Joystiq

Deus Ex: The Fall is a cyber Renaissance faire for touchscreens

Mike Schramm — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:45:00 EST

Deus Ex is, by nature, a complicated game. You can start by simply moving around a level: There's cover to move in and out of, and stealth movement requires good timing and precision. Then, there's all of the abilities you have, from using various gadgets and weapons to choosing your bio-implants and playing the hacking mini-games. That's a lot of buttons. In making Deus Ex: The Fall for iOS devices, Square Enix Mobile was given the task of putting all those functions into a device that has only one button.

In that respect, the most exciting news about this game is that it works. For the most part, that is. You can't hide bodies, for one thing.

Gallery: Deus Ex: The Fall (iOS)

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Deus Ex: The Fall is a cyber Renaissance faire for touchscreens originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Touchscreen controls coming to Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST

One of many Wii U port inevitabilities will be coming to the new console's version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Touchscreen controls. Specifically, the WiiPad's screen can be used to map out custom shortcuts to specific abilities, which can then be tapped in succession to perform combos.

Series producer Katsuhiro Harada demonstrated the feature during a pre-Tokyo Game Show event at Namco Bandai's headquarters in Shinagawa, Tokyo, wherein banks of on-screen buttons were pressed to activate moves that would normally require directional inputs and/or simultaneous button presses.

If this sounds at all familiar, its because a similar system was implemented in Dead or Alive Dimensions on the 3DS, though from everything we saw it did not appear as though TTT2's shortcuts can be used to perform entire combos with one button press, as is possible in DOAD.

We asked Harada if WiiPad shortcuts will be available for use while fighting online, and he said that he wants that to be the case. He made it a point to mention, however, that some moves (such as the Electric Wind Godfist) will not be executable as shortcuts, and that a classically-skilled player will still have the advantage.

Touchscreen controls coming to Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vita firmware 1.80 adds optional touch controls for PSP games

JC Fletcher — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:50:00 EST

Vita firmware 1.80 adds button controls to the main menu (finally!), and, in an ironic twist, also adds touchscreen controls to PlayStation Portable games. You can voluntarily play games with the touchscreen that were designed for buttons! Of course, more choice is always preferable to less, so enjoy experimenting with this new option if you want.

You can find the option while playing any PSP game by holding down on the screen for a few seconds. The new functionality allows you to set any corner of the screen as any PSP button. See for yourself in our gallery - which, yes, is photographs of the Vita screen. You still can't take screenshots of PSP games on the Vita. (Ed. note: Seriously?!)

Gallery: Vita PSP touchscreen controls

Vita firmware 1.80 adds optional touch controls for PSP games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft announces Surface tablet at Los Angeles event

Mike Schramm — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:46:00 EST

The Microsoft Big Announcement Speculation Game can finally come to an end, as the company announced a new tablet device called Microsoft Surface this afternoon during a Los Angeles press event. Microsoft calls it the "companion hardware innovation" for Windows 8, an OS that was designed to work on mobile devices specifically.

The Surface includes a kickstand built in to the device, as well as an optional cover that contains a touch-typing, super thin keyboard and a multitouch trackpad. Because the device runs a full version of Windows 8, it presumably will run any games that work on that OS, but we'll have to wait and see how those games play. We can also presume that the Surface will work right alongside any other Smart Glass features to be announced for the Xbox later on. We'll have more on Surface in the future, so stay tuned.

Continue reading Microsoft announces Surface tablet at Los Angeles event

Microsoft announces Surface tablet at Los Angeles event originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Super Meat Boy may look something like this, may not

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST

Above is the first proper look at the prototype, "probably going to change a lot" vision of Super Meat Boy on iOS. No, this isn't an April Fools' joke, unless Team Meat have decided to reveal sensible, already-announced information as part of its months-long ruse to get everyone excited for mobile SMB before stripping it away entirely -- a plan they decided to ditch once they realized what a genuinely good idea that is. However, we really don't think that's the case here.

In February Team Meat's Edmund McMillen divulged the first details of SMB on iOS, saying that if the idea was good enough, they would create it as an entirely new game without the "shitty touch controls" standard in most mobile touchscreen titles. Looks like the idea was good enough.

Mobile SMB is "a feature-length touch-controlled platformer SPECIFICALLY designed for Touch devices," McMillen wrote today, continuing to say it isn't "a shitty port of an existing game with non-tactile buttons spread all over the screen blocking the player's view and making for frustrating controls" or "the Super Meat Boy you're used to: There are aspects of Super Meat Boy in there, obviously, but this is a brand new game with new art, new sound, everything."

