Gamepad Redesign suggestion

[Josh64]

I made a mock-up: lost the screen, the camera and the mic but y'know, it's not like they're often used. Changed the buttons a bit, too:

 

 

Perfect, I think.

[The Bard]

I'd straight up buy a Wii U for kicks and upscaled VC games if they ditched the shitty controller and took eighty to a hundred pounds off the price.

[nekunando]

Hehehe! Typical / nando /.

 

But really, you hate the XL?!

It's awwwwwwwesome! :awesome:

 

I despised it from the moment I first saw it and feel frustrated that every special edition console that gets revealed is a 3DS XL rather than an original model

[RedShell]

I despised it from the moment I first saw it and feel frustrated that every special edition console that gets revealed is a 3DS XL rather than an original model

But what is it you despise, the matte finish?

[nekunando]

But what is it you despise, the matte finish?

 

No, actually

 

It's mainly the size that puts me off (it is XL, after all ) but any time I have seen it sitting on display in a store beside the original model I think it looks a bit cheap

 

The original 3DS certainly isn't without some considerable flaws, but it's still preferable to the 3DS XL, for me at least. I didn't care mush for the DSi XL either..

 

For the record, your Wii U Gamepad redesign isn't that bad : peace:

[RedShell]

No, actually

 

It's mainly the size that puts me off (it is XL, after all ) but any time I have seen it sitting on display in a store beside the original model I think it looks a bit cheap

I suppose it does look cheap compared to the original, but it's just so much nicer to use.

The main negatives to the XL for me are its reduced portability and the shockingly bad speaker quality. That one's not really an issue though, as I always use headphones.

[Pestneb]

I made a mock-up: lost the screen, the camera and the mic but y'know, it's not like they're often used. Changed the buttons a bit, too:

 

 

Perfect, I think.

 

One thing I do love about the gamecube pad is the A/B X/Y buttons.

The Z button was too asymmetrical for me, a partner button for z above the L shoulder would have been great.

I wasn't so keen on the D-pad and C-stick positioning.

 

I actually think the main change I would like made to the game pad would be

1) aesthetic - I'm not the biggest fan of the look

2) Pinch the gamecube buttons! maybe make the colours a bit more subtle... perhaps just a trim, or written in different colours, but the idea of different shapes.. and I did love the positioning around the core "A" button. it just gave a natural "home" position for the thumb. On the game pad the core button tends to jump about a bit more. Maybe thats a positive for others though

[Fierce_LiNk]

Personally I'd love a hybrid of the Wii U GamePad and 3DSXL, combining certain aspects from both of those devices.

 

Here's my attempt at a mockup:

 

 

 

And a side by side with the current GamePad:

 

 

The screen size is identical on both, but the display looks bigger on my redesign due to the reduced fat.

 

Basically, it's a much smaller (and in that case, probably lighter ) version of the GamePad, with the matte finish of the 3DSXL, and a slight button reconfiguration. :awesome:

The control sticks are like the Circle Pad of the 3DS/original GamePad design, but with the grip style from the finalised GamePad.

 

The Power and TV Control buttons would be moved to a side, and the mic to the side under the screen. There would also be no need for a battery indicator, if it was built-in to the home button:

 

Everything else is more or less the same, so it's really just about the size and surface material.

 

Now THAT is a redesign. Looks much lighter, more aesthetic, beautiful. Wow, such beauty, so screen, much care.

[Hogge]

I made a mock-up: lost the screen, the camera and the mic but y'know, it's not like they're often used. Changed the buttons a bit, too:

 

 

Perfect, I think.

 

The GC pad was perfect when I was 14 years old. Today I'd say that it feels quite a bit too small. And like I said, before, dropping the whole gamepad concept would make the Wii U nothing more than an underpowered console.

 

One reason I dropped the camera from the gamepad is because it makes way less sense than on the 3DS. On the 3DS, you are in essence always looking into the camera, because it's just above the screen. Hence games can do stuff like show your facial expression when a friend kills you. On the gamepad, you look at your TV and perhaps hold the pad in your lap. Hence it'll only show the ceiling, or the contents of your nostrils.

 

I must say that I do like RedShell's concept as he's mostly done what I was after. Only gripe would be that he expressively stated that he wants to have slidepads instead of analogue sticks.

[FireMeowth]

The only thing I would really want from a GamePad redesign would be a matte finish, to be honest.

 

Because other than it being a crazy fingerprint magnet unlike anything I've ever seen before, I have absolutely zero complaints about the GamePad as it is. The best controller ever, in my opinion. Just perfect in (almost) every possible way.

