Controller suggestion

[AceFox]

First, I'd like to say I think the game is fantastic. I have never played a bigger platform adventure game before. I have no concept of program space, but I can't believe they were able to cram so much on one DVD!

 

I would like to make a suggestion, however, concerning the game interface. This is sort of pointless since they can't offer a patch for Xbox games (... maybe they'll one day release a version 2 though.. well, probably about as likely as taking a picture of a shooting start, but who knows...)

 

Anyways, the current configuration only allows for 3 psychic powers and to be used only for R, black, and white buttons. I don't think this was very good use of buttons concerning the more convenient B and Y are wasted on the less used "Cancel" and "Interact" respectively. During gameplay, especially in combat and especially in surprise combat, it's hard to react let alone experiment what psi powers work while toggling between all 8 abilities, and it's very distracting in the middle of the excitement to be switching to the Psi Selection screen everytime. Most good players (platformers that is) typically like the most used powers and functions to remain the same throughout the whole game. I know I do. For example, I like to have the Levitation bubble for the R button, because I use it so much. Currently, that leaves only two other buttons for powers, and I usually have Invisibility as the White button which means I toggle everything else on the Black. Here's my suggestion to allow for more powers:

 

L - remains as Target Lock/Float when airborne

R - Psi Power 1

X - Psi Punch/Interact*/Use Item when equipped*

Y - Psi Power 2

A - remains as jump/Double jump when airborne

B - Psi Power 3

Black - Psi Power 4~

White - Psi Power 5

Select - Toggle remaining Psi Power 4~ (perhaps can change which button to toggle in Game Options)

Start - Game Options/Journal

+up - last selected item

+down - put away item

+left - Inventory

+right - Psi Power Selection

 

Basically, this allows 4 psi powers to be selected, and a quick toggle to quick select a 5th psi power for the useful, but auxillary black button (close to the A). In addition, it gives the ability to pull out the last selected item quickly (convenient for the cobweb duster; there aren't many items in the game, especially ones that you need to pull out and use frequently. Most are pulled out when needed or during conversation). Now, I know what you guys are all asking - how does the X act as a Punch, Interact, and Use Item. Well, it's similar to Zelda if you ever played it. Normally it will punch. However, if a interactable person is highlighted when you're close to them, B will act as the Talk. More the same, when you have an item selected and want to show it to someone, clicking B will show the item to them. What this means is that the game would have to do the logic depending on the object that was highlighted (if interactable person = Talk, if enemy or inanimate object = punch). Now, I guess some of you unsocial types still would like to punch people in the game. My suggestion is that if you lock on to the person with L and then press B, you can still punch them. Not nice, but actually makes sense because Raz is a nice guy and wouldn't do that unless he really wanted to (target them first).

 

So based on all this, this is how I would configure my psi powers in the game:

 

R - Shields (R and L are useful for holding down functions)

Y - Levitation

B - Psi Blast

White - Invisibility

Black - toggle the rest with Select (probably leave on TK)

 

This method allows me quick and easy defense and attacks. You would still be able to change any of these bindings just like you normally would in the game now, but it's much more useful for a general layout. And when need be I could swap my say my Psi Blast (when it's useless against an enemy for something like Confusion grenades).

 

Sigh... that would've been cool to have it that way...

[Plankhead]

It's a bigger issue on the PC, which has enough buttons to support all psi powers equipped at once. But the cancel and interact buttons are actually very important. I found myself using them a lot.

[AceFox]

Well, I think B could still remain as the cancel when in dialog. And on the Journal screen, B and A could definitely still remain as "Cancel" and "Confirm" respectively.

 

The "Interact" and "Use Item", I'm just suggesting to combine it to one button (the B button) just like a lot of other platformers like Zelda Wind Waker.

 

On a side note, I also own a Gamecube which has the B to the left of the A. This has always been the case for Nintendo, so when I got the Xbox I was thrown off a bit to see "Cancel" being on the right instead of the left. Not difficult to learn or get used to, it's just interesting that my mentality has always been Left=Back/Cancel and Right = Forward/Confirm (just like in web navigators)