I'm fairly certain he is using both at once, which is not a difficult feat. You're already doing that and much more while playing games. I don't see how inputing language and numbers via a 2 analog input system is "insane". From someone who has tested input peripherals, it's just different, like so many systems already out there. You should watch me with a rubik's cube. Peripheral testers use cubes (among other analog devices) to warm up.

It's actually really cool to see this concept in the mainstream, though I'd imagine you may need to practice common positioning. For example, t, h, followed by a vowel will be a pattern that becomes muscle memory, just as w, e, and then r, etc. They're simple algorithms that you don't even realize you're following, but simple take practice.

You know what else is insane? Playing a drum kit using all 4 limbs independently. That's insane! Speed Metal is insane! Me playing Dance Dance Revolution on Challenge is INSANE! Alllllllll of these simple things which are "insane". LOL!!!

Whoa hang on there. "Its just for fun" implies that playing or learning to play a real guitar is not.

The reason people, usually musicians like me, suggest he should have spent his time learning a real guitar is because we believe learning a real instrument is even more fun than Guitar Hero and definitely more rewarding in the long run. Yes, it's harder to learn. Get your friends to learn too and make a band. Cut three strings and learn like that (look for Jack White's comments on that). He'll pick up way more too (seen any Guitar Hero groupies lately?)

I'd argue you did in fact learn to dance while playing Dance Dance Revolution.

And yes, I will lazarus this...

I see people whining about this too, and I've seen it when I played Tomb Raider. The Last of Us is not Tomb Raider, yeah it controls the game but it's less dance dance revolution and more experimentation with how to clear or get by an area.

In short, this is a really good Game, despite all the times it takes control away from the player, to me it was never intrusive and it always served a purpose. I simply loved playing it.

>> ^blankfist:

>> ^Opus_Moderandi:
>> ^blankfist:
>> ^gwiz665:
I don't mind people doing this as a fun gesture, as long as it's not too disruptive to other people coming there.
I do mind the idiots who come here to dance to stand up to the man, like the dance dance revolution moron. They're just real life trolls trying to goad the police/mall cops/whatever they are into going over the line. They're dicks.

If there wasn't a law banning dancing at the Memorial in the first place, then these "real life trolls" wouldn't be doing this at all.

But that's the ONLY reason their doing it. Because someone told them they couldn't. It's called a hissy-fit.

Were black people throwing a hissy fit when they couldn't sit at the front of the bus?


Again, you're comparing Civil Rights to dancing. That's like saying thumb tacks are the same as lard.

>> ^Opus_Moderandi:

>> ^blankfist:
>> ^gwiz665:
I don't mind people doing this as a fun gesture, as long as it's not too disruptive to other people coming there.
I do mind the idiots who come here to dance to stand up to the man, like the dance dance revolution moron. They're just real life trolls trying to goad the police/mall cops/whatever they are into going over the line. They're dicks.

If there wasn't a law banning dancing at the Memorial in the first place, then these "real life trolls" wouldn't be doing this at all.

But that's the ONLY reason their doing it. Because someone told them they couldn't. It's called a hissy-fit.


Were black people throwing a hissy fit when they couldn't sit at the front of the bus?

>> ^blankfist:

>> ^gwiz665:
I don't mind people doing this as a fun gesture, as long as it's not too disruptive to other people coming there.
I do mind the idiots who come here to dance to stand up to the man, like the dance dance revolution moron. They're just real life trolls trying to goad the police/mall cops/whatever they are into going over the line. They're dicks.

If there wasn't a law banning dancing at the Memorial in the first place, then these "real life trolls" wouldn't be doing this at all.


But that's the ONLY reason their doing it. Because someone told them they couldn't. It's called a hissy-fit.

>> ^gwiz665:

I don't mind people doing this as a fun gesture, as long as it's not too disruptive to other people coming there.
I do mind the idiots who come here to dance to stand up to the man, like the dance dance revolution moron. They're just real life trolls trying to goad the police/mall cops/whatever they are into going over the line. They're dicks.


If there wasn't a law banning dancing at the Memorial in the first place, then these "real life trolls" wouldn't be doing this at all.

I don't mind people doing this as a fun gesture, as long as it's not too disruptive to other people coming there.

I do mind the idiots who come here to dance to stand up to the man, like the dance dance revolution moron. They're just real life trolls trying to goad the police/mall cops/whatever they are into going over the line. They're dicks.

GIMMICK! Gaming always has these cycles of little peripherals, control schemes, etc. that at best contribute a few fun experiences, but are always are advertised as revolutionary, incredible things that will forever change way we play games.

