Custom controls and gameplay options for 2048?

Here is the actual letter I just sent to SCEE., there are no actual stars in the letter, when I copied and pasted here, they were added


Hello, my name is Al Sartwell. *I have been a wipeout fan since the beginning. *I have sent in many suggestions over the years, and many have been implemented into the games. *I even got my name in the WO3 credits for sending in suggestions and bug fixes. *A few months Ago I sent in a list of suggestions/options that have been very important to the wipeout franchise, mainly regarding full custom controls, AND gameplay options/game choices. *It appears that these suggestions were completely ignored, and the best part of wipeout has been removed for campaign mode in online and offline removing ALL ability to play the game as our Wipeout community loves. *These campaigns are fine, but they should not replace what has been in every wipeout game from the beginning, game choices and options. *We are extremely upset about this situation, especially since it is a great playing game. *Below is a detailed description as to why we need custom controls, and racebox like options ( Or a actual racebox in single player, online or adhoc mode). *The way it is now is a completely unacceptable way to play the game, and there was NO reason to remove racebox from the equation. *The campaign should be for unlocking, and there should be a racebox to actually play what you want to play, and how
You would like to play it. *I sincerely hope you implement our requests,

Thank you, * Al



Below, *I have listed technical and logical reasons as to why WE need custom controls and advanced options for single and multiplayer racing. It is difficult to get the controls down, and not having the option to change them is quite frustrating, especially if you knew if you had your configuration, it would be a much better experience. Also added in, is gameplay options, that is, ALL of the options for choosing races in single or multi player are gone, and replaced by*campaign events to gain trophies, and perhaps new ships, ect. There are no racing choices such as tt, or single race are even choices for racing, not to mention all the options that come with the track choices (speed, weapons, ect).*

The game is an amazing game, it just needs control options and classic gameplay modes that are easy to choose to make experience far far better.



1) RACER CONTROL OPTION:

This option is set up like quantum redshift, with one air brake, and it also adds a brake. The main issue with this setup, is that when the brake/steer bug was fixed, side shifting changed. if you turn the same way you are side shifting (which you have to in this mode for it to work), the entire ship turns (not so in HD). I am not saying to change it back, but only that this is not an option for someone trying to get records in the game, or trying to keep up with elite players. With only one brake, this is kinda for new people to the game, but can never be as fast as being able to side shift left and right with the tap of a button (without turning the dpad/analog stick at the same time). if you don't hit the pad, the ships remains facing straight down the track. So while this option is good for beginners, it is not for anyone who has played any previous wipeout game. Also, if someone has large fingers for the vita, they wll constantly be hitting lookback/spin on the analog stick every time they try to fire a weapon. I do this, and my fingers are thin. Given the option to put functions on the back pad, or on the two screen areas, would allow you to take the right analog stick out of the equation, like having an R2 and an L2. Even custom controls within the "racer option" settings (using the same button options), you could put a less intrusive function on the analog stick.

2) TOUCH AND TILT:

It is incredibly difficult to hold the back of the vita down for thrust, especially when you are tilting it back and forth, and while you do have a thrust button (X), it would be good to be able to use the back for say lookback/spin, that way you would not hit it by accident (analog right stick). While holding the gas (X) down, and trying to hit absorb or fire buttons, it is incredibly difficult not to also hit this right stick (spin around or look back), and have it mess up your race. IF you decide to use the touch screen for absorb/fire, then you CANNOT PITCH or use the THRUST button at the same time, and are stuck with the rear thrust panel (discussed earlier). OF NOTE is the TILT steering for barrel rolls. This is impossible to do on small jumps. IN WIPEOUT HD, the dpad was still active, allowing for you to use the dpad for barrel rolls, even while steering with tilt sensitivity. I understand that you may turn left or right by accident while trying to pitch, but it is better than not being able to barrel roll at all. it could be possible in the setting to have the analog stick only control pitch, and the dpad to do barrel rolls, but I think just keeping the dpad and the sticks fully active to allow better barrel roll functionality.

3) WIPEOUT CONTROL CONFIGURATION:*

Now to the main control configuration. Holding thrust down, and trying to hit absorb and fire results in a lot of accidentally*hitting the right analog stick (lookback/spin). This is incredibly annoying, and is constantly messing up races, and I'm sure even more for a new player, or a larger handed person. A custom option would either allow a less intrusive button function to be placed on the analog stick, OR if the other areas (touch panels) would be included in the custom options, you could just move that look back/spin function to the back pad of the vita. I do not know the technical difficulties of changing these features, but it would seem to me that allowing a custom configuration of just this "wipeout control configuration" would be the easiest change. add a line under the vita picture with the config buttons that says "CUSTOM". clicking on it would bring you to a pulse/hd type screen where you can adjust the button presses, then save.

