I just read an article on nintendojo.com complaining about analog control and missing the control pad of the 2D generations. 

An interesting point was raised within however. The portables aren't very good with controlling in a 3D space and the PSP's answer to that, the analog nub isn't the best solution to the issue. So how about a pressure sensitive D-Pad? It'd be as close to an analog stick as a portable can get while still retaining the iconic D-Pad.

Now one issue may be the fact that many people like a clicky style D-Pad and perhaps that could also be implemented on top of the analog or pressure sensitive part like the GameCube's shoulder buttons. The D-Pad would have to be a little chunkier than that of the DS Lite but not a lot more, if it was allowed to be pushed further into the system itself when controlling direction.

So yay or nay to pressure sensitive D-Pads for the next generation of portable systems?

Why bother? with the DS2 having both motion control and a touchscreen it wont be needed

Why not just have a huge, ugly machine with a pressure sensitive d-pad, two control sticks, a touch screen, and motion control? And all the buttons? If it plays every game perfectly, I don't care how it looks.

Ok firstly I'm not limiting the discussion to just DS2 here. Secondly nothing has been announced for DS2 so you can't make the statement you just made. Next Nintendo have always been innovaters so why stop at motion and touch? Another thing is Sony may want to get rid of the analog nubs. Finally, options, precise controls for every genre (some are no good with touch or motion) and the ability for third parties to quickly build games for the system at the beginning of the it's life is important - this would be easier to implement than the other control methods in the beginning.

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have limited it to the DS2, you're right that there is another handheld for next gen that can't be ignored.

Oh wait, the Iphone already has both motion and touch, and doesn't even have a d pad.

And if Sony does make a PSP2 then it'll either have 2 improved nubs or motion sensitivity. Perhaps both.

And yes, I can make assumptions about the DS2, because it is such an obvious assumption

@ bolded - A precise controller is one that has the highest number of intermediate states between the neutral position and the fully applied position. When you consider that the Wii Wheel turns about 10cm in a turn, and an anlogue stick moves about 1cm, it seems weird that you would try to talk about precision as a fault for moton controls. The first mainstream motion controller is more precise than the best classic controller on offer. Think how much more precise motion could be in a few years.

Perhaps you meant accurate instead of precise? Well in that case you may have some small point to make.

I will grant that in the hands of a lazy, hurried or incompetant programmer with no experience programming motion controls, there can be cases where a game is not as accurate as a good classically controlled game. This is not the fault of the concept of motion controls, nor is it usually even the fault of how they are implemented in the Wii, but it is infact mostly a programming issue. And the chance of actual inaccuracies with the hardware will decrease with Wiimotion+, and would be even better by the time the DS2 comes around.

Oh yeah your right mate, that's why the iPhone/iPod Touch have taken off to become the market leader.

Also don't compare a home consoles motion controls to a portable. Try playing a game on a train, bus or in a car that uses solely motion controls. Can be frustrating.

Wait, so in the one post you insult the Iphone and say you own one? Or is there some other way you've got motion control gaming on the go?

Anyone who owns an Iphone - Is gaming on a train possible?

I suppose it depends what kind of train you're on. If it's a decent train, then it should be extremely smooth, so playing the iPod Touch won't be affected much at all. It also depends on how much the train has to turn.

No I don't own one but I've tried playing crash bandicoot racing in my mates car (he owns an iPod Touch) It wasn't fun.. Not impossible but extremely frustrating. Also I had played it beforehand so it wasn't just me not used to the controls.

I'm not insulting it either! I'm saying that motion controls for a portable game system that is only a portable game system and does nothing else (such as the DS) can't be the only option.