Toxic Jam

Week Nine Task

In my opinion, the slimline PS2 is the nicest looking console. I also think that Playstaion controllers and comfortable, and have a great layout. Which is why the basic design of the controller hasn't changed much from the PS1 to the yet to be released PS3. The new PS3 controller is visually almost exactly the same as the DuelShock2. There has been an increase in sensitivity to the analog sticks, face and shoulder buttons. L2 and R2 have now become trigger buttons, and there is a new menu button in the centre, and a mini USB port for recharging. The controllers use Bluetooth which transfers data at a faster rate than Wi-Fi reducing the potential for lag. Motion of the controller will also become a factor in some games. I think Sony have got the right idea by not completely renovating there controllers, they have taken a good thing and improved it. The technology used isn't dying, is being developed all the time. As for the console, the look of it has changed a fair bit, and the capabilities have changed quite drastically.

I think that the Nintendo Wii appeals in different ways to the PS3. The controllers for the Wii are extensively different to anything we have seen used before on a console. I think this will reach out to a wider audience, because there is potential for different types of people to enjoy and be good at the games available. By this i mean, the way in which people think eg. there hand eye coordination, will effect the results of the game. As Gaming has developed, it has become a requirement to stimulate the player in many different ways. Not just by using the game content, but by designing the consoles and controllers in a specific way to alter the gameplay.

It is a danger that the design of consoles and controllers could become too complex. But, considering the high risks that major Console producers face, they need to be successful to stay in the market. A new concept would not be released without extensive testing, so the possibilities of a highly complex design being released are fairly low.

"I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." - Michelangelo