Mobile Super Meat Boy may look something like this, may not originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnLive and Rockstar release touch-controlled version of LA Noire

Mike Schramm — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EST

Way back in December, when OnLive first announced it would release a set of tablet apps for its cloud gaming service, we heard that Rockstar Games was also working on touch controls for LA Noire, making the console and PC game behave more like a native touchscreen app. And tonight, OnLive says those controls are finally available. If you load up LA Noire in an OnLive mobile app, you can play it by directly swiping across the screen rather than using virtual buttons or OnLive's wireless controller.

You'll need a free OnLive account to sign on to the service, and you'll need to buy LA Noire on the service if you want to play the whole thing (though just like all of the other games on OnLive, there is a free trial available to play with as well, no installation required).

And for now, you'll still need an Android tablet. OnLive has said it's working on an iOS version, but even though the company has released an iOS app for its Windows PC cloud service, the game client is "still in approval process with Apple," the company told Joystiq. It's been in that situation ever since it was announced, which suggests perhaps Apple isn't so happy with the app, though OnLive couldn't confirm anything along those lines. At any rate, if you have the app on Android and want to try touching LA Noire a little more directly, give it a shot.

OnLive and Rockstar release touch-controlled version of LA Noire originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mutant Blobs Attack! dev on finding the right balance with Vita

Mike Schramm — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST

Ryan MacLean is the CEO of Toronto-based DrinkBox Studios, which is composed of developers who know how to make games for a console launch. Working at Pseudo Interactive, MacLean's team released Cel Damage in time for the original Xbox launch, and Full Auto 2: Battlelines within a month of the PlayStation 3's debut. When Pseudo Interactive shuttered in mid-2008, a number employees established DrinkBox Studios, which has since completed contract work for nearly every system on the market.

At a recent Los Angeles event for DrinkBox's latest title, Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!, MacLean told me that of all the systems he's worked on for launch, the PlayStation Vita was the "easiest" to develop for. DrinkBox was first introduced to the Vita in October 2010 (before it was officially announced to the public), and the studio wanted its first game on the system, Mutant Blobs Attack!, to "take advantage of the Vita's input capabilities." But just like any developer taking on a new set of hardware, they had to focus on controls that worked.

Gallery: Tales from Space: Mutant Blob Attack!

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Mutant Blobs Attack! dev on finding the right balance with Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Meat Boy's super boys explain what it means to go mobile

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:15:00 EST

Yesterday Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes of Team Meat dropped a gigantic, raw bomb on Twitter (gross), announcing their plans to strip down Super Meat Boy and rebuild it completely for mobile touch devices. They were vague on details apart from an intent to create a brand new game in the Super Meat Boy universe, and that they definitely wouldn't use "shitty touch controls."

We thought they were being coy, but it turns out they don't know much more about the touchscreen version than we do. It's still in the engine phase of development, McMillen told Joystiq, and they're pretty much winging it, playing with things that work and throwing out ideas that don't -- even if that includes the entire game.

"I mean, honestly, this is simply a challenge for us," McMillen said. "It's easy to poo-poo a new system because of its horrible use of touchscreen on ported titles; it's harder to attempt to try and figure out a design that works and make something worth checking out.

"So that's basically what we are doing -- no idea how it will turn out -- but Tommy and I wanted to jump back into dev again with something that isn't going to take a year-plus to make, so prototyping this idea seemed most appropriate and inspired."

Continue reading Super Meat Boy's super boys explain what it means to go mobile

Super Meat Boy's super boys explain what it means to go mobile originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIFA 12 Vita walkthrough is more of a run-, pass- and shoot-through

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST

FIFA 12 producer Matt Prior filmed a walkthrough of the game on Vita, and between the PR catchphrases about how easy its new controls will be, he offers insight into how players will most likely respond to the touchscreen handling. Prior says that most players begin with traditional controls, but once they use the front- and back-screen touch options to switch players, pass and shoot, they never go back.

FIFA 12 on Vita is the first title to use the FIFA engine in a handheld, Prior says, and the game truly does look pretty once you peek around all those poking fingers.

