Motion Controller coming to PS3 and X360

[Mike Jones]

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/gametrak.jpg

gear.ign.com has an exclusive preview (http://gear.ign.com/articles/965/965841p1.html) of the Gametrak Freedom, a Wii style nunchuck controller for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Like other motion controller solutions, the Freedom uses a series of accelerometers to determine the pitch, roll, and yaw of the device in relation to in-game physics. What sets the Freedom apart from other motion controllers, however, is its use of ultrasonic 3D positioning. The Freedom system includes two sensor bars placed or mounted to the sides of a display, which communicate with an ultrasonic emitter built into the Freedom controller. The ultrasonic pulses emitted by the controller and identified by the sensors, along with the data fed by the accelerometers enable the system to calculate the distance, orientation, and speed of the device with extreme precision.

Not surprised one bit.

[Eggplant!]

A third party motion controller for systems that have no software to support it. What's the point?

[OmegaVader]

it's too late, the wii is already too far ahead. companies will feel no need to work with this product.

[Azriel77]

it's too late, the wii is already too far ahead. companies will feel no need to work with this product.


I don't know about you, but my wii has been collecting dust for over a year, there just are no games out for it (ONE game on a blue moon does not count). Also, the wii is very restrictive on what games you create because it has no power. If microsoft/sony releases an AAA title that comes with a controller, it could easily catch on.

[sgtslappy]

Looks lame.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Motion based game play is bogus, too bad they dont know that.

[Johan]

ICNPCLADNGAF

I could not possible care less and do not give a fuck.

[drakkarim]

i have to agree with johan on this one, if only due to its excruciatingly cheap/generic appearance.

i think the appearance was a sick joke by a pissed off intern working for free. i can just hear him/her saying "trust me guys, i'm a blogger, this is the next iphone"

[DarkDaY]

sigh.... ....*breathes in* .... sigh.

[ElPresidente]

I'm not going to join the hate parade. From the sounds of things it is a more advanced Wiimote. The issue is that it is third party and can't rely on a solid install base to tempt developers to incorporate its use.

I believe it is doomed to failure which is a shame as it does appear to be the technologically superior motion control tool.

[Evil Avatar]

Motion based game play is bogus, too bad they dont know that.

Silk Spectre II killed motion-based gaming. I heard it is because she is a whore.

[Lutheran]

I don't know about you, but my wii has been collecting dust for over a year, there just are no games out for it (ONE game on a blue moon does not count). Also, the wii is very restrictive on what games you create because it has no power. If microsoft/sony releases an AAA title that comes with a controller, it could easily catch on.



Meh please put down the crack pipe..there are a lot of good games out for the Wii just on Wiiware alone.

[ElPresidente]

Compared to the other consoles though... bleugh.

That said, I'm looking forward to picking up MadWorld.

[Evil Avatar]

That said, I'm looking forward to picking up MadWorld.

Now that MadWorld flopped on the Wii, I'm looking forward to playing it on the Xbox or PS3. ;)

[lockwoodx]

I don't know about you, but my wii has been collecting dust for over a year, there just are no games out for it (ONE game on a blue moon does not count). Also, the wii is very restrictive on what games you create because it has no power. If microsoft/sony releases an AAA title that comes with a controller, it could easily catch on.

You're a perfect example of why the Wii crushed this generation.

[ElPresidente]

Now that MadWorld flopped on the Wii, I'm looking forward to playing it on the Xbox or PS3. ;)

Well that would certainly be a better option but I think it fits into the No More Heroes genre of Wii titles... in other words I don't see it appearing on anything else.

[Johan]

I'm not going to join the hate parade.

More beer and chips for us, then! :D

[Verruckt]

April Foooooooools!

[JazGalaxy]

Allow me to prophesy for a second:

A Motion controller could come out on any console and it wouldn't make a difference because no games would use it. The only company that could make it work is NIntendo, and for whatever reason they haven't yet. THey've barely made any games for the Wii and I don't understand why...

