Microsoft's next Xbox is set to include a Wii U-like touchscreen controller, a report in Xbox World magazine has claimed.
The mag claims Microsoft is experimenting with a tablet-like controller with a shape closer to Sony's PS Vita than Wii U's "bulky unit".
It goes on to describe the Xbox 720 pad as "an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks."
"That touchcreen will be second only to Kinect in how you operate your console," it claims. "It could be a remote control when you're watching TV, a browser when you're on the internet, extra buttons and information when you're playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you."
If you're starting to think this sounds awfully expensive, says XBW, you're right - the mag speculates Xbox 720 could come in at as much as £399.
"Microsoft are playing it safe with the CPU and GPU but running wild with the functions that will change how you play, but it won't be cheap."
It's not the first rumour that's pointed to Microsoft's possible plans for a Wii U-like controller: Last month Gamespot suggested there are "strong signs" that a tablet component will figure heavily in the next Xbox.
Read every next Xbox rumour in one place in our Xbox 720 round-up.
Comments
109 comments so far...
spunwicked on 10 Feb '12 said:
Oh dear.
FixBeatGames on 10 Feb '12 said:
indeed
KMakawa on 10 Feb '12 said:
Another week nearly ending, another stupid report.
Why cant we all just not speculate and wait until the middle of this year? :S
MriRhyme on 10 Feb '12 said:
If this is true then i'm flipping every table in my house. even the one with my 360 on it. No joke
flyfletch on 10 Feb '12 said:
I actually like the sound of this machine! And £399 isnt that bad, considering the PS3's price when it released. Your getting a lot more for your money by the sounds of it here. And before all the Kinect haters start yapping, its coming with the console by the sounds of it, it also souunds like a huge upgrade to the original and when put to good use could really be a game changer, as long as its used to complement already existing ways of controlling games and not the only method of control. Look at the Kinect intergration into Mass Effect 3, it looks great! Ms could have a winner on its hands here...it would be hard to see what Sony could bring out that could be much more innovative. Although i look forward to them both slugging it out, so we can find out! It will benefit us all
ricflair on 10 Feb '12 said:
I assume this is total bulls**t. But then MS have spent the last two years or so trying to copy Nintendo, so who knows?!?
Slacher007 on 10 Feb '12 said:
i'd love to be able to spread rediculous rumours over the internet about tech that simply isn't true.
here's an inside scoop, you can use your PSP Vita to control your PS3/4 and have dual screens. oh wait, they did that 4 years ago!
everything will come from a 'cloud' based system and all games will be installable on a HDD. probably 2TB.
but nothing till 2014 at least.
idiots
kmcroc on 10 Feb '12 said:
Here's my CC , please do charge it .
I would buy one.
Wozzakl on 10 Feb '12 said:
*sobs*
only_777 on 10 Feb '12 said:
Where's the fun in that? It's not hurting anyone, and you never know - it could be true.
Speculation is part of the fun of new machines, embrace it! Because if MS show the new Xbox at E3 all these stories are forgotten by everyone in about 10 seconds.
TheLastDodo on 10 Feb '12 said:
Old news is old.
Xbox 720 actually has a double touchscreen controller with glasses free 3D technology built into the top screen.
credit: sleazygamer.net
StonecoldMC on 10 Feb '12 said:
I suppose well find out at E3 in June?
Or maybe we wont
.
The point being, nobody knows, especially nobody posting info on the tinterweb. It is Fun reading it all though.
murph_77 on 10 Feb '12 said:
When Sega designed the controller for the Dreamcast all those years ago I wondered if they envisaged this day when a screen in the controller would become all the rage. That controller looks awful and too big. Back to the drawing board Microsoft.
ensabahnur on 10 Feb '12 said:
http://lulz.xerq.net/1001-JANUARY/Ca2d4e1Fex.png
Seriously how do you get these jobs, i can talk pure s**t constantly. I'd be f**kin rich!
DoomGuy84 on 10 Feb '12 said:
There goes Wii U's USP then...
humanhand on 10 Feb '12 said:
To you.
humanhand on 10 Feb '12 said:
Weird... if this is going to be the standard for new consoles.
nee50n on 10 Feb '12 said:
You assume people writing this get paid a lot of money. Unfortunately its not true - we get paid very little and the speculation (while pure nonsence) it there in order to fill copy or air time.
