Cliff wants less controller buttons, more waggle
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jul 8th 2008 at 1:45PM }
Take a look at your Xbox 360 controller and think of one object you could compare its looks to. Seriously, what do you think it looks like? If you said a martian aircraft due the amount of buttons it has, then congrats, you think just like Cliff Bleszinski.Talking with CVG, Bleszinski discussed the 360's controller, admitting that "if you look at a controller right now it looks like an alien spaceship." Cliff hopes that next gen, Microsoft creates an Xbox input device that has "fewer buttons on the controller" and recommends doing something more "with a built-in camera or a little motion sensitivity." "You look at the Wii controller with less buttons - they added functionality by doing waggle" Bleszinski explained, "there are other ways of providing interactivity without having every single finger doing something at once on a friggin' controller."
And as much as it pains us to admit this, sorry Cliff, we don't totally agree with you on this one. The Wii is the Wii and the 360 is the 360, try playing a FPS on the Wii or using motion detecting cameras and tell us how competitive or fun it ends up being.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Neuromancer @ Jul 8th 2008 1:50PM
Uh all his games use like every single button on the controller. Not sure how waggling, not matter how frantically, is going to replace using 14 buttons and two analog sticks.
Tyrone Rugen @ Jul 8th 2008 6:28PM
"Waggling", as pejorative as the term is, is completely analogous with mouse-look. Instead of moving a mouse around a surface to point your reticle, you move the IR pointer—and nobody has ever complained about how tiring moving a mouse is, in the discussion of the best of FPS control. IR pointer-look is no different. As others have pointed out below, look at how well Metroid Prime 3 and Medal of Honor Heroes 2 have done it—or better still, try them out for yourself. The Wii may not have the hardware to satisfy the tech-pushing FPS companies but the input technology has proven itself.
Kael @ Jul 8th 2008 9:59PM
No, you misunderstand the term "waggling". It doesn't refer to the pointer, it refers to gesture controls.
I can't believe Cliff would say there needs to be fewer buttons. Imagine if he had an NES pad to work with; could you play Gears of War 2 with one of those?
PeterF @ Jul 8th 2008 1:52PM
CRAP idea. I like the amount of buttons there are. All I want from the next Xbox's controller is a USABLE DPAD.
Dirty @ Jul 8th 2008 2:11PM
agreed, fix the d-pad.
emirabal @ Jul 8th 2008 3:24PM
Im down wit that one
Edge @ Jul 8th 2008 6:23PM
Obsessive market expansion, gimmicks, and "me too" is setting the industry back several years. Microsoft was the only one who innovated. Really! They pushed the boundaries with Xbox Live, Arcade, Achievements, Friends, Inside Xbox. What did Ninty and Sony give us? Poor immitations and gimmicky party games.
Everyone knows Xbox gets the game sales, the play time, and the online features. Time will tell who has the better party game, who has the better movie player, and who has the best GAME console.
Magic Whiskey @ Jul 8th 2008 6:52PM
I second that (or third it). The 360 D-pad is essentially crap. I can't count how many times I've turned on night vision instead of calling in UAV in Call of Duty 4, for one thing.
I need something closer to the Playstation controller's D-Pad; I'll admit it. I like the four button configuration of the pad much more than a rocker one-piece.
Alex @ Jul 11th 2008 5:15AM
I think that the controller is probably the most durable and well made part of the entire system.
todd @ Jul 8th 2008 1:55PM
Cliff is a tool.
gotoman00 @ Jul 8th 2008 2:00PM
my thoughts exactly... why must we be constantly updated with what this guy thinks and feels
MDJ2010 @ Jul 8th 2008 1:59PM
Cliffy, please shut up for once!
andyg8180 @ Jul 8th 2008 2:00PM
WHAT ABOUT THE HANDICAPPED, CLIFFY!!!
Jeezus, youre name is cliffy... and you hate the handi-capable...
Kiltman67 @ Jul 8th 2008 2:49PM
Nevermind the disabled, what about backwards compatibility?
CliffyB has yet to accomplish a single thing which suggests he's anything other then a tool
GANNONSMASH @ Jul 8th 2008 2:04PM
To be fair, Metroid Prime 3 on the Wii had AMAZING first person controls, so they can work if done right (not like Red Steel).
Mr.U2 @ Jul 8th 2008 3:51PM
I definately have to agree with you there. Motion controls really can work with FPS games, but only if used properly, like in MP3.
Kye - WiiDSixty DF @ Jul 8th 2008 5:31PM
Personally I liked the gun control in Red Steel. It wasn't perfect, but good enough.
