Motion sensing controls come to PS2, PC, DS [update 1]

by Kyle Orland { Dec 12th 2006 at 12:55PM }

If the video game world were more like the fashion world, motion-sensitivity would be the new black. Accessory-makers and hackers are tripping over themselves to retrofit old systems with gyroscopes in light of the high demand for the Wii and PS3.

First up is eDimensional, whose buzzword-laden Wireless Gyroscopic G-Pad Pro used "patented Virtual Reality Motion Sensing Technology" to basically translate the tilt of the controller into a directional button press on PC or PS2 games. A short Flash demo shows the controller being used on a racing game, but it will supposedly work with "virtually any existing game on your PC or PS2." The $39.95 controller also supposedly "reduces hand fatigue," which just sounds dirty to us.

The DS homebrew scene is also jumping on the motion sensing bandwagon with the DS Motion Card. Much like the GBAccelerometer before it, the attachment translates the tilt of the system into control data for specially coded homebrew games. Unfortunately, the sensor doesn't seem to work on commercial releases, dashing our dreams of twisting the portable around like an idiot while playing Yoshi's Island DS.

Frankly, these grafted-on technologies seem a little unnecessary to us. Would you use a motion-sensitive control made for your legacy systems?

[Update: ThatGameBlog brings word of the MotionFX TiltSense Adapter, which adds motion sensitivity to a standard PS1 or PS2 controller.]

Tags: DS, motion sensitive, MotionSensitive, PC, PS2, PS3, Wii

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jeff T.L. @ Dec 12th 2006 1:06PM

"Accessory-makers and hackers are tripping over themselves to retrofit old systems with gyroscopes in light of the high demand for the Wii and PS3."

Great analysis, Kyle. Everyone agrees that if there's one feature that's moving PS3s, it's the SIXAXIS(R) Controller for the Sony (R) PLAYSTATION 3(tm).

Papa @ Dec 12th 2006 1:05PM

I'll stick with Wario Ware Twisted. =D

Shagi @ Dec 12th 2006 1:12PM

Sorry Pcs already got their first. 8 years ago I had a logitech Wingman which had the same technology. It was lame playing games with it then, and its lame playing game with it now.

Heres an article about it written in 1999:

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/motionpad/

Onomah @ Dec 12th 2006 1:12PM

sounds like nintendo were on to something. this new craze is a sweeping the gaming world it would seem.

BklynKid @ Dec 12th 2006 1:15PM

So it gets tacked on to older consoles as an after thought just like it was on the PS3? Great!

Pete C @ Dec 12th 2006 1:20PM

What is the point of this? Unless the game is specifically programmed to utilize it, I would think the original controls would be better.

crono141 @ Dec 12th 2006 1:36PM

Yep, it was lame playing with a Sixaxis back in '99. But its freakin awesome playing with a wii remote now.

The modularity of the Wii remote is what sets it apart. You have essentially 2 controllers, tethered together with a wire, each with motion sensing technology. Its much more useful (and natural) for motion sensing controls than the Logitech and Sixaxis controllers, which requires both hands to be on one controlling unit. Moving the Sixaxis is unnatural for anything but racing games (most peoples wrists don't twist like the warhawk demo guy's), while moving the Wii remote/nunchuck is much more natural. Its essentially 14 axis of control (6 on nunchuck, 8 on wiimote).

Motion sensing has no chance of catching on as an accessory. But as the primary control scheme, its golden.

Sidescroller @ Dec 12th 2006 1:40PM

Wait a second. This type of thing is exactly what Sony needs to do to compete. Yeah, it's pure copying, and I already despise Sony anyway.

Imagine if Sony were to re-release the PS2, but with motion sensitive controls. Isn't this exactly what Nintendo did? On Sony's part, they'd sell a million! And they'd go down in history as the laziest game company to date.

cybereality @ Dec 12th 2006 1:55PM

The funniest part about this "revolutionary" technology is that its been around for years. It was actually Microsoft that brought out the first motion controller in 1998 for the PC, so both Nintendo and Sony actually ripped them off. Don't believe me, check this press release from May of 1998:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1998/may98/devicepr.mspx

Mike @ Dec 12th 2006 2:04PM

actually this controller (wired model) was available before the PS3 or Wii. It actually works quite well, I picked one up at CompUSA. Mainly use it for racing games and I really prefer it to a regular gamepad.

Steve @ Dec 13th 2006 4:49PM

Actually the Nintendo Power Glove had some primative motion sensing technology back in 1989:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Glove

I'm sure other motion sensitive controls existed prior to that as well. Motion sensing didn't just come out of thin air. In fact the article mentions that the power glove is one of the first commercial uses of the VPL Dataglove (whatever that was)

Bpops @ Dec 12th 2006 2:44PM

cybereality:
I actually owned (still own, its somewhere..) one of these microsoft sidewinders. I was really excited about it when I got it, but after playing it for 5 minutes I realized it was utterly awful. That, and there were so few games it could easily be used for. The technology of the remote as I remember it only sensed tilt. It didn't know if you were throwing it up, down, forward and back. JUST TILT. In fact, I remember thinking (as a kid) that there was a little pendulum inside that would just turn based on the tilt and that was how it worked. Maybe I was wrong, but that's atleast what it felt like.

From that experience I was very worried about the wiimote when I first heard about it. To my surprise, the wiimote feels NOTHING like that microsoft sidewinder. It's an amazing difference that if you don't know from experience, you should defenitely try. :)

Rootbeer @ Dec 12th 2006 2:52PM

"It was actually Microsoft that brought out the first motion controller in 1998 for the PC, so both Nintendo and Sony actually ripped them off."

