Topic: New Patent with rotary shoulder buttons (possibly NX handheld)

Handheld console
Home Console

When I saw this patent it makes my belief that the NX is a handheld stronger

@Sleepingmudkip: Nowhere does it state that this is the NX and it confirms inside the patent itself that the handheld is only used as the example system (a placeholder, if you would). It says that the concept can be used in handheld devices or controllers for home consoles (please read previous posts if curious).

@shaneoh: I meant home console.

@MrMario02:
Reggie saying they are working on their next home console =/= NX is a home console. Nintendo IS working on their next home console, just like Nintendo IS working on their next handheld console. To date their is no solid information on what the NX actually is, with the very little we know it could just as easily be a handheld, or the NX could be a dedicated VC machine. Nor is there any information as to where they are in the production of these devices, they could still be researching or they could be approaching the manufacturing stage. Sony and Microsoft are already working on their next home console and would have started before their current consoles hit the shelves. Apple are already working on their next Apple Watch. The only information that can be garnered from that statement is that at this stage is that Nintendo are in the home console business for another generation.

@Sleepingmudkip: Reggie Fils-Amie said that NX is a home console. Sorry but unless Reggie was being tricky with his words (hinting that NX is a family) we won't be seeing a new handheld from nintendo for a while. After all, why would there be a new handheld when Nintendo just released the New 3DS back in February?
Source: http://nintendoeverything.com/reggie-indicates-that-nx-is-a-h...

@shaneoh: But he said that he "Publicly indicated" that they're working on the next home console. Also, Kensuke Tanabe stated “If we started for Wii U now, it would likely take three years or so. So it would likely now be on Nintendo’s NX console. It’s a long time but it would need to include a lot of content, which would take a lot of work on the development side.” implying that NX is some sort of successor to the Wii U.
Source: http://nintendoeverything.com/metroid-prime-producer-next-pro...

These rotary buttons would be awesome if they are used to shuffle through weapons and items.

The same reason we saw a new handheld after the DSi XL was released, the time for a new handheld is near...new versions of the same generation system mean nothing.

No, he was asked specifically about the Wii U being outsold by the PS4 and XBOne. He never said NX once in his reply. This is the full quote:

You're taking the quote well out of context. Reggie wasn't being tricky at all, he was playing his cards very close to his chest. It was the site you pointed to which was being tricky by taking that last sentence as it's own thing. Then stating that he was talking about the NX. When there wasn't any clear evidence that he was.

Infact being honest about what he was saying? He said that we were "very early" in the cycle, that the console cycle is "quite long" and that they have strength globally. Then when he did talk about what they were doing next for the home console he said that it was "another element" that they'll talk about "much later". Doesn't really sound at all like he's saying "2016, NX, home console, replaces the Wii U'...........

Monster Hunter comes to mind immediately.

To summarise what I said earlier: Hardware manufacturers are always working on the next piece of hardware even when their current piece of hardware hasn't launched. Reggie could be referencing another instance when he spoke of work on future hardware, he's not necessarily referring to the NX. As for Kensuke Tanabe, there isn't anything to say that the next Metroid Prime (after FF) can't be on a handheld, and as I initially said, console may be referring to either a handheld console or a home console. There is also the fact that he isn't a native english speaker, it is reasonably possible he didn't word his statement in accordance to the message he intended to convey.

That would be a fantastic use.

This is why I hate when people talk about "standard controllers". There are so many cool subtle innovations like that that could give players a much more thorough control interface. Calling for "standard controllers" props up the idea that the Dualshock 2 was the final necessary revision to the SNES controller lineage, and that they should never change the type of input ever again.

On the patent itself I do like the idea of a wheel. It makes sense. Though I wonder how they can make it a wheel AND maintain the simplicity of a button. I think it would make more sense if there was a wheel in addition to the triggers rather than replacing it.

Thinking of the Wii U Pro Controller shape. If R was replaced with a mouse-style scroll wheel? I could see how that would work even if you replaced both L and R. I can't think of any major disadvantage given you still have ZL and ZR. On the 3DS though I wouldn't want L and R replaced by scroll wheels. Because then you wouldn't have any standard triggers. For example, I don't think it would be better to have to click down a scroll wheel instead of a simple button for something like Mario Kart.

If they can make it possible to have the buttons rotate and be pushed with ease I don't see the problem, then they might even replace the L button with a wheel, although I wonder how many games would require two scrolling wheels.. If they can make it work, it's a neat addition to the standard controller.

But scroll wheels aren't as easy to click as an actual button. In the same way that the button under the analogue stick isn't as easy to press as a face button. They're fine for secondary functions but for main functions? I think you'd still want a dedicated set of two triggers for things like racing games in addition to this scroll-wheel idea.

@shaneoh @skywake But what about that other patent with the "No disk drive" thing?

Indeed, it depends on how they can make it work. As I said before, I can't imagine a button that can be pressed and rotated to be confortable to use, but if they can make it work, I don't see the problem. And if that's the case, they might as well replace the L-button to keep things consistent. And of course the ZL and ZR buttons will remain.

And what about this patent?

Really, patents come out for all sorts of ideas. And we can assume that they're working on ideas for both a home console and a handheld. Some of which may apply to the NX, some may apply to something else, some might never come to light. Hell, some might come to both! At most what these patents do is give us an idea of what ideas they're playing around with. They don't prove anything.