Hmm. I'm undecided on barrel rolls. WipEout HD is the only game of the series I have played that uses BRs so to me using them was part of a learning curve rather then a noticeable change in gameplay mechanics.

On the one hand I feel they do add to the racing experience online - countless times I have had 25-30 energy and I'm coming up to the finish line with another racer slightly infront. I know I don't stand a chance of getting a weapon and barrel rolling will take me down to easy-elimination health. 9 times out of 10 I will take the risk and do that last barrel roll. Then the moment of truth comes, did the other racer have a missile or quake etc? *Contender Eliminated* Damn it! And if they didn't I feel that the risk I took was worth the reward and leaves a feeling of 'Phew'! as I just snatch a higher position.

However, BRs on the other hand are a little unbalanced in a sense when you have higher energy. I find myself doing BR and then instantly absorbing a weapon I dont need. End result is; I've traded a weapon I dont need, such as a cannon when there is nobody infront to unload at, for a boost and lost barely any energy.

And leading on from this idea is the system that means players ahead of the pack just get further ahead without worrying about losing energy as they almost always have a free weapon pad available. Whereas those in the pack are fighting to get a weapon and are already losing health.

Its also cost me 2 new ps3 controllers since HD was released on the store

I think for me it's a case of 'the apple never falls far from the tree' and I've, metaphorically speaking, grown up with barrel rolls and I dont want to see them go because it's what im used to.

As a way of keeping them in the game, maintaining the reward they give and keeping the flow of the game, why not make it so that you can only barrel roll when you have a weapon, and that weapon is taken away from you whether the roll is or isn't successful. That way you cant absorb it to regain health instantly after, you lose the normal 15 energy, and it at least slightly cuts the number of rolls someone in first place is able to do. Continually do BRs and you can't absorb the weapons you've picked up and have low energy. Absorb the weapon before hand and you can't do the BR.

As for the BR activation setting I find that, however much it can drive me up the wall sometimes (pun intended), I still prefer it to be the analgoue/d-pad current setup. As a few of you mentioned in this thread earlier, it does require a bit of skill to pull off a barrel roll, not to mention be pointing in the right direction when you land. This is especially when, if you use analogue, your stick stays stuck in the direction you last pointed it in for the roll thanks to too much wipeout making your controler super floppy

I think I'll vote yes to BR's but only just, the system needs more work done to it imo.