Imagine a world where we did not speculate - radio with wall to wall silence, newspapers 2 pages long because advertisers no longer see the point in advertising etc. Now I for one would support this brave new world, but alas, we live in a capitalist world and it demands constant marketing and advertising - hence gaps get filled with slush
pp82 on 10 Feb '12 said:
CVG stop being click whores
flowerday11 on 10 Feb '12 said:
PALM FACE
i sincerely hope this isn't true, sounds woeful. I just want to play games, nothing more, with my consol!
if it is true then i hope the PS4 doesn't follow suit.
flyfletch on 10 Feb '12 said:
Well said, and just to add to that, if people really think there is not going to be specualtion about new consoles, then they have clearly had their heads in the clouds for the best part of their gaming lives...Its always been this way and always will.
I for one thinks its great reading through the rumours, and enjoy the build up to new machines. Its part of what i love about this pastime that i have been involved in for 26yrs, bring the news and speculation on CVG, not everyone thinks its a waste of time.
Megatrons_Fury on 10 Feb '12 said:
In response to whoever it was that bleated on about why they do it.......
t continues like this because cowards like yourself are not brave enough to make the decision to stop. Whilst i agree that thats the way the world is to just jump in line and BAAAA like the others is not an argument you can win.
Until Microsoft actually reveal this console its price and the games for launch i refuse to join in on speculation, it serves no other purpose than to make those that do look so very very stupid. In my life i have never seen an artists impression or a source leak get anything right.
The bottom line here is that CVG are just using another pointless story to increase the chance of selling one of their sister magazine publications like they do every time EDGE say something.
I agree with LASTDOD in that old news is old news except i would like to go with the following......
No news is no news
MPH on 10 Feb '12 said:
I'd say someone at MS knows.
rbt2 on 10 Feb '12 said:
I always thought no news was good news, Megatron.
Headsrinker on 10 Feb '12 said:
As this article is in the Xbox World Magazine, i would suggest the story has some credibility. Anyway, MS get your own ideas and stop copying everything Nintendo do ffs
Slacher007 on 10 Feb '12 said:
bwah ha ha ha ha
as for copying nintendo, do you not remember that you can use your PSP as a rear view mirror in F1 on the PS3? no? well that just proves your level of knowledge. ta ta
drpunk on 10 Feb '12 said:
I've heard a rumour that the next generation of consoles will make many claims that they won't actually live up to.
Sentinator on 10 Feb '12 said:
I thought Microsoft said Nintendo weren't competing with them. How much do they want this thing to cost?
@ Slacher007 Ever hear of four swords adventures? It was a magical game which actually sent the caves INSIDE the screen. So yeah, Nintendo did it before Sony
Black Mantis on 10 Feb '12 said:
You do know that's a mock image, right?
As long as it's comfy and does the job as good as the current 360 pad (with improved D-pad from launch), I'll have no issues with it.
fatherofthenoo on 10 Feb '12 said:
If this is true then it is confirmed; Microsoft and Sony COMPULSIVELY copy Nintendo at almost every opportunity. Without Nintendo, this industry would have died out long ago. After all, who would the competition have to rip new ideas from?
I just buy quality from the source, myself. And judging by the sales figures of the Wii and DS family, so does everybody else.
Slacher007 on 10 Feb '12 said:
@Sentinator
i think you missed the point as i can't remember the gamecube having a screen in its controller.
rbt2 on 10 Feb '12 said:
It did when you linked it up to the GBA.
Sentinator on 10 Feb '12 said:
Not sure what point you were trying to emphasise there buddy. But if it was screen streaming or using that type of controller Gamecube did it. You use your game boy advance and when you walk in certain places the action appears inside the game boy. While the TV shows the main area you continue playing inside the game boy. You probably know that but I'll leave it there in case you don't
If you look through history you will see all Nintendo's ideas today improve upon experiments they did in the past. As for this rumour, BS! What reason would MS have to make that type of controller other than to try and cash in on Wii U?
zombiesinmyhead on 10 Feb '12 said:
I love the feel of console speculation on my body...
