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Portables (Games) Entertainment Games

DS Ideas To Maximize Dual-Screen Gameplay? 92

Posted by simoniker from the make-it-fun dept.
Thanks to IGN Pocket for its feature suggesting a range of game ideas to make the most of Nintendo DS' dual-screen touchpad features, since, as the introduction argues, the forthcoming DS "offers the most vast number of opportunities for unique game design types than any handheld or console in quite some time." The theoretical, not in-production suggestions include a Total Control Boxing title where "the touchpad of the Nintendo DS gives developers a lot more room to explore and move the controller in an analog space", a touch-screen based version of previously mentioned Ragdoll Kung Fu ("Like shiny shirts are the new black, physics is the new jumping"), and double-character platform gaming ("The large touchpad and double-screen system means that doubled playing fields could easily be the norm rather than an abnormality.") What gameplay ideas would you like to see the DS innovate with?
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DS Ideas To Maximize Dual-Screen Gameplay? More

DS Ideas To Maximize Dual-Screen Gameplay?

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  • DS (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I would like to see the GBDS innovate itself back to a single screen...

    There are a number of image projecting technologies out there currently for PDAs and other hand-held devices. I really thing this thing would have stood a better chance if they had embraced one of those for both larger viewing space and multiple images. Developers having to make a special effort to support the unique hardware, and the serious lack of usefulness as far as actual games are concerned, will turn this into a great Nintendo

    • Why the hell (Score:1, Interesting)

      by superpulpsicle ( 533373 )
      Why the hell are people actually wasting time to making suggestions??

      Do people not know nintendo is one of the most stubborn video game company that refuses to change with times. They always innovate great console hardware, rumble controllers, light zappers, DS. But in the end, they always fall short cause every other game is about mario or zelda.

      • Re:Why the hell (Score:3, Interesting)

        by miyako ( 632510 )
        I agree that Nintendo is stubborn, but their problem is not that every other game is Mario or Zelda, quite the opposite in fact. Nintendo's first party games are consistently high quality and sell well, the problem is that they are too reluctant to take proper advantage of this (though the trend seems to be turning around a bit)
    • Yeah just think how useful and cool the system would be if instead of two little screens, they had made the entire top half one long wide screen. Instead Nintindo continues to spiral down the path of Sega by producing innane BD garbage with little real functionality.

  • How about... (Score:1, Troll)

    by mlu035 ( 460042 )
    A platform game featuring a moustachioed plumber, or a pokemon franchised game?

    I fear for Nintendo's future in the console market. They already have the handheld market in their pocket, they should be following the more powerful next-gen handheld business plan à la Sony, but instead they are trying to, well, I am not sure what they are trying to do. How about a handheld I can take on holiday with me and play something like GT4 on, then port the save over to the big console when I get home?

    • Re:How about... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Txiasaeia ( 581598 ) on Sunday July 11, 2004 @02:09PM (#9667971)
      I don't know - a Metroid game where the map showed up on one of the screens while I manoevered on the other is pretty cool. Mind you, it doesn't take a lot of skill to press the "start" button, but still. I think that Nintendo should be focusing on innovation and new ideas instead of bigger & better (like Sony).
      • An item listing on the second screen would be interesting too. Now instead of being able to pause in the middle of a fight to use some item, you have to get it done while the other guy's still advancing on you.
      • Congradulations on suggesting the one thing that's been suggested more than anything else since Nintindo announced it's dual screen set up.
        • The parent said that he thought that Nintendo should build a bigger and better Gameboy. I agreed with Nintendo's suggestion to innovate rather than go bigger and better; I wasn't suggesting that Nintendo do this or that, but that they keep going where they're going.

          (Congratulations, and its, not it's)

          • From the official comments it sounds like they ARE working on a bigger+better standard Game Boy, too, but it's still a few years off. That's why they insist the DS isn't the next Game Boy, they probably realized that the DS isn't as portable as the GBA (think brick) and that many people don't want innovative features in their hardware.
            Maybe they'll go wit that portable GC idea, after all Sony could stuff similar power in a handheld nowadays, in two years Nintendo too might use that level of technology witho

    • Re:How about... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by KDR_11k ( 778916 )
      How about a handheld I can take on holiday with me and play something like GT4 on, then port the save over to the big console when I get home?

