The Power Glove Lives! - Alternate Game Control Schemes

Thanks to Armchair Arcade for its article discussing alternate videogame control schemes from the '80s to the present day, particularly concentrating on "a consumer VR glove called the P5", which takes a cue from "the legendary [Nintendo] Power Glove." However, the author comments "One thing you will quickly notice when playing [P5-compatible] games is how tired they make your arm... When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher who would punish students by making them stand with their arm over their head for five minutes. At the end of the ordeal, your hands are cold from lack of circulation and your muscles are fatigued. It's the same thing here." Armchair Arcade also has a number of other new articles online, including a look at intellectual property and videogame history, and a discussion of FPS games vs. 2D platformers.

Comments

VR helmets?

[Donimo]

So, where are we with decent 3D goggles or helmets these days? Donimo

Interface

[Lord_Dweomer]

I'd love to see some tactile interface integrated. As well as an "air mouse" type input where you can point your finger at the screen to do things.

An interesting idea?

[SuperMo0]

The FogScreen (previously mentioned on /., if I recall correctly) might be an idea for large arcades or ehibitions (like anime cons)... can you imagine someone playing DDR right under the arrows, essentially replacing the ingame dancers?

P5 & Black & White

[Zarks]

I was think of getting a P5 after I heard that Black & White supported it. Since you only have a hand to control the world with (no menus) being able to do it with your real hand would be cool. Couple that with a VR helmet and it would be totally immersive.

Unfortunatly the actual gameplay of B&W wasn't that good but it had some great ideas and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Garbage positional data...

[TheSwink]

A friend of mine picked a P5 up on a whim (and for a very reasonable $20!). Being a sharp and sprightly lad he created a Virtools BB that exposed the various variables the P5 outputs, for to tinker with: http://devlab.flashbangstudios.biz/article.php?sto ry=20031104014626613#comments -scroll down a bit for the exact post. Unfortunately, his prognosis was that while the finger bending data was simple enough and had the fidelity to be applicable, the positional data is unusable garbage. Because the desktop P5 positional sensor looks at a series of reflectors on the top of the glove to determine 3d position, the 'actual' position of the glove (as far as the sensor is concerned) leaps around in the most annoying manner imaginable if even one if the sensors becomes obscured. If you've seen the glove, you can see how easily that might happen while trying to play a game with it. For my part, I played with it for awhile and found it to be well-designed and aesthetically pleasing, if not practical. For $20 it would make a good centerpiece for a Halloween costume ;).

Virtusphere

[CoreyGH]

http://www.virtusphere.com/ It's basicaly a human sized version of those small plastic spheres you could put your hampster in to let them run around on the floor. The virtusphere apears to sit on top of some wheels. This is where we need to go with VR. I want a game that lets me: 1) walk/run to control character movement 2) Move my head to control view point and 3) Move a gun or other pointer device to control reticle movement. I want to be able to run forward while looking left and at the same time, shoot behind me. Imagine arcades with, say, six of these virtusphere things as well as modded versions of Battlefield 1942 or Counterstrike hooked up to them.

xbox compliant?

[Anubis350]

from the article:
Future editions of the P5 will be compatible with popular game consoles such as PS2 and Xbox.

I dont know about ps2, but the xbox uses a proprietary USB plug, a few minutes with USB extension cable, a connector from an xbox controller cable, and a soldering iron could easily make this xbox compliant. Having done it I can honestly say it takes maybe 5 mins. Now, finding games to play with it might be a little harder....

If there are any linux games that use it though you can linux your xbox (xbox-linux.org) and then use it. Though in that case I guess you could just plug it into your reg computer..... It is cool though... anyways,

Just a comment.
--Aaron