Last night was a big night. The anticipation built up, expectations were set high, rumors were dismissed and speculations were cleared out. Sony opened up to the world last night. We've got a lot to talk about. I'll begin with Playstation 4's Dualshock 4 controller.
The Playstation 4 prototype controller was leaked not too long ago and mock-ups of what potentially the PS4 controller could look like were made. A lot of players revere the classic Playstation controller. Having the same layout throughout three generations of consoles really attaches to the consumer. Getting used to one layout for almost 20 years now will definitely stick to a person.
After seeing what it could possibly look like from the leaks and concepts, some were discouraged by the design. Many took comfort in the fact that the leaked photo was of a prototype of the Playstation 4's controller and the fact that the final retail version of the PS4's controller might not look like that. Those who did seek comfort will be sad to learn that the prototypes and Playstation 4 controller mock ups were actually pretty close.
The Dualshock 4 incorporates elements from the Dualshock 3, Playstation Move and of course, the PS Vita. The Dualshock 4 will feature a touchpad, better rumble, better latency, headphone jack, lightbar and finally, the infamous Share button. I'll touch more on that later.
The Analogue Sticks
My main issue with the Playstation 3 controller was the convex analogue sticks. The rounded grip just didn't feel right, my thumb would slip off on more than one occasion and I just couldn't find a better grip. The sticks also felt a little loose to me. That's just me though.
Thankfully, the Playstation 4 controller seems to be more compact, more weight to it. The Playstation 4 analogue sticks are similar to that of the Xbox 360, a concave grip with a small trim. This will help you and your thumb find that sweet spot. By sinking your thumb into the controller as opposed to resting on the top, you'll get a much better grip and the stick will flow with your thumb with all ease.
The Touchpad
The Playstation 4 Dualshock controller will feature a touch pad, just like the one in the PS Vita. The touchpad is a device with a tactile sensor that can track the motion of the user's finger and project it onto the screen. Just like the type you are probably using right now on your laptops. Sony did not announce how the Playstation 4 will incorporate the touchpad with games just yet.
Ultimately, game developers decide how functional and useful the touchpad can be. Hopefully they don't try too hard to utilize the touchpad and force unnecessary actions on us just for the sake of using it. I can see certain actions like a quick swipe of the thumb could switch to your secondary weapon. I'd like to see them use it as a shortcut more than anything else.
The Lightbar
The Lightbar, which is featured on the top of the PS4 controller, helps identify a user and responds to what is actually happening in-game. It's works in the same way LED lights work in certain mice and keyboards, specifically the APM counter. Say you get hurt in the game, the light will go red or yellow, or it can flash every time you fire a weapon. It also performs the same function as the Playstation Move by helping track the motion of the Playstation 4 controller.
The D-Pad
The Playstation never really had a problem when it came to the directional pads. The general consensus is that the Playstation had a better D-pad than the Xbox. The directions are separate buttons as opposed to the Xbox version, where all four directions are essentially one button.
The Playstation 4's d-pad will have an angle, perching them up for a better grip and an easier press.
The Triggers
The analogue sticks weren't the only thing convex about the controller. The triggers were too. Sony changed that in the Playstation 4, making the triggers a little longer in length and straightened them out.
The Share Button
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Probably the biggest and most emphasized feature last night was the Share button. The Playstation 4 is a social butterfly and this is where it starts. The Playstation 4's Share button will allow you to seamlessly share and broadcast your gameplay to your friends and to the general public with streaming capabilities.
You can watch your other friends play in real-time and even help them out. Say you're stuck on a certain level, your friend can not only watch you struggle live, but can toss you a special weapon to help you out. He can even take control of your game and solve the task for you. It also allows you to go back and record that sweet no-scope you pulled it off and share it with your pals for bragging rights.
Ergonomics
The Dualshock 3 was too light and flimsy for my taste. It was small and thin and if you got sweaty, it got slippery. The Playstation 4's controller seems a lot more compact. With thicker and wider grips and a little more surface area, it looks like it could fit nicely in our hands. The grips have gotten significantly larger in girth.
The bottom half of the controller has a different texture than the surface, probably providing a better grip. The Playstation 4 controller weighs 7.4 ounces whereas the Playstation 3 controller weighs 6.7 ounces. Stick around for more new about the Playstation 4, right here on At7addak.