..oh yeah, right there...
dicky1993 on 10 Feb '12 said:
uh oh spaghettio , i can imagine this is going to flop
silent moose on 10 Feb '12 said:
whyyyy!!!!!!! (in my best keenan impression)
veato on 10 Feb '12 said:
Obviously that mock-up image of the pad is BS but I honestly think a small screen in the pad could be useful. Maybe around 4inch 1280x720. The pad wouldn't have to be that big tbh.
porkchopz on 10 Feb '12 said:
Hmm, not too sure about this, sounds a bit gimmicky. I'm mainly interested in better graphics and ai and less so in all these motion control bits n bobs.
middle finger on 10 Feb '12 said:
There's enough space for at least eight AA batteries underneath that screen.
alan666 on 10 Feb '12 said:
it will look nothing like the mock up image above
thats the worst photoshop i have ever seen
Sleepaphobic on 10 Feb '12 said:
I want to pre-order 5 now.
sjholland87 on 10 Feb '12 said:
Even though Microsoft had a patent on a 3D space camera before Nintendo thought of the revolution. Kinect only came about as quick as it did because they bought a company who had a working model and MS had nothing but still held the patent.
Please, do some research!
Fanbois... The right wing politicians of gaming.
flyfletch on 10 Feb '12 said:
Complete drivel...but your entitled to you opinion
Failcube on 10 Feb '12 said:
Can you guys add a link to the source?
RTY1998 on 10 Feb '12 said:
What's the problem? It means that some games won't be exclusive to the Wii U. That means that Wii U and 720 will share a lot more games.
ingy on 10 Feb '12 said:
I don't mind about about having a screen on the controller as lomg as they don't use those awfull slide pads instead of sticks.
Sentinator on 10 Feb '12 said:
The games will probably be shared regardless of touch screen. Wii U will be flooded with ports of 360 and PS3 games so touch screen won't effect anything. The majority of developers will be shoe horning features just to put it to use. The only ones who will truly make use of the touch screen are those who are willing to devote time to develop for Wii U (which will be a minority given development costs), possibly some I-Pad developers and Nintendo themselves.
bamozzy on 10 Feb '12 said:
Looks ok to me - A little wide if that's the final design and if it uses the current battery packs maybe a little heavy too. I much prefer the xbox controller to the PS3 and like its current weight too. I think the new xbox would also benefit from being able to use current controllers as well.
Still the proof will be oh well everything works and is integrated into the games. I can see the benefit of having a separate touchscreen on the controller and how it could benefit some games. Anyway it will be interesting to see how true and how well these things work
Mmmmgrolsch on 10 Feb '12 said:
I think this is a good idea. It'd be cool if M$ had the ultimate casual machine, but only if Sony stick to hardcore gaming primary like they have with the PS3. However if I was a Xbox only gamer, I'd be worried about MS's direction, but take this news with a pinch of salt.
a_adji on 10 Feb '12 said:
I think secretly after the ass whooping MS and Sony got from the Wii, they will all now try to copy and make it seem like they are not.
a_adji on 10 Feb '12 said:
I think secretly after the ass whooping MS and Sony got from the Wii, they will all now try to copy and make it seem like they are not.
a_adji on 10 Feb '12 said:
I think secretly after the ass whooping MS and Sony got from the Wii, they will all now try to copy and make it seem like they are not.
a_adji on 10 Feb '12 said:
I bet half you slagged of the idea when Nintendo did it now your kissing ass cause ms has done it lol.
Remind you much of motion control .
theideal on 10 Feb '12 said:
All this built in touch screen stuff I can deal with, though I fear for the cost of controllers in the next generation. Kinect, however, can f**k right off.
1Nightmare1 on 10 Feb '12 said:
It would be cool though if MS would have done this. Imagine playing Skyrim on your console and then going to work and play it during break time. As well as having extra buttons on the controller that makes it look similar to PC's keyboard, for easier inventory access(same can go for WiiU). Although if MS does do this, they may have to make an alternative bundle that comes with a more primitive controller to lower the cost a bit, because if Sony can come up with cheaper hardware then their PS 4 will move a lot faster.
Barca Azul on 10 Feb '12 said:
But its 7 weeks till April 1st!
The_Hun1 on 10 Feb '12 said:
I dont want my controller to be like this, i was hoping for some sort of tablet device, but was thinking more along the line of something that would sit on the console itself, that can be snapped off to take with you with apps and games, running a version of windows 8 where you can stream stuff to it through your xbox live account while on the move, like an ipad but with built in xbox live support, you could also pick wi fi or a 3g or 4g version of it, to play games on the move with it, the game would scaled down versions of the games for 720 that would come with the real title for home play
Think a more advanced VMU a la DC
tsazio on 10 Feb '12 said:
Nice.
