The goal of this photo essay was to explore control input in video games and our interaction with them on a base level. The photo collection can be found on my Flickr page here.
The photo collection and minimalistic captions representing each photo demonstrate a few key factors in how we approach video games. While some initially view the photos as hunks of plastic for child's play, the intent of the essay is to note the way we as players interact with the controllers. To approach the controllers as the "handheld medium" that separates video games from other art mediums like film is essential in understanding this unique interactive entertainment form.
Photo captions tell the real story, with the earliest dated controller described as "Direction pad, two face buttons, two mode buttons. Two thumbs to operate." In this classic Nintendo controller, players can use their simple input, often a combination of four cardinal directions and two face buttons to enjoy a large variety (literally hundreds) of games. This same controller is used to direct Mario to a power-up in Super Mario Bros., charge up a super spike with Eddie in Super Spike V'Ball, defeat Ridley as gaming's original heroine, Samus, in Metroid, and explore a vast land and down foes with magic by issuing commands in Dragon Warrior.
Additionally, this photo essay raises the question, "What about the future of game controllers?" If Nintendo's recent advancements are any question, controllers will only continue to tie in to more natural forms of human interactivity. While old technology is being used in new ways (Nintendo's Zapper and Wii Remote both utilizing infrared, twenty years apart), things like accelerometers and gyroscopes bring real human movement to many video games in a big way. Companies like Emotive are developing headsets that measure brain activity, and whispers of Microsoft planning on using human shadows hint at "controllers" on the horizon.
For the time being, of course, a few thumbs and fingers seem to draw players into their games just fine.
While intense graphics, blippy-yet-masterfully composed soundtracks, and addictive online elements pervade the minds of gamers across the globe, the input control connecting players to their games undoubtedly rules the medium. These photos and their captions highlight that fact.
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