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General Gaming Gamepads: Difference between revisions
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== Universal (used as the out-of-the-box controller for at least two major gaming systems) ==
* '''Joystick''' The classic. Simply a small stick (typically sans buttons) with the base's surface bearing any number of buttons, held with one to three digits, and generally digital microswitch-based. Seen as early as the first arcades and the early game systems. Still seen today as optional controllers for all three seventh-generation home systems and several modern PC games, in both digital and analog varieties. The [[Neo Geo]] was probably the last major system to use it as a standard.
** Modern arcade cabinets still tend to use this system. Any given fighting game with circular inputs (Quarter-circle/Half-circle/Full-circle * X + action button) is likely to have been designed for a joystick first and foremost and ports of such games to D-Pad machines tend to result in skinned thumbs or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
** '''Throttle''': Intended as a left-hand controller for flight simulators in HOTAG ('''h'''ands '''o'''n '''t'''hrottle '''a'''nd '''g'''rip) scheme. Range from 1-axis handle to several parallel handles to very feature-rich varieties.
* '''Keyboard''' It was natural for PC gaming to use the keyboard as a controller, since it was already the standard input device. Many PC games still just require the '''Keyboard'''; keyboards for consoles are typically add-ons supported by few to no games, though the [[Odyssey
** '''Keypad''' A numeric calculator/telephone layout on some part of the controller. Used mainly on the [[Intellivision]], [[
** '''Keypad / Gamepad''' One of the oldest game controller types (see below); modern versions are used as auxiliary controllers in keyboard+mouse or keyboard+joystick schemes - a generic counterpart of left-hand throttle for HOTAG. Usually has few keys beyond WASD and fire, but superior ergonomics and extra controls give reasons to use it instead of the good old keyboard. May have mode switch and/or software macro programming and profile loading. A number of them are referenced [[wikipedia:Gaming keypad|there]] on [[The Other Wiki]]. Construction and features vary wildly, e.g.:
*** Intellivision Hand Controller: 12 keys (with removable legend overlay) + D-Pad (16 directions). Made [http://intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/instructions/console.shtml#controllers for the original] [[Intellivision]] console (1979). [http://intellivision.wikia.com/wiki/Intellivision#Innovations It was the first console with D-Pad], which as unfamiliar interface somewhat reduced its popularity; there was even a 3rd-party detachable joystick top for it. Included for completeness.
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*** [http://wayback.archive.org/web/20121030131022/warmouse.com/ WarMouse Meta] (aka "OpenOfficeMouse") -- has keypad (8 buttons) instead of main buttons on both sides of the wheel/middle button, mini-joystick on the thumb side; 18 buttons total; its software is Open Source and has ready settings for lots of games and applications, including [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|OpenOffice]]. [[Crazy Awesome]], but sadly discontinued.
*** [http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/g600-mmo-gaming-mouse Logitech G600] - 12 thumb buttons.
** '''Motion Controller''' First well known attempt for home consoles was the infamous Power Glove. Brought the gift of '''Mouse''' to the impoverished wastes of consoledom. Used successfully so far with the Wiimote/Nunchuck, the Sixaxis, Dual Shock 3, and iPod/iPhone. The [[
* '''Touch Screen''' (or stylus): Similar to a touch pad on a laptop, this allows greater precision than an analog stick for pointing, but can be cumbersome for movement. Can also function as a '''Keypad'''. Used with PDAs, the [[Nintendo DS]], and the iPod/iPhone. Comes in multiple varieties:
** '''Resistive''': thin film pressed inward creates a signal. Very precise and supports any reasonably pointy object for input, but easy to scratch and usually not multi-touch capable. Most older devices use resistive digitizers.
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** '''Dual Analog''' (Type 1) Same as above, but with a second analog stick just below the face buttons. Used first with the Playstation [[Older Than They Think|Dual Analog]], then used with the DualShock 1/2/3, Sixaxis, and the [[Wii]] Classic Controller.
** '''Dual Analog''' (Type 2) Swaps the D-Pad with the analog stick directly below it. This variant appears on the [[Game Cube]] pad, [[Xbox]] pad, and [[Xbox 360]] pad.
* '''Accelerometer/Tilt Sensor''': Most notably used in the WiiMote and the Apple iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad; allows the user to control the game by moving the entire controller/handheld. Some [[
== Specialized (seldom an out-of-the-box controller, but has been used for at least two systems) ==
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** '''Sensor Guns''' Uses other methods to detect where the gun is pointing, notably a sensor near the TV. Seen in the SNES (the Super Scope), GunCon 3, and the IR sensor of the Wii Remote (which can become a zapper with an attachment, and technically is the reverse—it uses a sensor in the remote to see two IR lights in the misleadingly named “sensor bar.”) Also of note are some guns that are actually giant joysticks (like for ''Crossbow'' and ''Silent Scope'').
