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Exis Freedom vs. Microsoft Oppression
Exis Freedom vs. Microsoft Oppression
| Name: | Peter Kojesta |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date Posted: | Oct 04, 2006 | |
| Rating: |  4.5 out of 5 | |
| Public: | YES | |
| Comments: | YES | |
| RSS Feed: |  or Subscribe with  . | |
| Profile Page: | View profile page for Peter Kojesta |
Blog post
My new blog: www.ExisInteractive.com/exiseffect
The new console generation is upon us. Come November, competition for the hearts and minds of this grand audience will begin in earnest. Three great powers will face off in a war of words and shadow tactics reminiscent of battles fought in the worlds of David Eddings. I write to shine light on one of these shadow battles. Here you will find the story of how Exis has tried to create something for the people, and how Microsoft has blocked us at every turn.
Exis is a small indie developer; we create our own games and contract our art/programming services to other companies. I started making games and game art when I was 14 years old (back in the Atarti & NES days), and started in the industry in 1998. 8 years later I'm very happy to still be working in this industry; which is something you don't hear too many people say anymore. In early 2005 I saw the new console generation and the coming transition year slowly creeping up on the industry. I had considered buying an Xbox 360, a PS3, and even a Wii if I could afford them all. The reason I probably won't buy any of them is because too many genres, the RTS and FPS genres to name a few, are made unplayable by an uninspired and outdated controller design. A mouse and keyboard are cumbersome at best and they remove the visual appeal of a well organized entertainment system. Since having a mouse and keyboard lying in front of the TV was not an option, I designed the Freedom controller.
The Freedom controller gives users wireless mouse functionality and normal game-pad control at the same time. It's meant to be a clean, modular gamepad that allows one to retain the "console culture". The controller has two main elements, the first is the wireless gamepad portion, and the second is the wireless optical mouse. Users can attach and detach the two distinct portions in order to get the functionality they want. You want action game controls, connect the two sections together. You want RTS controls, detach the optical mouse and command your troops properly. This is the core functionality of the Exis Freedom controller; it brings a useful and battle hardened control scheme to the game consoles. I've done enough industrial design in my time to be able to effectively show how this controller can be done. So the interesting thing is that I've had one of Microsoft's partners offer to fund development of this controller, but only if Microsoft gives the "okay".
I approached Microsoft with the controller concept, but I wasn't asking Microsoft for anything other than permission to make it. I spent quite a while trying to break through the first outer wall of bureaucracy. After finally getting in touch with some of the right people, I was not shocked to be met with apathy and hard-line MS doctrine. For a company that is attempting to show some good nature towards indies with their Xbox Live indie development program, I would really have appreciated some consideration.
From a business perspective, 30.1% of PC games sold are RTS's. 0% of console games sold are RTS's (some few have been sold). It plays out to roughly $300 million a year in RTS game sales for the PC market; which makes roughly 7 times less money than the console games market (USA domestic market). An insanely over simplified calculation one could make is to multiply that $300 million by the console game sales factor (7) and you're looking at a market potentially worth $2.1 billion (USA domestic market) . For my personal joy, how great would it be to have Warcraft on the 360, Starcraft on the 360, Supreme Commander on the 360, Age of Empires on the 360. Microsoft would have had great foresight to include this controller in its product catalog.
Having breached the outer wall, I was now set to face off with two guards of the grand citadel. Lets just call them Ed and John, to protect the innocent. I started with John who categorically denied having any decision making ability, even though he was head of design; This was the pre-game setup you see: John sent me to Ed, who told me I should speak to John - rinse and repeat. They were playing intra-office table tennis and I was the ball. Finally, after weeks of "don't tell us a thing, we can't be held accountable" They prompted me to send something to Microsoft's "opportunity management system".
The "opportunity management system" is essentially the black hole where they relegate anything they never want to hear about again. After spending a few months dealing with bureaucracy, I decided to get back in touch with the good folks at MS. I had the phone numbers of the people who made the decisions on this stuff now, and I planned to use it.
First I called Ed again, and flat out told him what the controller concept was this time before he could tell me his virgin ears could not handle proprietary information. The response was simple, "we don't allow 3rd parties to make wireless controllers". "But Ed" I said, "this controller is the RTS holy grail, it's the FPS Excalibur, it's what the people want for goodness sakes!". Again, he recited the party line: "We don't allow 3rd parties to make wireless controllers". What is this then?
Is it too late for Microsoft to put aside the juggernaught mentality and give the people what they want? No, not at all; I'm still only asking them for permission to make this controller. I don't want a dime from them; just permission to move forward. And until I get it, I'm going to make the Freedom controller anyway; maybe for the PS3 instead? I've already started drafting plans for a prototype, and this is where the community comes in. I want everyone who feels they can help to do so. Engineers, artists, web developers, gamers, and game developers unite. Lets all do something here that will shake the foundation of how games are played. Let's bring our talents together to blaze a new trail. Will freedom prevail over oppression?