ShadowAviation on 10 Feb '12 said:
On a level of why just why it's up there with Jedward. No, not the next Eurovision. Honestly, I'm no fan of Microsoft but even I know they wouldn't stoop that low. Tsk tsk.
Balladeer on 10 Feb '12 said:
To all the people crying out about how such a controller will screw up your precious "hardcore games": the WiiUnit, as I am now calling it, still has buttons and dual analogues as well as the screen. If the 720 has a similar controller, it'll be completely up to developers how they choose to develop for it. They'll have more choices, is all.
You know, you could look at the potential positives a second screen could bring, as opposed to running around with duffel coats over your ears shouting "I DO NOT LIKE CHANGE."
Agent75 on 10 Feb '12 said:
I remember reading a quote recently about the Xbox 720 not costing more than the Xbox 360, I'm not sure if it was an official quote. Makes me laugh at the amount of reports about the Xbox 720. It'll be more powerful than the Wii U defo which will please power mad devs. Got a feeling Microsoft are going to laugh behind Nintendo's back and just copy from the Wii U, but the Xbox 720 will be more powerful, not forgetting the added bonus of Xbox Live, plus I bet the Xbox 720 will have more features than the Wii U. But Sony could then come along and do the same, but better the Xbox 720. It's going to be the biggest battle in gaming history, I don't think 3 consoles will survive, only 2. But I'm convinced that the Wii U will slide into third place as devs leave it alone, like with the Wii. Touchscreen controllers should be at an extra cost, so you just get a standard controller with the console to keep the price affordable. Nintendo are shooting itself in the foot, as the Wii U will have a hefty launch price.
middle finger on 10 Feb '12 said:
It is confirmed now; 'there's 8 AA batteries neatly hidden at the other side of the controller','very similar to current design'.
Imaduck on 11 Feb '12 said:
We'll see. At the moment it's all in the rumour mill, same as the WiiU.
Personally I'll wait and see before making any judgements on the matter. I can see both the positives and the negatives, you never know really.
CVG though, hah you lot should be designing controllers! Such creative vision! Not since the original stretch Limo has mankind been so radically creative
sepewrath on 11 Feb '12 said:
lol that controller would be 600 bucks. While its not unfeasible that they would jump on Nintendo's idea, the features sound unfeasible.
veato on 11 Feb '12 said:
Completely agree. I'm not sure why there's an assumption from some that if MS go with a screen in the controller hardcore games are down the pan. Why?
Old Skool Gamer on 11 Feb '12 said:
£400 or 600€ / $600, there's no way people will buy it at that price, with the current financial climate, maybe the bankers will be able to afford it though.
Jentario on 11 Feb '12 said:
How is this supposed to be cool?
AJDarkstar on 11 Feb '12 said:
I want the Wii U like you wouldn't believe. I hope, if this turns out to be true, people will boycott the 720 and get the Wii U instead, and snub the PS4 if it follows suit.
Why are Nintendo the only gaming innovators left? Maybe we need Apple to make a console after all....
rip_it_up on 11 Feb '12 said:
Nintendo's usp is always their 1st party titles.
Balladeer on 11 Feb '12 said:
Apple don't innovate. They take existing ideas, slap on the Apple brand and a fresh coat of paint, and it sells like hot cakes: each cake comes with a free prostitute!
Oh, and the Dreamcast controller had a screen in long before even the GC/GBA link-up, albeit what looks like quite a small and crappy one. So Nintendo weren't being quite so innovative either.
But I read your message and it says "fanboy", so never mind.
Jentario on 11 Feb '12 said:
LOL
Seriously though, what advantages does this have? It seems to me like a stupid gimmick that will just make each controller cost 3 times as much as it should.
only_777 on 11 Feb '12 said:
What I think is funny is how everyone reacts to all the big three doing the same thing.
Nintendo: 'What a screen on the pad? Looks weird not sure if I'll like it.'
MS: 'What are MS doing to the Xbox?! they'll ruin it!'
Sony: 'Using the Vita to control the PS3 would be cool!'
bamozzy on 11 Feb '12 said:
I can think of several advantages and some that the Wii U (or whatever it will be called) have demonstrated. You could have the HUD and MAP on shooters instead of cluttering the game screen and touch screen to change class instead of opening up a menu. Touch screen inventory for swapping armour, weapons and spells in RPG type games. In fact there are so many options and some I haven't even considered but the developers will!
I am always looking forward to new technology and how it will be implemented - it is quite exciting!
