Game controller
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A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an
Game controllers may be
Controllers which are included with the purchase of a home console are referred to as standard controllers, while those that are available to purchase from the console manufacturer or third-party offerings are considered peripheral controllers.[1]
History
One of the first video game controllers was a simple dial and single button, used to control the game
Game controllers have been designed and improved over the years to be as user friendly as possible. The Microsoft Xbox controller, with its shoulder triggers that mimic actual triggers such as those found on guns, has become popular for shooting games.[2]
Before the seventh generation of video game consoles, plugging in a controller into one of a console's controller ports was the primary means of using a game controller, although since then they have been replaced by wireless controllers, which do not require controller ports on the console but are battery-powered. USB game controllers could also be connected to a computer with a USB port.
Variants
Gamepad
A
As modern game controllers advance, so too do their user ability qualities. Typically, the controllers become smaller and more compact to more easily, and comfortably, fit within the user's hand. Modern examples can be drawn from systems such as the first Xbox console, whose controller has changed in a variety of ways from the original Xbox 360 controller to the Xbox One controller introduced in 2013.
Paddle
A paddle is a controller that features a round wheel and one or more fire buttons. The wheel is typically used to control movement of the player or of an object along one axis of the video screen. As the user turns the wheel further from the default position, the speed of control in the game become more intensive.
Paddle controllers were the first analog controllers and they lost popularity when "paddle and ball" type games fell out of favor. A variation, the Atari driving controller, appeared on the Atari 2600. Designed specifically for the game Indy 500, it functioned almost identically in operation and design to the regular paddle controller. The exceptions were that its wheel could be continuously rotated in either direction, and that it was missing the extra paddle included on the previous model. Unlike a spinner, friction prevented the wheel from gaining momentum.
Joystick
A joystick is a peripheral that consists of a handheld stick that can be tilted around either of two axes and (sometimes) twisted around a third. The joystick is often used for flight simulators. HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) controllers, composed of a joystick and throttle quadrant (see below) are a popular combination for flight simulation among its most fanatic devotees.
Most joysticks are designed to be operated with the user's primary hand (e.g. with the right hand of a right-handed person), with the base either held in the opposite hand or mounted on a desk. Arcade controllers are typically joysticks featuring a shaft that has a ball or drop-shaped handle, and one or more buttons for in game actions. Generally the layout has the joystick on the left, and the buttons on the right, although there are instances when this is reversed.
Trackball
A trackball is a smooth sphere that is manipulated with the palm of one's hand. The user can roll the ball in any direction to control the cursor. It has the advantage that it can be faster than a mouse depending on the speed of rotation of the physical ball. Another advantage is that it requires less space than a mouse, which the trackball was a precursor of. Notable uses of a Trackball as a gaming controller would be games such as Centipede, Marble Madness, Golden Tee Golf and SegaSonic the Hedgehog.
Throttle quadrant
A throttle quadrant is a set of one or more throttle levers that are most often used to simulate throttles or other similar controls in a real vehicle, particularly an aircraft. Throttle quadrants are most popular in conjunction with joysticks or yokes used in flight simulation.
Steering wheel
A
Yoke
A yoke is very similar to a steering wheel except that it resembles the control yoke found on many aircraft and has two axes of movement: not only rotational movement about the shaft of the yoke, but also a forward-and-backward axis equivalent to that of pitch control on the yoke of an aircraft. Some yokes have additional controls attached directly to the yoke for simulation of aircraft functions such as radio push-to-talk buttons. Some flight simulator sets that include yokes also come with various other aircraft controls such as throttle quadrants and pedals.[5] These sets, including the yoke, are intended to be used in a flight simulator.
