Should Next Gen Consoles Offer Mouse Control?

[MrM3]

i have PDZ and the thing that puts me off playing it more is the controls its too inaccurate give me a mouse and keyboard and i would enjoy the game nearly 100% more.

Accuracy is identical. Just harder to be as accurate. Difficulty closer to real life weapons in fact...

 

[bfar]

Thanks for the replies guys

First up, no one has mentioned how the control system affects the range of applications available on the system. There's no doubt the PC has a much greater range, due to the flexiblity in input systems. You will never play games like Command and Conquer, Dawn of War, Rome Total War, or indeed any game that requires a complex contol system on your xbox 360. Surely you would like to maximise the genres available to you on your system? Surely you would like to chose other applications apart from games? As it is, consoles seem very restricted to me - a waste of good hardware.

As for mouse vs keyboard in fps games - yes, a mouse is far faster and more accurate. As a paying customer, I wish to have the choice of control methods, I honestly don't care if it's fair or not. I don't like controllers on fps games, I find I will sooner not play the game than practice with a controller, which is unfortunate.

I've read one poster saying if you don't like it go back to your PC. Thats exactly what I do! Thats sad for the xbox community. The more gamers that are alienated, the less units will be sold, and then everybody looses out, right? As it is, I won't buy a console at that price until I see something genuinely more flexible. That doen't have to be a mouse, just something that offers alternatives to the usual fare.

 

[Rojin]

Not being funny but the dreamcast conroller was not designed to play FPS games with, the 360 controller is far better designed for this and most other game types.

Controller wasn't that bad, was pretty good actually as was the N64 controller. The mouse is just better suited. Taking your argument one more step, if a joypad can be the equal of a mouse for FPS games, then surely you could then use it just as easily for other PC use... I really can't see myself using a joypad for browsing the web, CAD work etc etc.

 

[bfar]

I feel that not enough has been done to the joypad to suit modern games. With each new console there is an opertunity to add to or improve all devices including joypads. I was disapointed to see the 360 controller is basically the same as the old one. In other words, we'll be playing basically the same games on a 360.
For example (and this is just a suggestion!) a good tracker ball or touchpad for your right thumb would open up a lot of possibilities.

 

[nintenjo]

The revolution has a mouse.. Its a magical 3D gyscope mouse in a sort of way. Which should infact be better than a mouse plus dosnt require a table.

 

[Metalface Mark]

joypad works well in games like halo where there is a certain amount of auto targetting, in games like wolfenstein, it was a nightmare, same with perfect dark, i just couldnt take to it, but happily completed halo.

 

[spudstudios]

No, not unless a game specifically NEEDS one.

The beauty of console gaming is the level playing field. Everyone has to use the same equipment.

Got my vote. Consoles are about sitting comfortably and playing games. Not die hard twitchers with " my 4500 dpi mouse is better than you Spogitech Game ARM!!" attitude.

 

[spudstudios]

game sig test

 

[VIRII]

You will never play games like Command and Conquer, Dawn of War, Rome Total War, or indeed any game that requires a complex contol system on your xbox 360. Surely you would like to maximise the genres available to you on your system?

I thought that I read somewhere that some of the old Westwood team were making a C&C style game for the 360 and that they had designed a new joypad friendly interface for it from the ground up ?

 

[Warbie]

It should be self-evident why a mouse is inherently better for an FPS game, much as it is for moving a pointer around a computer screen. You can aim exactly where you want, in a split second, with a mouse. It is physically impossible to do that with a pad with the same consistency and accuracy.

It's easier with a pad, not better - in many cases the opposite is true.

In games that focus on twitch aiming and lightning fast reactions the mouse is king - anyone who's played Q3 on the DC will know this all too well. Games that focus on taking your time and aiming, imo, work far better on a pad.

Why is Golden Eye so fondly remembered, even by many hardcore pc fps fans, after all these years? Because taking your time to line up each shot felt more real, more deadly, and very satisfying. Being unable to pull of headshots on multiple targets with ease results in a far more measured and tense experience. Golden Eye with a mouse would have been god awful, and forgotten immediately.

Unless the enemy are moving pretty fast, mouse control can often result in making a game too easy - Halo being a good example. Superb on the Xbox, yet very average on the pc, and all because the perfect balance/challenge was destroyed by mouse control (no rumble and trigger buttons certainly detracted from the experience too)

And of course, analogue poos all over keyboard movement - especially in games that involve stealth.

Having said all this - I wouldn't give up online pc shooters for anything. For something a little more immersive and single player, i'll take a pad almost everytime.

 

[Rojin]

So you're saying console FPS games are "dumbed down" to work with a joypad then?

Perhaps there's a place for both?

 

[Warbie]

So you're saying console FPS games are "dumbed down" to work with a joypad then?

Not at all - some fps are 'better' with a pad.

It's a shame Thief has never been implemented well on a pad. Sneaking about in full analogue, squeezing the analogue trigger to draw back the bow string - it'd be superb.

Perhaps there's a place for both?

Most definately