IPC2 and P2 keyborard wars

[gadgetoid]

It would probably also shut people up about the layout of the buttons... which only approximate SNES anyway, and are irrelevant for everything else.


UI hints are the way forward, I still can't wrap my head around the simple genius of those.

 

[diligentcircle]

It would probably also shut people up about the layout of the buttons... which only approximate SNES anyway, and are irrelevant for everything else.

That sounds exactly like what I said, or did you mean something slightly different?

 

[gadgetoid]

It would probably also shut people up about the layout of the buttons... which only approximate SNES anyway, and are irrelevant for everything else.

That sounds exactly like what I said, or did you mean something slightly different?

Oh. I fail at reading comprehension! Yes, it's exactly what you said.


Edit: The one problem with the idea, is that the ABXY buttons already exist for the Pandora and iControlPad, new buttons would incur a cost

 

[frefol]

You also have to assume there would be someone who would complain about not having any gaming buttons. Even though it might be obvious to us that the buttons would also be used for games, if they are labeled as media controls someone will think that is all they are good for.

 

[gadgetoid]

You also have to assume there would be someone who would complain about not having any gaming buttons. Even though it might be obvious to us that the buttons would also be used for games, if they are labeled as media controls someone will think that is all they are good for.

Oh god, don't say things like that! You could well be right!


The spacebar *is* bugging me now. Those two extra buttons could be handy, specially as I'd like a dedicated "mode" button that has no other purpose than for altering keys to send commands directly to the firmware for various reasons.

 

[diligentcircle]

You also have to assume there would be someone who would complain about not having any gaming buttons. Even though it might be obvious to us that the buttons would also be used for games, if they are labeled as media controls someone will think that is all they are good for.

Hmm... the Gizmondo is the only device I know of with game controls like this. Did it have any problems like that?

 

[Christoph.Krn]

You also have to assume there would be someone who would complain about not having any gaming buttons. Even though it might be obvious to us that the buttons would also be used for games, if they are labeled as media controls someone will think that is all they are good for.

Oh god, don't say things like that! You could well be right!


The spacebar *is* bugging me now. Those two extra buttons could be handy, specially as I'd like a dedicated "mode" button that has no other purpose than for altering keys to send commands directly to the firmware for various reasons.

The idea of having media controls on the game buttons is nice, but is only fully understandable for people who know about all the backgrounds, i.e., only works well for those who have understood the reasoning behind any custom AYBX, CDGH, ORGT, ÄÖÜß, or whatever else arbitrary labels, and thus is inherently detrimental (since as you said, it will probably confuse at least a subset of new users). In case there will be silkscreening on this device, maybe having slightly visible media control icons *next to* the respective buttons (game buttons or otherwise) would help with that (and may also help differentiate 'regular' keyboard and fn-keyboard from bonus keyboard functions), but that's just a rather wild guess.


Also, when I see the current space bar, I see waste. It also makes me remember a remark I read regarding the Nokia N97, where it was noted that that device first had a centered space bar, which was later offset to the right because it turned out that that is actually more comfortable to use. I do not remember where I had read this though, and don't find a source via a quick web search either.

 

[2bit]

You also have to assume there would be someone who would complain about not having any gaming buttons .

I am more of a gamer than a straight up ⬆ computer user I would like like Gaming buttons as I'm not really into : wasd ( I hope that's what is used , never been a pc gamer ) .


Edit : Translation from 2bitinese : Please keep the current gaming / control buttons as I ( and others probally not that my needs are more important than say Tom's ) am not well versed in wasd . Wasd is PC gaming controles right ?

 

[Saber]

Added my own take of the proposed keyboard layout for the P2 and ICP2 in my concepts thread here.


Tried to keep it as universal as possible.

 

[_wb_]

Should we move this thread to the ICP2 forum?

 

[Saber]

Added an official Keyboard suggestion thread to the iControlPad 2 subforum here.