PS3 controller used to rumble in 1999
by Ken Weeks 
{ Jun 24th 2006 at 1:30PM }
No need for 360 fanboys to waste energy mocking the "revolutionary" PS3 controller for being sadly inferior to a 7 year-old product that worked with Warhawk on the PS1 when Playstation Magazine is producing humiliating videos like this. It turns out Pelican somehow got motion-sensing and rumble feedback to work on the same controller back in 1999. The first 30 seconds where he apes the Sony E3 keynote is classic stuff.
[Thanks Supascape & Imation]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
joba @ Jun 24th 2006 1:44PM
Further proof that this whole motion sensor controller is a GIMMICK...
Zacky V @ Jun 24th 2006 1:56PM
Hahaha PSM turning against their own product
JacKal @ Jun 24th 2006 2:34PM
The whole 'rumble removed because of motion sensor tech' is bull. Immersion has already stated that if Sony would work with them, they are positive that there is no way that that would be a conflict, and that they personally could work with them and create a rumble tech that works with their motion sensor tech. The only reason why Sony doesn't have it is because they don't want Immersion to sue them again, since they left a bad taste in their mouth last time when small-time Immersion successfully sued and overturned an appeal against Sony who infringed on Immersion's 600+ rumble patents used in Sony's dualshock controllers. They were fined some odd $90 mill and then some, whereas microsoft just settled with them and bought stock in them even.
Sony won't use rumble not because it's 'inferior' or because 'it won't work with the motion sensor'... they won't use it because Immersion is their key to making it work in the controller, and they don't like them anymore. As for the motion sensor, that's obviously a gimmick, as if you *really* wanted that kind of experience, you'd just get a Wii anyhow. If you don't want that experience, why should you implement it in your controller for no reason when games won't even properly be made for it or even need it? Gimmick.
Franky Digital @ Jun 24th 2006 3:01PM
The most beautiful thing about this movie is that it was produced by a Playstation-supporting magainze; little cannabilization at it's finest. Then again, perhaps this is a sign that even the most diehard Sony fans should realize how much propoganda they are now blindly following.
I wonder what PSM will do if the publication as a whole decides to give up on Sony?
sev4 pri1 @ Jun 24th 2006 3:05PM
this type of motion inputting controller will be great for speeding carpel tunnel syndrome. repetative motions are great for your wrists.
now have confirmed two failed revolutionary controllers. a wand just makes sense.
Ciaran Gallagher @ Jun 24th 2006 3:13PM
lol I love the little geeky bit at the end with the little geeky smile: "Keep on Playstationing".
Interesting video by the way.
Zach Wolf @ Jun 24th 2006 4:21PM
Pelican could of made that controller for any system, just not PS1. I don't understand how everyone is saying that Sony had motion sensing first, they didn't even make it, Pelican did (and pelican could of easily made that for N64, Xbox, Dreamcast...).
Eyecandy @ Jun 24th 2006 5:34PM
I love it. How can the Sony Fanboys take anymore?
They are like Lemmings running to the ocean.
I especially like the guy saying he’s getting tired of all the motion.
I’m waiting for the always colorful and ignorant response from Cage.
In the hours I have before the next stupid phrase that a Sony exec says, or the next posting of MGS4 and FFXIII. I will be enjoying my 360.
Xfan @ Jun 24th 2006 6:51PM
Actually he managed to knock Sony and Nintendo at the same time. Sony, because someone else produced a controller that Sony said wasn't possible, and Nintendo, because he said that motion controller was 'tiring' ....which didn't some of us suspect that all along?
Nik @ Jun 24th 2006 9:00PM
I'm getting a little sick of hearing about how motion controllers are going to wear us down. Honestly if you're getting tired out by moving around a wand that probably weighs a pound or two then you could probably use a little motion :P. Moving the PS3 controller or the Wiimote isn't going to give you caprotunnel, in fact your wrists might thank you for the excercise. I'm no chiropractor or muscle doctor but I'd love to hear their opinion on it. Also, I would assume that as you play your console more you'll get better at it and it'll be less tiring. So don't worry you won't be putting up with it for long.
