Game Technology

The ergonomics of consoles and their inputs!

The first console, the 'brown box', was quite literaly, a box that was brown.
Since then, consoles stayed boxy until 1985 when the gameboy was released. Two corners and two rounded corners. And now in 2008 consoles are heavy but curvey, minus the wii. Despite the ps3's shinyness and the 360's waist, in order to play a game in comfort, you need to think about the controller. So yeah, forget the console thats not that important...

People (unfortunately) do actualy sit for hours on their consoles tapping and bashing away. Therefore it is only right that the console designer makes it a comfortable amount of hours.

As with the consoles, the joysticks were also very square. e.g, the atari 2600 joystick was so clunky and heavy it was hard to play with. Not only that, it lacked a pause button. No toilet for you.

They then released another square input which did have a pause button, but was awkward to play with and users would get hand strains often.

Sega started the round controllers, which inevitably fitted both hands more comfortably, yet were quite flat.

Today, we have the classic playstation controller, which is clearly so good its stayed since 1995. I personaly prefer the ps controller over other handheld inputs. The 360 controller is comfortable but for me too large. The first xbox controller for me, was just horrid!!

As for the future of game inputs, as they say, the future is now! No, really, the wii contrillers get people off their butts and gets them to excersise a little. I really like the wii's way, but i dont own one and whenever i try to play i find it strange and difficult.

Now however, a brain controlled, yes, brain controlled input is close to going into production. I think it may already be. Its expected retail price is like £150.. so goes to show that technology is not only far these days but is getting cheaper.

They didnt really have the means to create rounded things cheaply in the 60's, so you cant really blame them for their boxy ways.

However, i dont think ergonomics will ever go to far, as for the sake of the person who pays for your games, they need to play comfortably!!