However I do think that 'costs' could play a factor. I do not agree that the controller will cost 3 times what a standard 360 controller currently costs. Touchscreens are comparably cheap these days and can be found in a lot of budget items. These costs are also coming down so I would expect a 'xbox 720' controller to be comparable to a 360 controller (maybe a little bit more - but not a lot) Microsoft know that people will want 'more' controllers (I hope that the 360 controller will also work on the 720) as it is quite a sociable thing but also know that if the cost is to high it will prevent sales. They also know that manufacturing costs will reduce over the lifetime of the console. I guarantee that it costs them a lot less to manufacture a controller now than when it was first made but the price has stayed consistent. As touchscreens are also becoming so much cheaper to manufacture and probably will continue to drop, I can see this controller costing less to manufacture than the current controller price to the consumer is NOW! The most expensive part would be the moulds for the plastic as these would need to be made from scratch but that is only an initial outlay.
Nintendo are not the GREAT innovators although they are quite innovative in how they use and develop ideas. They are not the first to use a screen on a controller, not the first to use analogue sticks etc but the way they implemented them and utilised the technology makes them look like they were the first. I also do not see why others can not use these ideas if they implement them well. Personally I am looking forward to seeing how the next generation of consoles will develop and what they will bring. I currently have all and will no doubt upgrade when they are available (and I have sufficient funds to do so)
Gaming is certainly a progressive hobby - if not I would still be playing on my old Atari's, sinclair, commodore etc.
Sentinator on 11 Feb '12 said:
Funny how all you guys keep mentioning everything as "gimmicks". So what is that control stick gimmick then? What a gimmicky piece of horse manure.
You "hardcore" keep saying "I just want this fad to end. Its a fad and the sooner MS realise it the better" etc. Except its not going anywhere. The next generation consoles only need to be capable of using 1080p HD output. Thats all. We've hit a wall with what graphics can do. IE: the next gen will rely on these "gimmicks" to make the systems stand out. Innovative controls are the future of games. Deal with it. Or just quit gaming. In which case you show how much you really care about it. Its those of us who stick around and carry on playing that are the real seasoned hardcore gamers. Since we really do dedicate our hobby to welcome new ideas and the games that can come from it.
Balladeer on 11 Feb '12 said:
I'm glad you like my post, but you're being just as biased as him in a different way. He blindly ties his allegiance to a company: you blindly tie your allegiance to a control setup.
I don't have a great imagination, so I'm just going to point out one really simple way in which the screen could help: the humble map. The few of you who have played Phantom Hourglass on the DS will know just how helpful a map you can mark can be. I can only imagine how it would be in a game where exploration is a big main theme, like Skyrim. You see a shiny thing but you can't get to it yet, so without needing to flick through any menu screens you just touch the location of the shiny thing on your always-available map, and hey presto - reminder set up for when you have the skills to get the shiny.
People have always been inclined to call anything new a "fad" or "gimmick". It's human nature to be afraid of change. Perhaps the reason I'm liking the idea is my experience with the DS and its second screen, so it's not new to me.
TheLastDodo on 11 Feb '12 said:
Sorry bamozzy but the HUD/MAP ideas are awful.
The last thing you need in a multiplayer shooter is another reason to take your eyes off the TV. Death in a game like CoD can come down to split/second reactions, looking down at your controller to check your ammo will take longer than looking to the bottom right of your TV screen, thus giving you a bigger disadvantage than you already have.
The MAP idea would suffer from the same problem, the problem with these ideas is they're not suited to a super frantic shooter like CoD, you just can't afford to take your eyes off the screen, the change class idea would work, as long as it wasn't in real time, but then whats the point when you can do it on your TV already?
These ideas could work in other titles, the map idea especially could work in an RPG, but as far as real time multiplayer shooters it would just make things harder, for casuals and for "the core".
Reegeee on 11 Feb '12 said:
The ideas that I have read that have been put forward for the WiiU controller just seem unnecessary to me, and are all things you can already do anyway by either going into a menu or whatever. I just cannot get as excited as some people about having a second screen with a bloody map or inventory screen on it.
I mean seriously, if that's the most use the thing can be then it's just a waste of time IMO.
TheLastDodo on 11 Feb '12 said:
On something like a 3DS it makes sense, in say Zelda, game on top screen and map on bottom screen but thats due to the size of the top screen not being suited for a mini-map, you wouldn't need a second screen for a radar/mini-map in CoD because A. It barely takes up space on a 30+ inch TV and B. It's just another distraction, it's an alternate way of having the same problem.