Chris @ Jun 24th 2006 10:17PM
You guys don't understand the whole 'unofficial' part of PSM. The reason they can put it down is because they try to be unbiased. We need that as consumers. Now, If you go read the Official PlayStation Magazine, they'll argue for the PS3 to no end. This is why PSM should get awarded for being truthful to products they review. We need more unbiased content so we'll all get fucked less.
gman @ Jun 24th 2006 11:06PM
Im tired just looking at that S--t!
clavin42 @ Jun 25th 2006 8:27AM
So what, this technology existed before that with the power globe introduced by Nintendo. It sucked then, it sucked at the time of this video, and it will suck when re-released in the future.
Wolfgame @ Jun 25th 2006 9:20AM
Let's try to remember something else about the ps3 controller. It's wireless. Wireless devices need wireless chipsets, antennas (internal in this case), and batteries. Rumble gamepads need motors and counterweights to shift the center of gravity frequently, causing the rumble.
I'm not knocking JacKal's talk about the patent infringement suit from Immersion. However, I doubt that that's the only reason. Sony execs aren't stupid. They know that rumble gamepads are very popular. But between the cost of licensing the rumble "technology" (ooh spin a counterweight really fast) and engineering a new kind of battery that will have the capacity to run it for a minimum of 6 hours, AND fit into a package that's as close to the dual shock as possible, I don't blame them for dropping it.
What I'm expecting is a PS3 dualshock to come out that will be wired, or someone will create a snap-on motor with a battery attched to it that will effectively double the weight on your controller.
To see an example of what I'm talking about, steal your girlfriend's/mother's/roommate's/or use your own vibrator, put in fresh batteries, turn it on, and see how long a pair of C or D cells last. For a more accurate demonstration, you'll have to wait for the ps3 to come out, I would assume. Unless Sony's posted somewhere the output and capacity rating for the battery in the wireless controller.
James @ Jun 25th 2006 9:20AM
Just because you start the article with "No need for 360 fanboys to waste energy ...", it still doesn't make this Xbox 360 news.
Please keep the Playstation fluff to yourself, I come here for 360 info.
Matt @ Jun 25th 2006 9:34AM
Yeah, that was interesting. I saw that on YouTube today and decided to blog about it myself.
It also appears that Sony is expecting to repeat it's previous feats by aiming to sell 100million units of PS3.
I'm not sure about you, but i'm not convinced Sony is going to do that. Why?
1) Too expensive
2) Not SO revolutionary motion sensor controller
3) Late to release
A comeback for Nintendo anyone??
davidg @ Jun 25th 2006 9:54AM
http://www.joystickreview.com/microsoft/sidewinderfreestylepro.asp
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z729/002-0709090-6080867?v=glance&n=172282
http://firingsquad.com/hardware/freestylepro/
i think you'll find that the microsoft sidewinder freestyle had this identical tilt sensing technology, and it was released in 1997 or something. (i hope ms sue sony!)
btw, i know sony and the ps3 are shit, but i'm still pissed off at microsoft trying to muscle itself in to console market yrs ago. i'm buying a wii on launch, and waiting years for the ps3 to drop to below half price before buying, but i will not buy a 360 :)
altodarknight @ Jun 25th 2006 10:12AM
Just a note to 'wolfgame', the 360 controller does rumble, and is wireless. Within your profile you can choose whether to have rumble or not. You get approximatly 30 hours use out of a controller without rumble and 10 (if the controller rumbles constantly for the entire period). I am yet to find a game that has the controller rumble for the entire period of gameplay. At most, and very rarely at that, 1/3 of the game. So lets say that you play this one game for the entire life of the batteries, which are 2 AA. Doing the maths that is about 18.5 hours. I personally have never played for 18.5 hours straight. And with the batteries being rechargable, and taking 2 hours to fully recharge, I put them on to charge after I finish playing.
