SIXAXIS

The controller for the Sony Playstation consoles has not changed much in shape or button layout since it came out for the original Playstation console. The first major change was the addition of dual analogue sticks. A rumble effect was later added and the joysticks became press-able buttons while remaining joysticks. The rumble was a good way to help immerse the players through the user interface by letting them actually feel what was going on. It was even used in Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid 1 as a way to more directly interact with the player. At one point, a boss named Psycho Mantis was trying to prove his psychic abilities, and instructed the player to place the controller on the floor. Once the controller was on the floor, Psycho Mantis "moved" the controller with his psychic powers (via the rumble).



The PS3 introduced a wireless controller, replaced the L2 and R2 buttons with triggers, and most notably added SIXAXIS to the controller. SIXAXIS is used to measure movement along the controller in six different directions. As the controller lay in its flat position (below), it can be moved up and down, rotated left and right, and tilted forward or back. In order to fit the components required for SIXAXIS into the controller without altering its shape, the engineers at Sony decided they had to scrap the rumble feature. Little did they know, this would be a cause for a lot of complaints. Gamers really wanted to keep the rumble effect, and not many developers have used the SIXAXIS controls in a fun intuitive way.



A lot of games simply use the SIXAXIS controls by making the player shake the controller up and down at certain parts of the game. I find this tedious and unenjoyable, but there are two games that I've played which really make use of the SIXAXIS. When turning a wheel (think of the wheels you see used to open doors/hatches on ships), the player has to hold down on the L and R buttons to place their hands on the wheel, and then rotate the controller to turn the wheel. In order to reposition their hands to give it another crank, they let go of the L and R buttons, rotate the controller back in the other direction, and repeat. While it is very simple and a small part of the game, it is actually quite intuitive and makes you feel like you are actually turning the wheel. They didn't go overboard, but the found a place in the game where SIXAXIS could be used intuitively, and took advantage of it.



The other game that I've played which uses the SIXAXIS well is Flower. Instead of being a small component, Flower uses the SIXAXIS throughout the entirety of the game. The basic premise of the game is that you control the wind, and as you pass through flowers you open them up and collect a petal that rides with the wind. Only one button is needed to propel the wind forward, and the direction is dictated entirely by the orientation of the controller. It is a good example of a natural user interface.

While the SIXAXIS was meant to add another dimension to the user interface of the PS3, not many developers have taken advantage of it. It presents an interesting way to interact with the player, but finding a way to naturally incorporate it into a traditional game has not been done well by many.