Consoles need multiple input options

[ROBOCRIPPLE_]

I'm long overdue for a new PC. I had my laptop for almost 7 years and at the time I got it it was decent at best, and now even with upgraded RAM and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS it doesn't run very fast anymore, and some of the plastic around the monitor broke. I wanted to get a gaming PC, but I can't afford one right now and I'm confused over builds. When it finally breaks down, no problem; I'm happy with my iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy S3 because they fulfil my basic computing needs such as e-mail and Facebook.

Honestly, I prefer console gaming over PC gaming. Consoles just work (for the most part), and there is no need to open the console to upgrade the hardware. Sure, the PC master race has its advantages over console gaming, but I don't want to have to upgrade the hardware every 2 years or so by purchasing parts, just to be able to play the latest AAA game with decent or better settings, though I know how to install PC desktop parts. Plus, it's mostly confusing me; there's so many parts available, and I am unsure which parts work right or how many RAM I need. Not all new games require high-grade tech specs, though. 
 
The PC master race has compatibility with all kinds of input options, from keyboard and mouse to game controllers to flight controllers. So, why not consoles as well? Since the PS4 and Xbox One have the PC architecture, you should be able to just plug-and-play an input device other than a DualShock 4 or Xbox One controller depending on the software. Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think computer hardware is trending towards plug-and-play compatibility, unlike the required third-party driver installation in the past which was a nightmare IMO. 
 
What console games need are mouse and keyboard control for first-person shooters, fighting sticks for fighting games, steering wheels for racing games, motion controller support, etc. Yes, third parties (and first parties) have done that in the past up to PS3/360 so far, and I expect them to do the same this generation on PS4/X1 as well. Yes, there are adapters that you can use to plug a mouse and keyboard into a PS3 or Xbox 360 to be used as a controller, but I don't want to spend extra cash on that little adapter and would rather plug my mouse and keyboard directly into the console and expect them to work in a shooter or RTS just like they do on PC. I know that Unreal Tournament on PS3 has mouse and keyboard plug-and-play support, but not all the other PS3 games that do...
 
Controllers may be the Swiss Army Knife of gaming, but to me they aren't. I can't play fast-paced shooters with a twin-stick controller; I can't aim very well with a thumbstick, I can only aim well with a mouse. The DualShock 4 has motion sensors, right? Then why don't games add motion control to assist in aiming down the gunsight? Even Uncharted Golden Abyss for PS Vita has that, and I liked it. Of course, allow us to adjust the sensitivities of the analog stick and gyroscope in aiming as well. I need more precision in aiming than an analog stick especially with an aim assist that only drives me nuts. Better yet, aim assisted by a lock-on mechanic similar to Ratchet & Clank Going Commando on PS2! No need for any skill to kill a human opponent!
 
What do you think? Do you also think that console games need mouse and keyboard support as an alternative input option to the DualShock 4? How about motion control as a second aim control? I'm just speaking out of my mind regarding control input options.

[A12]

Coding for " " = Time.

Time = Money.

No money for you.

+ the whole console proprietary hardware history.

[xzero4812]

well the thing is that most players prefer using a controller i understand that doesnt work for you but its just not a popular option thats going to get developers to adopt to (they cant even get move/kinect to stick). if i can remember there has only been about 2 or 3 games on ps3 that supported keyboard and mouse...

 

all in all being a gamer means to adapt within reason... unless you have some kind of medical condition it seems like you just want an ez way out to play games

[ExHaseo]

First and foremost, most people with consoles, play them on their couch, or something similar. It would be impossible to use mouse/keyboard when sitting on a couch.

 

As for motion controls, not everyone likes them, some people straight up hate them(like me). Forcing them into games would cost developers more money and just annoy people. Even if they just made it just an option, that's still a considerable amount of money to implement a feature that very few would really care about and use. What's worse, is when stuff like that is implemented badly, like in Ninja Gaiden Sigma +, it leads to an overall worse game.

