Xbox 720 / NeXtBox / Durango / Infinity

[Red Cap]

(Hopefully this is topic worthy)

A new rumor suggests that the next generation Xbox may have a touch-screen controller.

According to a report from Xbox World magazine, the controller will be "an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks." The magazine goes on to state that the controller “could be a remote control when you're watching TV, a browser when you're on the internet, extra buttons and information when you're playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you."

This is, of course, similar to the functionality of the tablet controller Nintendo will use in the Wii U.

The report goes on to say that the console will heavily integrate Kinect. It predicts the new console as “a matte-black media hub with a mission to bring games to life in your living room with augmented reality, directional sound, and a four-player, finger-tracking Kinect.”

Source

If this ends up being true E3 sure is going to be awkward for Microsoft. This is just a rumor so don't take it too seriously.

So anyways, thoughts?

[Solkia]

First no used games, now this?

I find it highly doubtful, but at the same time it would be hilarious.

[Patticus]

Given that this is the direction which Nintendo is going in, and that it may be several years before MS even reveals its next generation platform, a touch screen controller is certainly not inconceivable. The question is, will it be backwards compatible, and if not will 360 controllers still be usable, and if so will developers be adding options for their use in ground-up next generation games?

[The future]

Copying from the Big N. What's new?

[Milo]

I wonder how many times we have to hammer into the skulls of the M$ execs that a majority of us don't give a damn about their gimmicky motion control accessory. At least PS isn't trying to force their product into their consumer's faces (although that's probably why it's sucking so hard in sales) and having their best IPs exclusively develop PS Move games. >_>

[Jeffhog]

*hears Nintendo do something new*

*is happy*

*sees everyone else mooching the idea*

*le sad*

Copy/pasting what one of the commenters said:

If this is true then it is confirmed; Microsoft and Sony COMPULSIVELY copy Nintendo at almost every opportunity. Without Nintendo, this industry would have died out long ago. After all, who would the competition have to rip new ideas from?

I just buy quality from the source, myself. And judging by the sales figures of the Wii and DS family, so does everybody else.

Edited February 11, 2012 by VizardJeffhog

[Scar]

*hears Nintendo do something new*

*is happy*

*sees everyone else mooching the idea*

*le sad*

Copy/pasting what one of the commenters said:

That comment is so untrue its a joke.

Games would be plenty popular without Nintendo.

Also, its funny how Nintendo innovate more with hardware than they do where it matters; the software.

[Tornado]

Can you imagine how incomparably shitty the industry would be if the company that introduced popular innovations were the only ones allowed to use them?

I hope everyone loved the game.com, because that's the only gaming device you can use that had a touch screen. Hope everyone likes the analog nub on the PSP, because that's the only gaming device that is allowed to have a slide pad for analog control.

Hell, for analog control in general you either must use the Sony flight stick or the N64 controller for everything. JOY!

Edited February 11, 2012 by Gilda

[Stacy]

Can't they just keep the controller as it is?

[Red Cap]

That comment is so untrue its a joke.

Games would be plenty popular without Nintendo.

Also, its funny how Nintendo innovate more with hardware than they do where it matters; the software.

What do you mean by this? I don't know about you, but I don't think I've played or seen many games like Pushmo, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword, and Kid Icarus: Uprising. If what you said there isn't fancy wording for "Nintendo needs to make new IPs" or "Nintendo needs to take risks" then ignore that last bit of the post.

Anyways, I find this pretty funny myself. I'm pretty sure MS isn't copying off Nintendo's idea as they probably started working on their console at or around the same time Nintendo did.

[Guest]

Wow nintendo and microsoft stolen my ideas ..... i mean took my ideas for my maxon concept which is even further better than their thing

I started my concept since 2009 and now everybody's talking it....

[Stritix]

Didn't the Dreamcast do it first?

[Scar]

If what you said there isn't fancy wording for "Nintendo needs to make new IPs" or "Nintendo needs to take risks" then ignore that last bit of the post

That's exactly what I meant. Controllers in their current form do the job just fine. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

[Red Cap]

That's exactly what I meant. Controllers in their current form do the job just fine. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

But the Wii-U's controller can add stuff to gameplay, such as clearing up HUDS, and other things like being able to play certain games on the screen directly. And what's wrong with trying to innovate? SONY does "gimmicky" stuff like this all the time, like back touch pads on the Vita, so what makes it terrible when Nintendo does it? As long as it works like a controller should I'm not seeing much of a problem.

