Experimental Game Controller Can Scald or Freeze

[Simalacrum]

...to be frank, this sounds about as likely or as innovative as the whole "smell the game" shinanigans we had a while back... I don't think it'll catch on.

 

[Lucane]

Sounds interesting though my feeble human brain can't think of a good use for it other than say sharp shooting or careful hacking with hot being bad/off target and cool being correct or people looking in your direction.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Sounds cool if you were playing Lost Planet or something, but where is the application for a regular FPS?

The extreme heat of the desert? Too bad there is a cliche'n'boring temperature for all those regular FPS games...

I would really give this thing a try as long as the price is reasonable...

 

[Uber Waddles]

Just another useless mechanic, that if it WERE able to catch on, would require developers to waste time and money to integrate.

Im not spending $70 on the Next Gen games because of Uber HiDef and Thermal Controllers

 

[The Thief]

Sounds like the rumble feature. I.e. Annoying and not-at-all immersive.

Yes, because guns don't shake at all when you're firing them. What were they thinking.

And now they're adding heating? That's another thing guns totally don't do.

Look, I'll be kind and give you a quick tip: don't give a sarcastic reply when you either a) Don't know what immersion is or b) Haven't read what you're replying to properly.

Yes guns shake and I imagine they get hot, that doesn't make it more immersive when your controller does that. It's the same reason motion controls are less immersive than gaming with a mouse and keyboard or gamepad: you're being brought back into the real world.

First, I'm sorry if I came off a little rude. Just my sense of humor getting the better of me.

Second, I agree that motion controls are immersion breaking, but this and vibration are nothing like motion controls. Motion control is an input method, whereas vibration and temperature are feedback, just the same as audio and video. I would think the more senses a game can give feedback for the more real the experience would be.

I can't argue whether or not you personally find it to be immersive, but I find it helps greatly. The only thing about it that breaks the immersion for me is if the motor has an annoying buzzing noise like some do.

 

[Wakefield]

y'know what... screw the immersion factor, just let me turn on the cold or heat whenever I want.

Your hands are sweating? Well turn on the cooling mode!

Just got in and your hands are too cold to game? Turn on the heat!

This could actually be pretty great. I freeze during the majority of the school year because its so cold here. Love to be able to game and warm up at the same time.

 

[samsonguy920]

y'know what... screw the immersion factor, just let me turn on the cold or heat whenever I want.

Your hands are sweating? Well turn on the cooling mode!

Just got in and your hands are too cold to game? Turn on the heat!

That would be the practical use for this. There really isn't anything else.

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

This is rather interesting. I can't wait to see what they do with this. Is there a set date of release?

 

[oktalist]

Cool, but I thought SIGGRAPH was for graphics...

 

[tlozoot]

I'm calling gimmick on this one. How often is the heat (or lack thereof) going to really matter? So I'm in the ice dungeon in Zelda and my hands are cold...that's just going to be annoying.

 

[Carlston]

Solid Snake "Otacon, I am putting my thumb on this oven...it is part of my plan to get the plans to metal gear!"

Otacon "Snake make sure you have a plate of Ice cubes next to you!"

Snake "Right, not shamelessly plugging a pointless technology again... this is all part of the plot!"

 

[Brandon237]

This is a small step, but a simple innovation that I REALLY want to see, it would actually be such a nice little feature. Although sweaty palms syndrome would be even worse at times than it is now. This is a genuine, logical, possible, affordable step forward.

3D is good, but I don't want it now, and motion controls are a massive leap backwards. So I like this, it's good.

 

[Sampler]

I'd like one set to permanently chilled, just a couple of degrees below room temp to keep my hands from sweating during long sessions.

 

[Zirat]

Sounds really really amazing. Forget Kinect, this add-on is another step towards immersion. No flailing around, simply sitting and feeling the actual heat or cold within your palms whilst remaining perfectly motionless.

Congratulations good sir. You have just suceeded in summing up the way this thread should go so out of honor:

/thread

 

[Nazz3]

That sounds pretty cool, I hope they add it in next-gen.

 

[Xiorell]

Sounds cool if you were playing Lost Planet or something, but where is the application for a regular FPS?

Maybe you could have it get warmer as your gun starts to overheat from sustained fire? Like in Mass Effect kinda thing.

 

[shaboinkin]

Sounds like the rumble feature. I.e. Annoying and not-at-all immersive.

rumble is useful when playing a driving game. Lets me know when I start to drift off the course when in first person view.

 

[Judgement101]

Dante's Inferno anyone?

 

[Iskenator67]

I'm waiting for the first time the wiring gets a short and someone gets burned. And the resulting lawsuit.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

If you get damaged consistently, the controller heats up and when you die, it delivers a sharp burn. That's a great concept!