Sixaxis, do you use it?

L31mr0d

On the back of a topic over in the games forum I'm just wondering how many of you PS3 gamers use the sixaxis features in games?

Personally, I'd like to use it but more times than not it's like trying to balance an egg on a knife edge. The sensitivity of it is all off. Its also weird that there are never sensitivity options in the menu to increase its deadzone.

I know a friend who will always disable it by default, myself I like to give it a chance, but will disable it if it starts taking enjoyment out of the game.

I felt it worked in Ratchet & Clank as they used it sparingly in the mini game to open locks and when you where free falling. It also worked to an extent in resistance when you had to shake off the badguys.

I think the key word here is "sparingly". They should never base the main gameplay dynamic on the sixaxis. I've yet to play a racing game that I feel implements it well. Even driving and flying in GTA4 was atrocious with it enabled.

Also, personally, I feel the features of the sixaxis don't suit how I game. I'm usually slouched on the couch and have the controller on my lap. To use the sixaxis I usually need to sit forward and hold the controller out in the air, trying to stabilize it by having my elbows on my knees... this quickly becomes awkward as its not comfortable.

So just wondering if you use it yourself and when you think it worked and when you think it didnt'?

Do you think it will be a feature that will be evolved or scrapped for the PS4?

projectmayhem

L31mr0d wrote: »

Do you think it will be a feature that will be evolved or scrapped for the PS4?

While I don't bother with it myself, I do think it'll be evolved in the next playstation.

The problem with it is that it's simply not sensitive enough. There's too little distinction between "slight turn" to "extreme right angle" in the way it works, so it all falls a little short of usable.

Some games make it work (I thought that rub-a-dub game was great) but tacking it into GTA or whatever just never flew with me.

Headshot

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=276527

Sony has filed a US patent for the "break apart" motion-sensing PlayStation 3 controller, confirming "source"-fuelled speculation from the summer.

This patent covers the special ultrasonic and video capture hybrid technology within the controller, which tracks three-dimensional movement of using data collected via Wi-Fi and the PlayStation Eye. And even Deborah Meaden would like that.

Those sources - from whence the initial chatter came - also suggested that Sony had shipped prototypes to developers for trial. There's no specific confirmation of this, but the existence of the patent adds further credibility to the claims.

Accompanying diagrams show the controller as a similar shape to the Wiimote, although more ergonomic, with a big blob on the end - presumably to increase visibility with the PlayStation Eye.

Both controllers can apparently be clipped together end-to-end, which makes them look a little like a double-sided maraca. And a traditional PS3 controller layout can also be attached across both pads.

Sony already has motion-sensing PS3 capabilities through Sixaxis, of course, although we've seen this added to games as little more than a gimmick so far. You use motion-sensing to turn a wheel in Killzone 2, in fact, which promptly confused all Eurogamer Expo goers playing for the first time.

Perhaps that lead to Mirror's Edge being voted as Game of the Show. Oh but wait, that also had Sixaxis-wobbling across the balance beam.

311

Only if its used in minigames within the game

After playing the Mirrors edge demo ,I'm impressed with the quality of control over Drakes fortune.

Retr0gamer

Six Axis is just pure cack. It only works when you have to shake the controller and then that could be accomplished by mashing buttons.

DrEvil

Only if its used in minigames within the game

I thought sixaxis worked brilliant in Super Rub a Dub & Flow really suited those games.

In driving games and flying in Warkawk, I think it works OK but could be better. I usually end up changing back to the Joystick not being good enough with the motion sensing.

I think there's been some great little ideas that feel very natural.
Resistance - shaking to remove bad guys, put out fire in multiplayer.
GTA4 - tilting back to reload.
Pixel Junk Eden - swift downward motion to interupt a jump.
Loco roco - shaking to open doors,wake up loco roco.
Ghost Recon - tilting forward to dive on the ground

Never, will always disable it i'm given the option

It's very poorly implemented and no one has managed to integrate it really well in the games I've played. Using it to reset the octocamo in MGS4 was the best use of it I've seen.

giggsy664

Never, will always disable it i'm given the option

DrEvil wrote: »

I thought sixaxis worked brilliant in Super Rub a Dub & Flow really suited those games.

In driving games and flying in Warkawk, I think it works OK but could be better. I usually end up changing back to the Joystick not being good enough with the motion sensing.

I think there's been some great little ideas that feel very natural.
Resistance - shaking to remove bad guys, put out fire in multiplayer.
GTA4 - tilting back to reload.
Pixel Junk Eden - swift downward motion to interupt a jump.
Loco roco - shaking to open doors,wake up loco roco.
Ghost Recon - tilting forward to dive on the ground

I only ever (if evere) use sixaxis in gta for reloading. Its a nice little idea to reload.


Actually it should be implemented in cod4 to reload.

Retr0gamer

the fact you can turn it off in most games really says something.

cabrwab

Never, will always disable it i'm given the option

I like it with small features like in rachet and clank, resistance not so much used in gt4. Jump around too much for a motion sensitive controller!

projectmayhem

Retr0gamer wrote: »

the fact you can turn it off in most games really says something.

