Understanding the Game Controller

I believe game controllers will remain an important part of videogame culture but ultimately VR & Motion Control will unlock an untapped goldmine.

With video games, the controller apparatus, or, more generally, the input device, distinguishes gameplay from other forms of media. This is because it requires a level of interactivity and immersion that is normally absent from TV or films.

When players become familiarized with the controller, actions become second nature. It’s this accustomization that makes players feel an illusion of embodiment within that world. Instead of a player saying, “I pressed X to jump and my avatar landed at this location” they instead say, “I jumped and I landed here”. Here we can conclude that, the controller doesn’t feel like an abstract piece anymore. Instead, it becomes an extension of the self.

Individuals who are theorizing about “Motion Control” must first take into consideration the limitations with the current technology. All of these technologies seek to minimize the abstraction associated with control. This will essentially remove the split between physical and virtual space causing players to feel more immersed.

Moving forward, developers need to understand that all controllers, even motion controls are governed by two properties:

1.    They require some level of habituation of response. (Myers 2009).

2.    They employ arbitrary and simplified abstractions of the physical actions they reference. (Myers 2009).

Reference:

Folmer, Eelke. (N/A). Designing Usable and Accessible Games with Interaction Design Patterns. Gamasutra. Retrieved April 15, 2014 from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/129843/designing_usable_and_accessible_.php?print=1