Another round of Nintendo touch screen controller rumors

Ready for a second round of rumors about how the controllers on Nintendo's next-generation Revolution console are going to ditch the buttons and pads in favor of a configurable touch screen? Some speculation about all this was already going around back in December (and then there was that something or other in January about them coming with built-in gyroscopes), now a magazine called Game Informer is absolutely convinced that the Revolution will have a "touch screen as its controller" that has "no analog stick or shoulder buttons," and that the "touch screen on the face of the controller is designed to be fully customizable." Sound familiar? Whether they actually have some inside dirt or are just recycling December's rumor isn't totally clear, but it seems inconceivable that Nintendo would completely abandon actual physical controls (think of the hand strain!). Yeah, we get that the touch screen on the Nintendo DS (pictured at right) has its fans and that Nintendo is clearly enamored with the whole idea of touching, but even the DS has a d-pad and actual buttons. Note that while Game Informer says there isn't an analog stick or shoulder buttons, they don't mention whether there is a d-pad or not, so even if the controller for the Revolution does have some sort of touch screen, it still seems more plausible that they're planning some sort of hybrid controller rather than something that is going to look like a Palm with a cable running out of it.

[Van Mardian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I'll bet $1000 that this won't happen. Tuchscreen requires that you look at the controller to make sure that you fingers are over the correct "buttons". This is obviously not going to work for games. Moreover, its going to increase the cost.

[amiga_tone @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Mardian, I agree with you this is ridiculous. Even if the there is a touch screen involved they [Nintendo] can't just drop the D-Pad and buttons it doesn't make sense.

If Nintendo tried this they would lose alot of the small number they have left for their revolution. Besides how would this work if the Revolution was to be backward compatible?

I'm still convinced that any such functionality is only part of the DS/GBE connectivity - not part of the main unit!

[Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Enh.

Touchscreens have no tactile feedback.

It also seems that you can't do something as simple as a continuous turn (in an FPS) in an intuitive way.

Sounds cool to have a customizable touchpad, but come on... you've gotta at least have the basic analogs, I would imagine.

It'll be really interesting to see how Nintendo does it if this is true, but it just seems that touchpanels are fundamentally flawed to be used exclusively as controllers.

[LE @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Its a great idea, just think instead of a d pad, a touch pad and instead of a c stick a touch pad, it would be so much better.

If you've played mario DS with the touch pad you will agree.

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I agree its not true. At the very least the revolution will have all the same buttons as gamecube, to keep it backwards compatible.

[DrNo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

No no no, you guys got this all wrong, Nintendo realized that a touch screen wouldn't work, not because they would loose out on having an intuitive control set that would be standard for all games, because the screens would wear out too quickly from all the Cheetoe and pizza grease encrusted hands. They had to reject the idea of attaching electrodes to your cranium due to privacy groups, so they eventually decided to build on that past and resurrect the PowerGlove, which will be manufactured by Isotoner, and will be coinciding with the updated re-release of the classic The Wizard, titled �The Wizard � Overclocked�

Scouts honor.

[DrNo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

No no no, you guys got this all wrong, Nintendo realized that a touch screen wouldn't work, not because they would loose out on having an intuitive control set that would be standard for all games, because the screens would wear out too quickly from all the Cheetoe and pizza grease encrusted hands. They had to reject the idea of attaching electrodes to your cranium due to privacy groups, so they eventually decided to build on that past and resurrect the PowerGlove, which will be manufactured by Isotoner, and will be coinciding with the updated re-release of the classic The Wizard, titled �The Wizard � Overclocked�

Scouts honor.

[Raffi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I agree. This is highly unlikely to be the main form of controlling. Its more likely to be a connection method for the DS, or just a secondary way to play for certain games... Its not plausible.

[K Johnson @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I could have sworn I read somewhere that Nintendo was definately _not_ going to have a touch screen on the 'Revolution'.

If I had to guess, from some other things I've read, they'll be using gyroscopes for control and force-feedback; hence the 'feeling is better' phrase.

[Rebecca @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I think it will be a traditional controller like the one on the GameCube, but incorporating a touch screen like the one on the DS.

This would be an incredible controller, you could still play all sorts of games, but for RPGS and others you could access the touch screen for menus and different methods of input.

With such a controller the posibilities would be endless.

Becky

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

The power glove was an interesting concept, but I think it was ultimately a novelty at best. Case in point, no one ever coppied it. If I remember correctly the U-Force dod even worse.

A pure customizable touch pad controler might be cool for certain games, but I don't think it would be a good replacement for the traditional D-Pad+X#Control buttons. Like the power glove, U-Force, lightgun, dance pad, keyboard+mouse adapters I think it would be a cool accessory that would sell, and people, SOME people would enjoy. But I don't think it would be a good idea for this to be the standard controler.

Unless it had a membrane backed overlay that had standard type controls for normal use that you just pop out to expose the t-pad if you were playing a game for which the touchpad was appropriate...

[Kevin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

K Johnson, you DO realize that the "feeling is better" didn't come from Nintendo, right?

That was part of the supposed "napkin sketches" rumor :D

Man, there are too many rumors out there!

[jon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

its march, sooo people usually get their magazines sent to them a month in advance.

next months issue is april.
there is a very high possbility that this is their yearly april fools joke.
but then again this has been a rumor for a while, it just didnt start up this week.

just wait til E3, at their official unveiling. thats when we will finally know whether or not its xbox 360, touch screen controllers, crazy stuff from the ps3.

