Also, Defender was not a game that the developers deliberated over during it's design, it was being programmed right up to a few hours before the AMOA, right on the show floor! The controls they chose worked, so that was probably enough for them since they were under such tight time pressure to complete the game. I suspect they didn't spend too much time deliberating such nuances as to what control scheme would be "better."
That simply is not true.
While a game may have been programmed right up until its release... that has NO bearing on how much thought and testing went into the controls and playability. In fact, its more likely that the control scheme was designed first, and after the main gameplay was established, the majority of that time that went into the game... was merely on the actual games difficulty ramp and balance. Thats typically how the classics were programmed.
They didnt have to spend months on graphics looks... because the hardware was extremely limited. So what did the programmers spend all that time doing? Trying to compress the software as small as possible, to eek out as much memory and performance as they could get. The rest of the time, it was to establish a near perfect difficulty ramp.
You see, unlike the "Continue" style games... The arcade games were far different. If the players got too good, too quickly... they could spend 20 minutes, to several hours... on a machine. This was a real problem with Operators... because they wouldnt make good money that way. They would complain to the MFG, and either return the game, and or never buy a game from that company again.
While yes... even the classics have people whom can and did master games to a level where they could be played for hours or days at a time... That level of skill took a LOT of money worth of practice to get that good. So long as the difficulty ramp was balanced deep enough, spanning many levels deep... it would allow the Ops to get good return on their machines. And that level balance was usually so good... that only a small percentage would invest that much effort to be able to rock a machine for such long spans. And by that time... the game was probably getting pushed into the corner, where a new game was now taking its prime spot.
As for the reasons of the controls being so different... thats a lot of explaining, but its a good example... so here goes...
First, you could say that Robotrons controls would be more Intuitive, if you only used One joystick right? Fire whichever direction you are facing. However, try it in Mame this way... and you can quickly see the reason why its NOT good to do this. You need to be moving away from the enemy as you fire... or you will quickly get over-run by masses of enemies.
The more controls you have to work with... the more actual Control you get over the game.
Now, I will break down each control and the reasons for them:
1) Fire Button
If you didnt already know, theres a MASSIVE difference between a real classic arcade Leaf-switch button, and a modern Microswitch button.
The main difference, is that the Microswitch has a very long throw distance, from start-position to depress, then to full Reset. We are talking something like 3mm each direction, so a total of 6mm of full travel on each press. Furthermore, the type of spring system used on them... is very strong at the start gate. This causes you to use a good deal of physical pressure to overcome it.. for it to then Snap down to its contact points. This force does not seen like a big deal if you are playing a game which used limited fire... but when you try to play a rapidfire game... such as Galaga, (Hallys Comet is an even better example) you will see how your hands/fingers get tired.. quite quickly.
A Leaf switch is completely different, in that the spring force is mild and increases as you depress... rather than the Micros set full force. There is no buildup of pressure, and you can simply bounce or even "Vibrate" the button, with ease... much like bouncing on a trampoline. Its smooth, near effortless.
Because the contacts on a leaf can be a literal onion skin apart, you can vibrate or what they term as "Float", the contacts on and off with almost no vertical distance moved. In this manor, you can fire like 10 times faster, and maintain this insane rate, for minutes or hours... without fatigue. Try this with Halleys comet on a microswitch, firing as fast as you possibly can... and you will probably burn out in 3min of play... if that.
*** So... Why use a Thrust Button instead of a the stick??? (in two variants)
A) Instead of a Leaf-Based-Joystick?
Leaf sticks are quite sensitive, but the main fact is... is that if you are trying to be very accurate with your vertical movements.. your speed control is going to suffer if you try to lump it into the direction system. This is the Robotron style of example I stated before.
Another example of this.. is trying to play a game like OutRun, where you have to press Up for Gas, and Down for brake. What will happen when you try to curve? It can be too easy to accidentally not press diagonal, and you will lose speed. And if you had to brake suddenly in that turn... it would be too long a throw... and again, also... you might accidentally just press straight down... and not diagonally down... and so not move completely away from a car impact.. and or to keep from skidding off the road.
B) Instead of a Microswitch-Based-Joystick?
Microswitch sticks require about 6 times the travel distance, until the activation is achieved. Its even slower in reaction time, to a microswitch button... due to the mechanics of the shaft. As such, your reaction times and throttle control will be Butchered. In addition, again, we have the same problem with greater fatigue, less precise speed control, and accidentals.
* The main reason... pretty much Period. is far Superior speed control. Much like in Asteroids. You can activate the tinyest and quickest little bursts of thrusts. This just is never gong to be even close to possible, using a joystick.
2) Why a Reverse Button???
So, much like Asteroids... we have a Thrust button in Defender. Because its leaf based... you can have the shortest of micro-bursts... and get incredible precision and accuracy... What can we do about turning around?