Balladeer on 11 Feb '12 said:
I never said it was exciting - I said it was useful. There's a difference, but sometimes useful is good. Especially if you're talking about something like Metroid or Zelda (or Darksiders, since this is a 720 thread), the menu time adds up.
And like I mentioned, I don't have the greatest imagination in the world. Never professed to. (Did when I was young, but had it beaten out of my by the establishment grumble moan.) The map was, as I said in my post, the lower end of the scale. There are some great things which have been done on the DS showing the merits of a touch screen, and that's without looking at the nightmare-to-set-up Four Swords Adventures on the GC/GBA (which was great fun but hindered by the sheer amount of equipment required). Look there for your answers.
If people on CVG had truly great ideas for things that could be done with two screens, you can bet they wouldn't be on CVG sharing them with you.
bamozzy on 11 Feb '12 said:
These are just ideas. I am sure that the developers will find a way to implement it in a way that works - I agree that in a fast paced game they may not work quite as well as they do on screen but having a touch screen on your controller opens up more possibilities. I don't know how they could work in a more beneficial way at the moment but I am still looking forward to the possibilities. To be honest I used that example just off the top of my head. I think a map could work but not necessarily the ammo part of a HUD. Having a touch screen inventory in Resident Evil 5 would have been good as the game doesn't pause when you open it up. If you didn't have something in one of the 4 quick keys (like grenades etc) it would be so much easier to just touch the screen to select what you wanted to use.
I still think it could be a useful addition if implemented well and will give more options too.
TheLastDodo on 11 Feb '12 said:
Now that is where it could be useful, the Res Evil inventory is a pain to navigate.
illage2 on 11 Feb '12 said:
If this turns out to be true then I am not getting the 720 unless, such a controller is optional for all games.
Reegeee on 11 Feb '12 said:
I just don't see that as very exciting. The most exciting thing I have seen is having a samurai star that you 'flick' into the screen. That sounds alright but will probably become boring after about 30 minutes.
It would be good for games like WarioWare but I can't see many other uses for it.
Balladeer on 11 Feb '12 said:
Oi! See my post above, ya t***er! I quoted you and everythink.
findingnemo on 11 Feb '12 said:
Sad news if true. I love my traditional PS controller. I hope it doesn't get changed up in PS4.
Reegeee on 11 Feb '12 said:
I know but that's my problem with it really, you mentioned the DS and that's all I see it as, a big DS. Ie: Not really new.
I could see it working well for Advance Wars and Pikmin etc along with the inevitable Brain Training and Professor Layton WiiU, but for the Xbox it's not really what their userbase wants IMO.
sepewrath on 11 Feb '12 said:
Of course that's not the only thing it can do, but that is something that will be enjoyable. Take for example an RPG, PC has always had a superior interface for RPG's because of the mouse, that advantage is gone with a touch screen.
Aaritron on 11 Feb '12 said:
"And £399 isnt that bad, considering the PS3's price when it released."
Well in dollars you're looking at about $700. That is a little bit too pricey for my wallet. It's the main reason I didn't buy a playstation 3 till last year. If this article has any validity, it also seems that they don't have a real direction to how they want to use it. As a remote control for your tv? I don't need another remote. How will this improve gaming? I guess we'll find out.
shellster2 on 11 Feb '12 said:
Balla, you know you're talking b*****ks about Apple. They invented the first true smartphone for a start amongst a raft of other things going back a long time. I'm sure they were the first with a GUI which is a pretty big deal really.
As of the 720, if a touchscreen hybrid controller makes for better experiences then bring it on.
Fr33Kye on 11 Feb '12 said:
Dude same argument i was using for the 3ds having a second analog. There is no strong argument against it, it gives developers more options. The whole touchscreen in the controller is a good idea. I'm not so sure i like the idea of it being the standard rather than an option though. I just feel like if it was just an option then the only games that would require you to use it would be those that were designed for it.
Microsoft's will likely have multitouch, which is odd because if it's smaller then it has less need for it.....-_- If it's the size of a tablet, then Multi touch is almost mandatory. *COUGH* *COUGH* *NINTENDO* *COUGH*
Either way speculation is speculation.
