Naughty Dog's Evan Wells: Motion controls will 'live alongside' conventional games
by David Hinkle 
{ Oct 16th 2009 at 10:00PM } 
With this week's release of Uncharted 2, Naughty Dog's Evan Wells is likely finding it difficult to catch his breath while being buried in praise -- praise which is most certainly deserved. In an interview with VG247, Wells offers his opinion on the impact of motion controls on the future of gaming and he even rolls his sleeves up and wades into the console wars, addressing the always present question of platform superiority.In regards to motion controls, Wells doesn't expect the new tech promised to "supplant the traditional gaming controller any time in the near future," citing that there are just too many games that benefit from traditional controllers. He says these games "would lose something significant" when redesigned for a motion control experience, painting a picture of a future where these new motion-based titles are offered next to more traditional experiences.
As for comments that Uncharted 2 could never work on the Xbox 360, Wells stresses that a platform does not dictate a game's worth and "the differences that you see between any two games has much more to do with the developer than whether it's on the Xbox or PS3." He says that great "programmers and great artists are going to make a great game" and we all know Uncharted 2 certainly had both in spades. In the end, it's not like the Xbox 360 would benefit from having Uncharted 2, anyway. We all know two identical entities can't occupy the same space at the same time.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Caveman @ Oct 16th 2009 10:05PM
That is cool he was at least honest about the PS3 versus the Xbox. I think we can all agree with what he said.
kentuckyfried @ Oct 16th 2009 10:14PM
In other words, it's a polite way of saying, "if a multiplat game looks like sh1t on the ps3, it's b/c the people who ported it are incompetent."
Wiizer ($299) Having BC On Your Launch Console? (Priceless) @ Oct 16th 2009 11:24PM
^ Exactly.
Boostjunkie @ Oct 17th 2009 12:05AM
I just got to Shambala, however that is spelled. I actually have to admit I don't think the Xbox 360 could do this, the graphics are ridiculous. It's not the systems power though that makes a game look like this, they have some amazing artist designing these levels.
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 17th 2009 12:37AM
Yeah what he is saying is certainly true and is something all of us should take to heart a little more often. The stakes have been raised in more ways than one this generation.
EGOvoruhk @ Oct 17th 2009 6:12AM
@Boostjunkie
It can. I know Sony hypes the Cell up all kinds, but the graphics are still limited by a GeForce 7800 chip. Honestly, it's nothing amazing. The amazing stuff comes from, as you said, the artists
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 17th 2009 4:53PM
@EGO
But from the developer videos you unlock after beating Uncharted 2 they said that they piped most of all the graphical work through the SPEs and left the graphics chip to only do certain tasks thus improving efficiency. I forget the type of programming they called it but what they essentially said was that it was very nitty gritty and hardcore programming. So it's not just what the graphics chip is capable of anymore when it comes to programming. I believe the name of the video was called "Mastering the Cell" and they even mentioned that they felt they used basically 100% of the power in the PS3. They said that they used every resource available to them in the console and then some ... if you can find it online or if you have Uncharted 2 you should check it out because it was pretty fascinating.
The point of this comment wasn't to say that the game isn't possible on the 360.
Caveman @ Oct 18th 2009 1:49AM
@ Johnny
I wouldn't put too much stock into what they say anyway. They also said this game could not be done on 360, and then the developer retracted that statement. Naughty Dog even said they used 100% of the power of the PS3. And I bet Uncharted 3 will look even better than Uncharted 2 did. What will they say then? They used 150% of the systems power?
Those previous statements were all PR BS, plain and simple.
Almo @ Oct 16th 2009 10:06PM
Developers of the future!
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Oct 16th 2009 10:19PM
Developers of the present!
Fixed.
Shadowbender (Nelson Is Behind You) @ Oct 16th 2009 10:06PM
I hope he's right.
Space @ Oct 17th 2009 9:59AM
He just released Uncharted 2. He knows what he's talking about
nriveraexpress @ Oct 16th 2009 10:09PM
duh
fuzzynyanko @ Oct 16th 2009 10:12PM
I doubt the fanboys would listen to him
CaramelZappa @ Oct 16th 2009 10:30PM
Well think about it, even major nintendo games aren't using the wiimote. Brawl doesn't use it at all, New Super Mario Brothers doesn't either from what I've seen.
Games like No More Heroes really benefit from motion controls, but I love that they took it out of Uncharted 2. I really didn't like the balancing controls and grenade tilt in the first one.
