space game game controller

1. Thrust Physics games are
NOT popular
It is my opinion that this is merely
because of the lack of intuitive
controls.

2. Space Games are not popular
• Fortnite is a popular game
• There are no space games with the amount of players that Fortnite has.
• Of space games that are more popular, they do not focus on or generally
include thrust physics navigation gameplay.
• The very most popular space games that do feature navigation
gameplay primarily feature a form of "airplanes in space" flight model.
• Although the argument can be presented that some of these most popular
of the unpopular games do allow the player to optionally have a more
space-like flight model, there are still limitations to the gameplay that
prevent this feature from being used to its potential.

3. Why airplanes in space? (some things I can't
prove)
• The "airplanes in space" flight model allows fewer controls to be used
while still allowing the player to control the vehicles.
• The "airplanes in space" flight model enables the game to
feature "airplanes" style dogfighting, where one player chases another
player.
• The "airplanes in space" flight model allows players to enjoy airplanes style
gameplay without fear of hitting the ground while trying to dogfight.
• Largely people just don't know that there is engaging and fun strategy to be
had in a "thrusters in space" flight model, leading many players to
argue "newtonian physics games" degenerate to "space turrets" which they
argue is a skill-less game.

4. Thrusters in space does have strategy and skill
• There are significant differences in gameplay, but there is plenty of
content.
• Yes, you can point your guns any direction, but there's still more to hitting a
target enough to destroy it.
• There are many more considerations to a winning "thrusters in space"
battle, and players will find it to be very engaging and fun.
• Actually, even some of the first strategies a player discovers are
very thought provoking and life changing.
• Realistic space warfare, and everything in between, is simply amazing, but
actually, warfare is a small part of what makes "thrusters in
space" engaging.

5. Once a player feels a control configuration is
intuitive, they gain more interest in navigation
practice
• Actually, there are a lot of games that do not exist in the mainstream that should.
Although there are indie efforts, there are no popular titles that may have the
label "AAA" applied.
• Also, there are no titles that can be classified as e-sports. All titles are best
understood as "indie" games.
• There should be racing games (and diversity among them)
• There should be taxi/delivery games (and diversity among them)
• There should be MORE realistic simulators, offering various levels of
abstraction from reality, expanding on the sort of realism available in Kerbal
Space Program.
• There are such games, but they are not popular, and my argument is that this is
not because no one would like the game, it's simply that popular control
interfaces do not make the required controls easily, intuitively available.

6. My game controller is a logical step from a
standard popular controller
• There is and easy configuration for newbs.
• There is opportunity for more advanced and capable configurations.
• It is not particularly different from operating a popular 2-joystick controller,
as players are already very capable with standard triggers.
• There is only a slight increase in movement required from a normal trigger
to add one axis of control to each joystick, resulting in the required 6
axis for basic navigation.
• Using joysticks, the same directional logic that applies to normal 2-joystick
movement applies to 4-joystick movement. If you need to move or rotate
in a direction, you can push the appropriate stick in that direction.
• A joystick replaces up to 4 buttons, but actually a "4 hat switch" controller
would be equally intuitive. (this is because a 4 button hat switch is a single
control in our minds)

7. I am confident that some zero-g thrust navigation
games would be immediately popular if an easy
intuitive control interface were commonplace.
• There are several relatively common control sets that are used for space
games, and when players have these, they do feel it is more fun to play the
games.
• These control sets are generally equally limiting, however. They are mostly
useless for any other games or activities, they are generally very bulky, and
they generally force the player to be "at a console". The player is not
usually able to "kick their feet up" on the couch, stand in the doorway, or
otherways casually play the game,, they have to set up some joysticks on
the table, sit in one posture for the duration of gameplay, and each time
they wish to play they must set up and then break down their console. ---
a great example of this problem is a video-game steering wheel and pedals.
Yes, it is probably more fun, but generally the players will still be found
using their common game controller often or even most of the time.

8. There are other gameplay features that would
make use of 4 joysticks.
• Positioning a robot hand on the end of an arm requires a minimum of 6 control
axis.
• Walking a robot requires 3 axis to move a foot, and 6 axis to position a body,
meaning a 6 joystick controller would be optimal.
• Simultaneous 6 axis control is superior to toggling fewer axis to achieve 6 total
axis.
• Players would find themselves capable of compound control in present day
popular games, for example adding cursor control without moving the view. Such
controls would be easy enough to interact with while the other controls are held
static, and independent control assignments would enable smooth transition as
well as reduce the number of buttons needed for simple interactions. --- for
example a player could have one joystick control the walk direction, one joystick
to control the head angle, and one joystick to control the "hand" cursor, or even
two "hand" cursors.

9. In my opinion, the gateway to advanced
control is the navigation space game.
• Space games that require 6-axis allow the player to have a single
object in mind while still training them with the additional joysticks.
• Space ship navigation is a popular and widespread idea that requires
little explanation.
• Realistic as well as fantasy space is both popular and essential
infrastructure.
• There are a variety of simple arcade style games that would allow
players to focus on only a small number of skills at a time.
• There is infinite opportunity in the genre for skill and
conceptual development.

10. https://hackaday.io/project/180884-4-joystick-6-
axis-6-dof-game-controller
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/tsmspace/4-
joystick-game-controller-a3c47e