Television and the establishment beat the imagination out of me but in recent months i've gotten it back! Though i dont quite have my head around the wiiu so i cant give you any ideas for it yet. I mean yea when a friend and i were discussing how we would do assassin's creeds multiplayer, having a map on a screen that you can draw on before the match starts would be a massive help, but if you want ps move/motion control or Ar ideas i gots plenty! Just not much for this thing yet. Still like i said many times, not a bad idea.
sepewrath on 12 Feb '12 said:
Size has nothing to do with a whether a screen needs to be multi-touch. On a tablet the screen is the one and only means of input, the Wii U controller has analogs, buttons, triggers, even motion controls. The necessity to use the touch screen that heavily that it requires multi-touch, is slim. Its unnecessary and it would only drive up cost, its not really comparable to slapping on another analog pad.
theideal on 12 Feb '12 said:
I can't believe anyone would argue against multitouch to be honest. Seems like a no-brainer for any touchscreen device in this day and age.
ricflair on 12 Feb '12 said:
I agree, I'm sure the Wii U will work perfectly well without multi touch, but to bring in multitouch surely isn't such a big ask and helps future proof it to some degree - I don't know what the price difference is though. All the iphone style gestures are accepted as the norm now.
I wasn't initially very excited by the second screen, but I think it will have some great uses that we won't have thought of. Developers, and especially Nintendo, will always get something fresh out of the hardware, it's just an issue of whether some people will like the change. Gamers tend not to like change! It may not work on something like Call of Duty, but something more tactical would definitely work - I can think of lots of benefits in something like BF3. And Skyrim would ceases being a chore with it's awful menus.
But there's no way in the world Apple (or rather shellster!) can claim that Apple invented the first true smart phone. It's simply rubbish. What Apple generally do (apart from the GUI way back when) is take existing, established ideas and improve them and nail the software and the design. The ideas behind the iphone (take your pick), ipad (Windows tablet laptops), ipod (take your pick) were all established before Apple came up with their products. That's not to dismiss the quality and design of Apple's products, but they weren't really first to market with a lot these things. I think they are just better at realising the potential of various technologies.
badmonk on 12 Feb '12 said:
Some of you make me laugh!! To those of you that are dissing the 720 before it even hits the stores, you are prob gonna be first in the Q to buy one!
Reminds me of when MS announced the 1st Xbox, I saw the footage of Halo CE & was gonna get it day one, I raved about it to my friends & online buddy's, people laughed at me on forums, LOTS of people wrote the OG Xbox off saying it was gonna flop, and look @ it now!!
I actually really like this idea, whether or not is true or not is another matter!!
Fr33Kye on 12 Feb '12 said:
The size does matter because at a certain point a screen can be too small for multi-touch to be a good idea. At a certain point your fingers would cover most of the screen, but with a screen the size of a tablet that is not much of a problem at all. You can claim anything on a controller is "unnecessary", two shoulder buttons, two analogs, directional buttons when you already have an analog, etc, but it allows for greater possibilities than without them.
And driving up costs isn't a f**king argument when every other screen on the market is multi touch and nintendo are going to sell it for a profit and are guaranteed at least a few million from just releasing a mario game. The tablet doesn't have a processor, and they aren't selling it separately so like i said driving up the cost isn't a good argument. You could claim nintendo releasing motion plus built into the wiimote at launch would have driven up the cost.
Any idea how ridiculous it would be if the vita was released and the screen wasn't multi touch? I'm not claiming it will doom the system but the argument against it is a little ridiculous. Most of our ideas rely on single touch because for years we have relied on a navigating menus with a single cursor, but recently there has been a bit of a change. On tablets we are seeing things only possible with multi touch, like people playing together, i mean even on the vita there are modes in games where you can turn the device sideways and play with another person. Mac books have a lot more buttons than the wiiu but having a multi-touch pad is SO much better than not having one. And that's just on a pad on a device with many more buttons that is used for interfaces that are designed for not having one. People brush it off like it doesn't matter but it's an odd thing to leave out.
Balladeer on 12 Feb '12 said:
Fair enough. I've always seen the XBox as the choice of the shooter-fan, and I agree that it wouldn't help much there. But maybe it'll introduce the shooter-heavy market to some new genres? Just a thought. And when you say it's not doing anything new, consider that sticking to the old pad would be doing even less new! As I said above, you still have every control option the 360 offered, with something new-ish into the bargain.
Nope. They made it popular, maybe, but it wasn't the first. Depends on how you define "true", of course, but even then...
Agreed on all counts. The 3DS would have been better with a second stick/nub, and speculation, speculation, speculation.
Do share...
