| Controller
Manufacturer
|
Game
Developer
|
- Do not simply copy
another companies design, slap your logo onto it and wait for the
consumer to snatch it up. The market is flooded with gear
following this "marketing and design plan".
|
- Do not simply copy
another companies design, slap your logo onto it and wait for the
consumer to snatch it up. The market is flooded with games
following this "marketing and design plan".
|
- Give the user the option
to install the drivers for a device apart from the profiler
software. Too many times you are forced to install the entire
package just to get the drivers installed. Some appreciate the
simplicity of the setup and prefer to program actions in the specific
games.
|
- Give the player the
ability to assign all axis and buttons functions in the setup
options. Providing default setups for common controller
configurations is a bonus too (look to any Lucas Arts game for perfect
examples of this implemented well).
|
- Buttons, buttons,
buttons. The more the merrier. Unless the device is an
analog controller there is no excuse for only having 4 buttons.
|
- How about a little
quality assurance? I can't think of the last game/sim that was
not released without some glaring flaw that should not have been in
the final release. Patching has become a standard- strive for
better quality in the final product.
|
- Stop using
"Pro", "3D", "Force", "Ultra",
"Max", Precision", "2000" etc. in the names
of controllers. The name game has become rather bland and
unimaginative.
|
- Updated re-releases are
an insult to those who rushed out and dropped their hard earned cash
on the original release dates. More often than not, my point
above about QA and patching results in such a large update to get
things working properly a "gold" edition is put out offering
little but the things that should have been there in the first
place.
|
- Don't worry about endorsements,
licenses and other cost increasing marketing "tools".
The fact that a wheel has a logo of a famous European car manufacturer
on it has nothing to do with its performance or use.
|
- Do get the licenses
needed to offer the player the chance to play as their favorite
driver, linebacker or short-stop. Also secure the rights to fly
or drive in realistic looking vehicles.
|
- Please meet release
dates but not at qualities expense. Planning...
|
- Please meet release
dates but not at qualities expense. Planning...
|
- Give the consumer a good
printed manual. Transfer some of the money saved from the
endorsements and licensing into something the purchaser can use.
|
- Give the consumer a good
printed manual. 9 out of 10 will not use it (its something they
inherited from their dad). Still the remaining 1 out of 10 will
cherish it and commit it to memory.
|
- Get creative.
There are many untapped controller areas ignored by the
industry. How about a motorcycle, helicopter, fishing,
snowboarding, golf, etc. controller?
|
- Get creative.
There are many untapped game/sim areas ignored by the industry.
How about air racing, a realistic space shuttle sim, a Matrix game,
etc.
|
- Invest in a X-Box
license agreement with Microsoft. Follow the suggestions above
and do not forget the PC gamers.
|
- Don't port PC to console
or console to PC without making the adjustments for the hardware
and/or interface capabilities of the other. Many good games have
gotten lost in the translation.
|
- Make your web sites easy
to navigate and have a search option available. Provide
information beside what is on the box. Troubleshooting, setup
and new driver information should be easily found.
|
- Make your web sites easy
to navigate and have a search option available. Provide
information beside what is on the box. Troubleshooting, setup
and new update information should be easily found.
|
- Don't provide the
ability to create and use profiles if you are not going to make them
widely available. Update the profiles to include new releases
often.
|
- Include controller
profiles on the games CDs and work with controller manufacturers to
support different devices. DirectX makes this much easier for
both parties.
|
- Post your drivers for
download. CDs and disks inevitably get lost or damaged.
|
- Stop using CD protection
schemes that interfere with usability. No-one wants to buy a new
CD drive just to load their new game. Hackers will beat it
regardless.
|
- Provide good customer
service. Be available to the customer and provide relatively
quick responses to
questions. Having good manuals and well organized websites can
help keep inquiries down and allow the user to find the answer
themselves.
|
- Provide good customer
service. Be available to the customer and provide relatively
quick responses to
questions. Having good manuals and well organized websites can
help keep inquiries down and allow the user to find the answer
themselves.
|
- Add mouse and keyboard emulation
modes to your controllers for use when game developers refuse to offer
controller support.
|
- Buy a license from Game
Commander and incorporate in game chat and voice commands. High
bandwidth connections and faster machines make this a realistic, and
incredibly cool option.
|
