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Report: NX to Feature PS4 -style Split D-Pad and Share Button

psyfi

Banned
I predicted the split d-pad and stick placement after the Eurogamer leak. Makes sense for each module acting as a mini controller.
 

Rodin

Member
I made a mockup based on the sketch

vwcsr1O.jpg

Love it. Can you do it with Breath of the Wild and analog sticks? Also move the share button up, in the current position you can easily touch it by accident.
 

Clefargle

Member
To those making mockups:

The patent for the IR button sensors showed the "shell" controllers sliding on or off of the system. Not "Snapping" onto the sides. This would mean you could make it ergonomic and not "flat" edged the way most of you have it.
 
These are looking better. I still would like the controllers to be more dog bonish ala SNES and Nes update. This would go a long way towards making the handheld itself more comfortable to hold.
 

City 17

Member
I know that it's supposed to be a "rough sketch" but is it too much to expect the right positioning for X/Y/A/B ...as seen is in any Nintendo platform?
 
It'll probably be easy for a 3rd party to release a D-pad NX side controller if it's that worrying to some.
But it should be more than fine for playing games on it
 
To those making mockups:

The patent for the IR button sensors showed the "shell" controllers sliding on or off of the system. Not "Snapping" onto the sides. This would mean you could make it ergonomic and not "flat" edged the way most of you have it.

It talked about the controllers being connected in lots of different ways, including magnetically.

I wouldn't get too invested in any particular type of attachment.
 

Clefargle

Member
It talked about the controllers being connected in lots of different ways, including magnetically.

I wouldn't get too invested in any particular type of attachment.

Ok, I agree. I am just hoping that nintendo's penchant for good "hand feel" ergonomics comes through however they attach it. If the controllers are meant to be used after detachment, I would hope that they are comfortable meaning no sharp edges or corners.

Hopefully
 

Thraktor

Member
This actually falls in line with a mockup that I threw together a while back, but never got around to posting. The idea is that the detachable controllers on each side are identical, and have connectors on each side, allowing them to be connected either with the slide pad on top, or flipped upside down and connected with the buttons/d-pad on top. The buttons themselves each have a translucent arrow shape on them and an RGB LED behind each one, lit white when being used as a d-pad, or with the appropriate colours when used as face buttons (with the system switching colours depending on orientation to ensure the correct Y/R/G/B arrangement regardless of how you're using them).

nxmockup1.jpg


nxmockup2.jpg


nxmockup3.jpg
 

EulaCapra

Member
- As much as I'll miss Nintendo's D-Pad, I'm all in favor of a split pad for that breakaway SNES-style functionality for two free remotes.
- No talks yet of the unconfirmed "Shoulder Wheel Buttons"? I wonder how that will ergonomically work as a detachable remote.
- Probably an oversight, but the crude sketch doesn't have Nintendo's traditional A/B/X/Y button placement. But maybe it won't matter if it's true that the buttons can light up in any label you want?
 

Malus

Member
Moar NX speculation threads.

I really don't feel strongly either way about any of these details though. I'm still laughing about the 3ds direct.
 
So Iwata plans were dumped for a hybrid handheld. The NX is no longer part of a family of systems. How does this benefit gamers that don't care for handheld gaming, like myself?
 

Zomba13

Member
Share button is great, split d-pad, nah son.

Really not liking where this is going where the sides split off and are two controllers, means they have to be symmetrical which means that the dpad will be buttons which means that multiplayer games using it will just be like NES games with how simple the controls will be.
 

ksamedi

Member
This actually falls in line with a mockup that I threw together a while back, but never got around to posting. The idea is that the detachable controllers on each side are identical, and have connectors on each side, allowing them to be connected either with the slide pad on top, or flipped upside down and connected with the buttons/d-pad on top. The buttons themselves each have a translucent arrow shape on them and an RGB LED behind each one, lit white when being used as a d-pad, or with the appropriate colours when used as face buttons (with the system switching colours depending on orientation to ensure the correct Y/R/G/B arrangement regardless of how you're using them).

nxmockup1.jpg


nxmockup2.jpg


nxmockup3.jpg

Looks nice but I think the pads will not be identical. Just imagine playing in console mode with two separate controllers. I imagine if they are Wii like motion sensitive one of the controllers should have the buttons on top.
 

Thraktor

Member
Looks nice but I think the pads will not be identical. Just imagine playing in console mode with two separate controllers. I imagine if they are Wii like motion sensitive one of the controllers should have the buttons on top.

Just hold one the other way up.
 
I wouldn't get too invested in any particular type of attachment.

No I wouldn't but I think it's fairly safe to assume the controller parts are deeper than the tablet and secure enough that you can safely swing it around by the detachable sides without risk of the expensive part detaching and flying across the room.
 