Now given that the PS3 controller is bluetooth, it's battery life will be considerably shorter than the 360's so maybe some considerations had to be made, but this is clearly not an issue of battery life, remember it was a sony exec who said that it was due to the motion-sensing that there was no rumble, not battery life. This is people rebutting sony's statements, not people rebutting assumptions made by other people about the lack of rumble.
Like you said, the sony execs aren't stupid. But they are arrogant. They have a build it and they will come attitude to the PS3, whereas nintendo and MS have a build it as they want and we will come. Why else would sony use the PS3 as the main stratedy to launch the blu-ray format. The Playstation brand is the only brand currently making money for sony, why risk it to launch a new format unless they feel it is certain, as they clearly do.
I wont waffle on but Microsoft and Nintendo can justify every aspect of the design and function of their console based on the user, what they want and will like. Sony's design is to either say, hey, some select stat, however pointless, is double yours, or try and cover a function of design aspect of the competion. It's seems out of place that the industry leader is playing catch up.
mark @ Jun 25th 2006 10:14AM
some fat guy on his playstation. how droll
NiGHTS Chao @ Jun 25th 2006 10:27AM
Who the hell cares, Rumble isnt some required thing that is totally able to change the game experience
we all know Sony is just saying that because of the lawsuit
and also that guy looked like a fucking idiot
Dr Simon, DC @ Jun 25th 2006 10:51AM
@Nik: Here's the comment from a chiropractor: Any repetitive motion done for a continuous length of time without pausing or a new motion that is being learned can create irritation to the tissues surrounding/controlling the joints in action. The weight factor is an issue, where less weight requires more identical repetitions before it can injure the tissues, versus more weight requires less identical repetitions before it becomes an issue.
So in this case, the question is: Can motion sensor controllers be more of a health hazard than the conventional controllers? Answer is no. You'll be using bigger muscle groups in order to create the motion (in the shoulders, elbows) instead of having all control being concentrated through the fingers/thumbs. The finger motion is simple (press 2-3 mm repeatedly), the thumb motion is more complex (smooth control w/ the analog thumb sticks), the motion sensor controller will require a complex motion of the upper body, so bigger movements.
As with anything, your body will strengthen itself for the job at hand, if it is being sollicited in a gradual way - which doesn't happen with video games! IE when you first get your shiny new console, you're not going to play "just one hour" and take a break, but play it non-stop because you can't believe how fabulous and wonderful it is... You'll be glued to your living room for hours and hours on end, eating junk and not caring much about your health at that point, ahahah! So theory VS practice is very different!
Hope that helps clear things out!
ragnarok2040 @ Jun 25th 2006 11:16AM
The N64 did have motion sensing, it was an attachment you could put in the slot in the back so you could tilt the controller to control your ship in Starfox and other games. The thing I never liked about tilt sensing was the fact that it was limited to what you could do with both hands on the controller. You couldn't really do much except tilt, and try to control whatever with the controller in such an awkward position, like pushing the analog stick forward or right with the controller close to upside down. Nintendo broke it down to two independently controlled motion sensing devices with the Wiimote and Nunchuku attachment, removing the movement and aiming/control from each other. Sony should have ripped off that idea if they were going to rip off any of Nintendo's ideas.
Qual @ Jun 25th 2006 12:42PM
It's funny. The 360 fanboys are gloating the hell out of this story, but everyone seems to have already forgotten:
The 360 blows. And in a big way. And that little fact just stares you all in the face every time you boot that $400 pc-wannabe-xbox-1.5, doesn't it? The 360 sucks. Halo sucks. And anyone whos has ever gamed with a PC knows it, and knows it well.
Eyecandy @ Jun 25th 2006 12:53PM
Qual,
Seek help. If 360 sucks so bad, why are you on the 360fanboy site? I love PC games as much as anyone but the simple fact is a lot of good games are on the 360 that are not on a PC. Besides, this set of comments is about Sony, and the crap they have been dishing out.