I know that some players like the gas on the R trigger, that way you don't have to move your finger away from the thrust button at all. As it is now, you have to choose the racer configuration to do this, and the option is a control that is not as fast as noted earlier. A custom config of at least the Wipeout configuration is what our community is asking for. IF the*
other configs could be allowed to be custom, that would be fantastic as well.*

*OF NOTE, THE LAST THREE WIPEOUT GAMES HAD CUSTOM CONFIGURATION, why take it out? It makes no sense


SELECTING GAMES IN SINGLE PLAYER AND MULTI PLAYER

Wipeout has always had great choices when it comes to choosing style of races, and choosing options for those races, in both multi player(ONLINE and ADHOC) and single player modes. Wipeout HD was excellent online with all the options it gave you in all the modes you could choose. So it was a very unwelcome suprise to our community, that RACEBOX was removed from the game, AND the options for multiplayer are gone. We noticed that you needed to vote on a track (campaign mode), and*there are no options for just choosing a race, speed, and options, and just being able to race online. This is the sort of racing WE as a community like the most, and it has been taken out of the game completely. While we welcome a campaign mode in both single and multi player, we do not like that this is the only way to play the game. WE play the game because we like racing eachother, going for times, or just trying to improve. Our main goals are not to hit steve with a missile, and come in third place or higher. Like we said, we welcome this mode, and we know alot of work was put into it, but it appears it is at the expense of the core gameplay we know and love. It should sit beside that core gameplay, not replace it. We have members who have played the game and beaten the three seasons, and only speed lap is unlocked for practicing, nothing else. There are no events that*open up time trial, single race, zone, ect, and there has been no response from STUDIO LIVERPOOL regarding the situation, or explaining anything. Questions have been asked directly on facebook, twitter, but nothing, and some devs visit this site (the best wipeout site by far (10 years old), but do not answer any of the concerns related to the game. Ad hoc was*tested, but only one track showed up, and changing tracks, speed classes, ect could not be done by the person creating the game. This seems like an unnessessary hindrance when the setup for this was perfect in pure/pulse and HD. *Online was perfect in HD, but at this time, all of the great options in this game are now taken out. At this point it seems that we will get none of the great options of the last three games in single or multi player. The players that have played the game from Wipeoutzone (some love the old games, some love the newer ones), all love the gameplay in THIS VERSION ( That is saying alot if have ever seen the heated discussions regarding what Wipeout version is the best. We dont want the game to be far less enjoyable because we cannot race each other in the race and speed we want, and instead have to go through a series of trophy quests to get the race we like.

WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR THIS NOW INSTEAD OF WAITING TO SEE THE FINAL ENDING TO THE GAME TO SEE WHAT IS*
THERE?:

Because we know how Some of the previous wipeout games have treated this game in the past. After the first few updates in HD, and tweaks needed to be done, they were never able to take care of them, because no more work could be done on the project because the next game needed to be worked on. The leader boards are a mess in HD, the brake/reverse steer bug is still in it, and probably will never be fixed because the team in on new things now. Well, that new thing now is 2048, a better game, physics wise, and handling. The bugs have been taken care of from HD, the game is hard, and fun. However, all the replay value from the missing racebox (or similar options (all options from hd)) are gone, and in are new challenges after the online campaign is done for trophies. This is fine to have this but, Once again, the reason we play is to go for records, play online vs eachother, and try to perfect lines, that quite likely can never really be perfected, and that is the beauty, and long term appeal of wipeout, that you can never get to that perfect, perfect race, and that is why we come back to it. We, as wipeout fanatics*do not come back to it to collect trophies, that is an extra. We come back to it because damn it, I can knock 3 tenths more off chenghou reverse if I put my mind to it, or I know I can get number one on a speed lap, or I want to race against one of my friends that wiped the floor with me last time on Sebenco. Im going to play him 20 straight times on 20 lap races, and I better win one of them. As you can see, that are lots of reasons to come back and play, but the options of the previous three games needs to be there to do so. As it is now, it appears that a great game has been brought down to earth because of the missing nessessities that every wipeout game needs.