FIFA 12 Vita walkthrough is more of a run-, pass- and shoot-through originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS Vita menu is touch-only

JC Fletcher — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

It's entirely possible there's a menu option hidden somewhere in the PS Vita's settings to enable navigation with buttons and analog sticks, but I have yet to find it. In the above video, I demonstrate both the touch-only nature of the Vita interface, and the really nice-looking lock screen.

PS Vita menu is touch-only originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First FIFA Soccer trailer shows you how to kick with your fingers

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST

The first trailer for PlayStation Vita's FIFA Soccer shows off the fancy fingerwork required for you to pretend that you're doing even fancier footwork. In typical Vita fashion, FIFA Soccer takes advantage of the device's tactile options -- players can tap the screen to pass, bonk the rear touch pad to shoot "with pin-point accuracy," and stroke the front screen to perform a free kick.

If that doesn't turn you on to FIFA Soccer on Vita, we just don't think anything will.

First FIFA Soccer trailer shows you how to kick with your fingers originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How UMvC3's Vita touch controls work

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST

Portable versions of fighting games have a long and storied history of using alternate control schemes, although it's primarily been more out of necessity than for the sake of innovation. These days, however, modern handheld systems (like Sony's upcoming Vita) offer just as much input dexterity as their shelf-based counterparts, if not more so, to the point where developers are able to expand and experiment with their control paradigms.

The Vita port of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, for example, makes use of both the device's touch screen and its rear capacitive touch panel for movement and attacks. Moving your finger horizontally along the back panel moves your character left or right, moving it down makes them duck and moving it up makes them jump. Attacks are initiated by tapping the screen, and hyper-combos are triggered by tapping the hyper meter; assists are called in by tapping the respective character's icon.

It sounds like an awful lot of furious tapping and awkwardly loving strokes along the back of the device, and considering that all of your characters' meters could be on the left or right side of the screen, a bit of ambidextrousness may be required as well. Fear not, however: Conventional control methods will be included at no extra charge.

How UMvC3's Vita touch controls work originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii U WiiPad controller patent reveals magnetometer, flash memory

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST

The Wii U's tablet-esque controller may tout its touchscreen as its main selling point, but there's a lot more than meets the eye going into every one of Nintendo's resistive-screened revolutionaries. Patent diagrams for the WiiPad's schematics list off plenty of components you'd expect (touch panel, touch panel controller, camera, etc), however eagle-eyed patent trolls have pointed out a few less common additions to the hardware, namely a magnetic sensor and flash memory.

The "magnetic sensor," more commonly referred to as a magnetometer, measures ~~your proximity to Magneto~~ disturbances in a device's magnetic field. Magnetometers have been used in smartphones to find true north for GPS and compass applications, however the technology can also lend itself to touch-less, camera-less gesture input.

Flash memory, while mentioned, is not listed in any specific quantity, which makes inferring its purpose somewhat difficult. The memory is listed separately from the onboard CPU's internal memory, however, so its applications will likely be user-oriented rather than processor-oriented. For now, all we can do is wait, imagine, and dream. How many Miis will we be able to fit on this thing? All of them? The future is so bright.

Continue reading Wii U WiiPad controller patent reveals magnetometer, flash memory

Wii U WiiPad controller patent reveals magnetometer, flash memory originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3DS touchscreen tech chosen for DS compatibility

JC Fletcher — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:15:00 EST

The 3DS, despite being a higher-end piece of hardware than the DS -- and, yes, bearing a much higher-end price -- still bears the same resistive touchscreen technology as its seven-year-old forebear. Why would Nintendo opt for older touchscreen technology, eliminating the possibility of multitouch and forcing the use of a stylus?

3DS hardware producer Hideki Konno told Joystiq it's because of that seven-year-old DS screen. "Really, it's all about the backwards compatibility," he said during an E3 interview. "We have to play DS games on this and we want to make sure they work."

Konno said that Nintendo didn't think there was currently sufficient technology to both enable a more feature-rich touchscreen and accurately emulate the touch interface of the legacy DS. "Now that technology may come out sometime in the future, but when we were making our decision on what kind of touchscreen to implement," he said, "that was one of the deciding factors."

That, of course, doesn't explain at all why the Wii U uses the same vintage touchscreen technology. Unless the Wii U is secretly capable of emulating DS games! We're totally onto you, Nintendo.*

*We're probably not actually onto you.

