![]() ![]() The rectangular shape was a vast improvement in terms of overall comfort and ergonomics the placement of the face buttons, which put the majority of the stress on your thumbs, was also important - there is a reason why those two opposing digits are constantly referenced as one of the defining evolutionary advantages that humans have over other animals. ![]() This was due in large part to the controller's intuitive design. In terms of the language metaphor, these controllers could be considered the gaming equivalent of cave drawings, which were our ancestors' first flirtation with communicating shared ideas in that context, the NES controller is the first actual written document and it represents the point in time when the defining characteristics of our collective language became fixed. The most popular console of that era, the Atari 2600, had a controller that paired an upright joystick with a single button while its simplicity was admirable, the design hampered the overall complexity of game experiences possible on that platform. Later systems, like the ColecoVision, had bulky controllers with unnecessary features like a numerical keypad its two buttons were also embedded on the side of the unit, necessitating an awkward "pinch claw" grip where your hand wrapped around the controller's undercarriage. ![]() The earliest consoles were dedicated solely to Pong and its many variants, and therefore featured a lone knob for controlling the paddles. That system's simple controller, which consists of the iconic cross-shaped directional pad (borrowed and refined from earlier precursors found on the Intellivision console, Microvision handheld, and Nintendo's own Game and Watch handhelds) and four face buttons, is gaming's Rosetta Stone - the defining document that serves as the basis of our collective lexicon.Įarly home consoles that predate the NES featured unwieldy and overly complicated controllers that weren't known for their form or function. The language has evolved and changed over the years but the alphabet was initiated in the golden 8-bit era of the NES. It might sound disingenuous to talk about gaming as a language, but it has all the earmarks of one: there is a defined and shared vocabulary that gamers adhere to, and an established grammar that governs how most games work. ![]() How did a simple piece of plastic measuring only 12.2 cm by 5.25 cm change video games forever? By establishing a new "language" that defined the way we interact with our video games. While it has been supplanted by technology featuring superior ergonomics and functionality, the original NES controller deserves to be remembered as a transformative piece of technology whose impact is still felt today. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |