Question of the Day, August 1, 2010

[The Escapist Staff]

Question of the Day, August 1, 2010



A new controller codenamed Thermogame was revealed at the 2010 SIGGRAPH conference. This controller provides "direct temperature sensation" so that players can "feel" what is happening in the game. What do you think of the new technology?

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[delet]

Nah, that fancy rumble feature is good enough for me; I don't care for anything else from a controller.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Cherry Cola]

I think that I'm never ever going to play a game that features lava using that controller.

I also think it's completely pointless. How is a rising or decreasing temperature that's restricted to your hands going to make anything more immersive?

Next they'll be saying that a controller blowing in your face is going to be a perfect running simulator.

 

[ultimateownage]

No, that would just be uncomfortable, rather than immersive.

 

[rileyrulesu]

the way you asked the question seems very biased. only point out the extremes that no one would like.

 

[latenightapplepie]

It would depend how well implemented it was, and how subtle the temperature change was, but my initial answer is no.

Music, visuals, sound effects; all these things are better at creating immersion for the player, I think.

 

[Betancore]

No. It'd be totally separate to what I'm experiencing in the game. Sort of like being stabbed, or shot. What's wrong with current controllers?

 

[CitySquirrel]

Scald either means to burn, or to heat almost to the boiling point. I'm unsure of what you are asking, here. Woulds I use a controller that malfunctioned and scalded when it got too hot? Of course not. (this is what I assumed the news story was about yesterday.) I can't imagine developers designing it intentionally to burn users, for obvious reasons. So if it was just designed to get warm or cool... well, yeah, I might play with that.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Yeah, sure. If it didn't cost too much.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

I understand the idea of trying to get the player to feel like he is in the game, but that just sounds pointless to me. We already did this with Vibration and I often found myself turning that off because it would spaz out of control during certain moments.

 

[Amsus]

I really don't think we need anymore gimmicky controllers for now. And in any case what good would a temperature changing controller do? it can't heat up warm enough to do any thing or it would be uncomfortable and nobody would use it, or cool down to anything below fridge temperature, besides what about water condensing on a cold controller how would they deal with that?

to summarize: no, I dont think it's a good idea

 

[HK_01]

I chose no, but not because it's too distracting, but because it's completely pointless and a waste of money and electricity.

 

[DazZ.]

Only if I could cook toast off it whilst I play.

 

[SteakHeart]

Sure, just to say that I have. It seems like a...

*Sunglasses*

Cool invention.

YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

 

[Lizardon]

It's an interesting idea, I'll give them that.

I don't think it'll improve the immersion any more than the rumble feature does. It could actually impair gameplay in my opinion as it would make you uncomfortable.

Although I'd still try it out, you never know.

 

[teisjm]

As long as it didn't burn or froze too much... though sweatty hands would be sort of a disadvantage.

Perhaps it could shock as well, like those lightning reflex games...

 

[Banana Phone Man]

It's a new idea but I think it would be a distraction more than imersive. Also it may force games to have cold/hot areas and would therefor make the game something it's not, a bit like how most of the movies nowerdays are in 3D however they don't need it.