Join our forums, comment on the blog, and let's see what this grand audience is made of. This is an opensource hardware development project. I am standing in a field gazing up at great walls and a vast enemy army, what will I see when I look behind me? Only you can decide.
- Peter Kojesta
The new console generation is upon us. Come November, competition for the hearts and minds of this grand audience will begin in earnest. Three great powers will face off in a war of words and shadow tactics reminiscent of battles fought in the worlds of David Eddings. I write to shine light on one of these shadow battles. Here you will find the story of how Exis has tried to create something for the people, and how Microsoft has blocked us at every turn.
Exis is a small indie developer; we create our own games and contract our art/programming services to other companies. I started making games and game art when I was 14 years old (back in the Atarti & NES days), and started in the industry in 1998. 8 years later I'm very happy to still be working in this industry; which is something you don't hear too many people say anymore. In early 2005 I saw the new console generation and the coming transition year slowly creeping up on the industry. I had considered buying an Xbox 360, a PS3, and even a Wii if I could afford them all. The reason I probably won't buy any of them is because too many genres, the RTS and FPS genres to name a few, are made unplayable by an uninspired and outdated controller design. A mouse and keyboard are cumbersome at best and they remove the visual appeal of a well organized entertainment system. Since having a mouse and keyboard lying in front of the TV was not an option, I designed the Freedom controller.
The Freedom controller gives users wireless mouse functionality and normal game-pad control at the same time. It's meant to be a clean, modular gamepad that allows one to retain the "console culture". The controller has two main elements, the first is the wireless gamepad portion, and the second is the wireless optical mouse. Users can attach and detach the two distinct portions in order to get the functionality they want. You want action game controls, connect the two sections together. You want RTS controls, detach the optical mouse and command your troops properly. This is the core functionality of the Exis Freedom controller; it brings a useful and battle hardened control scheme to the game consoles. I've done enough industrial design in my time to be able to effectively show how this controller can be done. So the interesting thing is that I've had one of Microsoft's partners offer to fund development of this controller, but only if Microsoft gives the "okay".
I approached Microsoft with the controller concept, but I wasn't asking Microsoft for anything other than permission to make it. I spent quite a while trying to break through the first outer wall of bureaucracy. After finally getting in touch with some of the right people, I was not shocked to be met with apathy and hard-line MS doctrine. For a company that is attempting to show some good nature towards indies with their Xbox Live indie development program, I would really have appreciated some consideration.
From a business perspective, 30.1% of PC games sold are RTS's. 0% of console games sold are RTS's (some few have been sold). It plays out to roughly $300 million a year in RTS game sales for the PC market; which makes roughly 7 times less money than the console games market (USA domestic market). An insanely over simplified calculation one could make is to multiply that $300 million by the console game sales factor (7) and you're looking at a market potentially worth $2.1 billion (USA domestic market) . For my personal joy, how great would it be to have Warcraft on the 360, Starcraft on the 360, Supreme Commander on the 360, Age of Empires on the 360. Microsoft would have had great foresight to include this controller in its product catalog.
Having breached the outer wall, I was now set to face off with two guards of the grand citadel. Lets just call them Ed and John, to protect the innocent. I started with John who categorically denied having any decision making ability, even though he was head of design; This was the pre-game setup you see: John sent me to Ed, who told me I should speak to John - rinse and repeat. They were playing intra-office table tennis and I was the ball. Finally, after weeks of "don't tell us a thing, we can't be held accountable" They prompted me to send something to Microsoft's "opportunity management system".
The "opportunity management system" is essentially the black hole where they relegate anything they never want to hear about again. After spending a few months dealing with bureaucracy, I decided to get back in touch with the good folks at MS. I had the phone numbers of the people who made the decisions on this stuff now, and I planned to use it.
First I called Ed again, and flat out told him what the controller concept was this time before he could tell me his virgin ears could not handle proprietary information. The response was simple, "we don't allow 3rd parties to make wireless controllers". "But Ed" I said, "this controller is the RTS holy grail, it's the FPS Excalibur, it's what the people want for goodness sakes!". Again, he recited the party line: "We don't allow 3rd parties to make wireless controllers". What is this then?
Is it too late for Microsoft to put aside the juggernaught mentality and give the people what they want? No, not at all; I'm still only asking them for permission to make this controller. I don't want a dime from them; just permission to move forward. And until I get it, I'm going to make the Freedom controller anyway; maybe for the PS3 instead? I've already started drafting plans for a prototype, and this is where the community comes in. I want everyone who feels they can help to do so. Engineers, artists, web developers, gamers, and game developers unite. Lets all do something here that will shake the foundation of how games are played. Let's bring our talents together to blaze a new trail. Will freedom prevail over oppression?
