Controller Designbrought to you by: TheJelloKarabooSqaud

Abstract

In these slides we will dive into what inspired each person on the team. They will explain some of their own key features to their personal design and the way they choose to do so. We will then explore the design that the team has created together. Each team member will explain what they pulled from their own design and how they implemented into the design that you see. We will wrap things up with our schematics of the teams controller and what games can be utilized for our controller, with our prototype and game test that we have conducted.

Introduction and Design Purpose

We are designing a human-computer interface device more commonly known as (HCI); our design is a controller for people with physical disabilities that only have the use of one hand. Our objective is to make the best controller possible for one handed use. We aim to have an easy to master and comfortable controller for these types of gamers. Our presentation is going to show a clean prototype and some important information on our product. We have also shown schematics for the button layout and the design method behind our innovative design. Lastly we have proof of our controllers value and use by capturing pictures of extensive playtesting session that were performed to guarantee our controllers usability.

Inspiration The inspiration of placing a modular button mapping design is to give the player the option to use one-hand whether it’s their left or right hand. Modular features make this controller flexible for the handicapped player and customizable for the average player. “Address the flexibility to accommodate all players, so making the core button scheme of (Triangle, Square, Circle, X) modular will allow the player to adjust for left-handed or right-handed gameplay (Stewart, 2015).” In our design as a team we put this flexibility on all the buttons, allowing for full customization; making the controller appealing to not only one-handed players but also your standard two-handed player.

- Anthony Stewart

Inspiration cont. My main inspiration came from both the Razor Naga mouse (Razer, Aug. 2009) and Razor Tartarus (Razer, Aug. 2013); while the controllers were designed for the PC there are key features on it that I believe are very vital to a person who plays games with only one hand that can easily be moved to a controller on the PlayStation 4. The most important feature for me is how the controllers are shaped to fit better with our hands. This allows for better motions with our fingers and less strain on our arm because it is natural to the way we already play games and how our physical body is shaped. “Having movement controlled with the thumb is important as it is already what most current day controllers have trained players to use, so it will be much more natural.”(Brandon Pounds, Week 1: Controller Design Discussion). These two products also have a very rare shape that helps support the human hand, meaning that the size is much

larger and feels much more natural to control.

- Brandon Pounds

Inspiration cont.The inspiration for my design aspect that has been incorporated into the team’s controller design comes from the simple yet effective usability of Batman’s tools in the video game Batman Arkham Asylum. When analyzing the tools that the caped crusader uses one will see that his tools have an ergonomic control layout most of the time placing a button under all of Batman’s fingers so he can use the device’s multiple functions with ease. “The design of the controller uses every finger to work the buttons allowing the design team to make the controller compact and easy to use with one hand” (Austin Steyer, Week 1: Controller Design Discussion).

- Austin Steyer

Inspiration cont.I was inspired by the PS4 controller and gaming mice. I know that we were not able to use a mouse, however I think mice are very easy to use for a single hand. I wanted to take something that was inspired by a mouse that had multiple hotkeys but for PS4. I found multiple sites that stated why mice worked better than controllers. Quoted from smi1ey off of tay.kinja.com “You have more control over your mouse fidelity (tracking, weight, sensitivity, etc) via software and hardware features. Most PC games allow for fully customizing keyboard and mouse button bindings, while this often isn't the case for controllers.”(smil1ey, Ph18). When I designed my prototype I wanted to use not only the controller but integrate it with the Project Morpheus headset. I dove deep into the how Sony designed the controller and how many working prototypes did they have. In my research I found that Sony worked with multiple companies to create a better gaming controller not only for players but to designers as well. In this attempt I used the form of a mouse, combined with having the keys in proximity to your primary fingers.

- Aaron Christian

Inspiration cont.Well my inspiration came from my own mind. I sat down and I Just looked at my hand and tried to think of a way to make a controller fit comfortably. After a while of thinking I put my cellphone down and tried some ideas. I later came up with my original design, other than my cell phone’s shape and the buttons from the Playstation 4 controller, the inspiration came from my mind. “While the Nintendo gave you a single analogue stick to play with on its quirky trident controller in 1996, a year later, Sony launched the Dual Analog Controller as a PlayStation peripheral. Ape Escape launched in 1999, becoming the first game designed specifically for two analogue sticks, and we’ve been using the same control paradigm ever since.” The Galaxy S6 Edge's curved screen helped me make the idea for my trigger buttons being on the bottom slightly.