LordVonPS3 on 12 Feb '12 said:
I don't really get the idea of putting screens into home console controllers. It seems as embarrassing as the first time I picked up a multi-button pad / joystick and had to look at the controller every so often just to remind myself where the buttons were. Now this s**t is coming full circle. Last time they wanted you to go out and buy a nice big HDTV. This time they want you to look at the controller instead!
Seems to me that innovation departments have hit the wall.
nOVA1987 on 12 Feb '12 said:
peter molydeux tweeted on january 26th: "In fable 4 when you wait for the next area to load you can play darts on the new tablet that comes with the new xbox," and straight after "also, in my darts game you throw darts with your VOICE,"
Fr33Kye on 12 Feb '12 said:
Pandora's box my friend. It is gonna take a while for me to gather my thoughts and notes.
memeroot on 13 Feb '12 said:
It will be optional like the hd in the existing 360
ms made the price mistake once - they wont make it again
memeroot on 13 Feb '12 said:
oh and
1 - I can do this already with my phone
2 - Nintendo games will use it better
3 - I will buy it when it comes out so long as I can use my existing xbox controllers.
memeroot on 13 Feb '12 said:
http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/25914 ... uchscreens?
see im right fudzilla agrees
oh
so im probably wrong
apalmer28 on 13 Feb '12 said:
Just give me full 1080p 60Hz with every game and full backwards compatibilty with everything I've bought from the marketplace.
It would also be nice if it didn't break down too.
porkchopz on 13 Feb '12 said:
Ok, so it probs would be useful for maps etc. However, the question of whether I wanna pay the extra doolah for this privilege is another matter.
Tbh I'd probs rather it had a bottle-opener attachment...
rhyfel on 14 Feb '12 said:
please microsoft do not start messing with the controller, update the Dpad but thats about it.
Teratus on 14 Feb '12 said:
You do realise your talking about a Console that has no Backwards Compatability and lacks the ability to play Used games,
With this system they are going to have to incorporate something like steam into the system so that you can register your game disk's activation code, that would mean that it would have to be registered to a database somewhere meaning in the simplest terms that this system requires a Internet connection to actually use hell Having Xbox Live will probably be a requirment too so even if you dont play online you'll have to pay for its online service
This system is a joke and has nothing to lure gamers in, Hell Microsoft even said that they wont be bothering with Exsclusives much since Multiplats sell better
What your looking at is a £399 Motion Controlled Skybox that has a Monthly Fee for online services and only plays games that you can get on the other consoles
Lol if Microsoft think that this is going to lure in Gamers then they are seriosuly deluded
I've lost count of how many 360 fanboys i've seen posting comments all over the place of how dissapointed and angry they are about this system and the information thats available right now
alot of people are going to leave the Xbox Market if the system is being made to these specifications
Teratus on 14 Feb '12 said:
if your laughing now you should have seen the Live stream unvailing of the WII U at E3 the Chatrooms were flooding with 360 and ps3 Fanboys bashing the system from the very first second it was shown on camera
Funny enough as i recall the 360 community also did the same thing when the Wii was unvailed and tried every possible way to justify the ass raping they took from the Wii to get it in thier favor
from what i've read about this 720 system its definatly not going to live upto the 360 and only the most devoted and stupid of the 360 fanboy community is actually going to buy one
No used games, No Backwards compatability hell you will likely need to get XBL before you can play any game on the system
and even better yet Microsoft even said that because multiplats sell better than exsclusives they aint going to bother putting time into making exsclusives lol
this system sounds absolutely aweful
ilovenewtech on 14 Feb '12 said:
I have to say super awesome fellow forum posters that I am seriously considering this being my my last generation of consoles and may invest in a uber PC because of bulls**t gimmicks like this. Poor show Microsoft, how about you come up with an original idea of your own and stop trying to be Nintendo.
flyfletch on 14 Feb '12 said:
WOW back up! First off, at what point have MS stated no backwards compatability? When did they state a monthly fee for Xbox live? When did they categorically confirm no used games? And when did they say they wont concentrate on exclusives on the next Xbox? All of this is rumour and hear say, some may come true some wont, but believe it or not MS are not as stupid as you clearly think they are or would clearly like them to be. They have got a lot right with the 360 and wont be in a rush to waste all those billions of investment in the xbox brand.
I genuinely dont know what MS have done on you, but clearly you have a weird sort of hatred for them, i find that sort of thing a bit strange.....