Pedals
Pedals may be used for driving simulations or flight simulations and often ships with a steering-wheel-type input device.[6] In the former case, an asymmetric set of pedals can simulate accelerator, brake, and clutch pedals in a real automobile. In the latter case, a symmetric set of pedals simulates rudder controls and toe brakes in an aircraft. As mentioned, most steering wheel controllers come with a set of pedals. There are also variations of the pedal controller such as the proposed rotating pedal device for a cycling game, which relies on an ergometer to generate user inputs such as pedal rpm and pedal resistance.[7] A variation of this concept surfaced in 2016 when a startup called VirZoom debuted a set of sensors that can be installed in the pedal and handlebars, turning a physical bike into one controller for games on the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) platforms.[8] The same concept is behind a product called Cyber ExerCycle,[9] which is a set of sensors attached to the pedal and connected to the PC via USB for bicycle simulation games such as NetAthlon and Fuel.
Mouse and keyboard
A
Touchscreen
Motion sensing
Light gun
A
Rhythm game controllers
Wireless
Wireless versions of many popular controller types (joypads, mice, keyboards) exist, and wireless motion controls are an emerging class for virtual reality.
Others
- Balance board: The Wii Balance Board comes with the game Wii Fit. This was preceded by decades by the Joyboard, made to plug into an Atari 2600, to play skiing and surfing games.
- Breathing controllers help their users improve breathing through video games. All controllers have sensors that sense users breath, with which user controls video game on computer, tablet or on smartphone. Alvio is a breathing trainer, symptom tracker and mobile game controller.
- Buzzers: A recent example of specialized, while very simple, game controllers, is the four large "buzzers" (round buttons) supplied with the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 quiz show game series Buzz! (2005–present); both game and controllers clearly being inspired by the television show genre. Another example is the "Big Button Pad" supplied with the Xbox 360 quiz show games Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action and Scene It? Box Office Smash (2007–2008).
- Pump It Up. The dance pad was first introduced by Bandai on the Famicom in 1986 as a part of their "Family Fun Fitness" set, then Exus released the "Foot Craz" pad for the Atari 2600 in 1987. Nintendo purchased the technology from Bandai in 1988 and used it on their "Power Pad", for the Famicom and NES.
- Exoskeleton controllers use exoskeleton technology to provide the player with different responses based on the player's body position, speed of movement, and other sensed data. In addition to audio and visual responses, an exoskeleton controller may provide a controlled resistance to movement and other stimuli to provide realism to the action. This not only lets players feel as if they are actually performing the function, but also helps reinforce the correct muscle pattern for the activity being simulated. The Forcetek XIO is an example of an exoskeleton video game controller.
- Fishing rod: the first fishing rod controller appeared as an accessory for the Dreamcast video console for playing Sega Marine Fishing. Later other games for PlayStation console use also a similar controllers.
- Floating Interactive Display: at least two commercial systems (Heliodisplay and FogScreen) offer interactive "floating interfaces" which display an image projected in mid-air but can be interacted with by finger similar to a touch screen.
- Instrument panels are simulated aircraft instrument panels, either generic or specific to a real aircraft, that are used in place of the keyboard to send commands to a flight simulation program. Some of these are far more expensive than all the rest of a computer system combined. The panels usually only simulate switches, buttons, and controls, rather than output instrument displays.
- Train controls: Other instrument panel like hardware such as train controls have been produced. The "RailDriver"[22] for example is designed to work with Trainz, Microsoft Train Simulator and Kuju Rail Simulator. (as of January 2009) it is limited in ease of use by the lack of a Windows API for some of the software it is designed to work with. A train controller for a Taito bullet train sim has also been made for the Wii console.[23]
- Mechanical motion tracking systems like Gametrak use cables attached to gloves for tracking position of physical elements in three-dimensional space in real time. The Gametrak mechanism contains a retracting cable reel and a small tubular guide arm from which the cable passes out. The guide arm is articulated in a ball joint such that the arm and ball follow the angle at which the cable extends from the mechanism. The distance of the tracked element from the mechanism is determined through components which measure the rotation of the spool drum for the retracting cable reel, and calculating how far the cable is extended.
