Ultimate FPS Controls?

[SicMX]

Out of all first person shooter type games out there (both currently available and soon to be released) which do you think has the best controls?

I personally love the controls in Wolfenstein 3D AND those in Doom Resurrection. The problem, as we all know, is that the controls in Wolfenstein 3D wouldn't work in a game where you can also aim vertically, and shooting and aiming at the same time can be tricky.

The controls for Doom Resurrection are spot on. It is by far the best control system out there! BUT, it's still on rails...

I'm no developer, but i both believe and hope that quality FPS games will be released on the iPod/iPhone platform. Therefore it would be interesting to hear suggestions on what would be the best adaptation of a FPS control system on the iPod/iPhone.


My suggestion for the Ultimate FPS Controls:

Two sets of controls. One for movement. One for action.

Now imagine playing Doom Resurrection...

Movement: When moving around one could use two digital control sticks like in Wolf 3D, one to the right and the other to the left. Up in the upper right would be e.g. an actions button to open doors and such and in the left you would have "mode change"

Action: After moving around in the levels one would encounter some enemies and click on the "mode change" button, after which the controls would change instantaneously into the control scheme we can see in Doom Resurrection, where one used the accelerometer to aim, and virtual buttons to fire, reload and change weapons. The dodge button currently inplemented in Doom Resurrection could function as a strafe button which enable the person to dodge sideways, but also go back and forth. When done killing the enemies one would click on the "mode change" button and continue exploring the vast pits of hell.

This will obviously not work in very fast paced action games, but for FPS games where you tend to do a lot of exploring as well as shooting, it could, in my opinion work really well.

What do you think of this proposed control scheme? If not, what do YOU think would be the ultimate FPS controls?

[exosyphen]

As a developer, my opinion would be to implement an intelligent and self-correcting input method, based on whatever game your making.
I am afraid there is no universal "works-for-all" solution.

Im a working to put together a tech demo for an upcoming 3D engine, and I have designed quite an interesting way to move around, look around and shot around.

Making a good input for a game is more than the way to layout your controls.
You have to integrate them with what's happening in the game.

Example:
Taping the screen would fire if there is an enemy in range, but not if there is none.

[SicMX]

Cool, will be interesting to see what you have come up with!

Will a device like the iPhone with no physical buttons developer really have to think outside the box. One can only hope that the controls in FPS games will continue to evolve into something that works really well, not just something that works.

The thing that some people don't seem to understand is that on the iPhone platform you have to make some sacrifices to make a game playable and most importantly FUN. The developers of Doom Resurrection made the game from the ground up, making radical changed to the game. In my opinion, they did something right cause the game is actually really fun and the controls work well. If the game would have had controls like the ones in the Dukenukem 3D screenshot the game would definately not be fun.

There is obviously not only one solution for controls for a FPS game, but aside from a couple of games in the AppStore, most implementations are sub-par and won't attract anyone but casual gamers.

[exosyphen]

I have played some 3D shooters from the App Store and I have found a few games impossible to play. And I don't lack the experience, as I am a gamedeveloper for the past 10 years :)

Thinking outside the box is a must for any game and any feature :)

[SicMX]

Hehe, so very true.

Can't wait to see what you developers come up with in the near future :)

[exosyphen]

Hehe, so very true.

Can't wait to see what you developers come up with in the near future :)

Multitouch opens up a lot of possibilites which still need to be explored.

[Peter321]

I also really like the controls in Doom Resurrection, but the "on-rails" thing can be frustration e.g. when you see something you want to pick up, but before you get the chance the "rail" has moved on.

But I agree with the developers decision, because all-in-all it makes the game very enjoyable (and you could consider the short time you have to spot and pick up stuff as an added difficulty level to the game).

But maybe a system as suggested above where the controls change depending on the situation could work (it kinda does this in Doom already, where the action button does different things and only become active when needed).

