from paddles to pads: is controller design killing creativity in videogames?

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Iscontrollerdesignkillingcreativityinvideogames?

FromPaddlestoPads:

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TomArmitage-tom@infovore.org

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

TomArmitage,aged2.5

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Iscontrollerdesignkillingcreativityinvideogames?

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 4

Current-genjoypads

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 5

Next-generationjoypad

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 6

New-lookshoulderbuttons!

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 7

RevolutionRemote

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Thanksverymuch!

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Thegamesindustryisbig

‣Halo2:firstdayonsale:

2.38millioncopies

$125m

‣Spider-man:openingweekend:

$114m

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 11

Thepowerofsequels

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 12

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 13

Thingswhicharethesame:

Itassumesyou’veusedajoypadbefore

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

What’swrongwiththis?

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

NESpad

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

SNESpad

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Playstationpad

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Playstation2pad

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Modernhandhelds

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Xboxpad

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Xboxpadbeingheld

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 22

“Complexitylostthecasualgamer...”

NolanBushnell

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 23

“...Ifyoulookattoday’scontrollerwithtriangles,Xs,squaresandcircles,it’sscary.It’slikeakeyboard.Peopleareinterfacephobic.”

NolanBushnell

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

“Peopleareinterfacephobic”

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Snake-gamingonaphone

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Bricks-gamingonaPDA

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Solitaire-gamingonaniPod

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 28

Current-genjoypads

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Alex

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(notehappy,smiling

demeanour,priorto

playingHalo)

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

AlexplayingHalo

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Isitthecontrollersthatarescaringpeopleoff?

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Consoletake-upintheUS

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0m

12m

24m

36m

48m

60m

8-bit 16-bit 32-bit now

52m48m

42m

31m

Consistently:about31-32%ofhouseholdshaveaconsole

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Currentjoypadsareaestheticallyuninspiring

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 34

Singstar

http://flickr.com/photos/paalb/80551306/

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 35

Buzz

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 36

DonkeyKonga

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 37

GuitarHero

http://flickr.com/photos/mayoff/71389886/

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 38

SteelBattalion

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Halo

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 40

MetroidPrime

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 41

Killer7

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 42

MicroMachines2

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 43

MicroMachines2cart

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 44

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 45

Sameidiominnext-gen

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Handedness

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Asymmetricpads

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

DonkeyKongcabinet

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Eventhispadhasabias

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 50

Entirelysymmetrical

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 51

Revolution“nunchuck”

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 52

Noincentivetousethesewell

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Iscontrollerdesignkillingcreativityinvideogames?

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

The“UncannyValley”

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

PS3controller

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Controllerspecificsare

“nothingweneedtobeconcernedaboutasdevelopers”

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Isthisthebestwecando?

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 57

“Ifwecannotexpandthemarket,allwecandoiswaitforthe

industrytoslowlydie”

SatoruIwata

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 58

“Itisourresponsibilitytomakegamesforallskilllevels...includingpeoplewhoarenotplayinggamesnow”

SatoruIwata

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 59

Revolution

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Controllersincomicbooks

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Controllersinfilms

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 62

“Avideogameissomethingyouplaywithcontrols,usuallybutnotalwaysusingyour

thumbs.”

TomLangston

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 63

Arethesecontrollerswhatwewanttorepresentvideogames?

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames? 64

Gamesaremorethanthis

Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Thisisnottheendofevolution

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Emerging Tech 2006 - Tom Armitage - Is Controller Design Killing Creativity in Videogames?

Thanksverymuch!

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TomArmitage-tom@infovore.org