Finally got back from various GDC press events and just jotted down some more quick impressions about Sony's announced PlayStation Move controller. It's definitely a pretty neat piece of hardware; they're really focusing on the accuracy and precision of the device as big features and they are really noticable when you get your hands on it.

It will be fascinating to see how it is received on launch, given the extremely high penetration rates that the Nintendo Wii already has. Stay tuned though!

Question 1) Was it fun?

Unless this gets released with a stream of AAA proper titles designed specifically for this I really doubt it will sell, especially amongst people who already own a Wii, as if its just gimicky party games, chances are they already have them on their Wii and wont want to fork out another few bucks.

All I'm saying is that its gonna take a whole lot of convincing and AAA titles to convince me that this can be more than a gimmick.

Question 1) Was it fun?

it was fun like wii is fun. So yes. But it didn't feel new and exciting. It felt better but not by an order of magnitude to the poirlnt where I felt I must run out and buy a ps3. But it would certainly inform future console buying decisions.

Seems to me like its sitting in a kind of limbo where it doesn't really appeal in a huge way to the existing ps3 install base, but probably isn't enough to make other people who are after those sorts of games go and buy a ps3.

Its a sweet little piece of technology, we were playing with them at work last year, developing a game for it until the company I was working for went broke, and I was impressed by it. I'm just not sure though many people its going to really appeal to. I mean, I'm sure I'll buy one, cos I buy all sorts of gaming gadgetry, but I don't think it'll sell like wildfire like the Wii.

i saw a vid of someone playing the fighting game. it looked unresponsive.

I think that was the only video where it did, im going to assume it was more due to early code and not optimizing the game to respond as well, or gameplay design. Everything else looked pretty smooth.

I agree, I don't think it will have high pen rates, but it will be more of an enhancement to the system and games. As far as AAA titles, they mentioned socom4 and LBP which should be in there. They said they would retroactively add it to existing titles via patches and future.

Question 2) Is it true there is latency/delay in it?

trog addressed the latency factors at length in the article.

Q3) what is sony thinking?

pixmen,

yea socom 4 and LPB but both those games allow you to also use a controller and I have a feeling the it will feel much more natural to use a controller for those games and if you can buy the game and not need the "move" then I hardly think it will be a selling point for the product, as I said they need AAA titles that are designed from the ground up specifically for the "Move".

Also I have heard mention of using it along side the 6 axis function of a regular ps3 controller.
My concern with this is that the 6 axis can sometimes feel a little sloppy and unresponsive.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2r5c1nq.gif

^ dont know if its real but if it is.. impressive!

Q3) what is sony thinking?

what do you mean? surely its obvious they're trying to get a piece of that phat casual/family gaming pie. Everyone loves pie!

surely its obvious they're trying to get a piece of that phat casual/family gaming pie

Causal, family gaming... for only $700.

can I haz sum pie trog?

mmm penetration rates

wiis got the pie. sony just playing catch up. as usual

700$ where the hell do u shop, 3yrs ago or something?

Well a 120gb PS3 is about $500 and you'd have to think move will be at least $150 or so, so you're going to be pushing $700 to get the whole kit. Definitely not in the same ballpark as a Wii.

I personally can't see myself investing in it, whilst i like playing the wii i don't really get into the whole being active while gaming thing, im the guy that sits on the couch and twitches the controller to do what i want. Natal and Move look like effort.

Well a 120gb PS3 is about $500 and you'd have to think move will be at least $150 or so, so you're going to be pushing $700 to get the whole kit. Definitely not in the same ballpark as a Wii.

But as much as I hate to admit it, a ps3 is probably 100x better than a wii.