I feel for you brother, but let the anger go.
crunchtime @ Jun 25th 2006 6:14PM
"The 360 sucks. Halo sucks."
Solid proof that everyone is entitled to an opinion. Even if god knows how many hundreds of thousands (if not millions?) of gamers beg to differ.
You gotta love it when someone (not aimed at anyone in particular) says "Halo sucks" as oppose to "I didn't enjoy Halo" because it shows that the poster doesn't have two brain cells to rub together.
Ravonic @ Jun 26th 2006 2:11AM
The thing is, he is also showing a controller that is wired. The 360 controller is wireless, and rumbles, but does not motion sense. Maybe the group of all three make a more problematic setup, but packing all that inside the controller is an issue, I believe one with all three will come later on down the road, but they can not get it on their own without help from immmersion at this time.
What it comes down to with their marketing comes to me as thus, ps2 came out early, and and shortened the life and profit of the ps2 because of later innovations in microsoft and nintendo respectively. What I mean to point out is I think they are picking and pushing some of what the other two guys have, to make themselves offer the most, including the blue-ray addition into the whole design. I think they are mixing this all around and launching late, to attempt longevity for this system. Yes I am a Sony fanboy, but I can see when they do something wrong, but you have to understand that a board of ceo's is making these decisions, so there is multiple reasons and possibilies why everything is happening on this system and the path it is taking.
indema @ Jun 26th 2006 6:24AM
its a marketting ploy they will bring out the standard controller then a month or so later bring out one that vibrate's to bring in more cash flow for sony
Swegamer @ Jun 26th 2006 8:53AM
He hasn't turned on "his own".
The guys is doing journalism. You know? That old thing?
Apart from that, I agree, awesome video!
And PSM just grew infront om my eyes. Respect.
Section ( 8 ) @ Jun 26th 2006 3:50PM
Gotta love how he's complaining about moving a controller around a few inches is "tiring". Standing up, for this guy, must be out right exhausting.
Way to keep up the video game nerd stereotype there PSM.
Matt @ Jun 26th 2006 5:02PM
Well I am not surprised by the recycling of 1997 technology. After all, Sony's idea of a good deal is playing PSOne games on a PSP.
Chris @ Jun 28th 2006 12:28AM
I'm no Sony fanboy, but one thing that everybody seems to be missing is pretty big. The controller shown in this video seems to work from a gyro type sensor. The sensors that are used in the PS3 are accelerometers, similar to the controls used in the Wii. The difference is that the old PS1 controller can only sense tilt, while the PS3 will be able to sense tilt as well as panning in the X, Y, and Z directions. You can tell by the demos they did at E3 where they lifted the rubber ducky out of the water and moved it around in 3D space. It's a different technology. It's a little unfair to say that Sony already had this with the PS1.
As far as PS3 vs. 360, the deciding factor for me will be the price of the HD-DVD drive. If it's over $100 then a comperably equipped PS3 would actually be less expensive than the 360. Think about that...
Crun @ Jun 28th 2006 6:04AM
Call me crazy, but wasn't the light zapper for the NES the first motion controller?
lol internet @ Jun 30th 2006 8:01AM
Woohoo, fanboys complaining about things that make no difference to gameplay again.
I really doubt any of you know the technical specifications of the PS3 controller's battery capacity or technology conflicts between motion sensing and rumble, and likewise can't really put up any kind of argument at all. For all you know, it just -actually- might be impossible for the new motion-sensing (not just tilt either, see Chris's post above) to work simultaneously with rumble. So really, unless you work for Sony or a third-party accessory company, fuck off, you don't know what you're talking about.
Secondly, even if it's all bullshit and Sony is just too lazy / doesn't feel like getting sued to put it all in one controller, I'm quite certain that any third-party company would be more than willing to chomp at the bit to produce a controller that was wireless with rumble and motion-sensing.
Quit bitching, you all just seem like little children who can't just play games and enjoy them.