Tue, Dec 08, 2009 | 07:44 GMT

Sony patents slew of motion controller add-ons

ps3motion2

Sony’s gone ahead and patented a lunatic amount of add-ons for its upcoming motion controller. Kotaku’s got a decent prĂ©cis.

Basically, if you can imagine something that you can stick on the end of a stick, Sony’s probably just patented it. The patent itself is for an “Expandable Control Device Via Hardware Attachment”.

It’s all bollocks, obviously. The motion controller itself is planned for a spring release.

13 comments

#1

DrDamn
08/12/09, 8:54 am

Swappable control faceplates look like a cunning idea.

#2

DrDamn
08/12/09, 9:41 am

Actually looking at the scans it looks interesting. When Nintendo did a similar patent the picks were of a vast array of plastic add ons to make the wiimote look like something else but not add functionality. These designs – whilst they may never get used – look to be about functionality and not frippery.

#3

JonFE
08/12/09, 10:21 am

There’s something wrong with Fig. 6B, but I just can’t put my finger on it. Anyone care to enlighten me?

http://cache-foo-01.gawkerassets.com/gawker/assets/images/9/2009/12/500x_wand_patent_6.jpg

#4

Robo_1
08/12/09, 10:37 am

How about an analogue stick attachment????

#5

Gekidami
08/12/09, 11:03 am

Rumour is a ‘nunchuck’ is being worked on.

#6

Blerk
08/12/09, 1:27 pm

Oh Gods, make it stop!

#7

Quiiick
08/12/09, 2:20 pm

@ Robo_1

Figure 2D on sheet 2 of the patent may be some kind of analogue controller.
http://cache-foo-09.gawkerassets.com/gawker/assets/images/9/2009/12/500x_wand_patent_8.jpg

#8

theevilaires
08/12/09, 2:29 pm

this is getting stupid. Its due out spring eh?… I feel sorry for the poor bastards. Its gonna sell well around Gow3,FFXIII,GT5,and all the other 3rd party games….stupid,stupid,stupid.

#9

JonFE
08/12/09, 2:47 pm

What? tea questioning Sony’s tactics?? Is it 2012 already???

:D

#10

The Hindle
08/12/09, 2:49 pm

Can you imagine say Uncharted 3 with motion controls or Killzone 3, it will be like what the Wii should be hi def graphics with the Wii remote

#11

McLovin85
08/12/09, 3:17 pm

‘Can you imagine say Uncharted 3 with motion controls or Killzone 3′

Yes…yes i can and it would be shit. I’d take sitting down on my sofa with a controller any day of the week. Motion controllers r just useless.

#12

Mauller
08/12/09, 3:25 pm

Thing is going to end up looking more like a dildo than the Wiimote with it’s vibration.

#13

Quiiick
08/12/09, 3:46 pm

I agree with those who are skeptical about control schemes other than the standard “12 buttons + 2 analogue sticks” gamepad for consoles. On the other hand I strongly believe that game input methods need to evolve over time.

I just wish Sony or MS could somehow upgrade the analogue sticks of a regular controller in such a way that precision would be much better. Ideally even more accurate than mouse input for pc-games. I guess no one would refuse such a device even if these controllers would be double in price.

My advice: don’t reinvent the input schemes, just try to make standard controllers even more precise to aim and move around within a game.

Leave a Reply