Butta

Neo Member
This actually falls in line with a mockup that I threw together a while back, but never got around to posting. The idea is that the detachable controllers on each side are identical, and have connectors on each side, allowing them to be connected either with the slide pad on top, or flipped upside down and connected with the buttons/d-pad on top. The buttons themselves each have a translucent arrow shape on them and an RGB LED behind each one, lit white when being used as a d-pad, or with the appropriate colours when used as face buttons (with the system switching colours depending on orientation to ensure the correct Y/R/G/B arrangement regardless of how you're using them).

nxmockup1.jpg


nxmockup2.jpg


nxmockup3.jpg

Love it. It needs triggers. What about if the triggers were on the corner slightly running across the top and side. This way they could be available in both orientations. This means 1st person shooter could at least have the digital still for running analogue for mouse and triggers available (shooting / jumping) either when attached or seperated. If the joystick was deep enough, there could be 2 triggers. 2 player local multiplayer on a portable device.... mind blown!!!
 

wrowa

Member
I made a mockup based on the sketch

vwcsr1O.jpg

Nice, that actually looks like Nintendo hardware instead of <random phone> many other mockups tend to end up as (I like the smartphone look, but it's just not the kind of thing that fits Nintendo's past hardware designs). Great work!
 

Calm Mind

Member
Theory: All the rumors are false and those spreading it and defending them will soon be seen for the frauds that they are.
 
Well and the buttons on one side need to be flipped in colors as the sticks are offset. With colored/named buttons, and offset sticks the controllers aren't going to look the same. Either switch colors or one analog is on right, one on left.

Earlier in the thread we were discussing using LEDs to color the buttons, such that the button labels/colors are variable depending on their position. That would work perfectly fine for the quoted mockup.

This actually falls in line with a mockup that I threw together a while back, but never got around to posting. The idea is that the detachable controllers on each side are identical, and have connectors on each side, allowing them to be connected either with the slide pad on top, or flipped upside down and connected with the buttons/d-pad on top. The buttons themselves each have a translucent arrow shape on them and an RGB LED behind each one, lit white when being used as a d-pad, or with the appropriate colours when used as face buttons (with the system switching colours depending on orientation to ensure the correct Y/R/G/B arrangement regardless of how you're using them).

nxmockup1.jpg


nxmockup2.jpg


nxmockup3.jpg

This is exactly what I'm picturing, and I think this is by far the best mockup yet which reconciles all of the features we've been told of. LED backlights are cheap and won't use much power, and the connections on the controllers will communicate to the screen portion which orientation each controller is in. It's a very simple and elegant setup.

The only issue is shoulder buttons and triggers. I suppose you can have shoulder buttons on either side of the controllers, and maybe Nintendo has figured out some ergonomically satisfying way to get one single trigger on the back of the controller. I think the trigger is the biggest issue to be solved for this mockup. I doubt they will use IR pointing, since the Wii motion plus tech is probably cheaper and easier to implement to simulate pointing (like in Skyward Sword).

Edit: Judging by your post below mine we seem to think alike.
 

Thraktor

Member
Wouldn't work as the trigger button could not be reached that way. And I imagine there being an IR sensor as well.

There is no trigger button. The way I'm seeing it there are shoulder buttons on both the top and bottom of the controllers (so that they're accessible either way up), and then ZL/ZR buttons on the body of the NX itself (positioned similarly to the new 3DS). I don't see them using IR sensors, they're clearly happy with gyro pointer controls (having used them in Skyward Sword) and they're a simpler, cheaper and lower-power solution.
 

wrowa

Member
This actually falls in line with a mockup that I threw together a while back, but never got around to posting. The idea is that the detachable controllers on each side are identical, and have connectors on each side, allowing them to be connected either with the slide pad on top, or flipped upside down and connected with the buttons/d-pad on top. The buttons themselves each have a translucent arrow shape on them and an RGB LED behind each one, lit white when being used as a d-pad, or with the appropriate colours when used as face buttons (with the system switching colours depending on orientation to ensure the correct Y/R/G/B arrangement regardless of how you're using them).

http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~rooneyot/gaf/nxmockup1.jpg[IMG]

[IMG]http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~rooneyot/gaf/nxmockup2.jpg

http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~rooneyot/gaf/nxmockup3.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

If the display is really 6.2 inches like the earlier rumor claimed, it would be literally impossible to reach all of the buttons when the controller parts are attached to the main body, though.

Actually, even if the device was 3DS XL-sized, the distance between circle pad and buttons would be too big to use buttons and circle pads at the same time.
 

