OK I'm currently looking at designing a game for the Nintendo DS, making extensive use of the Stylus, due to the nature of the game I want to have separate control setups for lefthanded and right handed people. basically the two options will be: 1 In your left hand: Stylus (used for combat, inventory management, etc) In your right hand: a, b, x, y (control direction, substituting the d-pad) 2 In your left hand: D-Pad (for direction) In your right hand: Stylus(same use as above) The main question is: What "handed" are you, and which hand would you intuitively use to control a) sword swinging b) movement Also would appreciate comments on the details of the control system itself that I've given. *edit* I havent given much detail, but basically, what do you think of having everything controlled by the stylus apart from movement? I could possibly use the L & R shoulder buttons but they would be hard to hold while using stylus. To give a bit more detail: SwordMaster journal entry

I've done pen-based for four years now. We've found that the controls are something that needs to evolve over time.

Most people in the US and Europe are right handed, but the number varies by culture for various reasons. A quick google search shows around 90% are right-handed in the US.

Focus on a right-hand interface first, keeping in mind that you want a left-hand interface later. Programming to an interface or ABC will let you switch the interface at runtime.

frob.

Its not going to be difficult for me to do both straight away.

I'm ambidextrous so was just wondering what hand people preferred to move with etc..(the obvious choice would be that they use the stylus in their writing hand. . but I dont know maybe they preferr it the other way?)
the basic point was so I could say "this is the right handed control system" and "this is the left handed control system"

...Rather stupidly I didnt realise I wouldnt need to decide what "hand" they would use, I can just call it "control setup A" and "control setup B"


Anyway besides you noone seems inteterested!

well I thought it was a cool idea anyway. . maybe ill scrap it though if noone else will enjoy it.

It would be a little hard to customize this system, due to the specific nature the sword is controlled. (And pretty much everything else being controlled by stylus too)

I guess you could reconfigure teh D-Pad so 'up' is 'down' ? =D j/k!

I've never had any problem switching hands for gaming (I can't switch mouse hands for the life of me, though). But I'm not so sure about using buttons as a d-pad. I haven't held the DS controller, but from other controllers, I don't think I would like that.

But if given the customize choice, I always use WASD for movement. So left-hand movement. Oh, and I was born left handed but converted to a righty when I was really young :P

Quote:Original post by gav86
It would be a little hard to customize this system, due to the specific nature the sword is controlled. (And pretty much everything else being controlled by stylus too)

I guess you could reconfigure teh D-Pad so 'up' is 'down' ? =D j/k!

As I mentioned earlier, program to an interface so you can change the implementation as time goes on.

Perhaps in your case that means you have a bunch of ways you can move your sword and let the interface class call any of those it needs. Maybe you'll expose Swing(), Hack(), Slash(), Stab(), Parry(), Lunge(), Walk(), Run(), Jump(), and so on.

You can have a similar generic controller, specialized for right-handed, left-handed, keyboard, cell phone 10key, custom, or whatever else you feel like.

Then your controller can just call the appropriate functions.

frob.