Could Nintendo’s Wii U controller work with MMOGs? Buttons and analogue sticks for moving and attacks a la DCUO or Champions played with a PS3/360 controller, a touchscreen for more menu/icon driven areas like inventory, talent trees and grouping that can be a little clunky with a conventional controller, and microphone for voice chat (plus camera if you wanted to go further and pop up a video window, though unless it supported sticking a bunch of markers to your face to map your movements onto your character’s in-game model that wouldn’t be terribly immersive).
It very much depends on the MMO. In a more action oriented MMO like DCUO or even DDO where there are fewer abilities and more focus on attacking and positioning I can see it being viable, tho I’m not sure I like the idea of trying to monitor a tv and a handheld device at the same time. Not while in a relaxed ‘pad on lap in a big armchair’ position anyway.
Using the controller in a traditional PC MMO like DAOC/WoW/Lotro however? Not a chance. I have over fifty bindings in WoW and it’s still not enough.
You could have a lot of abilities bound to the touch screen I suppose but then we all know what people think of the dreaded ‘clickers’ Not to mention that for a lot of folks a normal keyboard isn’t enough either. I love my G110 :D
Fifty bindings? Blimey… Mind you, I s’pose I’ve got the regular toolbar plus the Ctrl, Shift and Alt shifted versions pretty much filled in LotRO with a level 34 character, they certainly do stack up.
Got it! If the controller has a built-in mic, voice commands! That wouldn’t get old at all… “Fireball, fireball, fireball, fireball, fireball, fireball…”
*deep breath*
“… fireball, fireball, fireball, fireball, fireball…”
Though if anyone had a pet called “Logout” or “Exit Game”, there could be major problems when they called them. Hrm. Maybe not then.
Although shouting “Bugger this!” in frustration at a boss fight would at least allow them to finish you off in an amusing manner as your character turns around and bends over.