Does anyone else feel like using the controller display for menus or inventory, will distract form an experience like Mass Effect. Where each time you’ve managed your inventory you now have to wait those 5 minutes before you get immersed in the world again. What about playing a game like Resident Evil 5 where it seems the whole tension can be destroyed by you looking away from the main screen.

To me a controller has always been a perfect piece of engineering that makes you forget you’re holding a controller. To allow you to focus on the main screen, and execute your desired actions without ever having to turn away from the action. I just don’t see the Wii U Beast of a controller accomplishing that task.

It seems the Voice Recognition introduced with Kinect is a tech that would pull you in deeper into the world, and make menus easier. Where you could say “Equip“ to equip the latest piece of loot you pick up, and not look away from the screen, tap the touch screen on your controller to pick that piece of loot. Would you also not have to look down at the touch screen every time you needed to use it, for lack of spatial awareness?

I never liked Kinect but I guess for me right now the leader of this whole motion control, touch interface era is the voice recognition software. I find that really weird, since this technology has been around for a bit of time. But it’s always been implemented so poorly, what if voice recognition was as easy as voice chat in an fps?

What do you guys think? Is a separate screen for menu/inventory stuff good or bad?

I don't know, I think stuff like the Codex and mining in Mass Effect would be much more easy-to-read on the controller than on the big screen. Your Mako's readout/health, too.

Scanning in Metroid Prime and getting the read-out on your controller would be cool. In Zelda, having your inventory on the touch screen would be an improvement, too.

The screen is really the only thing I'm sold on, so far.

You're creepy.
 
I don't want to be completely sucked in by a game. It's a step forward in my opinion. If anything, you won't be able to escape from the game because there will be little to no reason to shut it off or stray away from the main screen. If you look at it like that anyway.

You make good points, it could be immersion breaking in a way having to look away from the tv for checking the hud out or managing the inventory, though I'll give them the benefit of doubt and wait till next year's E3  for better clarification on that, it could end up working just fine, but what really interests me in this concept is what they can make with the controller screen other than the usual stuff(HUD, inventory, map)

It would be kinda cool to activate your mass effect power ups from the touch screen. Like when Shepard taps his arm to heal the group, it wouldn't be immersive really, but it would make the game move along better.

@Mikemcn: Wouldn't you rather just say the power ups name?

@onarum said:

@Beaudacious said:

@Mikemcn: Wouldn't you rather just say the power ups name?

Actuallly I would prefer to play games without having to shout at the screen like an idiot.

And waiting for the system to realize that I'm done talking so they can analyze what I've finished saying.

@Wrighteous86 said:

@onarum said:

@Beaudacious said:

@Mikemcn: Wouldn't you rather just say the power ups name?

Actuallly I would prefer to play games without having to shout at the screen like an idiot.

And waiting for the system to realize that I'm done talking so they can analyze what I've finished saying.

Voice Commands are really just a neat idea, in execution, they're never worth it. Plus there is the crazy factor of talking to inanimate objects.

I don't think a quick glance at the controller will take as long as people are saying. People do that kind of shit (illegally) while driving all the time with their cell phones and iPods, and they are usually doing something more complicated than locating a single button and pressing it, or glancing down to see your HUD or map. Also, if the buttons are in set positions on the touch screen, it will be even quicker since you have a rough idea of where the button or information is anyway. If the Zelda bow is always in the top right corner of the screen, how long is it going to take me to dart my eyes down for a second while I"m already reaching for it?

If it really is an issue though, there are easy design workarounds for that. Switching equipment in Zelda is never a situation where your life depends on it. It would just ease up on the monotony.

@Wrighteous86:  Well a touch screen has to be looked at, for lack of spatial recognition. So now you look down, press the button look  up, then stat playing again?