One could imagine a systen where you move around using virtual joysticks, which then change to "combat tools" (shoot, dodge, etc.) when enemies appear.

[Krispod]

There never will be good fps controls on the iPod screen, just buy a gamebone( or another because that one was kinda ugly )

[99c_gamer]

I think the way to do it is to have auto-run.

just tap the direction pad once and your guy keeps moving in one direction.
(if you think about it there's no reason why you should have to "hold" the run button)

That leaves your left thumb free to hit the fire button while you're looking around with your right thumb.

[dalfiuss]

Keyboard & mouse.

Seeing as that is not available on the iPhone, developers need to stop porting over idiotic games and then smashing the controls onto the iPhone. Develop FOR the iPhone.

[SicMX]

Wolfenstein 3d - Works great
Doom Resurrection - Works great
LiveFire - Looks like it would work great with e.g. autofire

Sure creating a FPS game on the iPhone is very different to creating it for a PC or PS3. It might require creating a game from scratch, instead of simply porting it, but that shouldn't be impossible as some companies have demonstrated.

If people stopped innovating we would still be stuck playing on our PCs...and i for one enjoy playing games on the iPhone.

Example: I though that pretty much all racing games sucked on the iPhone and that acceleromer based steering was impossible. Then EA came out with Need For Speed where the screen tilts as you tilt the screen. Problem solved, works great!

[ShadowsFall]

There never will be good fps controls on the iPod screen, just buy a gamebone( or another because that one was kinda ugly )

You never know. There arn't much fps games out there. I was thinking more in the lines of your crosshair following someone in a certain distance. Movement could have one joystick, a strong accellerometer (in the settings, you could change the sensitivity *this is used to look around*, gernade button, crouch button on the right while movement on the left joystick (vice versa for right handed/left). So the buttons (crouch, jump, to shoot... You could touch anywhere, put the crouch and jump on the center right of the screen, taking about 1/3rd of the width of the screen. I THINK THIS IS GREAT CONTROLS!, heck.. Put in night vision next to the movement joystick! And a walking button while ur at it. This control scheme is perect of small + large fingers. I play a lot of fps games on the keyboard, so this is no problem. Switch guns in the bottom center of the screen by swiping your finger. Zoom by putting 2 fingers on the center of the screen and move them further at the same time;to zoom out, put 2 fingers apart and make them both closer.

[coconutbowling]

It doesn't matter what the controls are, there will always be someone who doesn't like them.

Personally, I like the control scheme of Cube because it utilizes the accelorometer.

[randomdude]

Wolfenstein 3d - Works great
Doom Resurrection - Works great
LiveFire - Looks like it would work great with e.g. autofire

Sure creating a FPS game on the iPhone is very different to creating it for a PC or PS3. It might require creating a game from scratch, instead of simply porting it, but that shouldn't be impossible as some companies have demonstrated.

If people stopped innovating we would still be stuck playing on our PCs...and i for one enjoy playing games on the iPhone.

Example: I though that pretty much all racing games sucked on the iPhone and that acceleromer based steering was impossible. Then EA came out with Need For Speed where the screen tilts as you tilt the screen. Problem solved, works great!
Actually Cro-Mag Rally did that and it was in the App Store since day one and also I find the default controller on Brother In Arms pretty playable and judging by the video LiveFire seems to be excellent too

[Krispod]

There never will be good fps controls on the iPod screen, just buy a gamebone( or another because that one was kinda ugly )

Wolfstein 3d= Great
Cube=Good( but what a bad game!)
Livefire= looks good
Minigore= THE BEST CONTROL SCHEME YOUL GET FOR THE IPHONE!!( i now i now, its not an fps)

And i hope Apple makes there own official game accessorie insted og other companies making there own. Which developer will actually use gamebone??