      Face it, people will only whine that they'll need to buy the same game twice (for console and handheld, they can't differ much if you want the saves to be compatible). Unless Sony bundles the UMD and DVD versions of, say, GT4 for the same price or maybe five bucks more people will complain that it's too expensive for simple save porting. I mean, people already compl
    • How on earth did I get modded troll for this comment?

      I was being ironic in the first statement and at the same time making a valid point. Many of us are too old to care for Pokemon battle red championship or whatever the latest version is. I agree that their first party games usually are top notch, and especially the Mario / Zelda franchises, but many Nintendo owners are complaining at the lack of mature-themed games for the systems.

      The second statement is my opinion on Nintendo releasing a new handheld w

  • I don't know how well a touchpad will go over with (Score:4, Interesting)

    by foidulus ( 743482 ) * on Sunday July 11, 2004 @02:40PM (#9668248)
    gamers. I have a touchscreen on my Zaurus pda, and it's accurate enough for what I do with it, but I would not want to play an intense action game and have the touchpad mess me up. People already blame functional controllers for losing in video games...

  • Q3 (Score:5, Interesting)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Sunday July 11, 2004 @03:10PM (#9668484) Homepage Journal
    Well it has 802.11, a touch screen, and can do 3D graphics. I'd settle for this:

    - Make a cool multiplayer game. Mario Kart or Quake or something.

    - Make it easy for servers to be set up like Quake is today. Don't make me pay $$$ per month just to play on line.

    - Use the touch screen as an on-screen keyboard so I can choose servers, chat, and/or touch an icon depicting the weapon I wanna use.

    Neat new interfaces is cool and all, but if they can get this going I'll be playing on-line from my recliner. I think that'd be awesome!

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by account_deleted ( 4530225 )
      Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • "You can already do that. It's called a PS2 w/ wireless controller."

        Close, but not quite the same. Either I keep a KB in my lap or use a really lame controller interface for inputting text such as my character's name. Playing on the TV's alright, but sometimes I just like having the display device in my hands, like while my girlfriend is watching TV. Though I didn't state this before, I'd like to play in places besides my recliner. Laying down on the couch, for example. It's hard to do that with a T
    • > Make it easy for servers to be set up like Quake is today. Don't make me pay $$$ per month just to play on line
      >

      I would like to take it one step further. Make a game where other people can join just by stepping into your zone. Imagine riding a bus playing a racing game, somebody else gets on and you are alerted that they want to race you.
      This could work with FPS, RPG, RTS...any game really if you think about it....how much are those DS Dev Kits? ;)

    • Did you read your post? Quake on a Game Boy? Thet's a pretty lame ass idea. The keys of this "touch screen keyboard" would be like 2 pixel squares. Not to mention it's bad enough trying to control a console FPS game using a controller with 15 buttons (see Halo etc) now you're suggesting we try it with a system that has what, 2 buttons and a control pad? Or did Nintindo finally move into the 4 button range on it's portable systems.

      I'm not even going to go intot he logistics of online gaming with a por

      • Re:Q3 (Score:3, Informative)

        by chrismcdirty ( 677039 )
        Before you start trolling, I won't even tell you to RTFA, just look at a picture. The article has at least 10 pictures of the DS, all with 4 face buttons, a directional-pad, and a touchscreen, along with two shoulder buttons (not pictured).

        And, besides, Picto-Chat has a touchscreen keyboard with some decently sized keys on it. Please research before you troll.

  • DS Bad for 14% of people? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I was just wondering what Nintendo is doing for left handed gamers. Using the stylus and d-pad at the same time would be virtually impossible. I have heard that the right action buttons would be switched to d-pad functions for left handers, but that would take some major getting used to as every console i have ever played has had the d-pad on the left.
    • The Atari Lynx had an interesting solution for this problem: two sets of action (A/B) buttons. By pressing a certain key combination, the screen was rotated 180, and the user could flip the console upside-down.
    • Maybe you answered your own question. Every console you've ever played had the d-pad on the left.
    • Maybe I'm old, or maybe it's just me, but when I first got a Gravis Gamepad for my PC I would play with the D-Pad on the right side, not the left. All of the early joysticks I had (Atari 2600 era) had the buttons on the left side, as did many arcade games at the time (some would have buttons on both sides of the stick.)

      It actually took me a while to adapt to the NES gamepads, which to me felt left-handed...