 

As for the peripherals, like fight sticks and steering wheels, they're readily available for purchase already. You can't honestly expect developers or Sony to give them away for free do you? Even when companies do offer a bundle with a peripheral, no one buys them, because those that want those peripherals will just buy a higher quality version separately, and those that don't want them just pass on the bundle. Tekken 6 is a great example of this. They offered a wireless fight stick bundle, but no one bought it, because it was a cheap, shitty, stick and no one wanted to pay for it. So, they sat on shelves for years.

 

As for keyboard/mouse support, like you said, you can already buy a peripheral to make them compatible. So, if you really want to use them that badly, stop being cheap and buy one. Most people prefer controllers for their games on console. Sony implementing global compatibility would just cost them more money unnecessarily, and possibly would've added to the cost of the system.

[DARKSCORPONOXR]

i have most pc prephirials connected to my games systems...

i use a keyboard and mouse when im online- albeit not actually in game which is what you're postin about... i also have a printer connected with multi usb hub, a tea cup heater, 4 pads, also my tablet and multi card reader are connected too... there is also my gametech steerin wheel, namco joystick and other various add ons...

lol i get your point tho, i grew up playin on home systems but it was refreshin to just get on the pc and instantly use all the pc mod cons without any hassles... playin doom/quake/carmeggedon on a joystick or keyboard was hella fun... all the shift commands and top f buttons havin countless options, bein able to configure anythin from controls to how the game looks/sounds and runs then loadin up the unreal tournament folder only to fuck it up when the mouse roller ball got stuck etc etc...

[GoldenShaka]

I really never got use to mouse and keyboard, absolutely dumb using them, that's why console controllers came as a blessing for me.

The only pc game that i actually play was Diablo but there's no need of expertise there, it's just point and click.

You're another one in the long list of people i know (many of them full time techies) who talk about the pristine precision of the keyboard and mouse  especially for shooters and that any controller will never get close to that. I feel me so obsolete just playing with a dualshock hahaha.

[DARKSCORPONOXR]

First and foremost, most people with consoles, play them on their couch, or something similar. It would be impossible to use mouse/keyboard when sitting on a couch.

 

As for motion controls, not everyone likes them, some people straight up hate them(like me). Forcing them into games would cost developers more money and just annoy people. Even if they just made it just an option, that's still a considerable amount of money to implement a feature that very few would really care about and use. What's worse, is when stuff like that is implemented badly, like in Ninja Gaiden Sigma +, it leads to an overall worse game.

 

As for the peripherals, like fight sticks and steering wheels, they're readily available for purchase already. You can't honestly expect developers or Sony to give them away for free do you? Even when companies do offer a bundle with a peripheral, no one buys them, because those that want those peripherals will just buy a higher quality version separately, and those that don't want them just pass on the bundle. Tekken 6 is a great example of this. They offered a wireless fight stick bundle, but no one bought it, because it was a cheap, shitty, stick and no one wanted to pay for it. So, they sat on shelves for years.

 

As for keyboard/mouse support, like you said, you can already buy a peripheral to make them compatible. So, if you really want to use them that badly, stop being cheap and buy one.

why are ppl so hostile and bitchy in the forums, the guy was askin if anyone else likes to use the keyboard/mouse combo...

also how exactly is it impossible to use a keyboard whilst sittin on a couch? most keyboards have the touch mouse built it for easy use... im guessin you may have difficulty usin a laptop to play games while sittin on a couch too?...

you also type about how forcin motion controls into games would cost money then contradict your point by acknowledgin that it is already featured in games... where have you been for the last 7 years dude as motion controls has been a regular mainstay in the games industry since the wii, even the dualshock 4 is a motion sense controller...

[ExHaseo]

why are ppl so hostile and bitchy in the forums, the guy was askin if anyone else likes to use the keyboard/mouse combo...

also how exactly is it impossible to use a keyboard whilst sittin on a couch? most keyboards have the touch mouse built it for easy use... im guessin you may have difficulty usin a laptop to play games while sittin on a couch too?...

you also type about how forcin motion controls into games would cost money then contradict your point by acknowledgin that it is already featured in games... where have you been for the last 7 years dude as motion controls has been a regular mainstay in the games industry since the wii, even the dualshock 4 is a motion sense controller...

