New "Hydra" Reworked

[KingsRight]

I like the design of the "Hydra" but here is how i'd prefer it.

1. Wireless with a Mini-USB plug so we can play it both ways for those that prefer wires! Then they can plug it up when they run out of batteries.. like the PS3 controller

2. color the buttons

3. Give it a d-pad

And here is how i achieve all of that. In this design we get an extra button so that the red/green both become part of a functional d-pad.. YET each of those buttons, including up and down, are independent buttons and not a disc that rocks.. So that this way we have even more buttons to use and can toggle those 4 into something that functions like a d-pad/arrow keys if we wanted them too.


http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/150/l_787ccc37a9a145709731366e2600cee5.png
Updated pic to show d-pad layout better.


Why have a d-pad when there is an analog? because analogs are great for games BUT d-pads are better for the more rigid menu navigation in everywhere else.

Plus it could be programmed to emulate Arrow/WASD keys
OR you could have the Analog do the WASD while the d-pad represent the Arrow so it's easy to alternate

Then when you dont need a dpad, each of the directions on it function like indepenent buttons so you can still have those assigned to other things.. Providing you make this fully programmable.

---------Alternative-------------------

An alternative that i also like would be like this.. which makes them more symetrical. This would give not just dual analog but dual d-pads and still provide the 4 face colored buttons. You could map one dpad to WASD and the other to arrow keys.. or have one function as a normal d-pad and the other as WASD/arrows.. or simply just mape each direction to something entirely not direction-related. Like Grenades for the Left/up but Sniper rifle for the Right/Up. etc.
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/149/l_c4ba02eedad34672acaca35b7b4a16b0.png

[MrMormon]

I think the controllers are ambidextrous, so there would need to be a better way to distinguish them than "L1" and "R1"

[KingsRight]

What would you suggest their label be then?

do you happen to know if the analog sticks have buttons built into them? The xbox and ps analogs let us push the stick in.. making the sticks actually buttons as well. i wonder if this will do that too.

i know the wii nunchuck doesn't.

[isidor3]

I'm almost positive the design is set in stone now. They only have 3 months to get the packaging, manuals, and software finished, as well as get them to the distributors so they can get them to "stores near you" in time for the release.

[KingsRight]

well, maybe they can do that for the wireless version then. =P

[MrMormon]

I haven't seen anything either way about a stick button. I'm fine with an ambidextrous controller (I want to use it as a musical instrument (http://sixense.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=61)), but if Razer makes a left and right, a mirrored asymmetric shape should do the trick.

[KingsRight]

I haven't seen anything either way about a stick button. I'm fine with an ambidextrous controller (I want to use it as a musical instrument (http://sixense.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=61)), but if Razer makes a left and right, a mirrored asymmetric shape should do the trick.

how could you use it as an instrument?

and the design i came up with is ambidextrous because it's even right down the middle and both controllers would be identical.

i guess the colors would have to be a little different on the 2nd controller since it doesn't count as 2 controllers, does it? they control as 1 right?

if that's the case then the 2nd controller would have to have differnt button colors and letters on them. oops, didn't think of that.

Perhaps neon or pastel variations of the same colors for the 2nd remote.

[MrMormon]

how could you use it as an instrument?

Follow the link and find out. :)

[KingsRight]

ok. i'll check.

i put a 2nd picture in the original post.. is that what you meant by making them symetrical?

[isidor3]

I think the controllers are designed to also be used separately, as you can see in the world of goo video. four people playing with four controllers.

[MrMormon]

I meant asymmetrical like the left controller curves one way and the right the other, like the handholds of a single controller, but your idea is a much better. Not only can you tell the controllers apart, but thay stay symmetric for separate use. Nice pic edits, by the way.

[MrMormon]

do you happen to know if the analog sticks have buttons built into them?
Wouldn't a stick button get mis-pressed a lot?

[isidor3]

I'm pretty sure it does have a stick button, and I know I don't mis-click the stick buttons on my controller.

[MrMormon]

I can't tell from the pictures. How are you sure?

[isidor3]

I heard it in one of the youtube videos, a reporter asked how many buttons it had, and he started naming them off.

I can't find the exact video atm, but I did find another one, that has some good gameplay footage (and also shows the guys hands while he's playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3a16-TT3U

[isidor3]

Found it, it's in this interview, the bit about the buttons starts at 1:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-uBipMTemM

[Dan]

Each controller has four face buttons, an inset start button, a clickable analog, a bumper and analog trigger.

[Dan]

There's very good reasons the industrial design was done the way it is. I'm not a hardware specialist so I can't give details but take my word for it, Razer knows what they're doing. :)

[adamie]

I really like the fact that the controllers are identical! it makes gaming much easier for lefties, like me!

[TiagoTiago]

Can you repost the pictures please? I wanna see how different this is from my idea (http://sixense.com/forum/vbulletin/showthread.php?3670-How-i-would-ve-designed-the-Hydra-(unfinished-WIP))