* '''Microphone''' Rarely used for gaming before the sixth generation, due to voice recognition and broadband not being that well developed before. Even without gaming, it can be used to talk to others online, such as with Xbox Live. For gaming, they have been available for the N64, PS2/3, XB360, GCN, Wii, and built into the DS and [[Older Than They Think|Famicom]].
* '''Camera''' A camera that can be used for gaming. While the Gameboy, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and even DSi have them, the PS2's EyeToy was probably the first to be used as a controller in the mainstream (although Intel played around with it years before). Microsoft aims to make this input method mainstream with Project Natal/Kinect.
* '''Paddle''' Not the D-Pad in the form of a flat nub, this is a dial you simply spin from side to side. Used as early as the ''Etch-a-Sketch'', this became popular in gaming with ''Pong'', shipped alongside the joystick in many Atari 2600 bundles, and is still used today as a DS attachment for a [[Space Invaders]] [[Video Game Remake|remake.]]
* '''Steering Wheel''' An overgrown paddle, used for racing, [[Incredibly Lame Pun|of course]]. Seen as soon as racing hit arcades and for many game systems since, and it almost always comes with pedals (sometimes even with gear shift, usually sequential via paddles or stick, [[Driving Stick|sometimes an H-gate stick shift]]). More advanced models have proper force-feedback to help convey the feeling of traction, as well as greater degrees of rotation (cheaper wheels are generally 180, 240, or 270 degrees, while the higher-end wheels have 900 degrees). The Wiimote counts to some degree, as it can be placed on a steering wheel, as highlighted with ''[[Mario Kart]] Wii''.
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* '''Wii Remote''', [[Fan Nickname|more commonly called]] the '''Wiimote'''. It's a [[Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot]] of controllers—along with the signature motion control gyros, it has a pointer/sensor, a built-in speaker and rumble, can be flipped on the side to simulate a NES controller, and has an increasing array of attachments to add a thumbstick and more buttons, more motion control, a classic controller layout, and other features. Despite the general skepticism of the Wii remote when it was first introduced, Nintendo's runaway success has prompted other developers to [[Follow the Leader]] with their own motion controllers.
** The [[Nerf Brand|Nerf]] '''Switch Shot''' is a lightgun shell for the Wii where the Wiimote can be swapped for a conventional Nerf dart shooter. Unfortunately it's only really good in the latter capacity, as the trigger mechanism for the B button has a tendency to break.
** The '''[[PlayStation]] Move''' is a peripheral controller for the [[
* '''3D Mouse/Motion Controller''': Covers devices like the Spacetec IMC SpaceBall and SpaceOrb 360 (which has a [[PlayStation]] variant known as the ASCII Sphere), Logitech CyberMan 2, and 3Dconnexion's various "3D mice". (Incidentally, Spacetec IMC was bought by Labtec, who was then bought by Logitech and then spun off as 3Dconnexion, which may explain the similarities.) The distinguishing feature is a ball/puck that senses motion/force on all six degrees of freedom, allowing for intuitive multi-axis control. The SpaceOrb 360 was even packaged with a demo of ''[[Descent]] 2'', and for good reason-it soon found itself as a must-have controller for ''[[Descent]]'' fans due to the controller matching up well with the nature of the ship's movement. Most of them are designed as professional 3D CAD/modeling input devices with little game support, but software exists to work around that.
* '''Air Keyboard Conqueror''' / '''Mimi Wireless Gaming Keyboard''': In case you thought "101-button mouse" mentioned above was only a joke, [http://www.cideko.com/pro_con.php?id=15 this] weird [http://www.gizmodir.com/2011/03/3-1-mimi-wireless-gaming-keyboard-mouse-keyboard-gamepad/ gadget] by Veho / Cideko is a close call. It's a gamepad and laptop keyboard melded into one, with built-in gyro mouse.
* '''Motion Capture''': Uses a camera and specialized image recognition software to track selected parts of a player's body, eliminating the need for ''any'' controller and theoretically allowing better interaction. In practice, however, more calibration is required than for other motion sensing systems and a certain type of environment is required for optimal function. Earlier implementations were one-off gimmicks or neat little distractions but the technology arguably caught on (though not in a terribly big way) with Sony's [[wikipedia:EyeToy|Eye Toy]], which had it as one of the device's capabilities. Microsoft's Kinect uses this system in lieu of a handheld motion sensor.
* '''Card Readers''': Originally used to transfer character or item data from [[Revenue Enhancing Devices|collectible cards]] to arcade cabinets, with other systems used for actual control. Improvements in technology have resulted in cabinets with a large reading surface upon which cards can be placed and moved to control in-game entities. The ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEAJKx5Adsk Sangokushi Taisen]'' series is one of the more notable users of this system.
* '''Punch Pads''': Used in the [[Arcade Game]] ''Sonic Blast Man'' and some models of the original ''[[Street Fighter (video game)|Street Fighter]]''. Some reasons why this didn't catch on were that players would injure themselves or damage the cabinets.
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