3DS touchscreen tech chosen for DS compatibility originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii U controller has a DS-style touch screen

JC Fletcher — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:05:00 EST

While earlier dalliances with the Wii U's "WiiPad" controller didn't include touchscreen interaction, a hands-on session with the "Measure Up" tech demo told me all I needed to know about the touchscreen technology behind the device.

It has a stylus. A recess in the upper left of the unit hides a small, white, roughly DS Lite-size stylus. Interacting with it brings up the familiar feeling of poking at a DS screen. Much like the handheld's bottom screen, the Wii U touchscreen doesn't respond perfectly to tracing with a finger. And multitouch is right out. Touching two spots caused the line I was drawing to jump to a point between them, much like the DS.

That suggests that Nintendo opted for a cheaper resistive touchscreen, instead of a capacitive touchscreen like the iPhone uses.

Wii U controller has a DS-style touch screen originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikkei: Wii successor has touchscreen controller, will arrive in second half of 2012

JC Fletcher — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:33:00 EST

The Nihon Keizai Shinbun -- the same publication that successfully "predicted" the DSi, the DSi XL and 3DS -- posted an article today stating that the Wii successor's controller will feature a six-inch touchscreen, as previously rumored.

According to Andriasang's summary of the subscription-only article, the controller will give "tablet-like controls" to games, and will also be usable as a portable game device on its own. The controller also includes a camera and a rechargeable battery.

Nintendo originally specified "2012" for the system; Nikkei says it'll be the second half of the year. Of course, even given the history of the paper, this report remains unconfirmed and thus should be taken with a 6" grain of salt.

Nikkei: Wii successor has touchscreen controller, will arrive in second half of 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Probably Not the Wii 2, Part III: Come on, 'Feel' the Nintendo

JC Fletcher — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:00:00 EST

The Swedish site Loading claims to have information about the next Nintendo console, specifically its mythical, gigantic touchscreen control device. The "Nintendo Feel," as Loading's source calls it, has a controller whose touchscreen provides haptic feedback -- it can change the texture of areas of the screen to provide touch-based feedback in response to onscreen events.

Several phone-size screens are available with this technology, so it's not quite science fiction. And it would fulfill the "bizarre left-field technology that Nintendo pushes" requirement of every recent Nintendo console. But regardless, this is a rumor on top of a rumor about something we really don't know much about.

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Probably Not the Wii 2, Part III: Come on, 'Feel' the Nintendo originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Wii 2 codenamed Project Cafe, controller includes built-in touchscreen

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST

The towering pile of rumors regarding Nintendo's next generation console, supposedly to be announced at E3, continues to grow today with a report from French news site 01net (which divined the hardware specs of the NGP before its official unveiling). Citing unnamed sources, the site claims the system is currently codenamed "Project Café," and adds that it does feature hardware resembling that of the Xbox 360, such as a three-core IBM PowerPC CPU.

The real meat of the report isn't in the specs of the console, but rather, its controller. According to 01net, the peripheral will feature a six-inch single-input touchscreen -- which corroborates a similar report published by CVG yesterday. The French site also says the controller features a standard set of buttons, a front-mounted camera (what?) and can even function as a Wii sensor bar, should the player choose to indulge in the console's built-in backwards compatibility. That's actually pretty believable -- after all, the same effect can be achieved using a pair of candles.

We'll keep an ear to the ground for any additional reports of a touchscreen-infused remote for the heavily rumored console. At the very least, we can be certain that over the course of the next few nights, visions of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures will be dancing through our heads.

Rumor: Wii 2 codenamed Project Cafe, controller includes built-in touchscreen originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer announces Switchblade 7-inch PC gaming tablet concept

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

CES 2011 is proving to be a veritable cornucopia of radical, tantalizing concepts that aren't real products just yet. For instance, PC hardware manufacturer Razer turned our heads with the Switchblade -- a 7-inch gaming tablet with a multi-touch screen and keys that change based on the game that's being played. Trust us, it's much more impressive on video -- check out the demonstration posted after the jump to see this shape-shifting magic act in motion.

Sadly, Razer hasn't announced any plans to actually take the Switchblade to market, nor most of the device's technical specs. We'll try to get some answers when we stop by Razer's booth on the CES show floor. If that doesn't work, we'll try to totally steal whatever demo model they've got. Oh, wait. We probably shouldn't have said that part on the internet. You didn't hear that, capiche?

