The NGC Controller\'s Worthless Feature...

I\'m sure most of you have heard the rumors going around the internet that the NGC controller is going to have a new secret feature.  Many thought this was going to be a fourth shoulder button (I wish).  Others thought it would be something even more revolutionary than that.  It turns out that it is just an extra button underneath each analog shoulder.

From IGNcube:

As it turns out, the analog R and L shoulder buttons are where the secret of the control design lies. Nintendo has added in a digital click at the floor of the buttons analog motion. Meaning, as you press the R or L button downward in a smooth continuous motion, you will eventually hit the "ground floor." When you do, you can press slightly harder to reveal the ability to "click" the button one more time in a digital fashion. Essentially Nintendo has given you two buttons for the price of one.

So what I\'m wondering is, what the heck is the point of this button?!  I asked this on a Nintendo forum, and they gave me this example:

The digital button allows for an extra button while you are using the analog triggers. So if you are playing a racing game and you have the analog trigger pressed all the way you could click it for a speed boost and still keep the analog trigger pressed all the way.
It adds an element that pressing an analog button to the max doesn\'t.

But how hard would it be for the programmer to say, "If the pressure level is at level 255, then turn on the speed boost AND continue to do whatever the analog button does."  These two extra buttons are not really needed and won\'t help in any way. IMO, It\'s a useless feature.

If anyone has an idea of how these two extra buttons could be useful, please feel free to inform me.

It sounds pretty stupid to me. But Nintendo do come up with some of the best ideas. So I\'m probably wrong

In essence they are two extra buttons on the top of the controller. Developers can make the click into anything they want. Its kinda like the R3 button on the Dualshock2. There is nothing stupid about it. It is just Nintendo giving us more for less.

I just thought of an example.  It\'s kind of lame, but then again, you\'re right about it being a pretty lame feature.

In Starfox you held a shoulder button to tilt the plane 90 degrees.  You pressed it twice to do a barrel roll.  The double click could be switched to just pushing the button all the way in.

If racing games use the shoulders for gas, the click could be a way to change gears.  I kind of like that, as most manual shift games are awkward as hell.

I don\'t know what else.  On the bright side, while no fourth shoulder button sucks, what they gave us is still (a little?) better than what we would have had...

-Eik

Originally posted by Eiksirf
If racing games use the shoulders for gas, the click could be a way to change gears.  I kind of like that, as most manual shift games are awkward as hell.

That is a really cool idea. It has so many possible uses I don\'t understand what the problem is.

I\'m with you Gohan. Sure, it\'s not quite the surprise i was expecting, but it\'s actually quite an ingenious feature, and does just as you say, gives us more for less. Kudos to nintendo, they really are ahead of the pack in terms of creativity, especially when it comes to controller desing and function, there must be tons of practical uses for this feature... I like the sounds of it.

Did you hear how it is being used in Rogue Leader? Example: When you are flying the X-Wing holding the R button will accelerate your ship and when you click the R button it closes the wings propelling you forward at a much faster pace. The same goes for the L button except it slows you down and clicking it is a kind of air brake. Pretty cool.

well i see it as a good feature as long as it gets used in games and seeing as how it is then i guess it works out .


but i still think another shoulder button should be added - just will fill weird - i will probaly find my self trying to press a shoulder button that isn\'t there:)

Many people think the GC controller is stupid but I will have an opinion about it when the controller is in my hands.

Many people think the GC controller is stupid but I will have an opinion about it when the controller is in my hands.

I too have had both the XBOX and GC in my hands and let me tell you the PS2 controller i thought was much better than GC. Not to say GC has a bad controller, i think it\'s good but i liked the PS2 controller better.

As for the XBOX controller it was very nice as well. I\'d say all three controllers have there ups and downs.

Originally posted by TheOgodlyThing
I too have had both the XBOX and GC in my hands and let me tell you the PS2 controller i thought was much better than GC. Not to say GC has a bad controller, i think it\'s good but i liked the PS2 controller better.

As for the XBOX controller it was very nice as well. I\'d say all three cintrollers have there ups and downs.

Are you at E3? If not, you are definately bullsh!tting. I have not read a bad review of the GCN controller yet.

. I have not read a bad review of the GCN controller yet.

Take is easy there GREEN-BOW who said anything about Gc controller sucking??? not me i simply said i liked the ps2 controller better. Please read my post again.
I think all three controllers work better in different games. I simply do not belive that one universal controller rules in all games

Are you at E3

Yes day two i was there, and the nintendo booths were big, meaning i didn\'t have to wait half and hour in line to play.