Microsoft Dismiss Rumble Feedback
Oh the irony.
Published: 21:23, 08/07/2010 by Dan Lee.
36Cast your mind back to the launch of the PS3 sans DualShock 3 - “a next gen machine without a rumble controller!” we cried. “Rumble is a last gen feature!” Sony pleaded.
Back then Microsoft were quite vocal on the matter, strutting about the place with a puffed out chest and a vibrating controller in hand (ooh err).
How times change though, as general manager of Microsoft Game Studios – Kudo Tsunoda – has proven. Speaking to Edge about Kinect, he had the following to say;
“The thing I was most worried about was the [lack] of haptic feedback, but it’s been really interesting how much you can do with visuals and audio.
In many of the games we have, people will crash a vehicle and they’ll go totally like this [mimes dodging out of the way]! And even people playing games with a controller, there’s always people doing this [mimes driving motion]. They want to be moving. There’s natural movements and reactions involved. I’ve never seen someone doing that from rumble. It’s the audiovisual stuff.
The overwhelming thing we’ve discovered is that rumble is such a rudimentary form of haptic feedback. It’s not like a little rumble in your palm is your whole way of interacting with the world – it’s not like, oh, I stubbed my toe and I get a little rumble in my palm.
It’s almost laughable the way people hold on to rumble as the holy grail of haptic feedback. We’ve gone so far past anything that can be done with rumble, or that kind of restrictive thing you have to hold. It’s been creatively liberating to work on this stuff.”
An unbelievable bit of backtracking right there – and one we don’t fully agree with. Whilst rumble feedback is quite a basic form of interaction, it’s one that has proven useful time and time again. The approach of an enemy tank, the slight change in terrain in a racing game, the sick thud of a bullet as it buries itself into your chest – rumble lets you feel it all.
I guess the good news is that with Kinect we will actually be stubbing our toes prancing about the living room to ‘generic party game number 5′ – no rumble required.
Source: Edge
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08/07/2010 at 21:25
Member since: Jan 2009
Have a controller rumble in my hand or my hands flailing about when playing a game? I think I’ll stick with the rumble.
09/07/2010 at 10:42
Member since: Jun 2009
I can’t help but laugh at Microsoft, can’t be bothered slagging them off, they pretty much do it to themselves. Idiots ! i would rather have the optional extra of having a rumble, than nothing at all for alot more money.
08/07/2010 at 21:26
Member since: Forever
Yeah, I love it when my controller rumbles when a tank drives past.
08/07/2010 at 23:45
Member since: Jul 2009
Me too i love when my hand shakes.
Hahahahahaha poor MS bastards
08/07/2010 at 21:35
Member since: Apr 2010
another smashing jewel in Microsoft’s hypocracy crown there!
08/07/2010 at 23:20
Member since: Sep 2009
Absolutely – Microsoft will say black is white if it promotes Kinect! Are they expecting us to quietly forget the big song and dance they made about rumble when Sony tried to argue movement was better than rumble 5 years ago? From what I remember a survey showed something like 80% of gamers said rumble was ‘important’ or ‘very important’ and that it enhanced their gaming experience. In fact people said it was more important than backwards-compatibility!
08/07/2010 at 21:47
Member since: Jul 2009
Sony were equally full of shit when they said that rumble was last-gen. They’d got themselves into a legal bind and could only attempt to blag their way out. However, what’s great to know is that Kudo Tsunoda is equally full of the brown stuff as he tries to play down the total lack of physical feedback.
The reason people are moving their bodies as if to avoid a vehicle is because they want to. I see scores of people doing this with a controller. The rumble is usually the impact after you’ve failed to avoid said vehicle. There’s never been a rumble to denote trying to steer around a car/truck/bus/etc. You, sir, are a spazzer and have been caught out in an instant.
Realise that every piece of hardware has pros and cons. Kinect has a massive con when it comes to physical feedback. There is none.