Edited February 11, 2012 by Red Cap-Blue Spikes

[Scar]

But the Wii-U's controller can add stuff to gameplay, such as clearing up HUDS, and other things like being able to play certain games on the screen directly. And what's wrong with trying to innovate? SONY does "gimmicky" stuff like this all the time, like back touch pads on the Vita, so what makes it terrible when Nintendo does it? As long as it works like a controller should I'm not seeing much of a problem.

The point of a HUD (Heads-Up-Display) is that it allows you to see important information without looking away from the action. Moving HUD's to a seperate controller means you have to breifly look away from the main screen. In strategy games and slow paced RPG's that could work fine, but in brawlers, action/adventures, platformers and shooters, looking away from the screen at any point is foolish. It could prove to be more of hinderance than something of actual value. That's all just speculation though, but I generally find it a hinderance to look away from the screen. The Wii U pad will primarily be used to stream the game to the screen to play said game without the TV.

The Vita's back touchpad is probably unecessary.

[LunarEdge]

Didn't the Dreamcast do it first?

[Stritix]

The VMU was merely a memory unit with a screen, not TOUCHSCREEN.

[LunarEdge]

It being touch is besides the point. It's a screen in a controller, which does quite a few things that the Wii U controller does. Nintendo very well could have gotten the idea from the Dreamcast. It's not a bad thing.

Edited February 11, 2012 by LunarEdge

[LoseR]

hahahahaha Come up with your own ideas Microsoft...

That is, assuming this is true...

[Solly]

Can you imagine how incomparably shitty the industry would be if the company that introduced popular innovations were the only ones allowed to use them?

I hope everyone loved the game.com, because that's the only gaming device you can use that had a touch screen. Hope everyone likes the analog nub on the PSP, because that's the only gaming device that is allowed to have a slide pad for analog control.

Hell, for analog control in general you either must use the Sony flight stick or the N64 controller for everything. JOY!

[Tornado]

There's a difference between copying something because it set a new standard, like analog sticks, and copying something just because. Few people have played with the Wii U's controller, and nobody knows whether or not it'll be worth it.

That street runs both ways. We know so little about how the Wii-U's tablet will work that we can't even begin to dump on Microsoft's hypothetical one for "copying" it.

[Badnik Mechanic]

WAH WAH WAH STOLE NINTENDOS IDEA WAH WAH WAH

Well... didn't the mobile phone companies start using touch screen interfaces long before nintendo did?

People moaning about this, it's in the same level of madness as people who would say "THAT CAR USES TYRES! THEY COPIED FORD!" Get over it already, lots of things use a touch screen, the question is how much of a use it'll be.

[Solly]

That street runs both ways. We know so little about how the Wii-U's tablet will work that we can't even begin to dump on Microsoft's hypothetical one for "copying" it.

Oh, I know that. I wasn't necessarily assuming that they were copying the Wii-U, because it's too early to judge. I just thought you were excusing copying it with a comparison that, in my opinion, really doesn't work.

People moaning about this, it's in the same level of madness as people who would say "THAT CAR USES TYRES! THEY COPIED FORD!"

Except it really isn't. Like I said, if they do make their controller just like the Wii-U's, then they weren't copying it because the Wii-U set a new standard in the industry, like putting tires on a car, because it hasn't done that-- at least YET. They would be doing it because aping Nintendo is the cool thing to do.

Get over it already, lots of things use a touch screen

Lots of things also used buttons, but I'd say the first videogame controllers were still pretty big innovations. It's not just the technology, but how it's used that makes it unique.

Like I said, I'm not calling anything a rip-off yet, but people make it sound like if they DID go ahead and rip it off, that it somehow doesn't count because in order to make something that is considered original you have to make it from scratch. That makes no sense to me.

Yeah, touch-screens have existed for some time now, but there's no denying that putting them on a home console is a unique and original way of using them.

And before anyone gets the wrong impression, I'm not even really on-board with the Wii-U, and I'm not sold on the controller.

[The future]

*hears Nintendo do something new*

*is happy*

*sees everyone else mooching the idea*

*le sad*

Copy/pasting what one of the commenters said:

I almost gave up on connsole gaming in 2005 because it was the same graphic nonsense. When The Wii was announced in E3 2006, I was happy as hell that Nintendo once again innovated with its controller. The Industry sure would have suffered if all its options were just the PS3/ 360 with the same first person shooters. Variety is the spice of life.

[Tornado]

I almost gave up on connsole gaming in 2005 because it was the same graphic nonsense. When The Wii was announced in E3 2006, I was happy as hell that Nintendo once again innovated with its controller. The Industry sure would have suffered if all its options were just the PS3/ 360 with the same first person shooters. Variety is the spice of life.

Seriously?