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Typo: vibration function cited in PS3's NBA 2K7 booklet
Keen eyes have spotted this careless passage published in the PlayStation 3 version of the NBA 2K7 instruction booklet: "Once you start feeling your heart rate pumping (via controller vibration), you'll be ready to begin! Shooting free throws in 24/7: NEXT is just like shooting free throws in a normal quick game" (page 15). The rumble citation is an amusing relic of pre-Sixaxis days when the manual's authors must have assumed (or were told) the final PS3 controller would feature a standard vibration function. Guess 2K Games didn't bother to hire a knowledgeable copy editor.Please, let's not assume this means PS3 games have 'hidden' vibration features. A typo's a typo. And PS3 launch titles won't be a'rumblin.[Thanks, Xenokai]
Circuit City resorts to irony to move PS3 units
Oh is it really? Wait here, let's check. Nope, no dice. Maybe Circuit City got a Super Special Shipment with PS2 controllers instead.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
No rumble support for N64 VC titles
According to CVG, N64 Virtual Console games will not support rumble feedback. Also, the VC controller will not support rumble at all and, apparently, the GameCube controller's including rumbling functionality will not be used. What's the deal with that, Nintendo?For the most part, this makes no sense. We can understand not including rumble feedback into the VC controller, but why turn off rumble functionality altogether? It could work fine with GameCube controllers, so why intentionally leave it out? Wouldn't it take more effort to strip the game of rumble support than to just leave the code alone? Maybe that isn't the case, as we know full well we lack any sort of games development experience.What say you readers?[Via Joystiq]
Virtual Console's N64 titles don't rumble
CVG reports Nintendo 64 Virtual Console games will lack rumble feedback. Not only will the Classic Controller be without rumble support, but the GameCube controller's jiggliness will be nonfunctional when used to play N64 downloads.It's disappointing that this feature was cut. While not compatible with every title*, the Rumble Pak was one of N64's most significant innovations. How about a patch to support the GameCube controller?*There are a ton that are compatible!
Sony vs Nintendo in the motion sensitive arena
There's been an enormous amount of brouhaha about whether or not Sony added the motion sensitive feature to their controller after Nintendo announced the Wii, or if they had been planning it all along. Now Sony fanboys are claiming, via the YouTube video after the jump, that they had motion sensitive controllers back on the original PlayStation, so Nintendo must have copied the idea from Sony. Nobody seems to notice that it wasn't Sony who made the motion sensitive controller back then. Since it was pre-2000, then it's ancient history, in Net-time.
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XIV : Lack of rumble keeps PS3 controller "affordable"
It's time again for one of our favorite segments, CE-Oh no he didn't! For this week's episode, we're going to talk a little bit about the PS3. Now, we all know that the new PS3 isn't going bring the rumble to our favorite upcoming Sony gaming console. But what we didn't know was why -- yes, yes there were claims that it had to do with interference of motion sensing, or lawsuits from Immersion, but we hadn't gotten a clear reason straight from the horse's mouth, particularly when surveys suggest fans would be willing to pay for it. However, a recent interview by GameDaily Biz with SCEA prez Kaz Hirai says that it's yet another reason altogether:"Is it technically feasible? Absolutely. But the balancing act that you need to do, is to be able to present the controller to the consumer at an affordable price." Affordable? Please. Joystiq points out that a G-Pad Pro for the PS2, which has motion sensing and vibration, costs $30, a whole Lincoln higher than the Dual Shock. C'mon Kaz, can't you at least be straight with us? Now of course, this is from the same folks who said that just a few months ago said that the $500 PS3 was "too cheap," and is well worth the markup compared to the Wii, but backtracked when the company recently dropped the price in Japan. Maybe that means the prices of the controllers are going to come down too?[Via Joystiq]
Sony says no, Immersion says yes
Our colleagues at GameDaily BIZ spoke with Victor Viegas, CEO of force feedback patent holder Immersion, about Sony VP Kaz Hirai's recent comments on the PS3 controller's lack of rumble. Hirai told Kikizo in a taped interview, "If we have to come up with technology ... to isolate the vibration from the sensing, but if that means that the controllers are going to be so expensive, then we're doing the consumer a huge disservice by coming up with a controller that is not very affordable."Viegas responded that his company "knew how to technically solve their problems" and they now "know how to do it without adding any incremental cost." He even cited a third party PS2 controller, the G-Pad Pro, that "incorporates both motion sensing and vibration and goes for the retail price of just $29.95." That's only $5 more than a Dual Shock.We can't help but be shaken, rumbled even, by the irony of proclaiming cost sensitivity as the purported rationale for excising the controller's force feedback functionality when the console it will wirelessly communicate with has been criticized, by most everyone below the 35% tax bracket, for being extravagantly expensive. Note to Sony: We're pretty sure anyone ponying up $500-$600 for a PS3 would be more than willing to shell out an extra $5 for force feedback.With Nintendo's rumbling, motion-sensing controller combo going for a princely $60, and Microsoft's rumbling, motion-free 360 gamepad going for a steep $50, how should Sony price their lightweight, rumble-free Sixaxis? They've already said it's got to be affordable.Other peripheral pricing:PS3: Dual Shake is dead, long live SixaxisRead - Hirai: No Rumble in PS3 Controller Due to Cost Read - Immersion CEO: Rumble + Motion Not Cost Prohibitive
Immersion survey suggests Sony better get ready to rumble
Press releases are boring. We go through literally hundreds of them a day, and for the most part, they're self-serving documents full of half-truths and inflated claims about products and services. So imagine our delight when we stumbled upon this little doozy of a release from marketing firm Ipsos Insight, which details a study done on behalf of the Immersion Corporation concerning gamers' preferences and purchasing plans with regards to the trio of next-generation consoles. You probably remember Immersion as the company that successfully sued Sony over the use of computer-controlled vibration technology in its PlayStation and PS2 Dual Shock controllers, and since Sony has apparently neither paid Immersion the $90 million it owes nor licensed the rumble tech for its SIXAXIS PS3 gamepads, the release comes across as a thinly-veiled reminder that gamers really, really like playing with input devices that shake and buzz in their sweaty hands. Not only does the (completely unbiased) poll report that 72% of the 1,075 respondents agree vibration feedback enhances their game experience, it goes on to note that 59% of those surveyed would prefer rumble on the PS3 controller, while only 8% care about motion / tilt sensing (sorry, Nintendo). As if these numbers didn't paint a clear enough picture of the message Immersion is trying to convey, two further questions spell it out even more explicitly: when asked if the lack of rumble capabilities would affect their buying decisions (apparently 74% of those polled weren't even aware of the "no rumble" policy -- clearly no Engadget readers amongst that bunch), 5% said that it would definitely cause them not to buy a PS3 and 32% claimed that they were less likely to pick one up for this reason and this reason alone. Now obviously Immersion knew exactly the results that it wanted before it conducted this "study," and probably phrased the questions in order to get the most desirable data set, but even non-statistics majors like ourselves could have figured out that gamers accustomed to the fun of Dual Shock would be in for a letdown the first time they picked up a rumble-free SIXAXIS controller. Okay, Sony, the cards are on the table, and even if these numbers are skewed, you know full well that you can't be the only player in the game without a little vibration action going on. So what's it gonna be: are you going to keep hoping that some appeals court finally overturns the numerous prior decisions against you, or are you going to shell out some dough just like Microsoft and Nintendo did, and finally give the majority of your target audience what it wants? To us, it doesn't really seem like much of a choice at all.
BeCell's VSG160G vibrating headphones
While we're still not sold on the whole idea of vibrating headphones, it seems that BeCell certainly is, partnering with Tylenol to release its VSG160G head-shaking 'phones. Just kidding about the Tylenol part, obviously, although you may want to stock up if you're planning on using these suckers for the full twelve hours the company promises they'll last. Unlike some other similar headphones, BeCell's set simply uses some heavy bass to rock your noggin' instead of built-in motors and, thankfully, include a vibration control setting on the cord for when things get a little too intense. Unfortunately, it looks like we're gonna have to wait a bit longer to find out how much these'll cost or when they'll be available; in the meantime, we suggest hitting your head against a wall to warm up.[Via CrunchGear]
Starfox Command looks to shake it up
With the news of 30 stages to traverse in the upcoming Starfox Command, the added news that the game will feature full support for the DS rumble pack, which a few of you might've been able to acquire on the cheap, is like a sweetest cherry on top of our sundae. Also, the game will see the return of mainstay characters in the franchise actually getting into their respective cockpits and taking to the skies alongside Fox across the various game areas. Multiplayer, both locally and through Wi-Fi, also looks to be a very good place to spend some time. August 28 cannot come soon enough...[Via Gamespot]
The truth will set you free: old vibes and new tech?
