Touch-screens have been around for quite some time; why, we can nary remember a time when our fancy high-tech bowling alley didn't use such contraptions as input devices. Attaching one to a portable game system was certainly innovative, but not exactly ground-breaking in terms of new technologies. Multi-touch, on the other hand, is a relatively new and possibly exciting feature that might find its way quite soon to the PC consumer market. For an excellent demo of its capabilities, check out this video.Our topic today is purely hypothetical: do you think a device like the DS could have benefited from such a technology? Certainly it would have driven the cost higher, but is the touch screen too small to effectively make use of dual inputs at the same time? Can you think of any situations where you sought such magical wonders?
_thumbnail.jpg "Mega Man Star Force 2")
_thumbnail.jpg "Rune Factory 2")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-20-2007 @ 9:51AM
Spencer said...
I dont think this would have helped the DS, even though it is pretty cool. The screens are too small, it looks like the fun part of it is being able to use both hands at the same time, and you could barely fit one hand on the screen, let alone two. And there arent many games that are only-stylus based. Most either dont use the stylus, or use the stylus and buttons.
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2-20-2007 @ 12:00PM
leo said...
You could use it on the DS.
Think iphone. Take away the physical buttons, and have just a screen.
Just a thought.
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2-20-2007 @ 12:14PM
BPM said...
Multi-touch could defnitely be useful.
One way I think it could work would be a port of the PS2 Katamari Damacy games. Each thumb could control a virtual analog stick (a la Super Mario 64DS) allowing for, perhaps, a better control than PSP's Me and My Katamari (digital face buttons do not a Katamari make!).
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2-20-2007 @ 12:20PM
Loban said...
The DS would really have to have a larger screen to benefit from multi touch. I don't know how small your hands are, but trying to use multiple fingers on that tiny little screen doesn't sound easy.
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2-20-2007 @ 12:27PM
Directive0 said...
Sorry, but until I see a device come out that can show us IRREFUTABLY that multi-touch technology is up to snuff I will not buy a gaming system employing ONLY a touchscreen. I look forward to seeing what the iPhone and other such devices can do to change the idea of a touch screen. Because they use capacitance and not some layer of plastic to determine where the input is its probably safe to say that its a lot more precise and friendly. That said theres a lot of DS games where the touch screen interface is just aggravating and I use the buttons anyways. I know everyone wants to ditch the d-pad/abxy system, but its gotten us this far and I don't see just throwing a multi-touch system at it making it go away.
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2-20-2007 @ 12:41PM
Joe said...
Don't forget that Hotel Dusk faked multitouch somehow, on the DS screen. I guess when you press two points at the same time, it sees it as being in the middle, so they programmed it with that in mind.
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2-20-2007 @ 3:33PM
Ethan Duffy said...
I was trying that hotel dusk thing for about 20 mins before it worked. I think the successor to the DS has to have it, and personally I want it to have an analogue stick in the bottom.
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2-20-2007 @ 5:53PM
Naruhodou said...
Seconding what Loban said. Can't see it working on a handheld. I'm afraid of fingerprints getting on the screens as it is, and wouldn't be able to keep a grip on a second stylus.
On Hotel Dusk: I think I ended up flicking both switches by accident. I had no idea what it was asking for..
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2-20-2007 @ 9:24PM
Steve 3.2 said...
While multi-touch may have been a nice feature, not enough games take proper advantage of the current touch screen to warrant having a more advanced one.
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