So, much has been made of this image, which may or may not be the new NX controller:
I think yes, it is the new NX Controller. If it's not, I think it's a good mock up of what it will be, based on patent photos, such as this:
The comments following the reveal have been mixed, but mostly negative. However, after looking back at patent drawings and info, I've come to several conclusions and I think the interface will not only work, but will work in spectacular fasion and be a game-changer. Here's why, and the first clue is in this photo:
Note that in the diagram the player is NOT using a virtual button to make this character jump. He's using the right analogue stick. Stop and think about that for a moment.
Would this work? Wouldn't pressing an analogue stick be awkward and lack precision for a platformer like Mario?
No. Not with the new, game-changing type of analogue stick NX is proposing to implement. We've known that Nintendo patents have shown that the sticks could incorporate motors to provide feedback. Since the sticks have motors to provide force, they can move the stick... but also NOT move it. IE, lock it in place. Take a look at leaked image. Much has been made that the analogues don't look real, or look too solid. But imagine they are real for a moment. If the motors were locked and holding the "stick" in place, it would make a perfectly useable "A" button.
Most action-oriented platformers use one primary button for actions such as jumping. In this case, one button is enough. Secodary actions could be mapped to the bumpers, or possibly to the touch screen virtual button. Since the right stick "button" centers your hands without looking, you could easily locate and use virtual bottons above, below or beside the physical stick "A" button. Mario could run with left stick, jump with "A", shoot fireballs with right bumper, spin with left bumper, and extra exciting stuff could be done by tapping the screen next to "A".
What about more complex games, like Zelda or Xenoblade? Well this is shown in this diagram:
Extra actions are mapped to virtual buttons. Would this work? Sure. Again, when you take Zelda, there is typically one primary action where secondary items are used less and don't need as much physical feedback or twitch action from the player. In OoT on N64 they were on C-buttons. The function here would be similar. You could swing your sword with "A", and items or special things could be done virtually. Same with an RPG like Xenoblade, where both Xeno and Xeno-X had many actions simply use the A button to execute while selecting from a menu. The close proximaty of the touch screen could make for easy-to-use extra commands such as directing other party members - something that would be cool but a little tough with the distance from botton to screen on the Wii U Pad.
But most of all, there is good reason to think this will work and work well. The reason? It's a return to the simple, streamlined design of the original Wii. At its base, NX could be a system with one stick and one button plus triggers. This is the same as Wii with the "A" button and "B-trigger". The touch screen could add both simple access for casuals or a great deal of complex imputs for advanced gamers. Like Wii, NX could be presented as a simple interface to the fearful gamer, but still expand to handle complex adventure games or RPGs. And unlike Wii, it could offer the dual-analogue standard core gamers and third parties are used to.
But let's not stop there just yet. Because there is more still to this controller, and I think it is once again making reference to Wii. Just as Wii could be a simple Wii-mote but also add a nunchuck for an analogue stick, I think the NX will do the same thing. Another knock of the leaked photo was the lack of "handles" that are in the patent and on virtually all modern controllers. I beleive they are removable. As seen in the photo below, the NX controller is desinged to be held horizontal AND vertical:
The controller is designed to be held vertical when needed. But that would be awkward with those grips. So I think they are removalbe when needed. They most likely contain triggers as well. In a vertical mode it could simulate a Wii-mote for casual or virtual titles. It could also simulate a classic handheld dual-screen device, or play smartphone games. Note that in the patent diagram the screen is displaying virtual Wii/DS era inputs such as the home button. I think the virtical arrangement will be primarily for backward compatibility. We could take this a step further and speculate that this device is both the controller for the home console and replacing handhelds as well, but that's a larger concept that we don't yet know.
What about third parties? They'll be fine. As said above, the controller can still function as a typical dual-analogue. Assuming the grips have triggers, you're good for COD and just about any other third party title. If the system itself is powerful enough and sells enough, and has standard architecture, third parties would probably embrace it. Certainly the controller won't stop them.
In summary, I believe Nintendo is attempting to replicate Wii's success by creating an interface that is both simple and complex at once. Like a PC mouse or the Wii-Mote, the NX Controller will be simple to pick up, but enable a very detailed and complex interaction. The feedback sticks alone could be used for very intricate movement and selection. This is also true of the bumpers which are proposed to also be "dials" alowing left- and right-movement to select options, etc. Just as a mouse can provide a very complex and imersive connection to a program, these new sticks and rotating bumpers could provide a level of interaction well beyond what multiple buttons can do. All this while presenting a small, aprochable device that looks super-cool with its curved screen.
I believe the next game-changer is coming.