Gallery: Razer Switchblade concept art (1/6/11)

Continue reading Razer announces Switchblade 7-inch PC gaming tablet concept

Razer announces Switchblade 7-inch PC gaming tablet concept originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony files series of patents for two-finger touch devices

JC Fletcher — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:45:00 EST

Akihabara News has discovered a series of patent applications from Sony Computer Entertainment America, all dealing with touch interfaces. One (#20100299595), for example, specifies an interface that uses "two-fingered touch" gestures for data manipulation, and even specifies that the touch interface may be separate from the main display -- like the "trackpad" thing on the back of the rumored PSP2.

Other suggested layouts in that application include a hypothetical design "wherein the first and second case portions are slidably connected to each other" and one "wherein the visual display and touch pad are disposed on the same side of the case." In fact, Sony covered its bases, listing every possible combination of screen and touch interface as a possibility.

Other patents deal with specifying a "buffer" region on the touch interface between active input areas, using touch on one input to activate zoom on the screen, and highlighting information on one screen in response to a touch, in order to disambiguate. It sounds like Sony is most interested in using touchscreen input to affect a separate display, which would suggest the rear-touchpad interface from that purported PSP2.

Sony files series of patents for two-finger touch devices originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp details new 3D screens for mobile devices

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST

Adding more depth to the already eye-popping rumor that the Nintendo 3DS will use Sharp's parallax barrier LCD screen, Sharp today detailed its latest 3D, no-glasses-required screen for mobile devices. Engadget spotted the announcement this morning -- one that advertises the 3D touchscreen as "ideal for mobile devices such as digital cameras, mobile phones, and smartphones" -- rightly pointing out that the screen falls near-perfectly in step with Nintendo's recently revealed 3DS handheld.

The announcement also confirms that the screen can switch between 2D and 3D modes, and that the non-touchscreen iteration of it will go into production in "the first half of fiscal 2010 [beginning April 1]." Presumably we could see the touchscreen version going into full production soon afterward, and a new Nintendo handheld on retail shelves by this holiday. We've contacted Nintendo to see if Sharp will be lending its screens to the 3DS, but we wouldn't go holding our breath for an official response any time before E3.

[Via Engadget]

Sharp details new 3D screens for mobile devices originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3DS said to feature 3D control stick, Sharp LCD screens; will be playable at E3

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:27:00 EST

As if news of a new handheld device coming from Nintendo in the middle of the night wasn't enough, Engadget today spotted two reports out of Japanese newspapers Asahi and Nikkei detailing the 3DS' known hardware so far. Asahi claims that the handheld's 3D output (remember, sans silly glasses) comes via a "parallax barrier LCD" from Sharp, while Nikkei backs this up and adds that the device's screens will measure roughly four inches diagonally across (each).

Nikkei also claims the device will feature a "3D control stick," though this could presumably be an analog control stick, as well as rumble support and an upped battery life / speedier Wi-Fi. And while we heard last night that the device would arrive on retail shelves sometime in "Fiscal 2010" (before the end of calendar year March 2011), the report says it will arrive during the "second half of [calendar] 2010," owing the new handheld's reveal to slowing DS sales. In speaking with a representative from Nintendo of America, the New York Times confirmed that we'll get our first hands-on with the 3DS at E3 2010, so we'll get our chance to find out exactly what that hardware contains soon enough.

Source 1 - Asahi
Source 2 - Nikkei
Source 3 - The New York Times

[Via Engadget]

3DS said to feature 3D control stick, Sharp LCD screens; will be playable at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Revolutionary: The Perfect Controller, part 2

Mike Sylvester — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:52:00 EST

Filed under: Mods, Peripherals, Tech stuff, Controller, Features, Revolutionary

Game controllers have come a long way since we were holding a box with a protruding stick and tapping a single button. Now they're so packed full of cutting edge (yet inexpensive) tech, I'd half expect to see a Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the cockpit of the space shuttle* as a cost-cutting measure. As advanced as the Wiimote is, a lot of us have found a thing or two that could be revised about its design. I've gone to the most extreme reaches of my imagination, and come up with a design concept that I believe is about as radical a step beyond our current Wiimote, as that controller is beyond every console controller that came before it. And just like Nintendo's own design, my perfect controller would be based around technology that is already being used today in different applications.

*Warning: The Wii Remote and Nunchuk's accelerometers will not work in space. NASA engineers, be advised to wait for the MotionPlus.

