Sony's 80GB PS3 pic points to rumble-ready controller
Shaking SixAxis
Sony's announcement that it is to release an 80GB PS3 in the US next month has sparked fresh rumours that it intends to incorporate a rumble feature into its SixAxis wireless game controller.
Sony's 80GB PS3: ready for a rumble?
The rumours stem from a picture of the design of the 80GB PS3's box, which was released alongside Sony's announcement, and which shows the controller with an illuminated red button in the centre.
On Sony's PS2 controller the equivalent of the red button, a square LED, was used to indicate the operation of its rumble capability, which makes the controller... well... rumble in time with gun shots, car crashes, etc while playing a game.
Sony has yet to comment on the presence of a rumble feature on the 80GB PS3 controller, but some gamers are speculating the feature, also referred to as Touch Sense, will be an improvement on the PS2's rumble capabilities by making its vibrations more akin to what's taking place on screen.
For example, this could mean that if a gun was fired on screen then the controller will respond with a short sharp jolt, but when driving a car over rough terrain then the controller will provide varying levels of vibration.
Some cynics have previously suggested that until now Sony left out any rumble feature in the handset because of a then ongoing lawsuit with vibration technology firm Immersion, but the dispute has now been settled. So, watch this space...
COMMENTS
Red Button
As said above, the red button on my PS2 turns the analog joysticks on and off...
LOL!
All the people bitching about rumbling makes me laugh, "it hurts my hands!" etc.
Tis funny. Even if you don't like it, it hurts your hands? C'mon. Lock it up!
early promo pic?
the red PS button was on the early controllers that were used when they were first previewing the PS3 last year if i remember correctly. there was lots of talk when the PS3 first came out with people asking why their PS button didn't light up red like we'd seen in the pictures
here's a forum posts from last november:
http://www.gamer411.com/blog/26
i've heard someone suggest that it's the early japanese controllers that have the light up red button - which would make sense as I'm sure when Suzi Perry was first previewing the PS3 on the Gadget show last year, the PS button on her controller lit up red too.
Push the Button... to turn off analogue controls
The rumble was not dropped due to technical matters. If the motion senser was bothered by the rumble motors, how come then the Wiimote has a rumble motor inside as well as the motion sensing chip? If wild results are given out, surely they can be filtered by a software routine.
As for the Red LED, on the PS2 and PSOne Dual Shocks, it indicated the Analogue Sticks were active. The reason been that when you tried to play an earlier game which didn't support the controller, it would not respond when the analog was turned on. Switching it off made the Dual Shock function like a standard controller. Try doing this on earlier games such as Final Fantasy VII to see.
I can guess the one who wrote the article has probably never seen an original Playstation controller, and understand the simplistic methods Sony used to achieve 100% compatability back in the old days. Unlike the N64 controller, which was designed with the Analog Stick and ability to add the Rumble Pak, Sony added these features at a later date, modifying a controller design which was very close-ended at the beginning, meaning modifications would causes problems with existing software.
Now, the issue is this. If Sony DID make a Rumbling Controller, it will possibly alienate all its current Playstation 3 owners from any new software, especially some designed with the controller in mind. People aren't paying £30-40 for a new controller just to play one or two games. If Sony decide to change the controller now, it will probably be the last, fatal Torpedo to the hull of the sinking Playstation 3.
Europe !!!
Again Sony in its stupidity has forgotton Europe. Lets take Jim Hendrix, he didnt start off well in US he went to Europe to sort himself out and went back a King. Sony should do the same...Sony Execs start listening. Europe wants this Console...Get the price right, and Microsoft will disappear as quickly has the Master Chief can shoot.