- Tom Clancy's Endwar, Lips, the Mario Party series, and the SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs series. The use of these microphones allowed players to issue commands to the game, controlling teammates (as in SOCOM) and other AI characters (e.g., Pikachu). The Nintendo DS features a microphone that is built into the system. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including speech recognition (Nintendogs, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!), chatting online between and during gameplay sessions (Pokémon Diamond and Pearl), and minigames that require the player to blow or shout into the microphone (Feel the Magic: XY/XX, WarioWare: Touched!, Mario Party DS).
- Mind-controlled headset: As of March 24, 2007 a United States/Australian company called Emotiv Systems began launching a mind-controlled device for video games based on electroencephalography. It was reported by The Wall Street Journal's Don Clark on MSNBC.[24]
- NeGcon: is a unique controller for racing games on the PlayStation. Physically it resembles a gamepad, but its left and right halves twist relative to each other, making it a variation of the paddle controller.
- use a video camera to track an infrared illuminated or emissive headpiece. Small head movements are tracked and then translated into much larger virtual in-game movements, allowing hands-free view control and improved immersiveness.
- PCGamerBike similar to a pair of pedals removed from an exercise bike, then set down in front of a chair & used to precisely control game characters instead.
- Pinball controllers and multi-button consoles for strategy games were released in the past, but their popularity was limited to hardcore fans of the genre.
- video game market crash of 1983[citation needed] and the accessory was called by GameSpy the fifth greatest video game marketing move within twenty-five.[citation needed] As a character, R.O.B. appeared in later Nintendo games such as Mario Kart DS and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
- The Sega Toylet, an interactive urinal, uses urine as a control method; pressure sensors in the bowl translate the flow of urine into on-screen action.[25]
- Steel Battalion for the Xbox was bundled with a full dashboard, with 2 joysticks and over 30 buttons, in an attempt to make it feel like an actual mecha simulator.
- 6DOF that e.g. could be used with Descent.
Use on PCs and other devices
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2013) |
Although
Some controllers are specially designed for usage outside of consoles. In this case, support for mapping to different devices is built into the controller itself, such as with the
The usage of gamepads over the mouse and keyboard has been referred to as a debate, with players of
See also
References
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- ^ Michaels, Philip (2016-04-28). "This Bike Lets You Pedal Through Virtual Reality". Tom's Guide. Archived from the original on 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
- ^ Ltd., Universal Timer. "Cyber ExerCycle: Interactive Exercise Bike Kit". www.cyberbiking.com. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
- ^ Fahs, Travis (April 21, 2009). "IGN Presents the History of SEGA". IGN. p. 7. Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
- ^ Light Harp at CES 1993. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2010-07-06.
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- ^ Kuchera, Ben (March 16, 2017). "Nintendo Switch's World of Goo shows off system's Wii-style pointer controls". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
- ^ Richtmyer, Steven (September 26, 2020). "Mario Galaxy Is Proof Skyward Sword Won't Work Well On Switch". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
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- ^ Ashcraft, Brian (2008), Arcade Mania! The Turbo Charged World of Japan's Game Centers, p. 133, Kodansha International
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- ^ Roberts, Stu (2014-09-15). "Zenytime games are controlled by your breathing to improve wellbeing". Gizmag. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- ^ Mikuš, Nace; Leskovšek, Matevž (2012-06-22). "Breathing through pursed lips aids in reducing stress anxiety". MEi. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
- ^ "RailDriver – Desktop Train Cab Controller". www.raildriver.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
- ^ "Wii train sim controller – Bullet Train Controller Wii: GamerSquad discusses the Bullet Train Controller for Nintendo Wii". www.gamersquad.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
- ^ "Video Game Mind Control". MSNBC. 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-25.[dead link]
- ^ Geere, Duncan. (6 January 2011). "'Toylet' Games in Japan's Urinals". Wired UK. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
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- ^ Schaaf, Tobiasa, "Gamestation Turbo", ODROID Magazine, no. July 2014, p. 17
- ^ Ryochan7. "Graphical program used to map keyboard keys and mouse controls to a gamepad". GitHub. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Mouse and Keyboard Vs. Controller: Which Is Better for PC Gaming". Intel. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21.