control pad."

The next input evolution, the one that Sony and Microsoft unveiled at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, involves cameras connected to consoles. Sony's unnamed system employs detectable wandlike devices, while Microsoft's Project Natal relies on camera-gesture recognition, which can enable gamers to exert their actual fists in a fighting game, for example.

The sensors are coming
Meanwhile, Nintendo has teased the Wii Vitality Sensor, a peripheral device also expected out this year that attaches to players' fingertips and can measure their body signals. Much like the Microsoft and Sony camera systems, developers believe such technology can provide more specialized experiences, like a zombie game that unleashes more undead if a gamer seems bored.

"It's this whole sensory thing that we've never had — a window to the player's sort of mental state — or with the Wii, the biometrics that we can tune and tweak to customize an experience that way," said Morgan Gray, senior producer at "Resident Evil" developer Capcom. "That is exciting because now it's a two-way dialogue between the player and the game."

Yet most developers and publishers agree that such innovation won't mark the demise of the traditional controller. Despite revolutionizing the marketplace with the Wiimote, the motion-sensitive Wii doodad that can also be turned on its side and used as a traditional controller, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said buttons will continue to be mashed.

"Consumers want variety, and they want a range of experiences," said Fils-Aime.

That's been most apparent since the dawn of the Harmonix rhythm music franchise "Guitar Hero," as controllers have taken the form of gizmos such as guitars, drums, scales, game-show buzzers and turntables. But not every mutated controller has been a hit. Gamers didn't get on board with the critically derided skateboard-shaped controller for Activision's "Tony Hawk: Ride."

"It's hard because I'm super open for new technology and being creative in the gameplay," said Shaun White, the Olympic gold medal snowboarder with his own Ubisoft gaming franchise.

"I'm a big fan of letting it come out, and then seeing what we can do with it later. I think that sometimes if you go too far, it's too advanced. It hasn't been totally dialed in."

Many questions remain about the gaming evolutions expected from the big three industry leaders later this year. How exactly will games and other programs use the technology? What will it cost? How well will it work?

However, the question of whether these inventive new control schemes will mark the extinction of the traditional controller is decidedly negative.

Anyone else thought the title said "wanking"?

lol

It will be awhile before they are gone for good. They will improve the tech and the control schemes over time and make it easier to use. Myself I enjoy the Wii-Mote a lot. However, I do have a couple games I like playing with the classic game controller set up including most recently A Boy and His Blob. I also want the Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom controller. Come to think they may stay around as add-ons for some time to come.

Is there a resident evil game coming supported by the Vitality sensor?

Am I the only one that is excited about the comment from the capcom developer?

I see this as an confirmation of a resident evil game in the works for the wii (hopefully not an on rails shooter) and if we are lucky they will decide to release it.

We're going to be looking at the idea situation soon enough, where the games that should be motion-controlled are, and the games that shouldn't, aren't, but the various genres that are the least receptive to them will be rebuilt to adapt to the motion controls