Peterc

Member
This actually falls in line with a mockup that I threw together a while back, but never got around to posting. The idea is that the detachable controllers on each side are identical, and have connectors on each side, allowing them to be connected either with the slide pad on top, or flipped upside down and connected with the buttons/d-pad on top. The buttons themselves each have a translucent arrow shape on them and an RGB LED behind each one, lit white when being used as a d-pad, or with the appropriate colours when used as face buttons (with the system switching colours depending on orientation to ensure the correct Y/R/G/B arrangement regardless of how you're using them).

nxmockup1.jpg


nxmockup2.jpg


nxmockup3.jpg


Do everyone realize that most mockups looks uncomfortable?


It looks like this:

p1050945.jpg



Flat and rectangle
 
There is no trigger button. The way I'm seeing it there are shoulder buttons on both the top and bottom of the controllers (so that they're accessible either way up), and then ZL/ZR buttons on the body of the NX itself (positioned similarly to the new 3DS). I don't see them using IR sensors, they're clearly happy with gyro pointer controls (having used them in Skyward Sword) and they're a simpler, cheaper and lower-power solution.

Actually now that I think about it the trigger could be on the screen portion itself. It depends on how wide they make the controller portions, but if they get the shape right it could be natural to reach a trigger on the back of the screen portion.

That brings up the issue of how do you use a corresponding trigger input when the screen is docked though... Maybe there WILL be a separate middle item which connects the two controllers into a pro-controller type arrangement.

If the display is really 6.2 inches like the earlier rumor claimed, it would be literally impossible to reach all of the buttons when the controller parts are attached to the main body, though.

That mockup isn't really meant to demonstrate the shape or ergonomics from what I can tell, more to just show how you can use two identical controller portions together on the portable.
 
There is no trigger button. The way I'm seeing it there are shoulder buttons on both the top and bottom of the controllers (so that they're accessible either way up), and then ZL/ZR buttons on the body of the NX itself (positioned similarly to the new 3DS). I don't see them using IR sensors, they're clearly happy with gyro pointer controls (having used them in Skyward Sword) and they're a simpler, cheaper and lower-power solution.

Possible. I did wonder if they could offload trigger buttons onto the tablet like in their IR button attachment sensor patent. Would mean if BotW was compatible with the remotes on their own it would need alternative controls, like using motion inputs for bringing up runes and throwing weapons, which should be OK.
 

ksamedi

Member
There is no trigger button. The way I'm seeing it there are shoulder buttons on both the top and bottom of the controllers (so that they're accessible either way up), and then ZL/ZR buttons on the body of the NX itself (positioned similarly to the new 3DS). I don't see them using IR sensors, they're clearly happy with gyro pointer controls (having used them in Skyward Sword) and they're a simpler, cheaper and lower-power solution.

Shouder buttons on bottom and top is a waste of button inputs and prone to accidentally be touched in handheld mode.. The triggers on the wii controllers worked great. There should be a more clever solution for your mockup to work. I think asymmetric design is a better option and solves problems.

I agree with the IR though, didn't think of the motion pointing option.
 

Regiruler

Member
The NX d-pad must be split if it's intended to replicate buttons for a second player (unless they can create a mechanism that allows for it to act as both a solid d-pad and separate buttons)). With a solid d-pad it would be impossible to press separate buttons to run & jump or jump & shoot ...you need the buttons split as a solid pad can only register one direction at a time.
No it wouldn't be. You can press individual directions already on the d-pad, and for two at once there are diagonal inputs.

The only thing lost is opposite buttons at once, which is a rarity.
 
Shouder buttons on bottom and top is a waste of button inputs and prone to accidentally be touched in handheld mode.. The triggers on the wii controllers worked great. There should be a more clever solution for your mockup to work. I think asymmetric design is a better option and solves problems.

I agree with the IR though, didn't think of the motion pointing option.

When the controllers are connected to the handheld the OS could easily be told to ignore button presses from the unused bottom shoulder button.

I agree that there needs to be some solution to the triggers though.
 

KAL2006

Banned
Got an idea for the controller attachments.

Symmetrical layout. Analogs on top. D Pad or Buttons just below.

To detach the controller you slide the d pad/buttons section down which will detach the controllers while separating the buttons away from the analog for a comfortable NES style pad layout.
 
Could you share stuff by pressing them? Because the Wii U home button allows you to boot up Miiverse and share screenshots, comments, etc. Yes it's less featured in terms of where you can share to, but it basically is the normal home button + share button

It's not called a "Share" button for nothing.
On PS4 (don't know about Xbone) you can instantly take a screenshot or record a video and share that with the community, even upload videos to YouTube and Twitter (not sure on the last one). You could even instantly start live streaming.

On Wii U you only could share screenshots via Miiverse or upload them to image sharing sites, but you can do either (though not on Miiverse obviously) on PS4 with equal ease.
So yeah, the Share button is different from the Wii U's home button.
 
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