Frank Jaeger
Member
I actually like it! Give me proper windows drivers and make it work like the 360 (in windows) and I will buy it when my 360 bits the dust!
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Amazons [devkit?] controller revealed by Brazilian FCC [Up: Additional Images]
- Thread starter mocoworm
- Start date
Backfoggen
Banned
MS & Sony better watch out.
According to the zatz site (source of the images), they are from a regulatory body, so they must be fairly final.
I want to emphasise that if you look at all the images, the controller is actually similar to the ergonomics of the onlive controller and 360 controller. Try viewing them at the same angles and you can see for yourself, the only difference is the slightly extended or raised area between the dpad and right stick, which shouldn't effect comfort
I have a feeling that this controller looks the way it does for two very important reasons.
A) This controller IS the console. While I assume there will be a small base unit for the HDMI cable, power socket (and presumably some kind of charge point for the controller) etc the actual controller itself houses all the 'tech'. Basicaly it's a Kindle without a screen that will allow you to play/stream content to your TV.
B) It looks cheap because it is cheap. Form and factor are all very well for the 'premium' consoles from MS and Sony but as a cheaper entry point I could really see Amazon try and get this thing out there for under $99.
If Amazon could really get this out there for a low price point (sub $100) and allow people to play Candy Crush and whatever Amazon's 'first party' are working on streamed to their TV it could be huge.
A) This controller IS the console. While I assume there will be a small base unit for the HDMI cable, power socket (and presumably some kind of charge point for the controller) etc the actual controller itself houses all the 'tech'. Basicaly it's a Kindle without a screen that will allow you to play/stream content to your TV.
B) It looks cheap because it is cheap. Form and factor are all very well for the 'premium' consoles from MS and Sony but as a cheaper entry point I could really see Amazon try and get this thing out there for under $99.
If Amazon could really get this out there for a low price point (sub $100) and allow people to play Candy Crush and whatever Amazon's 'first party' are working on streamed to their TV it could be huge.
Nah asymmetrical is terrible. Take a superior controller for example.
Wii Pro is the best controller for this generation. Excellent battery life too.
outunderthestars
Banned
bequietdrive
Member
If this controller could speak.
To quote the source:
By way of an overseas regulatory agency, similar to our very own FCC, we continue to hone in on the elusive Amazon media streamer. As the story goes, a fall launch was delayed with the Roku Apple TV competitor now looking quite likely for March or April. Netflix and Hulu appear to be confirmed, as does a forked Android build – similar to what Amazon has done with their line of Kindle Fire tablets. Which makes gaming out of the box quite likely. The wireless Bluetooth controller features a gaggle of controls, including both shoulder buttons and triggers, in addition to media playback transport controls. And we give Amazon credit for using Android-esque icons for home, menu, and back. Related, we expect the controller, powered by a pair of double As, would be sold as an accessory and ultimately also designed to work with Amazon’s line of tablets to close the circle. Won’t be long now…
Also important to remember they are aquiring some devs for gaming work, I'd guess it may be an ARM compliant gaming device/streaming device - but as it is forked similar to kindle fire, it's has to rely on it's own content - that suggests that they would actually have to work to make games and get 3rd parties involved, rather than simply using current android games
I still haven't held one myself but the stick placement makes a lot of sense to me. Especially for dual stick shooters where your holding your thumbs on the sticks most of the time. Surprised this layout hasn't been done before.
CorySchmitz
Junior Member
I kinda like it :X
Ludicrous Speed
Banned
Is this set up box going to play Android games? So it's like the ouya thing?
I don't think it's bad at all, I've literally looked at my 360 pad at the same angles as the 3 photos, and they are almost identical. The only difference is the accenting that give it a square flat look, but the images show that the curvature is not that bad
*shrug* gaf gonna gaf
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Well, the D-pad looks better than the 360 or XB1 at least. Doesn't really look as bad I expected seeing the thread title, but it'd be hard to out-ugly the Steam controller.
Looks pretty ugly but it may just be a prototype.
It looks like it'd be comfortable enough for me judging by those different angled pictures.
This too, haha.
It looks like it'd be comfortable enough for me judging by those different angled pictures.
This too, haha.
MaximoffZero
Banned
I want to emphasise that if you look at all the images, the controller is actually similar to the ergonomics of the onlive controller and 360 controller.