The cost of Sony and Immersion force feedback litigation... $90 million. One Pelican PlayStation controller bought off eBay... $5. Proving that the motion-sensing technology and rumble feature worked together ten years ago... priceless. This is a video that shows off a decade-old controller that worked with not only PlayStation games like WarHawk back in the day, but also PS2 games like Gran Tourismo. You can thank the independent source of PSM for the find, though the video is admittedly awkward. What does this prove? Obviously vibration feedback and motion-sensing in a controller is not only possible, but it's already been done! So why isn't Sony jumping on this already? Who knows... But it's looking more and more like the bad vibes between Immersion and their patented rumble feature could be keeping Sony from implementing it. With TouchSense claiming to fix it all, and proof that it's been done before, what else could it be?[Thanks boots!]
PS3 controller used to rumble in 1999
No need for 360 fanboys to waste energy mocking the "revolutionary" PS3 controller for being sadly inferior to a 7 year-old product that worked with Warhawk on the PS1 when Playstation Magazine is producing humiliating videos like this. It turns out Pelican somehow got motion-sensing and rumble feedback to work on the same controller back in 1999. The first 30 seconds where he apes the Sony E3 keynote is classic stuff. [Thanks Supascape & Imation]
Dual Shake may rumble still
Skin of your teeth, white-knuckle and overly elaborate escapes can be made all the more engaging and memorable by the subtle rumbling of the controller in your hands. Of course, having just stolen a Dual Shock 2 from the lonely demo unit in your local games retailer, palpable excitement is something you have in droves, not to mention rampant kleptomania. The vibration emitted by most of today's controllers also adds an extra level of immersion to games like Silent Hill and Halo -- just ask Immersion, they named their company after the idea. Don't ask Sony, however, since it's a touchy subject. Currently appealing against a court ruling in favor of Immersion's claims that they treaded upon specific patents when they created the Dual Shock controllers (like the one you stole), Sony has come under some fire for dropping rumble functionality from the PS3 controller entirely. An accusatory finger was pointed at the newly implemented motion sensing technology, a move interpreted by some as Sony being unwilling to hand licensing fees over to Immersion. Whether or not that's the case is still up for debate, though Immersion has now unveiled new technology which indicates, at the very least, that a rumbling Dual Shake may still find its way into hands (especially thieving ones).The "TouchSense" technology for use in next-gen controllers promises added realism in addition to full compatibility with motion and tilt sensing devices. "Because the speed at which a user moves the controller is much slower than the frequencies generated by TouchSense technology, the two signals can be differentiated using filtering and other techniques." Their statement goes on to say that Immersion "offers engineering services to implement the technology within a particular console system." Will Sony grab this opportunity, or let it slip through their fingers? Is it really that big of a deal?[Via PS3 Fanboy]
The cost of Immersion: DualShake a possibility
What is it about innovation that seems to bring out the worst in companies? When Sony began showing off its newest controller, cries from fans elsewhere claimed that they had copied Nintendo's motion-sensing technology. Back in the day, the PS2 had a similar situation that prompted litigation which Sony is still grappling with today. The idea was the rumbling technology, and Immersion said it was theirs.Enter the Sony-Immersion headache. The latter took it to court in an effort to settle their rights on certain patents which claimed the controller tech. Long story short: Sony's been paying out a royalty every quarter in a deal which circumvents a $90 million settlement they would otherwise have to pay to Immersion. With a pending appeal against the settlement, many are saying Sony has dropped the rumbling technology from their latest PS3 controller due to the bad vibe between the companies.But what should they do if along came a solution to the motion-sensing rumble conundrum? This is where TouchSense comes in. According to Immersion, they have the ability to make the PlayStation 3 controller shake, rattle and roll with force feedback, all the while retaining its sensing feature. However, there's still that icky $90 million thorn in their side. If Sony would cough up the cash, gamers could have their cake and eat it too. But they're saying it's too late and there's just not enough time to implement TouchSense. This, of course, contradicts Immersion's claim that it would only take a matter of weeks. Is force feedback worth the price? Would gamers even notice? These are questions that we're betting Sony is still trying to tackle.