[Right @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Nah, woun't happen. Gamers are too used to the response they get from controllers and keyboards to accept this willingly.

Hell, if you're keyboard was replaced by a flat piece of touch sensetive plexiglass, you'd probably be uncomfortable using it. Took used to the response from the keys.

I think the touchscreen on the DS is even a flop, it seems more like a gimick than something practical.

[Andrew Dinmore @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I'd love to see a touch screen on the controller, but agree that it wouldn't work as the primary control. Unless, maybe, they found some way to bubble up buttons out of it. But that's not going to happen.

I seem to remember Nintendo saying that there wouldn't be a traditional d-pad at the same time they announced there would be no standard face buttons though. And I'm pretty sure the wording of the announcement looked to me like there could still be some form of face buttons used, just not like there are at the moment.

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I don't think N is that dumb. The addition of a touch screen would be good for custom controls and "private info" that other players can't see (like selecting your play in a football game), but you need the existing controls too. Mario DS control is very awkward.

[Blue Balloon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

What's matter with you? ARe you afraid to move on new level of truly video game? Learn and how to use. Or you rather go back to simple control like NES. bye.

[Eriq @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

How the hell are you supposed to play games? Controllers need physical & motion feedback in order to work acurately. I'll be extremely surprised if Nintendo actually does this, as this will cause massive complaints from consumers.

I don't beleive it (nor do I want to believe it).

[Eriq @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

How the hell are you supposed to play games? Controllers need physical & motion feedback in order to work acurately. I'll be extremely surprised if Nintendo actually does this, as this will cause massive complaints from consumers.

I don't beleive it (nor do I want to believe it).

[newman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

This is indeed old and recycled. Game Informer is a worthless rag that GameStop gives away to its customers. I'd imagine the built-in gyroscope idea is more likely what's in store for the Revolution. I used to know folks who would jerk their old NES pad up and down everytime Mario jumped, as if that had any control over what happened on the screen. It'll be freaky to see that tactic actually working now!

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

How about a trackball and a paddle?

[Elvoid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

While I don't think nintendo will do this. I do believe that they could put a touch screen on the controller as a partner to the regular buttons. Sorta like the SN Program Pad had an LCD Display on it for its various functions. Only now it would have a more dramatic effect on gameplay.

[Elvoid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

While I don't think nintendo will do this. I do believe that they could put a touch screen on the controller as a partner to the regular buttons. Sorta like the SN Program Pad had an LCD Display on it for its various functions. Only now it would have a more dramatic effect on gameplay.

[Kane @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I've heard this same rumor about the DS before it was unveiled, and Nintendo implemented the d-pad with shoulder buttons and a,b,x,y buttons as a fall back plan incase the touch feature didnt catch on. For nintendo to totally abandon anolog sticks would be too risky, the chance of the public not liking it would be too high. and besides all this time Nintendo has been saying that thier gamecube controller will be the standard in the future. i can qoute this from and interview with Shigeru Miyamoto in issue 160 of egm (i know this becuase it was the issue with the first unveiling of halo 2, so i know that particular issue very well). "Get accustomed to the GC controller because, 10 years from now (which at the time was 2002), this controller will be the standard."

however, nintendo loves its touch screen, so when u unpack ur revolution (or Nintendo 21(the story is in the middle of the page http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/28/news_6117482.html) you could expect a controller with 2 regular anolog sticks, shoulder buttons, standard wireless, gyration, and no abxy buttons---that part might be the touch screen and could adapt to each game. this is probably wrong becuase a touchscreen in every controller will make the system too expensive to buy ---however the ":xbox next: xenon 360" is supposed to be like $400.

[sauceruney @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I see Nintendo dying a sad, atari-esque* death in the near future.


*(The Bushnell sale to Warner Bros. kind of death... the industry fallout/Warner Bros. sale to Jack Tramiel kind of death... the mismanagement by Tramiel's sons kind of death...)

[Anonymous Coward @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

This has gotta be bunk. Controllers that use touch screens exclusivly would probably freak out the casual gamer demo that Nintendo likes to cater to.

My dream controller would be wireless, with gyroscopes (that'd make for an amazing way to control, e. g. Katamari Damacy, and since it looks like that title's coming to DS....), and feature an lcd touch screen in the middle for status messages/inventory menu control, etc. Didn't the Dreamcast have something like that?

[Jed Merrill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Xbox will die first, if they don't start making money. The Cube is and always has been profitable. Xbox only had a profit (a small one) the quarter they released Halo 2... It's true!

[TheTspot.org Admin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

That would be cool. We'll review it over at the T spoT when it comes out.

[Chris Norman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Truly innovative?

Split the controller down the middle. Almost like a barbell. Each ball would act as a full-body analogue controller, sensing things like position and rotation via dual gyroscopes. Buttons would be positioned for easy fingertip access when grasping these controllers - rather than shoulder buttons, different buttons would be accessible to different fingertips.

If this is what the new Nintendo controller looks like, you can thank me later and buy me a beer.

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

#12 Jon

I very much agree that was the first thing that I was thinking the perfect april fools just think of the buzzzzzzz they started.

[bgm @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

moo-.-

[Wonderflex @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

#5 - it doesn't have to have GC buttons, it has GC controler ports.