That does indeed look a lot better. The article in the OP needs a more flattering pic. The color and texture are still questionable, but at least it's ergonomic.
jim-jam bongs
Member
It always amazes me that a board full of people who identify as hardcore gamers are so precious about the industrial design of the hardware.
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
I'm chalking that up to "prototype" for now.
I will probably never use the thing in real life, but in general it is getting a bit old for every new/3rd party controller to be a carbon copy of the 360 controller. There is no creativity anymore.
I suppose we went through a period where everything looked like a dual shock but still, show some originality.
I suppose we went through a period where everything looked like a dual shock but still, show some originality.
GravityMan
Member
Yep. Looks like a bland device some employee would use in a warehouse to control some robot or something. There's not much there aesthetically.
Hopefully that's just a prototype and the final version will be a bit more styled up.
And yeah - as awesome as the 360 controller is, it is starting to get a bit tiring seeing all these other controllers being carbon copies of it. Stop playing it so safe, companies.
PapaJustify
Member
Interesting at least is the icon on the center button. Looking like the radioactive symbol. Maybe the console will have a cool name like "Amazon Atom". lol
I agree with you.
Sir Walter Taffy
Member
It looks like a brick...
No thanks
No thanks
Walter Matthau
Member
The side and top angles make it seem like it might be ok. It only looks clustered from the front pic.
Acquiescence
Member
Looks like a cheap knock-off.
jackissocool
Member
They're already doing that on PlayStation.
Salmonbottle
Member
http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/14/5508060/amazon-controller-video-game-photos
It's literally a 360 controller.
Techcrunch has fabricated the "not supplying controller" line, the source has not said that - I think the OP is now updated with the source and its pictures instead
Yeah it was a pretty poor showing on Techcrunch's part.
From the article -
Earlier this week, Amazon made its AppStream cloud streaming service available for all developers. The technology uses Amazon Web Services to stream apps, including games, from the cloud to devices. Eve Online developer CCP games has used the system, and its chief technology officer believes it could upturn the traditional download model.
That's some pretty interesting shit
Sapphire Dreams
Member
It looks like a mixture between the 360 and Onlive controllers.
What the hell does this mean?
indeed
I should note that their current focus seems to be on native content, but yes long-term they do seem rather interested in it as a cloud delivery service.
Nah asymmetrical is terrible. Take a superior controller for example.
I do hate the PS layout. The sticks force me to stretch my thumbs inward which is uncomfortable.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
I get an increasing sense this is is ouya+onlive with more money behind it.
No thanks.
No thanks.
What did you think this was?
I'm going to add up the pieces and jump to a conclusion about what Amazon are doing:
original content + big budget developers + Android hardware + cloud services
=
Amazon wants to develop big budget games for the cloud that stream to cheap set top box type solutions, like Onlive or Gaikai but no ports or emulations, games developed specifically to run in (and there for work around) a high input latency environment.
original content + big budget developers + Android hardware + cloud services
=
Amazon wants to develop big budget games for the cloud that stream to cheap set top box type solutions, like Onlive or Gaikai but no ports or emulations, games developed specifically to run in (and there for work around) a high input latency environment.
Rimon-hanit
Member
Is this confirmed? because I expect much better from amazon.
dirtywhirlwind
Member
Say what you want about Onlive, but the ergonomics of their controller was actually pretty good. It felt more like the Controller S rather than the 360 pad. Better, tighter and more comfortable grip. A bit heavier and a more even weight distribution.. All the buttons were garbage though, but the sticks seemed fairly good outside of a game at least (can't play for shit with symmetrical sticks), but it certainly was a comfortable controller to hold, not necessarily to play a game with.
Well, currently their studios are using Unity and their job postings like people to have mobile hardware experience on top of 360/PS3 experience, so I suspect they're probably doing something like a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 which isn't lightyears away from the consoles we just replaced.
AstroNut325
Member
The controller is optional? Yeah it's going to be a Ouya class console. Don't want.
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
Nah asymmetrical is terrible. Take a superior controller for example.
Asymmetrical is clearly better but if you're going to go symmetrical then I prefer the way that Nintendo has done it with the sticks being quite high up. Unlike the Playstation design which is horrible.
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