  • Lemmings-esque (Score:5, Interesting)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Sunday July 11, 2004 @03:19PM (#9668571) Homepage Journal
    I don't know if many of you have seen it or not, but somewhere there is a Windows app that places a small cat on your desktop. If you click and drag on it, you pick up the cat by the scruff. When you let go, the cat drops until it lands on a window.

    Imagine a Lemmings style game like that? You can pick up a Lemming, let it drop, and it does its own thing. Sounds simple enough, but when you have 30 of them on the screen, you have to move quick to pick them up and get them out of danger.

    That little idea could be evolved a bit into an interesting game.

    • Imagine a Lemmings style game like that? You can pick up a Lemming, let it drop, and it does its own thing. Sounds simple enough, but when you have 30 of them on the screen, you have to move quick to pick them up and get them out of danger.

      I've played that game, it's called Creatures [gamewarede...ment.co.uk]. Not as elaborate as saving them from falling off a cliff, but more like Mad Scientist meets The Sims
      The Docking Station is cool as you can trade/breed your Creatures with others online

  • Before this, I only had staples to contend with (Score:5, Funny)

    by brejc8 ( 223089 ) * on Sunday July 11, 2004 @03:20PM (#9668585) Homepage Journal
    My idea [a.la](nsfw) didn't turn out well.

  • If they do it right they can put some good games on the DS Age of Empires, SimCity, Bejeweled...

    The touch screen can add alot if used right.
  • I really see a second screen becoming a gimmic for most of the good games that will come out. I don't dought that there will be a few games that will make you say "HOLY CRAP THATS COOL" "WOOT" and all that good stuff. But I see a double screen just becoming a way for dev. to place a map or a information panel.

  • It just requires more thought (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Fiz Ocelot ( 642698 ) <baelzharon&gmail,com> on Sunday July 11, 2004 @04:49PM (#9669353)
    It's not like every game idea out there came to the designers very easily. Some required a lot of thought, while others where obvious or just a fluke. I mean you could have said the same thing about the mouse, oh it's just a gimmick, I'd rather use a keyboard for my games (which are mainly text based at the time)

    Then come along whole new generes of games that simply require the mouse. What I'm saying is that sometimes a new thing like a second touch screen is just push designers need to explore things that are truly revolutionary.

  • You're standing in a room trying to fight off attackers while the lower screen is showing a machine with a puzzle of buttons and knobs that you need to use to initaite a self destruct...
  • Who would I have to kill to see an update of System Shock on the DS? it has the Muscle, I think of that game as an ideal use for a touch screen dual display.

  • return of cursor-based games (Score:5, Insightful)

    by radimvice ( 762083 ) on Sunday July 11, 2004 @05:30PM (#9669615) Homepage
    The touch-screen alone will allow you much more intuitive control of games that depend on selecting objects in a 2-dimensional playing field (think Maniac Mansion, Lemmings, any RTS game). Basically, the days of manipulating that clunky joypad-controlled cursor all over the screen are gone. And this is a GREAT thing with tosn of possibilities.

    I'm still a little skeptical of how it'll turn out in practice, though. My experience with touch screens in the past has been that they're still kind of clunky themselves because they're not precise enough to use with your thumbs and I wouldn't even think of trying to tap a screen with a stylus while simultaneously holding the controller in both hands and having access to the d-pad and action buttons.

    As far as the second screen, as a three-year dual-monitor user I know how much easier it is to multitask with a set of applications open on separate screens and simply switch your gaze (and mouse) between them as opposed to constantly shuffling windows around. At the same time, I don't see streamlined console games having the same multitasking requirements, and I think the second screen will just be used as a place to put those mini-maps and status windows that used to be squeezed into the corner of the screen. It might make the main gameplay windows less cluttered, but I'd rather just have a larger single screen.

    I give Nintendo credit for trying something new, but I'm still haunted by Virtual Boy flashbacks. They'll have to do a lot more than produce a gimmicky hardware platform if they truly intend to reintroduce innovation to the dying video game industry. Like, for example, I hope they design new games for the platform as opposed to port existing franchies and retro remakes with cursory touch-screen and dual-screen support. But this is definitely a start.
    • I've a got a Sony-Ericsson P800, which I play a variety of games on. It's got a touch screen similar in size to one of the DS's screens (but oriented vertically), and a scroll wheel on the side which the left hand thumb can use to scroll up or down, push in like a button, or 'click' sideways either way.