I wasn't being bitchy or hostile, he asked my opinion, that's what I shared. You're just interpreting it as hostile because it's not agreeing with the OP. Remember, just because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't mean they're doing it to be mean, it just means they don't agree. And just for clarification, this post is just defending myself from your hostility. Any further hostility from this situation is because of your misunderstanding, and I'm not going to be replying from now on, because I don't care to take over this guy's thread because of you attacking me.

 

I'm guessing you've never played a shooter with a laptop. The point of having the keyboard and mouse is for more precision, and a laptop touchpad is far worse than even a controller is, and definitely can't be used to play a game like CoD competitively.

 

Motion controls were a fad that's on it's way out. The fact that the Wii U has all but dropped motion controls and that MS dropped the mandatory Kinect is proof of that. It's a fad that only became popular because people who didn't play games bought a Wii. Few actual gamers care about motion controls. Especially not enough for it to be implemented into major games. Look at the X1. No one cared about the Kinect. So much so, that once they dropped it, their sales for the month doubled from the month before. And just because games have had motion controls, that doesn't mean that they were especially successful games, or that it didn't cost them sales. I know of a few people who wanted to play Gravity Rush, until they found out how much motion was involved. And if you look at reviews for Ninja Gaiden Sigma +, it mentions the bad motion controls, which likely costed sales.

[Tomato]

You dont have to upgrade your computer every 2 years, a good build will last you 4-5 years easily. I also prefer mouse and keyboard over controllers for fps games however I can also understand why devs choose not to implement it since its such a small minority on consoles.

[ROBOCRIPPLE_]

Now I really know why PC truly is the "master race" in gaming.

 

In the console world, it's all about the head in the power law graph, which contains the most popular products, in consoles is game controllers. In the PC world, the keyboard and mouse are included in the head. After the head is the long tail, which contains the less popular products but there is still a demand for them. For PC it's straightforward: most games of a certain genre are compatible with appropriate alternative input devices. For example, racing games have steering wheel support as well as keyboard and controller support; and shooters have mouse + keyboard support and controller support for those gamers who prefer playing with a controller. For consoles, however, there are third-party peripherals like fighting sticks specifically for one console and adapters that let you use a keyboard and mouse but not let you navigate the menus with the mouse by moving it. The adapters are further in the long tail than the peripherals, so they can only be purchased at a mod store online. Most console games only support the controller because it's what most people want to use to play games on their consoles and developers don't want to add support for other input devices unless there is a popular demand for it because it would mean a lesser return on investment. In PC if a game doesn't have native support for a peripheral, at least there are ways to make it work like it should on the game. Plus, I find controllers to be decent for racing games. In fact, not all racing games support racing wheels, like WipEout HD for example.

 

The other reasons why PC is the master race are, of course, the fact that you can upgrade the hardware without voiding your warranty and that the PC version of multiplatform games can be run at the best settings, and that there are so many games available on PC, including indie games, and you can even play old PC games on your much newer PC. Consoles do have exclusives, though, but so far console games up to PS3/360 can be emulated on PC, though not as good as they do on original hardware. I forgot to also mention mods for games!

 

I mean, the PS4 and Xbone have the PC architecture. It shouldn't be a big problem for them to implement another input option. At least the games themselves can have support for them. I agree that they should keep the console games and their supported peripherals separate and let people choose whether to get a high-quality peripheral or to stick with the controller. Plus, developers really do give trial and error when implementing motion controls in a game. For example, in Ratchet & Clank Tools of Destruction, you launch a tornado and you control it with the SIXAXIS motion sensing; I don't like it and I want to control it with the right stick instead. If it doesn't turn out great, it isn't implemented the same way in the next game, just like Insomniac Games didn't in the next Ratchet & Clank instalments. You can still play on the couch with a mouse and keyboard; just get a small, raised table like a wide TV tray or something...