Continue reading Revolutionary: The Perfect Controller, part 2

Revolutionary: The Perfect Controller, part 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS redesign speculation returns, gets quashed

Chris Greenhough — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Rumors

Like a bad penny, talk of a redesigned DS never seems to go away for long (we can't resist gossiping about the prospect ourselves). Many predicted an announcement at E3, only for the LA event to pass without incident, but now the speculation is back with a vengeance, courtesy of Kotaku and "several industry sources" that aren't Nintendo. According to the whispers, the next DS will release early next year, and will feature screens that are slightly bigger than the current model, both of which will be touchscreens. Dual touchscreens? Amazingly, it's a possibility that we haven't seen discussed yet, and a fairly intriguing one!

Sadly, an industry source that is Nintendo has since dismissed such idle chatter as a load of old baloney to GamesIndustry.biz, though they used the more professional "rumor and speculation." Not that such denials mean a great deal nowadays.

Source: New DS! -- Internet
Source: Not! -- Nintendo

DS redesign speculation returns, gets quashed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modder brings touchscreen support to PSP

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hacks, Sony PSP

DS owners are a handsy bunch. Rarely do fans of Nintendo's handheld jump onto the PSP wagon, as they know they'll miss the thrill they receive after wiping their meaty paws all over the screen of their portable gaming device. However, modder jube808 is working to bridge the gap between handhelds -- in addition to adding a sturdier control pad and increasing the battery life of the PSP, he also recently integrated a touchscreen into the system. So far, he's created a brief tech demo, seen above, and a rudimentary keyboard (posted after the break), but he hopes that the technology can be utilized by interested homebreweries.

His next project? Integrating a Cuisinart panini press into his Xbox 360. Let us know how that one works out for you, Jube.

Continue reading Modder brings touchscreen support to PSP

Modder brings touchscreen support to PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Touchscreen PSP arrives courtesy of modder

Alan Tsang — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hacks

Don't want to wait for the touchscreen device SCEA possibly has installed for us? DCEmu's Pspzproject obviously didn't -- user jube808, a "professional electronic engineer," feels touchscreen should have been part of the PSP at launch and decided to mod a PSP to include the function. The touchscreen works with both a finger or a stylus, with the goal of eventually utilizing it for homebrew gaming. He also aims to add extra battery life and a redesigned control pad into the mix. Check it out in action in two videos after the jump.

[Via Engadget -- thanks, jimb and rockeranimefreak!]

Continue reading Touchscreen PSP arrives courtesy of modder

Touchscreen PSP arrives courtesy of modder originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Ha, what a noob

Phil Larsen — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

We know Nintendo is about bringing people of all ages, shapes and sizes together to enjoy a quick round of screen-touching. Everyone feels great, Nintendo rakes in the cash and hardcore gamers are getting plenty of recognition. Embrace diversity with Nintendo.

And yet ... it's still pretty funny watching non-gamers try their hand at even the simplest casual games and screw up royally. Sure, kindly old Grandpa and naive little sister are exactly the kind of people the DS attracts, but do you still feel slight twinges of amusement when they have trouble completing the most basic of tasks? We love the whole worldwide DS craze and all, but are the hardcore among us (that is, the hardcore that got so upset over a two-hour presentation) chortling silently, basking in gaming omnipotence when it comes to touchscreen prowess? Share your amusing anecdotes with the rest of us!

DS Daily: Ha, what a noob originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo sued over DS touchscreen patent

Kyle Orland — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Business

When it comes to controller design, there truly is nothing new under the sun. You don't have to tell that to Nintendo -- the company has been sued (with varying success) over existing patents allegedly relating to the Wii Remote, the Gamecube controller and, uh, the Wii Remote again. Now, GamePolitics is reporting Nintendo is facing another lawsuit over the DS touchscreen.

In his complaint, John R. Martin alleges that the Nintendo DS infringes on his 2003-filed patent for a "Method for Operating an Electronic Machine Using a Pointing Device," (pictured above) which describes, among other things, a touchscreen input system. Nintendo, for its part, formally responded to the charges (PDF link) by saying it does not infringe on the patents, that Martin's ideas are unpatentable, and that the company is protected by something called the "doctrine of prosecution history estoppel." So there!

We're not patent lawyers, but Martin's patent doesn't seem to offer much improvement over the 1993 touchscreen patents he himself references. Still, he'll have his day in court, and we'll be sure to let you know what happens once that day is done.