RWC's ITN-VR10 vibrating headphones
Sure, it's nice to feel that rumble from the game controller, but wouldn't it be better if your ears were doing the ringing after a crushing EA Sports-induced blow to the head, instead of your hands? Why not try on a pair of these itan ITN-VR10 headphones from RWC then, which vibrate in your ear (like a mosquito?) in reaction to what they perceive to be a large, booming force. These buds feature a standard 3.5-millimeter mini-jack for connecting to your favorite handheld game console and will last about 15-hours off battery. Available in Japan starting June 26 for about ¥3,980 or $35.[Via Impress]
Peter Moore shares his thoughts on Sony
With the looming launch of the PS3, it's always fun to get a reaction from the front-liners on the other side. Peter Moore sat down with Eurogamer the other day and spilled his thoughts on Sony and their new controller."At Microsoft we did the same controller six years ago ... The gamers' response was muted at best," he said. He went on to speak about how the applications for such a controller were fairly narrow. And with the sacrifice of the force feedback, there's a strong argument that the PS3 controller will have lost much of its allure. Regardless, the gamers will be the ones who decide what works and what doesn't come November.Mr. Moore's comment about the price point summed it up: "I can only imagine what's going on back home for 599 Euros for what looks to me like a platform that's on a par at best with some of the software we're showing."
Immersion offers to teach Sony's DualShake to dance
Immersion Corporation is a thorn on Sony's side -- in September of 2004 they won a lawsuit against Sony, arguing that the videogame giant had used their "haptic" (read: rumble) technology without consent. Sony is appealing the verdict, which requires that they pay $90 million to Immersion and prohibits Sony from selling games and controllers that specifically used Immerison's technology, including the PS2 DualShock controller. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), Sony unveiled at this year's E3 that the PS3 controller, which we are dubbing the DualShake for its motion-sensor properties, would lack a rumble feature. Immersion President Victor Viegas has offered to work with Sony to add rumble to the PlayStation 3 controller, adding that they have "numerous solutions" that they have offered Sony. The catch? Sony has to drop the appeal and accept the court decision from 2004. Sony's line of reasoning has been, publicly, that they had to drop the rumble feature to make way for its last-minute inclusion of motion-sensor technology. However, as many have noted, the controller now feels flimsy, and the inclusion of rumble technology seems very viable. Its absence is a step backwards for the console, and we hope that somehow (by hook or by crook), Sony backs down and includes haptic technology with their final product.
New PS3 controller loses DualShock vibration
According to Sony's latest press release, the new PlayStation 3 controller -- or the 'DualShake' -- will not feature DualShock (vibration) support. It should be noted that the Wii controller will vibrate rumble. Here's the official explanation:"Pursuant to the introduction of this new six-axis sensing system, the vibration feature that is currently available on DUALSHOCK and DUALSHOCK 2 controllers for PlayStation and PlayStation 2, will be removed from the new PS3 controller as vibration itself interferes with information detected by the sensor."Might we also add that this is a convenient way for Sony to distance itself from the troubles surrounding the DualShock technology?[Via Sony news release; included in press kit distributed at E3 keynote]
PS3 pad loses DualShock name and vibration but picks up Wii-esque motion detection and wireless connectivity
In a shocking turn of events, the PS3 controller has gone from banamerang to wireless DualShock 3, except without the DualShock name and vibration.If you take a good look at the back of the new control pad (see the close-up above), you'll notice that the DualShock 2 brand name imprinted on the old controller has now been supplanted by a row of LED lights to show which input has been set, either wirelessly or via the wired USB recharge port. Sony's now the only name in-line for PS3 controllers either on the pad or in the press releases (see "the new PS3 controller").
Metroid Prime Hunters includes free Rumble Pak
If you're one of the folk that purchased Metroid Prime Pinball, you've no doubt been playing Metroid Prime Hunters all this time with your free Rumble Pak as it realistically vibrated the echo of missile damage through the handheld, then your fingertips, and finally on into your brain. You could've also purchased the GBA slot-fitting add-on direct from Nintendo, or at a more expensive price, through importer Lik-Sang, to experience the tremors of gameplay. Or, if you're one of the dozens of people on the globe who've yet to acquire Metroid Prime Hunters, you could finally pick up the bounty-hunting simulation and get the accessory for free as it's now included in copies of the game, yet only while supplies last. No word yet on if the bundle will be available for those in Europe.
