I just watched Sony's latest promo video featuring Blizzard designers talking up the Dualshock 4 in regards to the upcoming PS4 version of Diablo III.

They go on and on about how Diablo III feels great on a gamepad. However when it comes to telling me why inventory management with the trackpad is supposed to be *great*, there's no real reason given. No explanation at all. I can't imagine how the trackpad is adding anything great to Diablo 3. I can't even imagine it being really functional. The trackpad's entire reason for existing is a major mystery to me. From its placement (making it strictly an alternative to the analogsticks, rather than an additive), to its actual practical uses - I just don't get its deal.

What can I do better with the Dualshock 4's trackpad, than with a Dualshock 3? I've got no touchpad/touchscreen gaming experience whatsoever, I just don't see any real uses for it. I'd love to hear a good pitch for it, because I sure as hell can't provide a good reason for its existence myself. Maybe if it was on the bottom of the pad, like the trackpad on the PS Vita...

What's better about it is that it means Sony can sell you a whole new set of overpriced controllers rather than letting you reuse your old overpriced controllers. Which means more money for Sony.

Just thought for a second that maybe some minigames could benefit greatly from such a thing. Like the famous ones in GTA Chinatown Wars on the DS. But then it hit me, whatever minigames would use the touchpad, they could never be as intricate as on a DS, simply because it's a touchpad, and not a touchscreen. You can't skillfully screw loose a car radio. Can't stack your drugs just so in your trunk.

It's a broad strokes interface device. Or am I seeing that wrong? Short of controlling a cursor with the touchpad - who the hell wants to do that anyways - it's quite useless when it comes to high precision input tasks.

Basically, imagine a Vita, but with the touchpad on the front of the controller instead of on the back. So really, it's usefulness is questionable.

Imagine a Dreamcast VMU, but without the screen. Also, you can touch the screen, but it doesn't show anything. And maybe it'll do something.

To be fair, I'm glad it's there. But the more I think about it, the more I feel that adding a touchscreen to a Dual Shock, a design that hasn't really changed since the 90s, is silly. Sony should make a new controller with touch functionality, instead of bolting it on to a thing that hasn't changed in decades.

It's one of those features that will take some time before it's put to actual good use, if ever.

I think it can be explained very simply;

People have bought a lot of laptops, macbooks and tablets,

therefore,

People love touchscreens and trackpads,

ergo,

People must hate buttons and pointing devices,

because,

Buttons and pointers are, like, really hard and stuff,

so, you see,

We should put a trackpad on our device so that people who do not play games with controllers can try to navigate our most complex and finicky UIs on a 2"x1" touch interface while looking at the tv, requiring the hand-eye co-ordination of fighter pilot. Accessibility, huzzah!

So they can make anime games where you touch girls boobs.

Do you get force feedback and is there oculus rift support?

Well of course.

Where do I place my pre-order?

Yeah, it's pretty baffling to me too. lol.

In my pants.

@seppli: You could actually just be controlling a pointer like a laptop mouse pad. I'm pretty sure it supports the ability to tap to select like a laptop mouse pad does as well. That could make a clickable interface possible just like the PC version of Diablo.

I imagine it would work quite similarly to a laptop's mousepad. If Diablo's inventory screen looks anything like Torchlight 2's then yes, I can see a mousepad working just fine for inventory. It might take some getting used to - you'll probably have to adjust your hands every time you want to equip something new - but I could definitely see it working all right.

It will be helpful in RPGs.