Very true. Granted, having it there gives the machine the edge on 360. It was implemented last-minute (I know they worked on it for a long time, but I doubt they intended on actually using it in the main controller, rather a peripheral for specific games) to keep up with whatever the Wii had planned, but moreso to show up Microsoft in the "new interaction" generation of console gaming.

It doesn't work, isn't much use and is generally something you ignore. But when a game is designed for it, it's genius. Like, as I already said, super rub-a-dub, and as someone else astutely pointed out - flow.

Azza

Generally I think its a waste of time. Did they remove the lean function from six-axis in MGS 4. I can't remember if it was a feature of the game. Having just tried the Mirrors Edge demo it was horrible.

311

Only if its used in minigames within the game

I haven't failed the balances using the six axis on the mirrors edge demo at all.

When you try to correct balance it works. Unlike in drakes fortune where its a complete pedalers crank.

tman

It has always felt like a tacked on attempt at rivaling Nintendo, rather than a fully thought out addition to the controller. As I said before, the only time that it seems to work well is when you have to shake the controller violently.

They might be affected by the sprawled position that I normally sit in, or the distance from the TV, but minute changes never seem to register for me, whatever I'm trying to control always just drifts off in the wrong direction and ends with me swearing lots...

I haven't failed the balances using the six axis on the mirrors edge demo at all.

When you try to correct balance it works. Unlike in drakes fortune where its a complete pedalers crank.

Funnily enough, balancing in Uncharted never gave me much hassle compared to Mirrors Edge (I guess if you fell off in that at least you could normally just pull yourself straight back up...)

AlmightyCushion

It seemed to work quite well in heavenly sword when you used it to guide the cannon balls. As said above, it did require me to sit up straight instead of my usual slouched position.

r3nu4l

Only if its used in minigames within the game

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

It seemed to work quite well in heavenly sword when you used it to guide the cannon balls. As said above, it did require me to sit up straight instead of my usual slouched position.

Absolutely, it worked great in Heavenly Sword It's not only used in the guiding of cannon balls but when using the crossbow or throwing those discs at the gongs

Definitely worked a treat and goes to show that the problem is less with the six-axis and more with developers not learning how to implement it imo.

NotorietyH

I like how it's implemented in LittleBigPlanet, tilting it controls your sackboys head so you can make him look around and stuff, click L3 and it switches to his pelvis so you can make him dance, or be slightly obscene. Strangely though in the beta you could stop using a jetpack by either pressing circle or shaking the controller, but in the full game circle is your only option.

DrEvil

Only if its used in minigames within the game

r3nu4l wrote: »

Absolutely, it worked great in Heavenly Sword It's not only used in the guiding of cannon balls but when using the crossbow or throwing those discs at the gongs

Definitely worked a treat and goes to show that the problem is less with the six-axis and more with developers not learning how to implement it imo.

I forgot about Heavenly Sword that was a great use of sixaxis.

r3nu4l

Only if its used in minigames within the game

Yeah, going into more detail on this I'd say that six-axis isn't being fully utilised by developers, perhaps because of laziness or by the difficulty of programming the six-axis system. I'd also say that it is something that should be fully developed by Sony for the future.

To be honest, the only way to get people to adapt six-axis is to make it a key feature of certain games so that the game cannot be completed without getting used to it and using six-axis extensively. The only way to do this without pissing off consumers is to be sure that the six-axis programming is impeccable and that the learning curve isn't too steep.

L31mr0d

Only if its used in minigames within the game

DrEvil wrote: »

I forgot about Heavenly Sword that was a great use of sixaxis.

Yeah I think it worked well in Heavenly Sword, but I still ended up disabling it as using the analogue stick was a lot simpler and didn't require me to change my sitting position.

The reason I think it works well in minigames is that it's usually the only thing you have to use is the sixaxis. When you have to use it as well as other buttons on the controller it can become awkward. Imagine there being 4 separate buttons on top of the analogue stick. Also they need to patch it to allow for deadzone adjustments. I'd like it if it didn't think I was pressing 100% left or right until the controller was tilted a complete 90'

The most irritating game that implemented it had to be Dark Mist (a PSN game) It required you to shake the controller almost continually to dispel darkness as well as shake off baddies... My arms ended up killing me as I was pretty much shaking them non-stop for about 20 minutes.

Holsten

Tilt up/down and shake yes.

Left and right tilt doesn't seem to work at all for me.

elgriff

It works very well in high velocity bowling - in that game it is the main way of playing the game. You stand up, like a Wiimote

eddhorse

Only if its used in minigames within the game

Damn all this physical exercise !!!!

Heres my input on some games ive tried it.

LBP is good for amusment purposes.
Uncharted Drakes Fortune good control for the odd balancing beam.
Mirrors Edge is very hard to balance i found.
Resistance skaing off dudes is good.
Motorstorm is impossible to drive, one false move and you are brown bread.
Ratchet and Clank good for all six axis uses.