Sony developers and engineers discuss how advancements of new controller for PlayStation 4 affect gameplay experiences.
Sony released a new video today that details the advancements of thePlayStation 4's new DualShock 4 controller. In the video, developers and engineers discuss what makes the input's features unique and how those features will affect the overall gameplay experience.
First, Sony product planner Toshimasa Aoki explained that the company spoke with various first-party developers (Media Molecule, Naughty Dog, Sony Santa Monica, Sucker Punch Productions) about what they would like to see from a new controller and what they thought was missing in the DualShock 3.
"Everything's been tuned. The feel of the analog sticks, the sensitivity of both different types of triggers. And in addition to that, there have been all these features added to it, without compromising the basic feel of the DualShock," added Sony senior vice president of product development Scott Rohde.
The video also goes into detail regarding the functionality of the DualShock 4's lightbar. This feature allows the controller (in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye) to track the position of multiple people in the room. This allows the PS4 to specifically detect who is who, and adjust accordingly, for co-op games.
"If the system sees that for some reason we've swapped places or I've passed the controller to someone, it can automatically adjust the ordering of the split-screen so that it makes sense to everyone," senior software engineer Anton Mikhailov said. "It seems like a minor thing, but it actually really helps the flow of the game; helps the intuitiveness of the whole console."
Sony also discussed the DualShock 4's touch-pad in the video. The pad supports multi-touch and Sony said that the touch interactions will be "very comfortable" for players. A developer is shown using his thumb and fingers to swipe on the pad.
The video also treads over old ground, touching on the DualShock 4's speaker and its share Share button, which allows players to post screenshots and videos to social networking sites.
The PS4 launches this holiday season. According to lead system architect Mark Cerny, the software launch lineup for the system will be stronger than any other PlayStation console in history.
Sony has not announced a price for the platform, though an unconfirmed report claims the platform will be released in November at $430 and $530.