If you tie the stick into activating Reverse... its not only more CPU Cycle slower and require more program code (memory), but more importantly... you really cant afford to Accidentally reverse in the Heat of a battle. Instinctively... if you were pressing forwards for thrust... you probably are going to thoughtlessly press backwards to Slow down... but thats not how the game works. You could make a game like that... but there would be a complete gameplay implosion as a result.
You see... if you press back to slow down.. you could make the game auto-turn-around after a certain timeframe / speed. But that is making an Assumption... one that might Kill the player, and INFURIATE him in the process.
So... either method here.. can result in loss of control, and angered players.
The reverse button Guarantees that the player actually really wants / needs to reverse at that particular moment of time... and that there is no possibility of accidentally pressing backwards, on the heat of battle. It also focuses on keeping the players Vertical movements far more precise.
3) Why a 2-Way Leaf stick?
The Defender stick is a very special beast. One thing you notice... is that the balltop controller is a Lot lower than most stick controls. Why? Because it allows for quicker reaction times.. as there is less physical travel needed.
Additionally, the stick does not have much of a deadzone... and activation of the leafs is very quick and precise.
Using a typical microswitch stick.. and you are going to have to travel about 6 times the distances, for example. going from furthest Up to furthest down. Imagine if you only have a fraction of a second to avoid a projectile? With a leaf, you can do it. With a micro... your losing your ship.
4) Why are the buttons arranged so far apart and in an odd shape?
Mostly, to avoid Accidentally pressing the wrong buttons at the wrong time. Its easy to Forget what buttons do what.. if they are all lined up together. However, if you know that the Hyperspace is in far center, you remember that far better than if it were sitting right next to the thrust. And being that this button is quite a gamble at times... its best to keep it further away from accidental pressings.
You will find similar setups with dangerous controls in many other areas of life. Some controls even have covers over them, as an extra precaution... such as a missile launch button on a fighter jet. Flip it up, then depress.
Another example of this style of layout, is Asteroids Deluxe. The shield is in the center, far away from the other controls. At first... you find it impossible to get to the thing in time. Either forgetting about it, and or missing it by a hair. But after a bunch of practice, it becomes easier and easier, and quite rewarding when you pull it off constantly, by the skin of your teeth.
Originally, Id thought about modding my arcade machine... placing it closer. But after playing for some hours.. I changed my mind. It was easy enough, to accidentally mix up thrust from fire once in a while... so imagine what would happen if you put the shield in the mix?!
Again, these things were not just simply Hobbled together in a matter or minutes... and controllers were no "last minute" thought. These games have razor sharp game balance... that todays modern games cant touch... and the reason for that... is because the games today are designed to be played with Inferior standardized controllers... such as the analog thumb sticks. They are slow, clunky, and take too much travel... and so, game designers have to made the games far more easy as a result. That.. and the simple fact that game makers today dont need to make a well balanced game. The games have endings... and if you beat them in 2 hours of play, and never have the desire to play them again... they dont care.. nor suffer much consequence because of it.
In fact, many people at Atari have stated that for a long period of time... every game being produced had to contain a unique controller. Such as a Spinner, Trackball, Bike Grip.... and or combination of many controllers.
Back then... there were no "Generic" Happs controllers. For example, if you wanted a Shifter in your arcade machine... you needed to make it from scratch. This meant a lot of time was spend designing, building, and testing various controllers. Many of them having many revisions before making the cut to be installed permanently into a game.
A poor controller, one that broke down quickly / easily... could Ruin a games and heck... the companies Reputation. These machines were Not cheap back then!
Fyi - an interesting factoid... that in the Original Marble Madness design... Mark Cerney has wanted the trackball to be Motorized... as to get the player actual force feedback. A prototype was actually made. However, he didnt realize, that when you add four points of contact to the thing.... it simply would no longer roll anymore. With a time crunch looming, he decided to use a standard atari trackball instead. The story shows that designers were Very thoughtful of their controllers. You can find many other stories that mirror this as well,
In ending... while for example... I could have modded my Asteriods Deluxe, and made it easier for me.. What I realized was that I didnt want the game to be easier. I wanted to learn and become a better player, with the intended controllers... and in a short timeframe, with the desire and intense attitude, I DID become better. It was highly rewarding.. and Im thankful that I restrained myself long enough to "get it".
And about what you said... Yes, it DOES change the game. As the gameplay IS effected vastly by the controls.
Especially the elder non continue based classics. You just do not fully understand or appreciate the delicate balance and benefits yet. No offense, but your statement is somewhat of a "White-Belt" level of understanding / functioning.
Regardless, enjoy.
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Topic: Single Joystick control of Defender and Battlezone (patch), ROTJ mouse patch... (Read 17550 times)
