Experimental Game Controller Can Scald or Freeze

[Danpascooch]

It's a very bad idea, you know why? It's not because of the hardware, that's amazing, and cool, it's the developers.

Given something like this, they won't be able to help but abuse it, and we'll see a bunch of "Uh oh, this door locked, now to get deeper into the facility, we have to go through a MAZE OF FREEZERS" and other stupid shit like that. Same thing with motion control, it should be a small fluid addition, but instead game mechanics and often entire games are built entirely around using as much motion control as possible, even if it makes it less fun.

 

[Danpascooch]

its creators plan to use it to develop a game system that the blind can play through temperature sensation alone.

How the HELL is that going to work?

The hotter it is, the more you're blindly walking into a wall, and the colder it is, the more headshots you're getting?

I don't think that's gonna work.

 

[Digikid]

This sounds like the DUMBEST idea since the Sony Move.

Ugh.....this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

"I got burnt by this here thingummy I bought. The warning label did not specifically state how badly burnt I would become. I demand money for my pains!"

LMAO!! You pretty much hit the nail on the head there.

 

[JohnSmith]

So it can't actually scald or freeze at all, hyperbole is for print articles that have to be purchased I'm already on the site reading the articles.

OT: Interesting idea but probably to irritating to those people who know not the wonders of year round climate control, where I live It hits 0 Celsius or less during winter and 38 celsius plus in summer so it would be horrible unless you could turn of the function when it was just to extreme relative to the ambient temperatures. Also wouldn't this mean either a large battery pack or a return to wired controllers. I would have to wonder what the failure mode and frequency would be with this since rapid cycle temperature change is to electronics what a pen in the eye is to a human.

 

[silver wolf009]

Now thats a new step to immersion. I would buy this.

 

[mocruz1200]

heres an idea! instead of making hardware that gives you the illusion of immersion, get good writers for your games you actually get immersed into the game!

 

[Sougo]

Thats almost funny. At least people can't complain that its not 'hardcore.'

 

[HK_01]

That just seems like there aren't going to be enough practical uses to make a reality outside of labs and such. Also if that happened I can all ready imagine the shovel-ware. "Pro Fishing: Ice lake edition." or "Pro Fishing: Hades Lake of Fire edition."

I like the Lake of Fire idea!

In all honesty though, this just seems like an utterly pointless gimmick to me. Also a waste of electricity.

 

[esperandote]

nice idea but no great and probably wont be succesful.

 

[ryo02]

not sure about this ... to be fair playing metal gear solid when my room was freezing cold was suprisingly immersive. still I dont think I controller getting hot or cold is really gonna do all that much.

 

[IslandManJack]

I think this could be the next rumble feature. This really seems like it could give such a cool emersion level. Think about it. The level in MW2 were your in the snow, the controller is ice cold the entire time. Or in Blur, you get hit with a shunt and a quick burning sensation shoots through your hands. And i think this could be much more than a gimmick, because remember rumble was said to just be a gimmick at first to.

 

[Blue_vision]

heres an idea! instead of making hardware that gives you the illusion of immersion, get good writers for your games you actually get immersed into the game!

I was going to say this. All the talk of immersion through hardware is stupid, because the best way to be immersed is to have a game designed so that you feel at one with the character, not do the same things that they are.

I can definitely see potential for "games" and reality simulators using a full virtual environment where you see through their eyes, feel what they feel, etc, but your regular game should be focusing on the quality of the game rather than stupid gimmicks like this.

 

[Tom Phoenix]

While this is an interesting experiment, I have to wonder how much practical value such a piece of equipment would have. Not necessarilly beacuse of a lack of use, but beacuse the constant switches between high and low temperature might be significantly detrimental to the hardware.

 

[dochmbi]

Sounds great, it's just like the rumble pack, a nice little addition that doesn't get in the way and adds a bit of immersion.

 

[HarmanSmith]

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.

This. My palms get really sweaty when I'm in an intense fight. If they warmed the controller at the same time I wouldn't be able to hold onto it. I vote they just bring back the bowling alley style air conditioner controller.

 

[Cowabungaa]

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

Heh, strange, I love it to death. The explosions and gunfire already are tremendous in BC2 thanks to the brilliant sound effects, but they feel so much closer when you can feel them coursing through your hands.

It brings me closer to the action which is exactly what immersion is supposed to do.

As for this, I'm not too sure about it. I doubt heat and cold matters in enough games for this to really increase immersion.

But give me a controller that has a permanent hot or cool function, and a mouse too, and I'd buy it in a heartbeat. My hands can get sweaty during gaming, especially during these summer months. And during winter months it's sometimes neigh impossible to properly game (especially on the PC) because my hands are freezing off. This could take care of both problems.

 

[Dexiro]

I'd actually start liking those ice and water levels xD

Let my hands cool down after long gaming sessions!

 

[Treblaine]

I hate crap like this, it only distracts from immersion in the game and reminds you that you're just pressing buttons on a hunk of plastic. Also why I always turn of rumble if possible.

 

[are.you.the.god.its.me.vader]

Seems pointless - my controller's usually warm anyway...sweaty hands.

 

[Asehujiko]

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 is exactly what I was going to say.

I remember Razer having a cooled mouse a long time ago but that one only had a fan which caused the entire thing to vibrate and had the vents placed at rather odd locations where they did more bad then good. And if the surrounding air was too hot, it didn't work at all.