Extinction @ Oct 16th 2009 10:46PM
"Games like No More Heroes really benefit from motion controls"
No it didn't. That jerk-off motion to recharge was retarded
CaramelZappa @ Oct 16th 2009 11:05PM
You jerk off side to side?
Recharging aside, the up/down stance and the finishing moves were just damn satisfying.
Asmerom (PSN: neon6plz) (Steam: neon6669) @ Oct 17th 2009 12:12AM
Oh thank god. The only time I ever truly loved Sixaxis was for boob jiggling in NGS2.
thatguy @ Oct 17th 2009 12:27AM
me 2 bro i love boobs
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 17th 2009 12:38AM
I didn't like the balancing in the beginning either but I actually turned on the grenade tilt in Uncharted 2. I guess I just got used to using it.
S. Tiger @ Oct 17th 2009 7:24AM
Man, recharging the beam katana was the best part.
freaparn @ Oct 17th 2009 12:08PM
Not having to use sixaxis for balance/grenades was pretty much the high point of booting up Uncharted 2. The solid script, great dialogue, clever character development, beautiful graphics, and entertaining gameplay were simply nice bonuses to accompany that progressive feature.
Mr Khan @ Oct 16th 2009 11:33PM
He's right, to a point. Conventional controls will live, but it doesn't preclude the motion controllers from taking over
Ashitaka @ Oct 17th 2009 9:07AM
You're so deluded it's even funny :P
Mr Khan @ Oct 17th 2009 12:05PM
It's what's going to happen. What'll have to happen, if Sony and Microsoft ever want to catch up. Remember the modular controller that Sony proposed at one point? That sort of thing
Filthy Assistant @ Oct 17th 2009 1:21AM
I made this uncharted comic i hope you enjoy it! someone send it to naughty dog tia
http://i38.tinypic.com/2h6zspd.jpg
MrWeatherby @ Oct 17th 2009 1:29AM
While you're at it, please send this to Naughty Dog as well. I hear they are looking for concept artists, and I would like a job.
http://i36.tinypic.com/2wqsohz.jpg
Twist @ Oct 17th 2009 1:34AM
Hopefully Lair proved that the two should never meet and that in the cases when they do it should never be required. I say go all the way or go home and only use motion controls in games where it makes sense. Or better yet not at all, but maybe that is just me.
NeoMahi @ Oct 17th 2009 9:29PM
It confuses me every time something like this is brought up concerning a game being possible on Xbox 360. Eh... Maybe Uncharted 2 is possible on the Xbox 360. You'd have to use a few discs, but I guess that's about it. I think the same could be said for Gears of War, though Epic just doesn't want to do it, which I can't understand for the life of me.
Really, in the end, Naughty Dog did an amazing job reguardless. Its visual's are stunning and the story just sucks you right. The character development and even the soundtrack are amazing and totally add to the experience in a really powerful way. Anyone who owns a PlayStation 3 should own and play Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. I'm already ready for Uncharted 3. Who knows what's next, maybe something for someone out of the Crusades like in Kingdom of Heaven. Or something Biblical in Jerusalem. Who knows.
Ron @ Oct 17th 2009 8:08AM
I get my games for almost free. First I go to walmart and buy a moneycard with $20 on it. Then I go to my local "redbox" which just started renting games . So I pick 5 games. It come to like 5.35 with tax here in Ohio. So then I take the prepaid visa and go get some food or a tshirt or something lol. Now come the next day, I don't return the games. Why not? Well my name and info isn't on the card. So think about it. 50 games for 1.07 a piece. New releases too. :)
Ashitaka @ Oct 17th 2009 9:09AM
You're such an example for humanity...
Space @ Oct 17th 2009 9:49AM
wow...
I have to check my local redbox
Cheesus Crust @ Oct 17th 2009 12:47PM
Oh god....
When there's a will(to steal), I guess there's a way..
MrAlex @ Oct 17th 2009 3:15PM
Smart idea but...
I like dignity and self-respect too much.
Brodo @ Oct 17th 2009 4:22PM
Ron is such a devilish fiend
McKeyDee @ Oct 17th 2009 10:43AM
That's one naughty dog he has there.
Nineteen88 @ Oct 17th 2009 11:08AM
As I said before, Naughty Dog is the best first party studio that Sony owns, it continues to deliver the ideal concept of a very good and/or enjoyable game..