- Justin Lelos

Design Method Our team’s design methodology was pretty standard we went through each of our first week controller designs and picked out what seemed to be the most important and or most beneficial to the controller. We then shaped our current design around these key features to make the best controller possible. As you can see in figure one we attempted to give the controller a “natural feeling” shape, close to the shape of a mouse for comfortability since there are a lot of studies on the benefits of the mouse shape. In figure two we took the idea of having all the buttons in close proximity for quick button mashing and accessibility. Figure three shows that either hand can be used which gave us the basis idea for having modules in our controller. Figure four shows that all fingers can be used simultaneously at anytime on the controller for ease of use. Lastly figure five shows two analogs which we decided to use on our final design for easier directional control of the player and camera.

Brandon Pounds

Figure one

Figure twoAaron Christian

Figure threeAnthony Stewart

Figure fourAustin Steyer

Figure fiveJustin Lelos

Schematic Diagram

Design AssumptionsThere are several ways to make games accessible to those with physical disabilities, one way is to design games intended to be accessible for them also known as “one-switch games.” The other way is to use special hardware, which makes mainstream video games accessible to physically disabled gamers. I decided to use the modular approach with my design feature because I wanted this controller to work for all sorts of games. If the gamer likes sports games, they can arrange the controller to help them move with the player better and do special moves quicker. If the gamer like’s first person shooters, then they can move the triggers and analog sticks into a position that makes it comfortable to shoot and look around seamlessly. And even if the gamer is into role-playing games, the gamer can change the button mapping to fit the way they play their character. Having a modular feature adds relevance to the controller’s flexibility for every type of gamer. That way games that are generally designed and mainstreamed can be enjoyed by persons with physical disabilities with ease.

- Anthony Stewart

Design Assumptions cont. The design for the controller is to have a similar shape of a mouse yet larger, and have the controller be in proportion to the average human hand; so the user has the most comfort and control over all the features of our controller. A traditional mouse it is too small to fit the shape and size of the human hand, when the object is too small people will grip or hover their fingers over buttons which can cause a lot of tension and strain not only in your hand, but your wrist and entire arm as well. This creates a muscle overload and in short will cause many problems for both your nerves and muscles leading from your hand up to your neck. “A conventional mouse instigates gripping and pinching next to hovering of the fingers above the switch buttons. Based on in vivo tests during field research, it is assumed muscle spasms in the deep neck muscles may occur” “Exertion of (unnecessary) static forces like gripping, pinching and hovering (extensor loads) result in muscles acting continuously.” (van Zwieten,Schmidt, Helder, Lippens, Zoubova, Zinkovsky, p. 02, para. 06, 2011) So in order to prevent this problem the controller must be shaped based on the natural position and contour of both the human hand and arm. A mouse is easiest to use with only one hand, which is why it is important to understand the setbacks of a conventional mouse when creating a controller that has a similar shape to a mouse. Having a person use a controller that is natural to their physical body will eliminate many of the physical issues that can occur. “According to us such effects can be avoided by means of providing fitting support, thus preventing the mentioned muscle overload.” (van Zwieten,Schmidt, Helder, Lippens, Zoubova, Zinkovsky, p. 03, para. 03, 2011) Allowing the controller to remain stationary will also provide less stress on the wrist and again prevent any physical problems. This is why the controller is designed to fit the shape and size of the human hand as well as remain stationary on a flat surface.

- Brandon Pounds

Design Assumptions cont.Our design for the controller is very simple. We wanted something that did not require you to use your legs or any other body part. We really looked deep into how the PS4 controller’s schematic is laid out and how the players uses it. Having the thumb be your main point of movement and placed on the side, it allows the player to grip the controller with very little strained to the wrist or arm. This is because when laying your hand flat on your thumb sits on its side. We also understand that some fingers are shorter than others so having the keys at a slight angle makes the controller feel natural and easy to use. I found a study that showed there is a great split between users using controllers compared to using a mouse. But in this study I also found that a majority of the people use both mouse and controllers or that they would like to use both. The article from tay.kinja.com by smi1ey shows this.

· “37% of Kotaku readers prefer to use a mouse and keyboard if possible.· 40% of Kotaku readers prefer use a controller if possible.· 23% of Kotaku readers use both about the same.· 48% of Kotaku readers are willing to use both as needed/preferred.(Smi1ey, PH3)” This shows that by design this type of controller we could not only design for single arm players, but to players that prefer the use of a controller or a mouse. We have created this controller to fit the design of a mouse that is accurate to your hand and the way your fingers are oriented naturally.