So what we are asking for is

1) Custom controls
2) racebox (or equivalent of everything from HD) Racebox is easiest
3) Racebox mode in Multiplayer(adhoc and online), with all options from HD (or exact equivalent of options)
4) *TURBO for time trials, these have always been in, please put them back, it makes the game far more fun finding that nice turbo spot. It also increases the speed even more
5) The modes preferred for online and single player are
A) Speed Lap
B) Single RAce
C) Time Trial (with 1 turbo per lap) -- this mode will keep the gameplay smoother, and not everyone likes only weapons. Weapons off is not the same, because there is no turbo
D) Eliminator, or equivalent
E) Zone mode

Note: *turbo for speed laps and time trials are preferrable, and have always been in EVERY wipeout game, but these are the least necessity.



In closing, our Wipeout community has been supporting the franchise since it's beginning. We have come to expect great games (delivered for sure), but we also sincerely request that you allow us to play the game with the controls that we love to use, and the game modes we have come to love over all the years.

I tweeted a link to this thread @wipeout2048 and @karljones100. Let's see if that is worth something.

Thanks, hopefully it will help. It really becomes apparent when the game goes to the higher speed classes, where you need excellent controls

There is "1)" in your letter but no "2)" or "3)".
Not very important, just some unconsistency.
I do hope you will succeed in adding custom control, this is the first "must have" is missing in the game!

Fixed, thanks for pointing that out. i am typing from an ipad, a bit difficult and time consuming

Thanks for making this; hopefully it can get the attention of SL through a patch or before the Western release.

great post Al ! :+ It musn't be the hardest thing to fix on a patch ! ;)

I'll be able to send a message later if we haven't more news about a next patch for this subject. I hope facebook and twitter will be sufficient.

Thank you for trying to get Studio Liverpool to do the right thing.

Signed!!! We need custom controls, ASAP. Just like we need racebox, offline and online pre-set tours like Pure.

You're so damn right mate!

One more reason why we need custom controls:

On Playstation blog;

Tweet from the week:

I am playing Ghost of Sparta on my PSVITA. Really nice to remap the directional buttons onto the joystick - yosp (Shuhei Yoshida, president of Worldwide Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment.

If even the president of SCE is saying he likes custom controls. Please SL, give us this option.

Could you please resend this letter to the twitter account. I have amended the letter to include gameplay as well. IT is below as well as the original post. thanks


* #1 * * *


Below, is a letter I would like to send to Studio Liverpool. I have listed technical and logical reasons as to why WE need custom controls and advanced options for single and multiplayer racing. I know many of you have not played the game, but I assure you, it is difficult to get the controls down, and not having the option to change them is quite frustrating, especially if you knew if you had your configuration, it would be a much better experience. Also added in, is gameplay options, that is, much of the options for choosing races in single or multi player appear to be gone, and replaced by
campaign events to gain trophies, and perhaps new ships, ect. It does not appear that racing choices such as tt, or single race are even choices for racing, not to mention all the options that come with the track choices (spped, weapons, ect). If these options are in, they are certainly hidden very deep. If anyone knows a contact for Studio Liverpool, or would like to forward this from our community, that would be much appreciated.

The game is an amazing game, it just needs control options and classic gameplay modes that are easy to choose to make experience far far better.

Hi, below I am listing technical and logical reasons why studio liverpool needs to add custom controls. I was thinking one of you guys knows how to contact them, and if this could be forwarded to them, we will all be far more happy. the controls are not good right now, and with the great game that it is, it would be a shame to be forced to play with the inadequate
options

1) RACER CONTROL OPTION:

This option is set up like quantum redshift, with one air brake, and it also adds a brake. The main issue with this setup, is that when the brake/steer bug was fixed, side shifting changed. if you turn the same way you are side shifting (which you have to in this mode for it to work), the entire ship turns (not so in HD). I am not saying to change it back, but only that this is not an option for someone trying to get records in the game, or trying to keep up with elite players. With only one brake, this is kinda for new people to the game, but can never be as fast as being able to side shift left and right with the tap of a button (without turning the dpad/analog stick at the same time). if you don't hit the pad, the ships remains facing straight down the track. So while this option is good for beginners, it is not for anyone who has played any previous wipeout game. Also, if someone has large fingers for the vita, they wll constantly be hitting lookback/spin on the analog stick every time they try to fire a weapon. I do this, and my fingers are thin. Given the option to put functions on the back pad, or on the two screen areas, would allow you to take the right analog stick out of the equation, like having an R2 and an L2. Even custom controls within the "racer option" settings (using the same button options), you could put a less intrusive function on the analog stick.