Join our forums, comment on the blog, and let's see what this grand audience is made of. This is an opensource hardware development project. I am standing in a field gazing up at great walls and a vast enemy army, what will I see when I look behind me? Only you can decide.
- Peter Kojesta
Recent Blog Posts
| List: | 04/08/08 - New 3d models 03/21/08 - New Models / Exis Exchange 2.0 (cool Images) 10/04/06 - Exis Freedom vs. Microsoft Oppression 07/21/06 - More artwork you say? Content pack 06/12/06 - Poacher update & New creature content packs 06/02/06 - Undead Legion Characters - 3d Content Pack 05/29/06 - Content Pack & The Exis Exchange 04/06/06 - Exis Content Packs (Image Intensive) |
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Submit your own resources!| Ian Roach (Oct 04, 2006 at 13:39 GMT) |
Not having played the wii yet, i have a feeling have 2 seperate parts of the controller in each hand would be awkward, especially if using thumbsticks on both, it just wouldnt seem like it would sit comfortably in the hands.
But i would love to hear more about how you see it working becuase perhaps im just looking at it all wrong.
| Peter Kojesta (Oct 04, 2006 at 13:50 GMT) |
- Peter
| Nick Zafiris (Oct 04, 2006 at 13:51 GMT) |
Peter, it sounds like a great idea. Have you contacted anyone from Sony or Nintendo during all this time? The only thing I might disagree is the math you did about multiplying $300 million by 7 because I don't think you'll ever get 30% of console games to be RTS. Console players have traditionally been a somewhat different consumer group than PC game players so I think that number might be a bit smaller. Still, I think the potential is there, I'm with you.
Nick
| Ian Roach (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:12 GMT) |
Looks good, if there is a way i think it would great to allow the right thumbstick to click into the pad, so it lays flat to the rest of the pad, this would make it easier to use as a mouse.
just my opinion ofcourse :)
| Louis Dargin (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:15 GMT) |
| Peter Kojesta (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:16 GMT) |
Nick: good info.
www.exisinteractive.com/applications/phpBB/index.php
| Stefan Lundmark (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:28 GMT) |
| Ian \"Xest\" Winter (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:33 GMT) |
It's funny because the Nintendo Wii seems to be the most wanted console of all from the amount of people I've spoken to about it or seen posting on forums and this is the console where new forms of input are the selling point of the console. I hope the Wii outsells the PS3 and the 360, (although I'm a major 360 fan, I bought one 3 months ago and love it to bits) I really hope Nintendo shows the corporate game development machine that innovation is a good thing.
Edited on Oct 04, 2006 14:36 GMT
| Jonathon Stevens (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:34 GMT) |
| Louis Dargin (Oct 04, 2006 at 14:49 GMT) |
I think that only Microsoft can say whether a wireless connection between the mouse and the rest of the controller is allowed. They may or may not call that a "wireless controller"
| Jeff Tunnell (Oct 04, 2006 at 15:30 GMT) |
You do not need MS's permission to make this. They use USB controllers, and do not control that standard.
-Jeff Tunnell, GG
| David Dougher (Oct 04, 2006 at 15:32 GMT) |
| Peter Kojesta (Oct 04, 2006 at 15:45 GMT) |
Jeff, I tried to contact those companies, even with some patent documents filed, and they all claim "yea we're already working on something like that". I made a prototype that works on PC, but I need some extra engineering help to make it work on the consoles. Plus, MS requires that extra chip in each device so the 360 will recognize it as a valid device.
| Eric Forhan (Oct 04, 2006 at 16:00 GMT) |
| Aaron e (Oct 04, 2006 at 16:04 GMT) |
| Louis Dargin (Oct 04, 2006 at 17:50 GMT) |
| Paul /*Wedge*/ DElia (Oct 04, 2006 at 18:26 GMT) Resource Rating: 4 |
Having a detachable mouse segment for a controller is still a really cool idea though, best of luck with it.
| Tom Bentz (Oct 04, 2006 at 20:03 GMT) |
www.bodielobus.com/
looks like they have something now.
| Peter Kojesta (Oct 04, 2006 at 22:00 GMT) |
| Ed Fear (Oct 05, 2006 at 21:21 GMT) |
Edited on Oct 05, 2006 21:22 GMT
| Charles B (Oct 06, 2006 at 03:56 GMT) |
make a pad where the left and right analog sticks are where the l2 and r2 buttons are and you would have something unique - and actually better to use.
I want to be able to button mash with both thumbs and use the other fingers on the 2 analog joysticks.
| Josef Rogovsky (Oct 06, 2006 at 23:28 GMT) |
A few years ago I was playing Age of Empires on my 57" HDTV via S-Video output on my notebook PC. It was a lot of fun.
With the right controller RTS games would definitely do well on the console.
Good Luck! Keep us posted!
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