[iSmallZx]

see what i was thinking (but probably impossible) would be two analog sticks at the bottom of the screen, left for moving and right for aiming, have the button on the right anolog stick say jump and on the right say crouch (double tap to prone) and then to shoot (the hardest thing) would be either the way KillTest does it by shooting automaticly or if you played with the home button on the left, you could maybe use the + volume button to shoot? IDK if thats possible but itss a good idea. But to Aid Does Sights (ADS) you would press a button close to the fire button on wolfenstein. And then on the left side (across from the ADS button) there would be a switch weapon button, like for pistol to primary gun to grenade. And to top it of, shake to reload.

What do you think?

[yourofl10]

It doesn't matter what the controls are, there will always be someone who doesn't like them.

Personally, I like the control scheme of Cube because it utilizes the accelorometer.

But, the thing is that there can be all the contrls possible in the game. You just go tot he option screen and choose controls and pick the one that best works for you. Problem solved.

[nizy]

I think a good control scheme for a fps is very possible on iphone, but as someone said it will depend greatly on the game design too. The speed of action, sensitivity, precision of aiming required, auto-correction of aim, ammo & health supplies, no. of enemies, AI will all have an affect. The best games will balance them all for a better experience.

For example, take BiA and Terminater (I know they're 3rd person, but the controls would translate just as well to fps) worked pretty well because the game was designed with the limitations of those controls in mind - the auto correction of aiming, the AI was quite stupid and ammo/health plentiful. This is why the system works for these games. Now if you were to design the game to be much faster paced, with less ammo/health supplies, better AI and no aim correction you'd notice the lack of accuracy and speed in the aiming.

[somedude445]

i think a developer should use the iphone 3gs's compass with an fps, that way you wont have to worry about puttingdigital controls to look around, just movement, jumping, and weapon switching. it could work

[Krispod]

i think a developer should use the iphone 3gs's compass with an fps, that way you wont have to worry about puttingdigital controls to look around, just movement, jumping, and weapon switching. it could work

What the... you want to stand and play?

[somedude445]

why not, it would be very immersive. dude have you ever tried wii? this is what next gen is doing.

[Krispod]

why not, it would be very immersive. dude have you ever tried wii? this is what next gen is doing.

whit an ipod?? You would look kinda gay !

[somedude445]

ya maybe if u were playing on a bus or something, but im talking about if ur just bored at home or hanging out with friends or at a party or something that would be cool to have. they can have it as one of multiple control schemes so u can chose to use it or not.

who cares if you look gay its fun :D

[Krispod]

I now its a good idea, but. Think your selv standing in the middel of the room going round and round in circles and tapping your ipod. i am getting dizzy just by thinking of it

[SicMX]

Um...Fastlane had that before Need for Speed was even announced for iTouch/Phone, iirc. So did Fast and the Furious: Pink Slip 3D. So did Snail Mail.

So did quite a few racers on iTouch/Phone. And Fastlane did it while still giving you control over acceleration.

Ok, never tried Fast and the Furious or Snail Mail. Did however try Fastlane and while the graphics were great I had a hard time controlling the car. Nontheless i the controls in Need for Speed work really well and after playing it for 5min it feels very natural. This might have something to do with the accelerometor sensitivity when trying to keep the car going straight. I don't know what they did but it works better for me than any other game.

[Ajg3]

What about cube controls

[exosyphen]

What most developers do wrong, is make the control "fixed".
You have to plugin some code to "help" the gamer.

Let's take an example.
I am making a 3D shooter and when you swipe up on the screen, it moves you ahead. This should be handled like:

Was the swipe a brief one? Then move ahead slightly.
Was it a long one? Then move ahead a bit more.

And by brief/long, I mean both the time duration of the swipe, and it's length on the display.

[dashzed]

ok, this is my idea for the ultimate FPS control scheme: movement is controlled by a virtual joystick, you tilt the device to aim side to side like wolfenstein, but you drag up and down anywhere on the screen to aim up and down. I am not a dev, but i think that scheme could possibly work... what do you think?