Feedback is an essential component to any game, and can be fed to the player using various means. One useful and often underrated method is ‘rumble’, which when used well can provide the player with invaluable information and/or immerse the player further. Some games have gone one step extra, finding ingenious ways to put it to use, for example integrating it as a Gameplay mechanic.
But with their next generation platform Sony have ‘decided’ to remove this functionality from the Playstation 3 pad, losing what I would consider one of the players’ gaming senses. Yes they’ve added the new ‘tilt’ functionality but this really isn’t a replacement as it’s an input device rather than a feedback device.
Personally I think Sony have made a mistake which they may end up regretting (as does the president of Immersion obviously), as not only have have all future PS3 games lost this standard functionaility but it would also appear the back catalogue of PS1 and PS2 games will have to do without as well if you’re playing them on your PS3.
Many of you will probably be dismiss rumble as nothing more than a gimmick, but just imagaine these games without rumble:
- Rockstar’s Table Tennis - Sense how far you’re going to drive the ball to the edge of the table. Tactile feedback at its best.
- Metal Gear Solid - When psycho mantis ‘took control’ of your pad.
- The Driving Genre - A bit of a generalization but for me, if done well, the driving genre excels in the use of rumble, providing the player with the precise feedback as to what the tires are doing.
