4 ms·

The Press Any Button screen is there so the game knows which input device is being used, and therefore (one way or another) which user, so it can apply any pare

by tom_ 6mo ago

The Press Any Button screen is there so the game knows which input device is being used, and therefore (one way or another) which user, so it can apply any parental control/accessibility/etc. options required.

nottorp 6mo ago
Which input device out of my total of one controller that is on? On a console that has already asked me who's playing when I turned it on?
- probably_wrong 6mo ago
  The console knows all that, but does the game know all of that too? I'm not a console developer but perhaps the game doesn't have permissions to know which devices are on, only which devices are sending key presses right now.
- tom_ 6mo ago
  Feedback regarding the ins and outs of the UX would be better directed at Sony rather than me. But it accommodates the case where you haven't connected the controller yet. I can't remember if it's Playstation or Xbox that does this, but the game can start out in a sandboxed state, and explicit user input is required for the system to grant it access to the gamepad and the associated user.
BoppreH 6mo ago
I've seen computer games where any input device is accepted, and on-screen instructions refer to the last type of device used. Seemed like a good idea. And how does input-based parental control work? Do you hide the adult's controller?
- tom_ 6mo ago
  On first use of the controller after a reboot, you're prompted to select which user is playing. Saved games and achievements and whatnot are per-user. If you've got a child in the household, you're expected to tag their user as such, which imposes some restrictions on their account. Then set up an access code on your user, so the child can't log in as you.
- jareklupinski 6mo ago
  > Do you hide the adult's controller? the case for physical games: put the cartridge on the high shelf
ToucanLoucan 6mo ago
I would argue it's also just a tradition of the medium at this point. And tbh most games I play would feel weird without it. It's like a spiritual carry-over from the Attract-Mode games used to have in arcades, and without even needing to put in a quarter. (Don't tell the game companies about that)
shakow 6mo ago
Many games can just swap devices on the fly (from the top of my mind, Elden Ring, Witcher 3, Lords of the Fallen, Dirt Rally).
- Forgeties79 6mo ago
  This gets a little rickety when you have permissions tied to input devices, which is not uncommon in households with young children. Also for some games it’s just generally buggy.
  - nemomarx 6mo ago
    Which consoles/ systems use the controller to determine which account is active? At least on the switch you just have accounts in the upper left and switch between them regardless of controller. Is it a Sony implementation?
    - Forgeties79 6mo ago
      I’m not trying to be difficult but this is very easy to search and the combative tone is unnecessary. I can tell you firsthand my Xbox does it, but that doesn’t really do anything for you because you already doubt me for some reason. You should still look it up to confirm it for yourself. You can tie users to controllers and set that for login. It’s a documented, widely used feature. I get that may sound ridiculous to you but it’s been standard for years.
      - nemomarx 6mo ago
        I don't mean to be combative, I've just genuinely never used a console with that. The perils of mostly using PCs and Nintendo ones, I guess? If it's standard with both Xbox and Sony that does cleanly explain the press any button screen, although I wonder why they leave it in for the PC ports.
        nottorp 6mo ago
fredoralive 6mo ago
Games having a title screen where you “Press Start Button” is a slightly odd convention going back to the arcades, even on games where there’s only one set of controls.
- rcxdude 6mo ago
  With arcades it at least makes sense because it puts the game out of demo/attract mode.
nitwit005 6mo ago
There's no need to force a special interaction. They usually have to interact with a menu regardless. You can know the controller then. I had the impression this was on Sony's technical requirements list, so people have no choice.
- tom_ 6mo ago
  I assume the thinking is that there's a non-zero chance that the first input event will pop up some kind of user selection thingy. And that it's mildly cleaner to have this happen in response to a prompt such as PRESS <NAME OF BUTTON> TO START, where the user is clearly being directed to press a button to start, than it would be to be have it happen in response to them pressing (say) the down button when hoping to get to the second option of the apparently useable menu they'd just been presented with. As a bonus, this does also simplify handling any user-specific options that may affect the display of the initial menu.
- VoidWarranty 6mo ago
  You're right about the reqs. A lot of the menu screen behaviors were traditions borrowed from arcade games and big box demo kiosks. The idea is that your game must do "something" if idle for a long period of time without someone officially "starting" it.