08/07/2010 at 22:38
Member since: Dec 2009
Don’t give spazzers a bad name ;), the reason people move to avoid impacts etc. is all because of the visual clues the screen sends to our eyes and is processed by our brain as ‘real’ because of our immersion in the game and has nothing to do with a controller. But if he’s right i guess Microsoft will start making all their standard controllers rumble-free from now on..
08/07/2010 at 21:52
Member since: Apr 2010
I’m afraid I may have to agree with him. I have a Dualshock 3 and a standard Sixaxis with my PS3. The other day I spent a good few hours playing Split/Second (a very “rumbly” game what with all the big bangs) and didn’t even notice I had picked up the non rumble Sixaxis by mistake. I was too busy concentrating on the screen to take any notice of whether the thing in my hands was vibrating (no jokes please). I expect it’s the same for most people, you take it for granted, but probably wouldn’t notice or miss it much if it wasn’t there.
Urgh, I just defended MS and on a Kinect topic of all things. Time to take a long shower and say 100 Hail Mary’s.
08/07/2010 at 22:00
Member since: Jul 2009
I notice if I pick up the wrong controller instantly. It’s too light. However, I was very pleased to get a DualShock as the experience definitely felt more connected. For me, I love it when the controller thuds twice… waits, thuds twice…. waits… all to denote your heart beating and that you’re at death’s door. Not sure what games do it but it’s great!
08/07/2010 at 22:17
Member since: Apr 2010
True, it does add to the experience when it’s there. But my point is, when it’s not, it doesn’t detract from the experience, it doesn’t make the gameplay any worse. Did you honestly find yourself missing it back in the days before they released the DualShock 3? Do you game on PC? Do you feel something is missing when your keyboard and mouse don’t rumble when you’re at death’s door on a PC game?
08/07/2010 at 23:08
Member since: Oct 2008
Depends on the game.. In FPS’s I really like the rumble feedback as it tends to register the recoil, without it – its feel kinda of empty. And yes I do get that kinda of emptiness on the PC. It feels.. strange.
09/07/2010 at 00:55
Member since: Forever
Hey quick tip! : open up your dualshock3 and super glue some small bolts (or any bit of heavy metal) to the weighted spindles,and hey presto, even more rumble…er…in the jungle…
08/07/2010 at 22:09
Member since: Dec 2008
“Generic Party Game Number 5 Please” said in the next available cashier voice in argos…
08/07/2010 at 22:23
Member since: Dec 2008
I really missed rumble in the Sixaxis. I can remember getting the Dualshocks one morning in the post and then playing Dark Sector. The different was incredible and its become something we take for granted. Sony sort of reminded how much its become a part of gaming.
MS are really trying to cover their backs with Kinnect. They’ll do a brilliant job of marketing it as usual and the casuals will lap it up.
08/07/2010 at 22:26
Member since: Jun 2010
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots had some of the best use of rumbleshock. It added to the gameplay but was also very subtle in places which was very clever.
08/07/2010 at 22:35
Member since: Aug 2009
That game is probably one of the best examples of how to youse rumble feedback in a controller and makes you connect and interact with it more. I think it is also quite essential for some shooters be them 1st or 3rd perspective when firing weapons or being shot yourself. But I do think alot of gamers and developers take it for granted, I for one missed it greatly when Sony first didged it and was glad they admitted they were wrong and broughtg it back and developers need to try to implement it in smarter ways.
09/07/2010 at 01:37
Member since: Nov 2008
I was just about to mention that. I’ve been playing it through again over the last few days and the inventive use of rumble in the cutscenes really stood out to me. Anyone who thinks rumble is unimportant really needs to give a play through
08/07/2010 at 22:42
Member since: May 2009
I’ve never really missed the rumble when playing PSP games until I got F1 09 and Gran Turismo. Although they are both good games (best racing games on PSP), they don’t feel quite right without rumble.
08/07/2010 at 22:44
Member since: Jul 2009
They should make a rumble mat; something you stand on that sends vibrations up your body haha. Call it the VibroMat…although that sounds dodgy :/
09/07/2010 at 01:03
Member since: Jan 2010
Sega made something along those lines for REZ when it came out, can’t remember all that much about it but look it up if you can be arsed.