      The whole thing works pretty seamlessly, with several games using both the touchscreen and scroll-wheel simultaneously, to great effect. If the DS is engineered right (and judging by Nintendo's history, it

  • Seriously simple ideas (Score:5, Interesting)

    by MMaestro ( 585010 ) on Sunday July 11, 2004 @06:14PM (#9669942)
    One thing I'd like to see is a FPS with one screen is in 1st person view while the second screen is in third person view. It'd be awesome! It'd be like Metal Gear Solid meets Doom! You COULD play the game a la MGS snaping necks, tapping on walls, or using the cardboard box. Or you could run through gunning guards down only to look at the third person view when you wanna turn off the alarm by hiding. Though to be honest, FPSs don't translate to handhelds too well.

    Another thing I'd like to see is some serious AI improvements, and not just a 'ok the player is doing insanely well, time to make the game impossible' a la Max Payne 2. I wanna be able to team up with an AI as good as Metal Gear Solid's (I like game the game a lot, did you notice?) BUT instead of having both screens to myself, the second screen would be for my buddy. So while I played on my screen I could use the touch pad to point out directions and orders to by buddy like we were real soldiers "go here", "attack this", "cover this area", etc. This would eliminate silly things like ammo symbols appear over people's heads when they shout 'I need ammo!' since I could just double tap the ammo symbol on mine/his screen to communicate with him. Kinda like Brute Force, only not Microsoft par quality.

    My last idea would be a RTS on the handheld. It'd be insanely difficult to do, let alone play, but think about it. With two screens you could FINALLY watch your army while watching your base, no more losing a match because you were too busy killing an enemy outpost while the enemies were destroying your BASE. Two screens would TOTALLY innovate RTS games, since you could no longer risk playing 'turtle' style since even a newbie would be able to launch hit-and-run attacks while mining resources as well as you. Recon would take a new level since doing so before usually ment seeing a couple red dots on the minimap and having them disappear before you could click and see what it was. Flanking (long overlooked in games) would because vital in large army combat with fog of war in RTSes. You could send one part of your army to keep the enemy busy in a chokepoint while a second part snuck around and pincer attacked them in the rear from view of the second screen.

    • Though to be honest, FPSs don't translate to handhelds too well. Newsflash, FPS games don't translate to anything that doesn't have a Keyboard AND Mouse well (at all). As for RTS on a portable. Let's seem the screen is like 2 inches by 2 inches. what you're suggesting means you still have to have unit selection on the screen somewhere taking up space (A better plan would be to use the touch screen for selecting from build menues).So instead of dying because you can't scroll the mouse across the screen
    • Well, the problem with both your first and second ideas is that the DS is capable of displaying 3D on only one screen at a time, although it can be either screen.

      A RTS game will be great on the DS. There are already a couple of good ones for PocketPC PDA's, showing that the touch screen interface is playable. However, I expect that rather than watch two locations at once, the 'norm' for RTS on the DS will be the touch screen for your standard view (showing troops, bases, etc) and the upper screen will have

    • Personally, I think that RTS games could be the killer app for the DS. The reason being is that you could exploit the main two features of the device (dual screens & touch sensitive input) in a way that wouldn't seem contrived.

      Think about this. On your top screen, you have the "action" window, where you have all your characters running around. You select your orc/peasant/etc with your stylus, and then draw a line where you want him to go, or you draw a circle around where you want him to start
    • Another idea I had was to use one the screens for a 3D view of the action and the other for a topdown 2D view.

      Specifically, I was imagining a Zelda game. You could play in both the 3D view (like on N64) and the classic top-down 2D view (like on NES/SNES). It seems like an interesting way to combine the two play styles of Zelda that have worked so well in past games. I'd buy it.

  • Basically, take any shooter with a multiplayer mode, or a team theme (like Rainbow Six). What I'm thinking is that the regular screen would be your eyes, and your eyes only, maybe your standard HUD things like health and ammo, but that's it.
    The touch screen would be your information center. It could contain two or four screen with other players eyes, or their veiws on it so you can always keep tabs on what they're up to and how they're doing. It could also be the command center. Tear-down menus (al l

  • The killer app for Every pointing device... (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Solitare.

    Seriously, I owned a Tiger Game.com years back, it had a touch screen as well. It had solitare built into the unit and I spent alot of time on that game. Not to mention that it would go missing and I would find my mother playing it.