Nintendo sued over DS touchscreen patent originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you a bad enough dude to replace your DS Lite's screen?

JC Fletcher — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: How-tos, Hacks

Having problems with the touchscreen on your DS Lite? Are you also a crazy person? If so, you may want to attempt to replace the touchscreen yourself using an aftermarket screen. To help future DS repairers (or perhaps just to document a successful replacement), selectbutton forum member Sushi K has created an illustrated guide to the process.

Since we have some experience replacing screen covers on handhelds, we'll offer one warning. Unless you live in one of the clean rooms used to manufacture computer chips (and you don't, because it wouldn't be clean with people living in there!) you are going to get dust under your screen. This is a certainty unless you are profoundly lucky. Still, if you can't get Nintendo to fix your DS, a speck or two of dust is a small price to pay for a working touchscreen, although there's always the potential cost of completely wrecking your system.

Are you a bad enough dude to replace your DS Lite's screen? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Everybody was touchscreen fighting

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

The DS's touchscreen technology has allowed us to indulge in some truly unique activities, from painting tanks to DJing to slapping women. Seriously, who would have guessed this kind of thing was the future in 2003?

Not wishing to be left out, Capcom's Rosario + Vampire (which, Capcom has confirmed, won't be appearing in the west) also uses the touchscreen in a novel way. Rather than the traditional method of pressing buttons, the game's combat sequences are carried out with directional stylus swipes, with different Ouendan-esque strokes producing certain moves.

It's definitely an interesting approach, and it makes us wonder whether we'll be seeing more fighting games embracing this method in the future. If Rosario + Vampire pulls it off well, we wouldn't bet against another developer picking up this idea and running with it.

Everybody was touchscreen fighting originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dear Best Buy, PSP doesn't have a touch screen

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fan Stuff

Dear Best Buy,

We'd like to inform you of an error made on your website regarding the Sony PlayStation Portable. As you can see, the listing for the Location Free Player on your website suggests that the PSP has a touch screen. However, that is incorrect. Are you, perhaps, confusing it with a different handheld?

It's true that through serious modifications, a touch screen can be implemented on the system. But this option is limited to only a small percentage of truly hardcore users of the system. Considering how you're one of the nation's biggest retailers, we thought you might appreciate this correction, and hope that you remind your store's employees that the PSP does not have a touch screen.

Thank you,
PSP Fanboy

[Thanks, Kevin B.!]

Dear Best Buy, PSP doesn't have a touch screen originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Touchscreen and traditional

Alisha Karabinus — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

Which control scheme do you tend to prefer in your DS games? Do you like (well-done) touchscreen controls, or would you rather use the d-pad? Some games offer you a choice -- can you think of any times when you used the opposite of what you usually prefer, because it felt right for that particular title? Or, when given the option, was there ever a time the opposite of your usual preference won you over? Final Fantasy III comes to mind here for us; when we first tried it, we weren't much for navigating with the stylus (though we typically enjoy stylus-based play for convenience), and yet after a while, using the stylus just seemed to make more sense.

DS Daily: Touchscreen and traditional originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Most innovative

Alisha Karabinus — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

Yesterday, over on Wii Fanboy, we spent a little time discussing some of the best control schemes we've seen so far on the new console. We thought that today might be a good time to get the DS readers in on the action, since after all, the handheld has really brought a lot to the table. What games do you think have really made the best use of the touchscreen? How about the mic? Best games overall? No real rules or categories here -- just talk up what you've liked best about what the DS has to offer.

DS Daily: Most innovative originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Stand in the place where you game

Alisha Karabinus — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily, Accessories

Have you purchased any sort of DS stand? We admit, it's something we've thought about, but haven't gotten around to (there are so many games to buy instead!), but there are more of you than there are of us, so certainly (maybe!) someone has one. If not, have you also given it some thought? What kind of stand would you like? We can definitely see the benefit for stylus-only games.

DS Daily: Stand in the place where you game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gambling on games bill passes Illinois legislature

Kyle Orland — Fri, 18 May 2007 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Competitive Gaming

Tired of playing games for near-meaningless Gamerscore points or leaderboard rankings? If you live in Illinois, you may soon be able to play games for cold hard cash instead.

The Illinois legislature recently passed HB1124, which would allow residents to place bets on "a contest of 2 or more individuals" in "an electronic video game simulating a contest requiring skill, experience, dexterity, and precision." The key clause here is "requiring skill," so traditional luck-based gambling games like blackjack or video poker are out while games "requiring speed and accuracy of response to factual questions," for instance, are in.