- Aaron Christian

Design Assumptions cont.My individual design assumption from week one was having two analog sticks. I was originally thinking about the one but I found it would be difficult to play many games with only one analog. So I stuck with the classic two analog sticks based off of the PlayStation 4 controller. The other reason I chose two is because when I was testing my other designs I always felt that I was missing something and it was the second analog. After many different types of prop types I found placing them close together for the thumb and index or index and ring finger was the best control options. The only way I could see myself successfully using a controller would be my dual analogs.

- Justin Lelos

Design Assumptions cont.My contribution for the controller was the utilization of all of the digits on one hand. By using more fingers for the controls and placing the buttons in a natural arch the player has a faster reaction time when moving from one button to another. With a simple and easy to use default button layout our controller is easy to learn. That being said the modular system added by another designer allows players to move the buttons to a more comfortable layout for individual use.

- Austin Steyer

Control Mapping Battlefield is a first person shooter that a lot of players play and enjoy. We have made sure that we have designed the controller to fit the gamer’s needs to be able to play not only Battlefield, but all first person shooters. Our schematic shows how easy and comfortable it is to shoot while looking down sights, using the Aim and Shoot buttons (L2,R2). We have also made it easy for players to reload weapons( ), change weapons( ), and even use the knife feature(R3). We have made sure that all controls are applied for any type control layout that the player prefers.

Control MappingLittle Big Planet is a staple game for the PlayStation in its entirety. From the first game of the Franchise to the newest it has continued to captivate all players regardless of their game preferences. This is why we are using it as a key scheme for our controller. Most of the controls are used by the same buttons. The O button, X button, button, button will be operated by the players middle or ring finger. The same will be used for both trigger buttons and the R1 and L1 buttons. Players will use their index finger to control the right analog stick to aim and the directional pad for the expressions. Players will use their thumb to move their character with the left analog stick.

Control MappingFIFA is a fast-paced game that requires response and precision in button interaction. This button mapping allows the player to use middle finger and ring finger to reach all shoot and pass buttons while still maneuvering with the ease using the thumb stick.

Prototype

Playtest Playtester-Aaron Proctor Level of skill-Proficient Gender- MaleAge- 25

Thought on Controler:Subject believed with minimal practice that the controller would be natural and easy to use. Subject confessed that he was worried as to whether or not the controller would stand up to an inclusive and active game such as a first person shooter due to the default location of the action buttons ( Triangle, Square, Circle, Cross.) Subject believed that the modular nature of the controller would fix these problems.

Post MortemWhat happened correctly for our design process would be that we had multiple designs then built on them and created the best combination between them all. We also had great synergy and were able to work together to maximum capacity.

What happened incorrectly is that we got to in depth about how the controller would actually function using codes past the prototype design expectations.

What we would do differently would be to focus on specifics of the assignment without getting too into our project. The team was very passionate which isn't necessarily bad but we should stick to the prototyping piece instead of final design. Designing a controller for only one hand is both complex and takes a lot of forethought in how to use the human hand to its full extent without hindering the player.

ReferencesDualShock 4 Wireless Controller for PlayStation 4 - Jet Black. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://www.amazon.com/DualShock-Wireless-Controller-PlayStation-Black-4/dp/B00BGA9X9W

Galaxy S6 edge | 64GB, 5.1" Dual Curve Display (Black Sapphire). (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/smartphones/galaxy-s/SM-G925FZKEBTU

LTPD: Mouse & Keyboard vs. Controller: RESULTS. (2014, August 15). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://tay.kinja.com/ltpd-mouse-keyboard-vs-controller-1619460568

Partridge, J. (2014, December 3). Happy birthday! 20 ways PlayStation changed gaming. Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://www.redbull.com/us/en/games/stories/1331693153945/20-ways-playstation-changed-gaming

Playstation 4. (2015, July 19). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_4/tay.kinja.com/ltpd-mouse-keyboard-vs-controller-1619460568

Razor Naga Image (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from http://a.tgcdn.net/images/products/zoom/e5b9_razer_naga_new.jpg

Razor Tartarus Image (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from http://assets.razerzone.com/eeimages/products/13965/razer-tartarus-gallery-4-v2.png

TteSPORTS - VENTUS. (2014). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://www.ttesports.com/Mouse/149/VENTUS/productPage.htm?a=a&g=ftr#.VavmTesk-Zw

Van Zwieten, K., Schmidt, K., Helder, P., Lippens, P., Zoubova, I., & Zinkovsky, A. (2011). Document Server@UHasselt: Effects of the use of a special computer mouse : The HandShoe Mouse. Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://hdl.handle.net/1942/13042