Ben! @ Jul 9th 2008 4:50PM
You're exactly right. And Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 for Wii was a great online FPS. The only downfalls in my eyes were - 1) no voice support, 2) stupid, boring, overdone WWII setting. Aside from that it was great, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that the pointer worked as well as (or better than) any console FPS I've ever played.
Delirium @ Jul 8th 2008 2:05PM
Go make Gears of War on the Wii with the wiimote and we'll watch sales from here.
Oh wait...
The Beta Max @ Jul 8th 2008 2:06PM
Cliff has never been wronger.
Dirty @ Jul 8th 2008 2:12PM
Fuck waggle. Stupid fad. The few games where the wii-mote works are cool and all, but everything else is crap.
mercilessming_2000 @ Jul 10th 2008 1:47PM
God how true, I had a Wii and played it for about 5 months at most and just got tired of stupid waggle wii mote gimmick I like gamepad and would have kept the wii if I could have played all the games with a good controller like the 360 controller. PLEASE MICROSOFT STAY away from motion control. Even my PS3 fanboy Friends don't speak excitedly about the little motion control they have.
Brave @ Jul 8th 2008 2:14PM
NO.
If this happens, it would make Xbox 360 games, and Xbox games less compatible with the Next Xbox.
and Motion sensing sucks.
I hate moving my controller around like that.
Optimus Prime @ Jul 8th 2008 2:15PM
I officially hate him now
LilTmac2003 @ Jul 8th 2008 2:14PM
At first, I thought this was a complete fake interview.
Than, I seen the word friggin', and was like, nevermind.
natrontheape @ Jul 8th 2008 3:03PM
classic... this made me laugh during an otherwise boring afternoon.
Dirty @ Jul 8th 2008 2:15PM
Not to mention how lame the six-axis is
Thrombo19 @ Jul 8th 2008 2:20PM
The 360 is almost perfect the way it is. The DPad stinks, so when its used for shortcutting stuff I tend to miss out on those pieces, but other than that, the 360 is pretty money. I don't need to jiggle shit.
black_vegeta @ Jul 8th 2008 2:28PM
He really needs to have a nice warm cup of SHUT THE HELL UP!
Only thing I agree or have been agreey is the D-Pad.
xFenixKnightx @ Jul 8th 2008 2:25PM
Uhhh, como what??? It basically has the same layout as the SNES controller from waaaaaaay back when, minus the analogs and extra top bumpers. Hell no, fuck waggle!!!
headwoundcity @ Jul 8th 2008 2:27PM
Just worry about making games and leave the "the man waggle" and sticks to the other guys...er...yeah just shut-up all together and make sure Gears doesn't suck. Thanks.
Aaron @ Jul 8th 2008 2:28PM
Just think of all 90% of Wii games that work like CRAP....................... Now what you thinking Cliffy ?
Ed @ Jul 8th 2008 2:33PM
let's all just go back to call him CliffyB.
adge01 @ Jul 8th 2008 2:34PM
Funny how people forget that the PS3/360's library has LOTS of games with crappy controls and there not "motion-controlled".
If you have crappy designers crappy games you will make....
UNSCleric @ Jul 8th 2008 2:35PM
Cliffy and Epic are pretty annoying and arrogant.
Dwag @ Jul 8th 2008 2:37PM
What about the Conduit Its a FPS that uses waggle?
Cliff your wrong the only problem with the 360s controller is that D-pad.
john @ Jul 8th 2008 2:39PM
Cliff must know something about Microsoft's E3 announcement.
Boff @ Jul 9th 2008 5:23AM
That's what I was thinking. There's nothing wrong with the current controller (obviously minus the d-pad) so why would he come out and say that? Unless he was 'asked' to mention it. Seems to much of a coincidence that E3 is just around the corner and there may be an announcement on motion controls.
SadisticHam @ Jul 8th 2008 2:47PM
If he can make gears of war work as well on a motion sensing type controller as it does to this day I'd be all for it, sadly i can't see that happening..all I'd expect is a very dumbed down game.
BobTheElephant @ Jul 8th 2008 2:57PM
As much of a Wii fan as I am, I personally appreciate that the 360 is its own system. I have a Wii for all those weird gesture-based games that I may enjoy, but I have a 360 for everything else...I'd like to keep it that way.