    Although I suppose it helped that Solitare was easily in the top 5 best game.com games ever produced...
  • I think a cool idea would be if in a game like Final Fantasy if they kept the inventory on once screen and the battle and health on the other screen. Sometimes there are so many items it would be nice to be able to see what you have as you're walking around.

    The touch screen seems like a gimmick to me. I suppose it could serve as a more interesting way to aim for shooter games, but beyond that, it just seems like anything it would do could be accomplished with alternate and cheaper control methods. It's

  • dual vs single (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 11, 2004 @10:27PM (#9671436)
    I don't think I disagree with the decision to separate the two screens, it sort of forces (strongly encourages perhaps) developers to innovate.

    Obviously minimaps and inventories will find the addition usefull

    Also puzzle games taking advantage of an extra dimension could become more complex.

    The additional screen could be used in a linkup platform game to display the other players location. Tetrinet / puzzle bobble / puzzle fighter style games also would use the extra space to display the other player

    The stylus allows for a new control method which could prove interesting, it's better in terms of precision/speed than the d-pad and it could be used in conjunction with the dpad simply to give the player lots more buttons

    The stylus could be used for lock picking (ala thief 3) and other puzzle types within an action game, essentially making all dialog style interactions available without hiding the playing screen. This would allow designers to keep the game going making the player keep a sharp eye out for someone trying to get them while their guard is down.

    I think someone mentioned above, the ability to use the two screens to play two characters would be cool.

    perhaps the stylus could be used for gesture style spell systems (ala black and white) for some games.

    Ok that'll do for now
  • I guess it wouldn't work though. After all, you need two hands to play the DS.
    • Put it on the table (maybe your lap would work, too), make the controls stylus-only, have fun.
      I think Tecmo's Team Ninja already enlisted for DS development, so the chances are pretty good...

  • Wario Ware (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Lord_Dweomer ( 648696 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:34AM (#9672293) Homepage
    One of the best games I purchased for my GBA SP is Wario Ware Inc.

    It is a game that is just made up of tons of minigames, most of them very interesting.

    Something like this could add a whole new element of control to it.

    The first thing that popped into my head was an Operation type mini game where you have to pick bones out of a body.

  • Tekken DS (Score:3, Interesting)

    by supabeast! ( 84658 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @10:48AM (#9675298)
    I want to see a four-player fighting game that shows a close up horizontal view on one screen, and an overhead view of the entire arena on the other screen.
  • So will this mean the end of GB's nifty backwards compatibility streak? The DS will work with older games but what about DS games with future GBs? I don't imagine Nintendo using two screens for all future handhelds.
    • But I believe it's been said that this is considered in addition to the gameboy. I presume they'll continue to make more normal gameboys which will carry on the tradition. (and I guess the DS would more accurately be labeled cross-compatible)
  • That's all, really. I recall it being a fun game, if a little straighforward. I think it would make a nice game for on the go.
  • which I haven't heard mentioned yet, would be multiplayer gaming, where you can see the other players screen on your system. There are a lot of possibilities here for both cooperative and competitive games. Think about a racing game where you can see your opponent's exact position behind you to better line up an oil slick or smokescreen. Or an adventure a la four swords - Online! See your friend's progress while you play in the same world.
  • What Nintendo has created is the perfect portable RPG system.

    The touch-screen interface makes an all-time inventory, map & status screen easy, and selecting an item to use is as simple as pointing to it.

    Imagine, for a moment, if someone were to port a Roguelike to the system. No need to call up an inventory, press once to selecting an item, press-hold to get a list of possible alternative uses or item management functions, drag to trash to dump it.

    Or, in a pen & paper-style video RPG in which yo
  • I would like to see a acrade style punch out reincarnation using two screens the way it was set up originally. Second I would like to see some pinball games with the bottom being the playing field and the top being an interactive scoreboard that displays interactive messages when certain triggers occur. A last idea would be a battle ship type game.
  • Remember "Typing Of The Dead"? That bizarre Dreamcast game in which players used the keyboard to type a series of characters fatal to the oncoming zombies? On the DS, the top screen would be the normal first person view of the oncoming baddies (zombies, aliens, fluffy bunnies, whatever). The lower screen would feature 2 or 3 rows of icons. The player would have to tap out the correct sequence of icons to defeat his enemies. Perhaps the icons would represent magical items or symbopls to cast a spell? (Nosta

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