While the law is likely intended to allow gambling on the touchscreen games often seen in bars, we can't see why it wouldn't also allow Illinoisans to legally place bets on Halo 2 matches, for instance. The bill still has to be signed into law by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, though, so don't go placing money on your skill with headshots just yet.

[Update: Law of the Game has further analysis of what is and isn't allowed under the bill. We'll take his word over ours since he actually seems to have some legal experience.]

[Via Gaming Today]

Gambling on games bill passes Illinois legislature originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: What do you desire?

Alisha Karabinus — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Features

Pocket Gamer issued some DS demands recently, with their list of titles that should already be on the handheld, but aren't. While they offered up some interesting candidates -- a good place to start the discussion -- we'd love to see you guys start throwing out ideas on all the games that could be. Sure, a GoldenEye or Mario Paint DS could be really excellent, but there are a lot of games out there. What do you think might benefit from the touchscreen, the WiFi, or both? Last time we discussed the what-ifs, we talked only about franchises ... but this time, anything's game.

DS Daily: What do you desire? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Mar 2007 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Multi-touch?

Jason Wishnov — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Features

Touch-screens have been around for quite some time; why, we can nary remember a time when our fancy high-tech bowling alley didn't use such contraptions as input devices. Attaching one to a portable game system was certainly innovative, but not exactly ground-breaking in terms of new technologies. Multi-touch, on the other hand, is a relatively new and possibly exciting feature that might find its way quite soon to the PC consumer market. For an excellent demo of its capabilities, check out this video.

Our topic today is purely hypothetical: do you think a device like the DS could have benefited from such a technology? Certainly it would have driven the cost higher, but is the touch screen too small to effectively make use of dual inputs at the same time? Can you think of any situations where you sought such magical wonders?

DS Daily: Multi-touch? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS phone, not by Nintendo

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Portable, Wireless

Imitation is the best form of flattery: Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has unveiled the Mitsubishi-built D800iDS, yes, a dual-screened celly that features a touch screen in place of a keypad. The D800i will even include a PictoChat-like utility, allowing users to exchange hand-written messages and crude drawings. As pictured, games will also be a key component of the new phone, which will debut in white, just as DS Lite did.

DS Lite has owned Japanese sales charts since its launch (the thing prints money, really). But can Nintendo's success be so easily duplicated in the mobile phone market?

DS phone, not by Nintendo originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Most wanted feature in next PSP? Not a touch screen.

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

Pocket Gamer recently polled its readers, asking what feature it would most want in the next-generation PSP. The most requested feature? Dual analog sticks. The older demographic of the PSP has made it a hotbed for more mature games, like first person shooters. However, the single analog nub simply doesn't do the genre justice. The addition of a second analog stick would help ease player's ability to navigate through the PSP's already-detailed 3D worlds. Although touch-screen support didn't win, it came in mightily close, in second place. Of course, if Sony did put a touch screen in the next system, people would accuse them of copying a crucial control feature from another company. Not that they've ever done that before...

Most wanted feature in next PSP? Not a touch screen. originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Undercover: Dual Motives for your dual screens

Alisha Karabinus — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 18:13:00 EST

Filed under: News

Austrian developer Sproing's PC game, Undercover: Operation Wintersun, has just been released in Europe and now the company's announced a prequel for the Nintendo handheld. The new title, Undercover: Dual Motives, adds a second character in keeping with the "dual" theme. Secretary Audrey joins researcher-turned-spy Dr. John Russell in the investigative action title. The current game follows Dr. Russell as he investigates a German nuclear threat in 1943, and all we currently know is that the DS game will follow the good doctor in his early years.

Like many upcoming DS games that feature dual heroes, you can switch back and forth easily between Audrey and Dr. Russell, and each will bring something unique to the mystery. "This opens up a lot of new possibilities for puzzle design in adventure games, which will make Undercover: Dual Motives a very special gaming experience not only for genre fans," said Sproing's creative director Harald Riegler. Sounds like they're trying to blend the best features of the interactive touchscreen with the fun of an action game. Toss in an interesting story and you've got a recipe for something that could be great. Undercover: Dual Motives is scheduled for release in March of 2007, starting in Germany.

Undercover: Dual Motives for your dual screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 18:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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