Shenmue 3!

[dataDave]

The only part that really required responsive controls were the fighting sections, and it handled those really well.

[wakka]

I don't think DA was saying that all games should follow Shenmue's control system. Rather that it suits it particularly well.

[nakamura]

Indeed but released Shenmue 3 with the same controls would be a deathwise. I do not wish to fight with the game to do simple tasks. The controls were nothing to do with the 'feel' of the game. That feel was created by the pacing of the game and the design of the locations and all of the ideas packed in there.

[Sketcz]

Considering most of my posts are about retro games I would say I embrace them more than most on here.

Indeed! And you have a Grandia avatar.

[Pikate]

The same controls (naff or not) wouldn't be too bad if the game was built with original Shenmue's resources. A lot of games find charm by embracing their naff, dated features (Fez, Minecraft, Terreira, Mega Man 9, Super Paper Mario). Jet Set Radio HD is a bit of a dog at times in the controls but you get used to it and work in its limitations. Shenmue 3's main attraction is that it's the end to the first two games so it makes sense to complete it in the same way?

[sj33]

Shenmue 3 is unlikely to ever happen. But I wish they'd least release the bloody HD re-release - this actually exists and they're sitting on it. At least we can them play the original games in widescreen.

[darkangel]

Comments like one posted above make me absolutely belly laugh. Keep something awkward and clunky because that is the essence.

Thank god we don't do that or we will still be playing 8bit quality games.

Pretty harsh man, I didn't mean that should be for ALL games but for the ones for whom the controls make the game. Just like Shenmue, and just like old school Resi. You change the controls, you change the very atmosphere and feel of the game.

[darkangel]

I don't think DA was saying that all games should follow Shenmue's control system. Rather that it suits it particularly well.

THIS!

[nakamura]

Pretty harsh man, I didn't mean that should be for ALL games but for the ones for whom the controls make the game. Just like Shenmue, and just like old school Resi. You change the controls, you change the very atmosphere and feel of the game.

I'm sorry if it's harsh but it just sounds like rabid fanboy speak. To change the controls of Shenmue would simply act to make it a better game. The controls are not part of the atmosphere, they are part of a short sighted Sega who didn't see fit to give their machine dual analogue control.

[darkangel]

I'd disagree, there are plenty of games which opt in for more clunky controls for sake of atmosphere on machines which offer dual analogue control.

[nakamura]

Examples?

[wakka]

I'm not sure that the choices regarding Shenmue's controls were solely a product of the single analogue stick on the DC pad. They could've had Ryo's movement mapped to the stick, but they deliberately chose the D-pad instead. Camera control is mostly limited to re-centre using the L trigger anyway, the stick is just used for the first person FREE mode.

edit: Maybe the d-pad movement was a product of the game's Saturn origins. Although even then they could've designed it around the 3D pad.

[sj33]

I'm not sure that I agree that the movement was mapped to the D-Pad by choice. There's no advantage to it - you can have the same weighty control with an analogue stick.

They clearly felt that free movement of the camera whilst walking was an important element of the game (and I would agree), so they made the pragmatic decision to map the movement to the D-Pad instead. It was specifically due to the lack of a second analogue stick.

[wakka]

Hmm yeah I think you're right actually, I didn't think about that...

[sj33]

Which is also probably why they mapped running forwards to the right trigger - it means you can move the camera with your left thumb whilst still running forwards (you would not have been able to do this had they mapped running forwards to the D-Pad).