The sensitivity of a game controller can
make the difference between life and death for your character in game. Simon
Handby considers the technology behind buttons.
It is the best for computers and game
consoles to use graphic, sound and impressive playing way to create a
passionate environment for players. It is amazing illusion but it is easy to be
distracted if players can’t instinctively order for games. While the gamepad
usually does not gain much attention as game console or computer which they are
attached, they are also equally important to gaming experiences – as anyone who
had problems with it knows.
As other gaming devices has grown over
time, game controllers have changed to fit new game genes, to take advantage of
improved technology or even to reduce “Nintendo thumb” symptom or other
injuries related to games. Recent years have witnessed an explosion in
technology and new gamepad and the coming of handles recognizing hand motion
like Xbox Kinect. This month, we will review them.
Arcade fever
A
little bit of arcade fever @ PAX 2010
Game controllers have evolved into
specialized units, but most of the first controllers inspired by current
control systems. Computer keyboards which originated from typewriters at the
end of 19th century and electronic typewriter knocked out them in
the mid of 20th century are still the main controller for many PC
games. Trackball which is used in some arcade game was first developed by
Canadian Navy in 1952.
As a model of all game controllers,
joystick has appeared from the infancy of the aircraft. Since the early 20th
century, the joystick has worked as a big lever which will pull many kinds of
cables managing control surfaces of an aircraft while moving. It is thought
that German military developed the first complete electronic joystick, along
with controllers used them in the World War II to handle bomber squadrons
guided by radio waves. In the 60s, electronic joystick has become popular,
controlled aircraft model before they were accepted by game industry then.
Perhaps the most amazing is the first
controller developed for entertainment industry is the least common. Light gun,
which is used almost exclusively for shooting games, can be traced from
original electromechanical arcade system in the middle of the 30s. The first
acarde light gun system, 1936 Seeburg Ray-O-Lite, contained a duck as a motion
target which has a vacuum without light sensor. Players use the gun to “shoot”
a ray of light – if the vacuum doesn’t emit light suddenly, and then they hit
the target.
The light gun has worked in several ways,
depending on the technology at that time. Initially they shoot light on a
sensor, but the development of computer graphics means that games can show many
moving targets at the same time on CRT screen. After that the light gun will
recognize light on the screen after press the trigger. The screen usually goes
dark at the moment the trigger is pressed and each aim will shine till the
light gun emit light to display a hit or till there is no target left.
Buttons
The light gun could have been a magic but
most of them share something practical with almost every game controllers used
to be built – have at least a button. The button is a fundamental part of any
handheld controller so it is easily ignored but it is the key to understand one
of the most important requirements of the controller: it has to be strong. Game
buttons are highlighted, especially with arcade games like Track and Field
where players run by pressing alternative buttons as soon as possible. Even on
controllers at home, buttons need to be sturdy,
Buttons often move vertically through a
hole with a diameter which is slightly larger than the button, though buttons
are very strong or long movement can move in an outer tube. Springs give
resistant force which increase higher and higher till the button touch a hard
stop when the edge preventing them pluck out of the controller. Cheap designs
can compress two electric contac when being pushed but high-quality buttons use
a micro switch – a lightweight switch. It is incredibly strong and was invented
in 1932.
Micro switches are ideal for a game
controller; they are small enough to attach directly into or below buttons,
with consisten behavior, predictable and extremely reliable, as they are
designed to survive after million activities. They are not only used for
buttons but also put under 4 points of directional pad (D-pad) or connected
with actuators on the leg of joystick to enable them to control orientation.
With four dedicated switches to detect up, down, left and right movements,
diagonal ones may be recognized when two switches are near and pressed
simultaneously.