Some examples:
Nintendo Power Glove (NES) - worthless as a controller, for any purpose

Light Gun (NES) - Games worth playing that used the light gun: Duck Hunt

Super Scope (SNES) - the Super Nintendo version of the light gun, minus anything worthwhile to play with it

3D/"Virtual Reality" goggles, Virtual Boy (var.) - the next "big thing" is always 3D displays through glasses or head-mounted displays. Reality: the hardware has always detracted from the experience, ranging from mildly annoying at best to instant motion sickness / vomit-inducing nightmare. Good 3D software engines displayed on a flat 2D screen actually *did* revolutionize gaming in a way these likely never will.

Dance Pad/Mat control (Dance Dance Revolution, etc.) - Makes kids exercise! Watch all the fatties lose weight! Sound familiar? Reality: niche appeal, niche market, fatties stay fat

Guitar Hero guitar controllers - Kids learn to appreciate music! They can develop musical talent! Reality: learn to play a faster-paced, vaguely guitar shaped version of Simon!


I don't mean to suggest that some of these things aren't fun. However, I think this sort of thing is guaranteed to have at best a pretty quick flash-in-the-pan sort of popularity. The best ones are instances where the peripheral is designed to work and work well with one given game or type of game, and the cost of that niche input method is just added in to the price of the game it was designed for.

To me, Nintendo was insane to base the entire market viability of the Wii around motion control. Competitors will develop their own solutions (Kinect, for example) and steal away some of the surge of motion control novelty attraction. Once the novelty wears off people will realize that the controllers, keyboard and mouse, joysticks etc. that have been used as input methods for 30+ years have been around that long because they aren't gimmicks, they actually *(&%ing work.

/rant over
//get off my lawn

...then again, I'm sure some fool would go out onto the crosswalk and play Dance Dance Revolution and get hit by an ice cream truck.

That's how I look playing Dance Dance Revolution.

>> ^SDGundamX:
You're entitled to your opinion. But as counter-evidence I offer up Half-Life, Starcraft, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Puzzle Bobble (Bust-a-Move), Dance Dance Revolution--all made in the last 15 years, all wildly creative and wildly successful and that's just for starters. You could include more recent games like Guitar Hero and Cooking Mama or more obscure games like ChuChu Rocket and Ico, all of which took simple creative concepts and implemented them stunningly well. Yeah, there are lots of sequels but that's no different from the movie industry now is it? If people would stop buying them, the game companies would stop making them....
Just to keep the comment slightly on topic, I actually thought Halo wasn't all that creative when it first came out. Particularly the later level design (or lack thereof) in the first game since it got very repetitive. Just goes to show that sometimes a slight improvement on an old theme (FPS shooter) may still be hugely successful.


I agree that there are a good number of creative and successful games, but the massive number of successful cookie-cutter games kinda rules out creativity as a 'requirement'.

>> ^xxovercastxx:
>>
imagination hasn't been a requirement in the games industry for at least 15 years. Actually, I'd argue you've got a better chance without it. Publishers don't need their sequel assembly line getting clogged up with original ideas.


You're entitled to your opinion. But as counter-evidence I offer up Half-Life, Starcraft, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Puzzle Bobble (Bust-a-Move), Dance Dance Revolution--all made in the last 15 years, all wildly creative and wildly successful and that's just for starters. You could include more recent games like Guitar Hero and Cooking Mama or more obscure games like ChuChu Rocket and Ico, all of which took simple creative concepts and implemented them stunningly well. Yeah, there are lots of sequels but that's no different from the movie industry now is it? If people would stop buying them, the game companies would stop making them....

Just to keep the comment slightly on topic, I actually thought Halo wasn't all that creative when it first came out. Particularly the later level design (or lack thereof) in the first game since it got very repetitive. Just goes to show that sometimes a slight improvement on an old theme (FPS shooter) may still be hugely successful.

"Why does everyone say you should just learn to play a real guitar? Its just for fun. I don't remember anyone telling me I should just learn how to dance while playing Dance Dance Revolution..."

I'll bet they were thinking it though. I kid, I kid!

Seriously, though, how can people not get the appeal of this? People play Guitar Hero for the same reason people play flight sims: because it would be prohibitively expensive and require an inordinate amount of time and effort to go out and do the real thing. Guitar Hero lets you fake being a "rock star" without investing the blood, sweat, and tears it would take to become a famous rock musician. What's not to understand?

Why does everyone say you should just learn to play a real guitar? Its just for fun. I don't remember anyone telling me I should just learn how to dance while playing Dance Dance Revolution...