[Blade]

Yeah the GameCube pad was just perfect.

 

I'm also finding the GamePad comfortable to use and always use it as my primary control method on the Wii U.

[RedShell]

Only gripe would be that he expressively stated that he wants to have slidepads instead of analogue sticks.

A mixture of the two really.

Essentially a Circle Pad, but the part your thumb touches would be identical to the grips that are on the GamePad at present, rather than the concave grip of the 3DS Circle Pad.

It's a bit of a compromise between form and functionality.

 

Nintendo themselves appeared to originally be going more for form with the prototype GamePad design, but then decided that full analog sticks were more functional. Which of course they are, even if they do look a bit weird sticking out of the GamePad.

[Fierce_LiNk]

In an ideal world, I'd give it a muuuuuch larger battery life. It's pretty poor at the moment. It loses part of the appeal for me when you've got to plug it in, I hate having trailing wires.

 

My favourite all time controller is, bizarrely, the Wiimote and nunchuk. For some reason, it just molded into my hands and felt comfortable as hell. I love that feeling of being able to separate my hands. Only thing I would do that for is, somehow, make it wireless between the Nunchuk and Mote. True perfection.

 

The GamePad itself is mostly great. It just needs more clever uses of implementation.

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

Yeah the GameCube pad was just perfect.

 

I'm also finding the GamePad comfortable to use and always use it as my primary control method on the Wii U.

 

Naaah bro! The GC pad wasn't perfect, nostalgia makes it 'perfect'.

 

Try playing Capcom vs Snk with that d-pad...

And in the same game the Y and X buttons are not distinguished enough to remember which is which without looking, and that Z button

 

But yeah, the Gamepad is pretty sweet.

[Sheikah]

Picking up the gamecube pad then immediately picking up the gamepad, I can tell you the gamecube pad is much more comfortable. Ergonomically they got the gamecube pad spot on, even if the button arrangement isn't ideal for many modern games. The gamepad is similar to the 3DS XL for me in that the edge (usually most noticeably the bottom left) juts into your hand as you play. For prolonged use, I don't find it comfortable.

 

The gamepad has a good idea for off TV play but really I want to see my games look as good as possible, which is why I pretty much exclusively played Wind Waker on TV. The quality of the gamepad screen just doesn't do it justice.

 

I would like if they could somehow incorporate the curves and shape of the gamecube pad into the gamepad, while reducing the overall bloat of the thing (and upping the screen quality and resolution, but I guess that is no longer possible).

[Kav]

I'd straight up buy a Wii U for kicks and upscaled VC games if they ditched the shitty controller and took eighty to a hundred pounds off the price.

 

What if they just reduced the price by £100 but kept the Gamepad, would you buy it then?

[The Bard]

What if they just reduced the price by £100 but kept the Gamepad, would you buy it then?

 

They're not going to do that though man.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I do feel that the GameCube controller is seen through rose-tinted glasses. It was a bit on the small side and the d-pad was completely redundant. Mortal Fucking Kombat: Deadly Alliance...for some reason, that game didn't use the analogue stick and ONLY used the d-pad. Damn near impossible. Almost ruined the game for me. I couldn't go back and play it now.

 

The controller is missing another Z button on the other side. that always bugged me. I need symmetry, dammit. Alsooooooo, I didn't like the feel of the C-stick.

 

WiiMote and Nunchuk/N64 were both better for me, except maybe the N64's stick.

 

One thing that annoys me slightly with the GamePad: I know it can't be helped, but it's a shame that the GamePad's screen doesn't completely reflect what is on the television screen in terms of visuals. I mean, due to the resolution and type of screen used.

 

For example, playing FIFA13 (demo) is ok on the tv screen, but the images on the GamePad's screen are almost completely different due to little things like the colouring of the grass. It's quite jarring, it's almost like playing two completely separate games. It's similar for something like Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It would be nice if you had the exact same quality as your tv screen. If it did, imagine that...would be insane.

 

It would jack the price up, for sure though. One final thing: The range. Imagine being able to put the Wii U in the living room and being able to play on the GamePad screen on the other side of the house. Would be fucking incredible. Gutted we can't do that. Imagine playing something like Need for Speed on the GamePad screen in bed. Hnnnnggggggg.

[Kav]

 

They're not going to do that though man.

 

Yeah I know, I was just trying to gauge whether it was specifically the pad you disliked or the price for the console.