Evolution of game controllers
Recently, I’ve been involved in a research project about game controllers, comparing different peripheral (gestural or not). This led me to investigate the evolution of game controller over time, a topic already addressed by others.
For instance, Damien Lopez made this insightful mapping (.pdf) for both consoles and portable systems:
Lopez describes this map as a “a collection of small multiples of game controllers of the main gaming systems from the past 25 years (..,) normalized, and the hands are all approximately the same size as each other, and thus the controllers all to scale“. His point was “to show the progression of controller design throughout the last quarter-century. With the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, no more number pads were used on game controllers from that point on“.
On Sock Master, there is also a tree-based representation that tries to connect all the current console controllers with their predecessors. What is interesting here is the notion of diachronic evolution as well as the connection between different “families”.
Why do I blog this? working on the user experience of game controller for different research projects, this kind of representation are important as they map the existing peripherals as well as show how the possibilities evolved over time. It’s overall interesting to note the relative stability in both portable and console shapes but the increasing complexity of controllers. Although sticks remains stable, the number of buttons increases. It would interesting to see how the user experience evolved over time too and see how it’s related with the interface. I need to dig more these graphics and draw some implications about what that means.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
the assertion “With the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, no more number pads were used on game controllers from that point on” is actually not true, as you can see on the second image. The Atari Jaguar, first 64bit console if I remember well, had a numpad
May 13th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
That’s why putting the two classification next to each other is relevant
May 14th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Interesting classification, have you checked the Tina Blaines NIME 05 paper on game controllers and music controlers ? There is a fine comparison of the relation between the player and the peripheral, in the game and music activities…
May 16th, 2008 at 1:31 am
[…] Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » Evolution of game controllers “This led me to investigate the evolution of game controller over time, a topic already addressed by others.” Some nice, detailed graphical analysis of the mess that is controller design over the years. (tags: games interface hci interaction interactiondesign joypad play) […]
May 20th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
[…] Evolution of Game Controllers” […]
June 17th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
[…] up, evolving video-game controllers. Nicholas Nova blogged two attempts (one pictured left, click to enlarge, made by Damian Lopez) to chart the […]
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
[…] Interaktionsdesigner Nicolas Nova hat sich mit der Entwicklung der Spielsteuerung, seit bestehen von Videospielen, befasst. Sein […]
July 25th, 2008 at 3:23 am
[…] Pra quem nasceu nos anos 1980, vai gostar dessa: Evolution of game controllers. […]
September 15th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Interesting! I wrote my honors thesis on the design of game controllers, so you may find it… useful?:
http://www.gamasutra.com/education/theses/20051111/thulatimutte_01.shtml
September 15th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
[…] Evolution of game controllers (tags: design games interface) […]
September 16th, 2008 at 6:05 am
[…] Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » Evolution of game controllers (tags: interaction games interactiondesign controller) Posted by kaigani Filed in Uncategorized […]
September 27th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
[…] via (Pasta&Vinager) […]
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
[…] Achei no “Saber é bom demais…“, depois li no “Super A Fim” e depois no “Pasta&Vinegar” […]
October 7th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
[…] traces the history of video-game controllers. A good read in conjunction with my earlier post about this very topic. What is relevant in that paper is the second part of the issue: how the […]
October 10th, 2008 at 9:22 am
[…] | Pasta&Vinegar En VidaExtra | La excesiva complicación de los mandos de videoconsola En VidaExtra | Las 10 […]
October 10th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Evolución de los mandos a lo largo del tiempo…
Curioso artículo que nos muestra la evolución de los mandos de las consolas a lo largo del tiempo. La diferente evolución de la ergonomía…
October 13th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
You forgot the dreamcast predecessor and first analog control ever, the Sega Saturn Analog gamepad exclusive for the “Nights into dreams” game it does look like dreamcast’ one though take care GREAT LIST!!!