Here's the future, the new zelda game is going to come out and it's going to use the wii remote the way it was orginally concieved to be used. It was erupt in acclaim as people finally start to "get" what motion control is about. THEN third party motion control games will start to make sense.

But as long as developers keep trying to make the same old games play with the new controller and don't fundamentally change, there won't be any good motion sensitive games.

[ElPresidente]

The big issue with your theory of Nintendo coming out and using the wiimote as originally intended is that the wiimote is simply not that good a piece of technology.

It is inaccurate and not capable of understanding 3D motion in a manner that correlates to physical movement. This is where this device appears to stand above the wiimote but it does face the issue that you and others have pointed out... it is a third party controller. Unless it was a part of the system at launch as the wiimote was with the Wii it will be an extremely hard sell.

[RUSKULL]

Here's the real question: is "Wii like" motion control the future of game consoles.

And no, I don't mean cruddy motion controls, I just mean what Nintendo has introduced to the video game world.

[ElPresidente]

Am I the only person who sees what Nintendo has introduced as 'cruddy motion controls'?

[drakkarim]

speaking of the cruddy wii, seeing this thing made me want to dust off my wii controller and take it for a spin again.

i'm ashamed to admit that i had a blast playing alien syndrome (wii, not vc) for a few hours, till my batteries died... i think i'll try to finish the game tomorrow, then maybe this weekend i'll finally take on that zelda game...

[drakkarim]

the graphics still look crappy on a 42" lcd tv, but dangit if i still didn't have fun for some reason.

[score]

It is inaccurate and not capable of understanding 3D motion in a manner that correlates to physical movement. This is where this device appears to stand above the wiimote but it does face the issue that you and others have pointed out... it is a third party controller. Unless it was a part of the system at launch as the wiimote was with the Wii it will be an extremely hard sell.

Doesn't the wii plus thing address this? Didn't they demo 1:1 motion at last years E3?

[Pnikosis]

Release it with a patch for Halo and other FPS and I'm sold.

[almightyorb]

Release it with a patch for Halo and other FPS and I'm sold.

Seconded. I was playing Bioshock on 360 and Metroid on the Wii at around the same time and really wished I could play through Bioshock using the Wii remote and Metroid control scheme.

[netcraazzy]

No no no...They have this all backwards. What is really needed is a good wireless gamepad for the Wii. ;)

[BlackHatKid]

I'm going to have to agree...

It's WAY TO LATE.

They're developing an accessory they have no current software for and our launching against a system that currently has a lead on them (going by close of last years numbers) by 6.5 million Wii's sold.

It's like trying to take on i-tunes / i-pod nowadays.

[pwnophobia]

I tried to play CoD on the Wii and about threw my remote through the TV because I got so pissed at the control. I don't want a motion sensor damnit!

However, I do want one if they come out will an amazing boxing game like FN:RN3 where I actually have to duck and dodge and parry my attacker while being able to throw counter punches. I'll be all over that.

[Venkman]

No games for it, then I don't care.

[Pluvious]

Oh goodie.. we can look forward to a bunch of hurried, slap together crappy games to push this stupid gimmick now. Oh joy. I wish they waited for the next generation and spent ample time developing a good reason to have this feature instead of a knee jerk reaction to the Wii's success.

[ElPresidente]

It is a third party controller Pluvious... waiting a generation would make no difference at all. This is not Sony and Nintendo racing down the road after Nintendo.

[TeeCakes]

Without free patches (a VERY anti-360 practice) to integrate motion controls into pre-existing titles (Halo 3, CoD, KZ2, etc.) there's very little to get excited about here. A shame, really, this could be the thing that gets Nintendo to wake up and stop resting on the laurels of their casual gaming successes as devs bring more PSN/XBL motion control games to the consoles that actually support 3rd party titles.

[blackzc]

Crappy and cruddy. Funny words.