Normally, I pride myself for being able to control Armored Core's super-overly complex control. Normally, I feel such an accomplishment from performing 10-hit combo using Paul or Hwarang in Tekken.
But now, I am beginning to remorse the controllers with 12+ buttons with two analog sticks and a D-pad. How many keys are needed to enjoy a game? Although the general trend of gaming is going towards more simple and accessible games, currently, it's not enough.
I wouldn't have even cared about controls had I not looked at the button layout of the lastest game I purchased, Splinter Cell: Double Agent.
The game is actually really fun, sneaking around and stuff (I haven't gotton far at all to where I am actually a double agent, yet), but having completely different diagram for each different "modes"--normal mode, underwater mode, scope mode, aiming mode... all with different meaning to each buttons... all of which you have to remember--is ridiculous.
I may be enjoying this game right now, but I can clearly see myself in 5~10 years hating all these different buttons and layouts, having to pull up the control layout every 5 to 10 minutes. I, after 5 or 10 years, will have so many other things I'll have to care for, much less key layouts for games.
Penny Arcade did a great sketch on this. Gotta love 'em Penny Arcade...
PS. The title is from the Japanmanship blog article.
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