maybe ED can buy remaining batches from the choosen nubs?
I was thinking the same thing. It isn't a good (or affordable) option, but it gives them time to figure out another long term option.
1. Try to build our own magnet-disk and integrate them into the case. Need to check that with the design company.
2. We know the company that produced the mechanical parts for AMS (the company where we're getting the nubs). We could ask whether they could produce more for us directly.
3. We look for different nubs. I've got various samples from Fatih which we can easily get and use. One is the nub that's being used in the 3DS. It has a bigger travel distance, does not need to be soldered (flex cable) and is pretty smooth. But it doesn't have a stick-click.
1. If the case company does this also it shows how great they are, at least to me. They've done a lot to come up with a good solution for everything you have given them so far. I understand that they are getting paid, and they want to keep a customer, I just know how it feels to be the person that repeatedly says "I need another little thing changed", and eventually they may not want to bother with you anymore (or at least that is what I feel will happen).
2. Are they the ones that are discontinuing production? I would like to know what they think, and how much it would raise the price per Pyra to go with this. Since you would still need to get the hall sensors from whoever produces them what would happen if you procure the mechanical parts and then the sensors are discontinued?
3. I suspect this is the best option. I haven't spent extremely long periods with the 3DS nubs, so I don't know how they stand up with lots of use and abuse. They always felt fragile to me, but if this isn't the case, and they have more travel distance I am sure many will be happy with the results. I would like feedback from anyone with extensive experience using and, especially, abusing them, so we know if they loosen significantly or fail. I was looking forward to the nub click for mouse buttons, but the options used on the Pandora worked. Maybe we can get 2 more face buttons.
Since a few people have commented on nub clicking, if it worked well I would use it. I have used it on controllers, notably the DualShock line. Even if it wasn't used in games it would allow for mouse button input without taking away any functions on buttons, and allowing the right nub to be used for scrolling.
If at least the right nub is clickable then that can act as middleclick even if the left nub doesnt have click.
What is the benefit of this over left click on the right nub?
Functionality aside pandoranubs feel like a luxury option to the 3DS one.
I also prefer the feel of the Pandora nubs, but that could be because I use them far more than the 3DS nub thing.
I'm confident there's better nubs out there. maybe this is a blessing. In disguise
I think the concern is if they can be purchased in the required quantities at a price per pair of nubs that will not seem outrageous to Pyra buyers. If cost didn't matter I am sure a nub could be designed specifically for the Pyra with everything we want.
How about skipping mechanical nubs entirely for a touch-pad type interface?
I suppose this is worth considering. I hate using most laptops with touchpads because I end up brushing them when typing, or other little problems. Since they will be in the upper middle instead of the bottom the chances of your thumb hitting it while typing is reduced, but it may be a bigger problem when playing a game with your thumbs bouncing around the keys, and that could quickly destroy the fun of playing games on the Pyra. Another concern is the size of the area of these 2 tiny touchpads. I don't know if there would be enough room for them to be as usable as nubs. A bigger problem might be them being able to provide input in the same way a nub does. What I mean is that with a nub you can hold it in a certain position, and make minor adjustments, and this is all from 0,0 or whatever. With touchpads your finger can land anywhere, and when you move your thumb and stop can it be made to function in the same way as a nub in the same scenario? How difficult will it be to implement.
Maybe we can get a second, smaller screen.
If we are on the visionary ideas train, a trackpad that can be clicked which also is a screen would be useful not only as mouse input, but also for other scenarios, like games where only dpad is used.
I suppose that would be a small touchscreen with a good touchlayer and a switch under it.
I guess you beat me to it... I would prefer to skip it clicking/acting as a button, like on new laptops. Perhaps I am just set in my ways, but I dislike the feel of those, and when you add more moving parts, especially to a display, you increase the chances of something going wrong.
I i propose making them as concave as possible, and then have a grove northwest on the left nub and northeast on the right nub.
I think I understand why you want this, but I don't think it would change much. I would need to try it out to see if I like it, or if it just adds more complexity to the design/manufacture for little to no gain in function.
Edit:
It's not the end of the world, just a small annoyance.
I was just thinking a bit more about this. If you have to go with a different nub will the board need to be modified to accommodate it?
