are there plans to port PS3/Nintendo Wii type of controllers to the PC?

[secret friend]

I am not sure it will beat a keyboard and a mouse, but it sounds like an interesting alternative.

 

[Maxi]

urm, no.

 

[Majestic XII]

We will see it, but it won't work.

We had "gyro"-controllers (like the PS3 controller) back in -99 and it didnt really work out. It didnt add anything to the gameplay and no-one actually used it. Nintendo are taking things alittle further with its Wii-mote, but Im pretty sure we wont see anything near that for the PC market.

Also, you need to design your games around that sort of controller. Developers are making their games to fit a keyboard and a mouse (excluding ports/platform games). They might throw in something that makes you able to bind the gyro controls, but the game wont be designed around it, hence making it kinda useless.

What Nintendo is doing with its new console is to actually build the whole console around its controller(s). Developers are more or less forced to think of new (game)ideas on how to use the controller. The first generation of Wii games will mostly consist of "old" game mechanics (FPS) using the Wii-Mote while the second wave of games will explore the controller more and come up with unique games which can only be played with a Wii-mote. Or thats the plan at least.

Short answer: No.

 

[VirusType2]

Exactly what they said, and I will add this much:

Sony and Nintendo actually compete with Microsoft's OS PC game platform, so they would never make their controllers compatible. In fact, they more than likely make them so that they are difficult (and possibly against copyrights) to create an adapter so that you can connect it to a PC.


The reasons that Microsoft made their 360 controller compatible with the PC is because they have made their console compatible with the PC games, and because well, it's just great to be able to be familiar with the control and be able to play it on the PC and 360 without having to adjust. They made a unified controller, and it's superb.

Multi-player games for the 360 are able to link up to PC gamers playing the same game. For example, Half-Life 3 (what I'd like to see) or Halo 3 for the 360 will be able to play multi-player even if some people are on the PC and some are on the 360. There are other games that link up to the PC for things like creating your own design for your cars and streaming media, etc.


Alternatively, it is also possible to connect a USB mouse and keyboard to the 360, although I don't think very many games will use the mouse, one of the first games that came for 360 - Final Fantasy - already can use a keyboard.

 

[MultiVaC]

Multi-player games for the 360 are able to link up to PC gamers playing the same game. For example, Half-Life 3 (what I'd like to see) or Halo 3 for the 360 will be able to play multi-player even if some people are on the PC and some are on the 360. There are other games that link up to the PC for things like creating your own design for your cars and streaming media, etc.

Afaik that's not true. There was an interview with Tim Sweeney of Epic Games where he said that the Xbox 360 is using a closed network for security reasons and will not be able to connect to PC users. Hence Xbox 360 UT2K7 players will not be able to play with PC players, although PS3 players might. I was kind of disappointed to hear this since Microsoft seems to be making lots of effort to make PC and Xbox 360 games easier to port back and forth.

 

[Gargantou]

Afaik that's not true. There was an interview with Tim Sweeney of Epic Games where he said that the Xbox 360 is using a closed network for security reasons and will not be able to connect to PC users. Hence Xbox 360 UT2K7 players will not be able to play with PC players, although PS3 players might. I was kind of disappointed to hear this since Microsoft seems to be making lots of effort to make PC and Xbox 360 games easier to port back and forth.

This man speaketh da truuuuuth!

 

[VirusType2]

I searched all over and I can't find any details on this. Where did you guys hear this? I'd like to read it.

 

[Gargantou]

In the interview with Tim Sweeney about UT2k7, there was a thread on here about it a while back.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=70056

I quote.

"The question of PC players playing against console players, or even console players on PS3 playing against Xbox360 is really more of a game play question than a technical one, because right now we do support running a PC server having PC clients join and play alongside PS3 and XB360 clients in our games networking framework. That basic approach works, but on XB360 side Microsoft has chosen to keep the network completely closed so you won't have PC players playing on XBox Live. Kind of an unfortunate decision, but it allows them to secure their network and control it carefully which you kinda want in a console environment. On PS3, we might actually enable that."

 

[VirusType2]

When was this interview I wonder.

The thing is, at E3 early this month, Microsoft said that PC gamers can connect with 360 gamers and play multiplayer games. They made a huge announcement while describing their "Live anywhere" plans.

 

[Griz]

When was this interview I wonder.

The thing is, at E3 early this month, Microsoft said that PC gamers can connect with 360 gamers and play multiplayer games. They made a huge announcement while describing their "Live anywhere" plans.

This is true. In fact it formed part of Microsoft's E3 presentation. Go download it and take a look.

And in response to the OP, there are already controllers available for the pc that use a similar control system to the Wii-mote. In fact i have one that i use with my Media Center PC in my living room. It's an 'air mouse' by Gyration and it works amazing well for general pc use (web browsing, viewing media files etc) but it's also incredibly difficult to use accurately in FPS games. This is why i have serious mis-givings about the Wii controller and the range of games that it could be effectively used for.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Yeah, I remember seeing a news article on TV about how "the PS3 plans to revolutionise the console world", which of course turned out to be their "revolutionary" controller. But my first thought wasn't of the Wii, when they were talking about it being the first evar and such, I kept thinking "hasn't anyone heard of the MS Sidewinder?"

 

[Venmoch]

In the interview with Tim Sweeney about UT2k7, there was a thread on here about it a while back.

On PS3, we might actually enable th...yone here remember that whole Quake 3 fisaco?

 

[Cole]

Q3, Pc vs Dreamcast