Sorry for bumping the thread, but I came up with another possible (and, probably, crazy) idea for next gen Nintendo handheld hardware, but I didn't want to create a brand new thread just for that. This idea would also blend fantastically with the software creation application I described in this post -
http://neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=79433181&postcount=135 ,but it would also represent a drastic concept as a whole.
It's a second idea about the hardware itself. If you remember correctly, I already posted here my first concept for the next handheld, a foldable design BUT with two screens of equal dimensions, both touch and attached to each other. Then, if the console is fully open, you'd have basically one giant screen (and people should have the option of selecting between classic two screens mode and one giant touch screen mode). So, a sort-of-tablet, but with the whole recent handheld Nintendo identity (foldable design, two screens) still presents.
Now, the brand new concept I thought about is based on both the screens not just being "simple" touch screens, but haptic screens. Haptic technology allows for much greater feedback compared to normal touch screens, much better reliability for control. Then, thinking at haptic technology AND, as also muu in another similar thread did, how Monster Hunter uses the bottom screen (touch d-pad), I've had this (I admit it)
extreme idea.
Yep, those buttons are on the screen, not on the console. They're digital (except L and R, still physical). Yeah, we allo know that digital analogues on touch screens, as well buttons on the touch are too unreliable to be considered reliable enough, let alone as reliable as real analogues / buttons. But, as said earlier, hatpic technology should greatily diminish such a legitimate concern, and in the next years it'll even improve.
However... what are the advantages of using digital buttons?
Actually there are many of them
-You can put both analogues, d-pad and buttons on the top screen, when you play with the console wide open
- You can put them all on the bottom screen, if you play in a classic DS-like portable style
- You can put some of them on the top screen, other on the bottom
- You can change size and position of single bottons
- You can customize the single parts, with special skins for the background, bottons and what else (they could be unlockable through completing Nintendo's version of Achievements/Trophies)
- Becoming the best emulator system ever. Yeah: to play older games with much bigger fidelity than ever, just select that console's control scheme, and go. Think about replaying Super Smash Bros. Melee with all your favourite Nintendo Gamecube analogues and buttons (the great A!), just as an example
- Letting developers creating special control setupus just for specific games. Like, a Street Fighter game having an arcade like setup, with simulated arcade sticks and arcade buttons, in conjunction with something similar to SSFIV's touch functions. Or, a Steel Battalion game where there are many things to touch on both sides of the top screen, for a bigger immersion in the game itself
Letting the customer him/herself decide the setup to use would make this console perfect for everyone, for every kind of customer / hand. And a great way to let people themselves customise the console, at least on the screen itself. What's also great about this design is that, if you rotate the console, it can become a good-looking sort-of-tablet device, which is something quite difficult when physical buttons are involved. And it'd be a foldable sort-of-tablet too. When rotated, there wouldn't be the "pad bars", the whole two screens would be used for surfing the web, eShop, and other functions.
Tell me (hopefully, without insulting me too much due to physicial buttons being lacking XD ) what do you think about this.
And this is the brand new hardware concept which I came up with. As said earlier, I'm 100% aware it's a different, risky concept, especially looking at how games on mobile and tablets which try to use on-ouch-analogues and screens, but with the help of haptic technology, there'd be so many advantages for the customers, but developers as well, giving to them much, much bigger gameplay possibilities on both touch screens, and not just the bottom one...great possibilities, given the technology I still remember I had to post other thoughts on there, I hope to remember that...and this time, posting as well.