2) TOUCH AND TILT:

It is incredibly difficult to hold the back of the vita down for thrust, especially when you are tilting it back and forth, and while you do have a thrust button (X), it would be good to be able to use the back for say lookback/spin, that way you would not hit it by accident (analog right stick). While holding the gas (X) down, and trying to hit absorb or fire buttons, it is incredibly difficult not to also hit this right stick (spin around or look back), and have it mess up your race. IF you decide to use the touch screen for absorb/fire, then you CANNOT PITCH or use the THRUST button at the same time, and are stuck with the rear thrust panel (discussed earlier). OF NOTE is the TILT steering for barrel rolls. This is impossible to do on small jumps. IN WIPEOUT HD, the dpad was still active, allowing for you to use the dpad for barrel rolls, even while steering with tilt sensitivity. I understand that you may turn left or right by accident while trying to pitch, but it is better than not being able to barrel roll at all. it could be possible in the setting to have the analog stick only control pitch, and the dpad to do barrel rolls, but I think just keeping the dpad and the sticks fully active to allow better barrel roll functionality.

3) WIPEOUT CONTROL CONFIGURATION:

Now to the main control configuration. Holding thrust down, and trying to hit absorb and fire results in a lot of accidentally
hitting the right analog stick (lookback/spin). This is incredibly annoying, and is constantly messing up races, and Im sure even more for a new player, or a larger handed person. A custom option would either allow a less intrusive button function to be placed on the analog stick, OR if the other areas (touch panels) would be included in the custom options, you could just move that look back/spin function to the back pad of the vita. I do not know the technical difficulties of changing these features, but it would seem to me that allowing a custom configuration of just this "wipeout control configuration" would be the easiest change. add a line under the vita picture with the config buttons that says "CUSTOM". clicking on it would bring you to a pulse/hd type screen where you can adjust the button presses, then save.

I know that some players like the gas on the R trigger, that way you don't have to move your finger away from the thrust button at all. As it is now, you have to choose the racer configuration to do this, and the option is a control that is not as fast as noted earlier. A custom config of at least the Wipeout configuration is what our community is asking for. IF the
other configs could be allowed to be custom, that would be fantastic as well.




SELECTING GAMES IN SINGLE PLAYER AND MULTI PLAYER

Wipeout has always had great choices when it comes to choosing style of races, and choosing options for those races, in both multi player and single player modes. Wipeout HD was excellent online with all the options it gave you in all the modes you could choose. So it was a very unwelcome suprise to our community, that RACEBOX was removed from the game, AND the options for multiplayer are gone. We noticed that you needed to vote on a track (campaign mode), and
there are no options for just choosing a race, speed, and options, and just being able to race online. This is the sort of racing WE as a community like the most, and it has been taken out of the game completely. While we welcome a campaign mode in both single and multi player, we do not like that this is the only way to play the game. WE play the game because we like racing eachother, going for times, or just trying to improve. Our main goals are not to hit steve with a missle, and come in third place or higher. Like we said, we welcome this mode, and we know alot of work was put into it, but it appears it is at the expense of the core gameplay we know and love. It should sit beside that core gameplay, not replace it. We have members who have played the game and beaten the three seasons, and only speed lap is unlocked for practicing, nothing else. It may be possible that other objectives in these modes need to be done to open up time trial, single race, zone, ect, but there has been no response from STUDIO LIVERPOOL regarding the situation, or explaining anything. Questions have been asked directly on facebook, twitter, but nothing, and some devs visit this site (the best wipeout site by far (10 years old), but do not answer any of the concerns related to the game. Ad hoc was
tested, but only one track showed up, and changing tracks, speed classes, ect could not be done by the person creating the game. This seems like an unnessessary hindrance when the setup for this was perfect in pure/pulse. Online was perfect in HD, but it seems at this time, all of the great options in this game are now taken out. IF this is in the game, and you have to beat all the campaigns to get the online options of HD, then tell us, but at this point it seems that we will get none of the great options of the last three games in single or multi player. The players that have played the game (some love the old games, some love the newer ones), all love the gameplay in THIS VERSION (204. That is saying alot if have ever seen the heated discussions regarding what Wipeout version is the best. We dont want the game to be far less enjoyable because we cannot race eachother in the race and speed we want, and instead have to go through a series of trophy quests to get the race we like.

WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR THIS NOW INSTEAD OF WAITING TO SEE THE FINAL ENDING TO THE GAME TO SEE WHAT IS
THERE?:

Because we know how Sony has treated this game in the past. After the first few updates in HD, and tweaks needed to be done, they were never able to take care of them, because the Brass put a hold on any more work on the project (on to new and not better things). The leader boards are a mess in HD, the brake/reverse steer bug is still in it, and probably will never be fixed because the team in on new things now. Well, that new thing now is 2048, a better game, physics wise, and handling. The bugs have been taken care of from HD, the game is hard, and fun. However, all the replay value from the missing racebox (or similar options (all options from hd)) are gone, and in are new challenges after the online campaign is done for trophies. This is fine to have this but, Once again, the reason we play is to go for records, play online vs eachother, and try to perfect lines, that quite likely can never really be perfected, and that is the beauty, and long term appeal of wipeout, that you can never get to that perfect, perfect race, and that is why we come back to it. We
do not come back to it to collect trophies, that is an extra. We come back to it because damn it, I can knock 3 tenths more off chenghou reverse if I put my mind to it, or I know I can get number one on a speed lap, or I want to race against one of my friends that wiped the floor with me last time on sebenco. Im going to play him 20 straight times on 20 lap races, and I better win one of them. As you can see, that are lots of reasons to come back and play, but the options of the previous three games needs to be there to do so. As it is now, it appears that a great game has been brought down to earth because of the missing nessessities that every wipeout game needs.

So what we are asking for is

1) Custom controls
2) racebox (or equivalent of everything from HD) Racebox is easiest
3) Racebox mode in Multiplayer, with all options from HD (or exact equivalent of options)
3.5) just noticed no TURBO for time trials, these have always been in, please put them back, it makes the game far more fun finding that nice turbo spot. It also increases the speed even more

4) The modes preferred for online and single player are
A) Speed Lap
B) Single RAce
C) Time Trial (with 1 turbo per lap) -- this mode will keep the gameplay smoother, and not everyone likes only weapons. Weapons off is not the same, because there is no turbo
D) Eliminator, or equivalent
E) Zone mode



In closing, our Wipeout community has been supporting the franchise since it's beginning. We have come to expect great games (delivered for sure), but we also sincerely request that you allow us to play the game with the controls that we love to use, and the game modes we have come to love over all the years.

Thank YOu
Last edited by JABBERJAW; Today at 02:29 AM.

Great letter. Wipeout 2048 would be the only reason I'd consider purchasing a PS Vita, and I couldn't justify spending that sort of money for a Wipeout that didn't include the features that you so eloquently describe. Fingers crossed they'll pay attention and consider implementing your suggestions.

I hope it's more than consider on the control options. I cannot play the game legitimately, I am using the stupid one button brake because I use fingers for steering, and cannot hit the left brake. I would just like a response at the very least as to what we can do regarding options for the game in sp and mp. I don't give a crap about voice activated weapons, that is an extra, let's know the meat and potatoes of the game.

We absolutely need custom controls, one option for each style is not acceptable, or smart of SL. They also should not have taken out racebox, but they need to at least replace with all the same options for single player and multiplayer. We need more people to contact SL to at least see what they have planned for this. Why in the world would they take the stuff out of the game in the first place, it worked great as it was, and all they needed to do was add the new modes they wanted.

http://us.playstation.com/livechat/wipeout.html
a livechat with a 2048's dev.

There was one thing that give hope for controls. When he was asked about customizable controls, he said, " unfortunately no, we only have three at the moment". I wonder if they read our posts, because it seems they are ignoring them. Also, he said they had tt, single race, and combat, but those are in the events anyway, so who knows. I am actually pretty worried now about the entire option for games scenario, and you may have to choose the damn events to do anything but speed lap. Also, the lack of turbo for SL and TT really bothers me. It seems they wanted to make a game ENTIRELY their own, and lost some of the great stuff in the game in the purge. It's too bad, since it's a great game.

I still hope for TT and SR and i'm confident on what i saw or read on many dev's interviews, "new modes, some for hardcore players..." maybe multiplayer TT ;). Have you been able to start the online campaign or use the augmented reality thing to unlock stuff, Al ?
About the turbo for SL/TT, it would be cool to have one but in the other hand we'll have less complains or suspicions about uber-shortcuts, bsb ... :rolleyes:
I believe the devs silently reads those messages sometimes.

Is there a "normal" online mode? Online campaign wouldn't probably feel as fun when everyone else is told to shove 10 rockets into you.