I wonder what would Naughty Dog have done with the title if they were given 24 months of development cycle instead of just 18?
I want my Uncharted 3 please..
Dv8thwonder @ Oct 17th 2009 12:29PM
Naughty Dog has set the bar so high with UC 2 that I think they may not be able to surpass it's greatness.
Nineteen88 @ Oct 17th 2009 3:37PM
Dv8thwonder, there are some shortcomings in U2, in general the game fails to surprise, it's bigger and better, but it doesn't contain anything that wasn't initially available in the first Uncharted except for the snow.
Has anyone noticed that the developers omitted any mention of Uncharted1 in Uncharted2? except for the "last year's model" part. They could've referred to it for an obvious reason; So it would force a gleaming sly smile on our faces. We! the people who played the first game!
There's a certain part in the game, where you see the large waterfalls, don't you think large waterfalls like that should sound louder?
Also, When I say the game failed at something, in Uncharted's own HIGH standards, failing is still much much better than the success of the rest of the gaming industry!
Note: I figured why Nathan has that quirky personality, it's because he's been locked up in a Turkish prison for three months!
Metoo @ Oct 17th 2009 4:28PM
In Nathan's journal in U2, there's a "Dead Eddy" gravestone referencing Eddy Raja.
freaparn @ Oct 17th 2009 4:39PM
Well, if you look at the first page of Drake's journal, there are references to the first Uncharted by way of mention of Francis Drake's expedition, the coin used as the loading screen icon, a picture of Nathan and Sully from their misadventures, and a crossed-out email address for Eddy Raja.
There's also of course the dialogue between Chloe and Nathan regarding Elena "breaking his heart", etc. The references are there, but they're subtle and understated.
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 17th 2009 5:00PM
"but it doesn't contain anything that wasn't initially available in the first Uncharted except for the snow"
It had the moving set piece stages (train, building, trucks, bridges etc) throughout the game that weren't in the first one and it also had more subtle animations and objects on screen at one time (twice as many). Go watch the behind the scenes making of videos you can unlock in Uncharted 2 and they go into great detail about all the differences in the games.
The first Uncharted was an awesome game but the second one surpassed it in every single way possible.
useedems @ Oct 17th 2009 5:36PM
Yeah, evidently Turkish bathhouses aren't what you think they are.
Nineteen88 @ Oct 17th 2009 7:04PM
@useedems, Hahaha..
@Metoo, @freaparn.. Thanks for the tips.. I totally missed them.. now I know that Eddy Raja is dead..
You know I think part of the reason why they omitted any reference to Uncharted1 was because they initially planned U2 as a prequel, when the plan didn't work out, obviously they were midway through..
Makes logical thinking, right?
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 17th 2009 9:54PM
No actually you are getting your information a little crossed. The prequel stuff you are thinking of (the motion comic they are doing) was stuff that got cut from the first Uncharted not Uncharted 2. Eddy was the mercenary leader guy that died in the first Uncharted by those zombie things. So if you played Uncharted all the way through he was the asian sounding guy with the gold desert eagle. There were quite a bit of other references throughout Uncharted 2 as well.
Watch the behind the scenes videos you can unlock in Uncharted 2 ... then you'll see how much more is really in the game and how much they improved the title.
2nd Lieutenant Gunther (PSN: helghast102) @ Oct 17th 2009 6:06PM
I use Sixaxis in Uncharted 2 for jumping off ledges onto other things behind me, honestly it just feels much better to do it like that than with the stick, i cant explain it...
Daryl @ Oct 17th 2009 10:09PM
Is this website turning 360 fanboy.
Give it up. The 360 is more powerful. Graphics aren't everything but PS3 has the graphics.
WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Oct 17th 2009 11:03PM
How is this site getting 360 fanboy? if anything is getting Sony fanboy because they are gaining momentum with Price drop September and Uncharted November, but things will cool down and we will be bored again.
Daryl @ Oct 17th 2009 11:39PM
I meant to say the ps3 was more powerful btw.
t_m @ Oct 18th 2009 7:37AM
This is the kind of "duh! obviously" stuff that shouldn't have to be spelt out... but unfortunately due to the massive overload of reactionary fanboyism it probably has to be.
Games designed for controllers work best on controllers. News at 11.
Good people can make good games on any platform. Headline news.
Power isn't as important as what you do with it. Learned from the Emperor when i was 8.