Bumbolio @ Jul 8th 2008 3:01PM
Motion controlls aren't the greatest thing ever, but a pointer like the one in the Wii Remote would make FPSs a whole lot more fun on the console. In my opinion I think that the wiimote and nunchuck combo is the closest you can get to a keyboard and mouse on a console without actually using a keyboard and a mouse. I'm kind of glad that some PS3 games support a key board and mouse setup. I now own all 3 consoles, and I really love FPS games. I just wish they could take the controls from the Wii and combine them with the graphics of the PS3 and Xbox 360. If you don't believe me, and can calm your fanboism for long enough, I suggest that you try Metroid Prime 3, or Medal of Honor Heroes for the Wii. I think that most people would prefer the high level of aiming precision of the wii remote over that of an anolog stick. Then again, this is coming from a person who started playing FPSs on a PC, not a console.
Grant @ Jul 8th 2008 3:25PM
wiimote pointing is too inaccurate for a FPS, it's a big enough pain in the ass to type on decently sized letters on the on screen keyboard, now imagine trying to pull of a headshot with a head that's a 1/4 of the size. the alignment would need serious tweaking and you would find stabilization issues after like 30 minutes of play.
Bumbolio @ Jul 8th 2008 5:10PM
It really comes down to what you're used to. I am personally better with the Wii remote than an analog stick. With an analog stick you have to keep making tiny adjustments and often time you end up over shooting your target. The Wii Remote really shines when you have two targets in front of you and you want to quickly alternate fire between each one. Right now with an analog stick setup, this is achieved through aiming assistance built into the game (like the L trigger in COD 4 single player mode). Once you are proficient with a Wii Remote you can easily get headshots one after the other just by pointing at each target. The Wii Remote is accurate enough to hit every pixel on the screen, which really isn't much considering it only runs in 480p. :P Again once you get steady enough at aiming with the device it is a whole lot better than analog stick controls. Again, I recommend that you try Metroid Prime 3 or Medal of Honor Heroes 2. These are prime examples of what pointing and motion controls can add to the FPS experience.
Ghaleon @ Jul 8th 2008 3:06PM
Yeah, because there's no better way to control an FPS than 10-year-old analog technology ... right.
Vcize @ Jul 8th 2008 3:16PM
I used to be a bigtime Cliffy B defender, but with the direction he appears to be taking Gears 2 (totally revamping the way the game is played making it lancer-centric and much slower) and now this crazy comment I'm beginning to get skeptical.
Grant @ Jul 8th 2008 3:22PM
Cliff is a tool, a game designer, and not a controller designer.
The 360 wireless controller is easily the best controller i've ever used. If the D-pad wasn't such shit, it would be perfect. Not to say dual shock is crap, it just doesn't feel as natural and balanced as the 360 pad does.
Motion works for some games, but not here.
BigDaddyBooth @ Jul 9th 2008 1:23PM
I agree, the 360 controller is definitely the best that I've ever used! Now, if only they made one that was Duke sized...
Teabag @ Jul 8th 2008 3:30PM
I don't completely agree. I would love motion sensitivity but not like the PS3. And not completely like the Wii. I want a solid controller with buttons but with a little innovation in how it is used. How it behaves in my hands. And how it uses motion sensitivity. I agree that today's controllers have many buttons and looks quite intimidating for non gamers. So i would have a mish-mash of technologies and a bit of everything to make one controller to rule them all.
ljung8erg @ Jul 8th 2008 3:44PM
You can't say that FPS's don't work on the Wii cos, in the right hands, they absolutely do and are even more immersive. Metroid Prime and MOH: 2 on the Wii were amazing.
I think Cliff may be over stating his point a little as you can't do without buttons altogether. I would actually prefer if the Wii had a few more buttons. A fine balance between the 360 and Wii-mote would be most welcome.
ccc @ Jul 8th 2008 4:24PM
bad suggestion and a bad idea from a guy that has basically turned everything he has touched into gold in the last couple of years.
Cliffy, seriously the improvements I wanna see with the next ms brand controller for a console better have.................An improved digital pad and its lb and rb buttons work properly. It may not totally be ms fault on this issue with the 360 controllers. If I were them I'd be checking out the factories these things are being made at. This controller is NO GOOD for my fighting games at all.
Everything else about the controller is the result of gaming revolution my friend.
Hows about taking away a few keys on my KB?
If a 360 controller looks like an alien spaceship to you, what the hell comes to mind when you see a keyboard man? The control panel to one of these alien spaceships?
A better thought would have been to call MS out on releasing a damn KB and mouse for this machine so in games like UT3 and Quake you wont be such a retard in movement. The controller works well for most fps games, but it will NEVER be as good as a kb and mouse in certain FPS games.