 

Now that it's said, I'm still going to buy a gaming PC. Not too soon, I have to save up for one. I'll still play console games with controllers, though.

Edited July 19, 2014 by ROBOCRIPPLE_

[xzero4812]

Please let's not flame the console/pc war, pc games are favored in respects that one can use vary control method and customization but when it comes down to exclusive titles no one but valve is dominating which means that consoles have a large following and history has shown that popularity rules the console market so to implement a minor feature such as alternative input options its simply not going to happen unles ther is a popular demand for it.

I completely understand what you're trying to get across bit your points are off base

[Fierce_DeityX1]

You can use a mouse and keyboard for some games on the PS3

[Vorlon]

The good thing about consoles and controllers is that there is a level playing field. It's not about who has the most expensive mouse or the best pc. Also to me being good at typing, pointing and clicking fast is just that and has very little to do with games.

[ROBOCRIPPLE_]

Please let's not flame the console/pc war, pc games are favored in respects that one can use vary control method and customization but when it comes down to exclusive titles no one but valve is dominating which means that consoles have a large following and history has shown that popularity rules the console market so to implement a minor feature such as alternative input options its simply not going to happen unles ther is a popular demand for it.

I completely understand what you're trying to get across bit your points are off base

I'm not trying to spark a flame war, I'm just outlining some of the points that make the PC a technically better platform for games over consoles. In the end, it is all about personal preference. I like console gaming better, like most console gamers prefer to play with a controller. I'm not bashing one platform in favour of another, I'm just not happy of the fact that developers often don't add alternative input options in console games just because they are not popular. And that is where the little adapters come in, far into the long tail, to appeal to a tiny minority like myself.

[DARKSCORPONOXR]

I wasn't being bitchy or hostile, he asked my opinion, that's what I shared. You're just interpreting it as hostile because it's not agreeing with the OP. Remember, just because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't mean they're doing it to be mean, it just means they don't agree. And just for clarification, this post is just defending myself from your hostility.

I'm guessing you've never played a shooter with a laptop. The point of having the keyboard and mouse is for more precision, and a laptop touchpad is far worse than even a controller is

Motion controls were a fad that's on it's way out. The fact that the Wii U has all but dropped motion controls and that MS dropped the mandatory Kinect is proof of that. It's a fad that only became popular because people who didn't play games bought a Wii. Few actual gamers care about motion controls. Especially not enough for it to be implemented into major games. No one cared about the Kinect.

exhaseo i play a few android shoot em ups usin a laptop with touch mouse, its not that difficult and i wasn't attakin you or bein hostile either... you came on to rant your opinion, belittle his opinion and then mock him as a cheap wad...

you're post was hostile, you not only rant about how unpopular steerin wheels/joysticks are but you rant about motion controls, im sure most would agree that motion controls are a nightmare but then again most would disagree about steerin wheels/joysticks as they give greater control in racing/beat em ups which is why hundreds of thousands of ppl buy them...

if they were obsolete then they wouldn't sell, also the kinect sold millions so again- where have you been? sure the sales started to slow down but the kinect was the biggest sellin prepherial for the last 3 years... bill gates couldn't stop gloatin to the other 2 rivals about the numbers so motion control might be a fad but it hasn't gone away like you claim...

also the wii u tablet/controller has built in motion sensor tech, the new kinect comes mostly as standard when you buy into the latest ms system and the dualshock 4 has built in gyro tech/motion sensor tech too... again it might be a fad but its a mainstay feature in modern gamin... android gamin devices have been relyin on the use of motion sensor tech for ages now so altho i understand the point your tryin to make, its points based on your own dislike towards motion controls rather than points based on actual facts and sales...

to clarify... i wasn't attackin you, just pointin out that can have your opinion but you don't have to be so obnoxious about it... end of

Edited July 19, 2014 by DARKSCORPONOXR