Yeah, but the Power Glove predates that by almost a full decade.

...

Haven't we been through all this already? Nintendo's achievement isn't being the first to implement some sort of motion-sensitive controller; it's being the first to make it the centerpiece of the system.

(And even then, the XavixPort system did it first. But, I think we can all agree, not as well.)

Riley @ Dec 12th 2006 2:47PM

At this point Sony has to do something, anything to try and keep up with the competition. Kudos for trying.

Author X @ Dec 12th 2006 2:52PM

For anyone who's ever owned a Nintendo 64, and especially those who still do, I've got 3 words for you: Pelican Tilt Pak.

http://gamevortex.com/gamevortex/hard_rev.php/157

Shagi @ Dec 12th 2006 2:58PM

LOL, ultimately Sony will destroy the Wii in numbers.

NES @ Dec 12th 2006 3:09PM

looks like Nintendo managed to create another industry standard.

Shagi @ Dec 12th 2006 3:20PM

>NES

Looks like Nintendo managed to create another uninformed fanboy!

Morder @ Dec 12th 2006 3:49PM

Rootbeer: Haven't we been through all this already? Nintendo's achievement isn't being the first to implement some sort of motion-sensitive controller; it's being the first to make it the centerpiece of the system.

It was MATTEL that indroduced the Powerglove and not NIntendo

crono141 @ Dec 12th 2006 3:33PM

Just ignore him NES, maybe he'll go away like the terrorists would have if Al Gore got elected.

Shagi @ Dec 12th 2006 3:55PM

crono is a Nintendo hugger.

Opnickc @ Dec 12th 2006 4:46PM

I had a motion-sensing add-on for my N64 back in the day (it had rumble too). They're nothing new. The thing that makes the Wii different is the fact that it can be held in one hand. Sure, a two handed controller works well for driving and flying, but not so much for emulating a bat, sword, gun, or scalpal.

Allowing the hands to move seperately is what's revolutionary about the Wii, not just the fact that it's motion-sensing.

Burnt Meatloaf @ Dec 13th 2006 3:33AM

The problem with motion sensors is that they are almost always used to mimick an existing device -- usually not as well. It's different, but not better.

Like the EyeToy, people are going ape over it because it's "new."

Now, the pointer functionality of the Wii remote is revolutionary, since that would make it the first console ever to potentially bridge the gap between PC and console gaming. Using a swing of the wrist as a substitute for the press of a digital button, however...

crono141 @ Dec 12th 2006 4:41PM

Hey shagi, will you STFU for a scooby snack?

I know, I fed the troll. My fault.

ackmondual @ Dec 12th 2006 4:53PM

I can't believe other co's are following suit with the motion sensing thing. It's not like they don't have their own merits.

.

So to straighten things out Chrono141 is our resident Nin fanboy while Shagi is our resident Sony fanboi?

.

Yeah, Nin gets credit for making motion sensing mainstream and well implemented.
Also a bit disappointed how some people think DS is the first handheld to have touch screen and dual screen games. The former goes to Palm for their PDAs back in 1996 (unless the Apple Newton had games on it). Touch screen used in gameplay and not just menu selections. Latter goes to Nin's Game & Watch Gallery handheld games

AaronMD @ Dec 12th 2006 8:46PM

Tilt motion sensitive controls mapped to the analog axes certainly have their place in PS2 and XBOX 360 games, especially driving games. To me, that is where the XBOX 360 comes up short right now. Most of the motion sensing controls in PS3 games right now seem gimmicky, but driving tilt sensation is a very nice touch.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that these devices--or sixaxis for that manner--are a replacement for the wii's control system however. Wii games should be specifically designed to harness motion in the remote AND the nunchuck independently, not just tilt sensation for racing games. Not to mention the pointing capability of the Wiimote that sets it apart.

Shagi @ Dec 12th 2006 5:10PM

I hereby coin the phrase 'Wiihugger'.

crono141 @ Dec 12th 2006 5:27PM

I don't even think Shagi's a fanboy. He's just a troll. He's never said anything in any thread of any intellectual merit, only "Wii is teh suxxors LOLO" and "PSThree is teh ROXORZ!".

I, however, proudly wear my Nintendo fanboy badge. Not because they're named Nintendo, but because they're doing so many new and different things lately; things I like. Believe me, I was as gung-ho as the next guy for PS3 at E3 2005, and my knee jerk reaction at the unveiling of Wiimote (based on appearances alone) was "Jesus, nintendo has killed themselves".

I've only really become anti-sony since E3 '06. Honestly, only a deaf and blind person can hold any high loyalty for sony at this point given what we know and the corporate attitude of the company.

Do I wish Wii had HD graphics? hell yes. Do I fault nintendo for deciding to go the cheaper, mainstream route? Not really. It can mean only good things for gaming, as cost of entry, for both the developer and consumer, have risen far too high. Wii has brought back the fun in gaming: Not just "this if fun killing things and experiencing this story" but laugh your ass off, have a party with your family and friends" fun that has been missing for nearly 20 years.

Back on topic: As has already been stated Nintendo didn't pioneer many or most of the technologies that they are credited for, but they brought them to the mainstream and established new standards. Motion sensing in modular controls is the latest one. They deserve the credit for taking such a risk, and next gen all the competition will have the exact same thing.