by tom_ 6mo ago

nottorp 6mo ago

Which input device out of my total of one controller that is on? On a console that has already asked me who's playing when I turned it on?

probably_wrong 6mo ago
The console knows all that, but does the game know all of that too? I'm not a console developer but perhaps the game doesn't have permissions to know which devices are on, only which devices are sending key presses right now.
tom_ 6mo ago
Feedback regarding the ins and outs of the UX would be better directed at Sony rather than me. But it accommodates the case where you haven't connected the controller yet. I can't remember if it's Playstation or Xbox that does this, but the game can start out in a sandboxed state, and explicit user input is required for the system to grant it access to the gamepad and the associated user.

BoppreH 6mo ago

I've seen computer games where any input device is accepted, and on-screen instructions refer to the last type of device used. Seemed like a good idea. And how does input-based parental control work? Do you hide the adult's controller?

tom_ 6mo ago
On first use of the controller after a reboot, you're prompted to select which user is playing. Saved games and achievements and whatnot are per-user. If you've got a child in the household, you're expected to tag their user as such, which imposes some restrictions on their account. Then set up an access code on your user, so the child can't log in as you.
jareklupinski 6mo ago
> Do you hide the adult's controller? the case for physical games: put the cartridge on the high shelf

ToucanLoucan 6mo ago

I would argue it's also just a tradition of the medium at this point. And tbh most games I play would feel weird without it. It's like a spiritual carry-over from the Attract-Mode games used to have in arcades, and without even needing to put in a quarter. (Don't tell the game companies about that)

shakow 6mo ago

Many games can just swap devices on the fly (from the top of my mind, Elden Ring, Witcher 3, Lords of the Fallen, Dirt Rally).

Forgeties79 6mo ago
This gets a little rickety when you have permissions tied to input devices, which is not uncommon in households with young children. Also for some games it’s just generally buggy.
- nemomarx 6mo ago
  Which consoles/ systems use the controller to determine which account is active? At least on the switch you just have accounts in the upper left and switch between them regardless of controller. Is it a Sony implementation?
  - Forgeties79 6mo ago
    I’m not trying to be difficult but this is very easy to search and the combative tone is unnecessary. I can tell you firsthand my Xbox does it, but that doesn’t really do anything for you because you already doubt me for some reason. You should still look it up to confirm it for yourself. You can tie users to controllers and set that for login. It’s a documented, widely used feature. I get that may sound ridiculous to you but it’s been standard for years.
    - nemomarx 6mo ago
      I don't mean to be combative, I've just genuinely never used a console with that. The perils of mostly using PCs and Nintendo ones, I guess? If it's standard with both Xbox and Sony that does cleanly explain the press any button screen, although I wonder why they leave it in for the PC ports.
      - nottorp 6mo ago

fredoralive 6mo ago

Games having a title screen where you “Press Start Button” is a slightly odd convention going back to the arcades, even on games where there’s only one set of controls.

rcxdude 6mo ago
With arcades it at least makes sense because it puts the game out of demo/attract mode.

nitwit005 6mo ago

There's no need to force a special interaction. They usually have to interact with a menu regardless. You can know the controller then. I had the impression this was on Sony's technical requirements list, so people have no choice.

tom_ 6mo ago
I assume the thinking is that there's a non-zero chance that the first input event will pop up some kind of user selection thingy. And that it's mildly cleaner to have this happen in response to a prompt such as PRESS <NAME OF BUTTON> TO START, where the user is clearly being directed to press a button to start, than it would be to be have it happen in response to them pressing (say) the down button when hoping to get to the second option of the apparently useable menu they'd just been presented with. As a bonus, this does also simplify handling any user-specific options that may affect the display of the initial menu.
VoidWarranty 6mo ago
You're right about the reqs. A lot of the menu screen behaviors were traditions borrowed from arcade games and big box demo kiosks. The idea is that your game must do "something" if idle for a long period of time without someone officially "starting" it.