While I touched lightly on the topic of diagetic controls in my previous article, I'd like to take the time to get into more detail on how they're used in a variety of games. This isn't a discussion of the merits of diagetic vs conventional controls, but more an analysis of how a variety of titles have used them to bring about unique gameplay.
What are Diagetic Controls?
Simply put, diagetic controls are when actions performed by the player mimic those performed by the player character. For instance, the player directs their avatar to swing a tennis racket in Wii Sports by swinging the Wii Mote as well. As such, games that utilize diagetic controls tend to emphasize the minutiae that goes into performing various actions, making them quite popular for simulator-style games. Platforms that utilize motion controls also tend to lean on diagetic controls as they are uniquely equipped to handle such control styles.
Why use Diagetic Controls?
Diagetic controls can carry the benefit of being highly intuitive to a wide audience by removing the initial hurdle of conventional controls in favor of more universal actions. In Angry Birds, for instance, anyone can immediately grasp how they can aim and control the slingshot by applying real-world knowledge of physics: the bird flies in the opposite direction that you pull the slingshot, and the harder you pull, the faster the bird flies. Similarly, diagetic controls can also enhance immersion by reducing the barrier between player and player character. In light-gun games, for example, the player is actively shooting enemies instead of controlling a character that fires at enemies.
Diagetic Controls on Standard Input Devices
There are quite a few games that use diagetic controls without any unusual controllers or peripherals, though they often have to make sacrifices. By "standard input device," I'm referring to mouse + keyboard and the twin-stick gamepad design popularized by the Dualshock controller. Two game series I'd like to look at in particular are the Skate and Mechwarrior series, both of which are built around their unique control schemes.
Skate, in contrast to other skateboarding video games such as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, places a much greater emphasis on individual tricks as opposed to endless combos and zany map design. The camera is zoomed in to more closely follow the skateboard and the map is designed to function much like a real city to push the player to really focus on the act of skateboarding itself. Each individual trick requires a precise motion on the right analog stick of a gamepad that mimics the motion of the skateboard. A pop shove-it is performed by flicking the stick down and to the side, for example, following how a skateboarder places their weight on the back of the skateboard before flicking it to the side to spin it around. Players are expected to struggle with singular tricks at the start, much like how the player character starts out as an amateur skateboarder. With time, however, both the player becomes skilled enough that once difficult maneuvers are performed with satisfying seamlessness, mirroring how the player character becomes more skilled themselves. The diagetic controls not only make the player feel more involved and connected with actions of the player character, but provide a natural and smooth learning curve for the player to ascend.
MechWarrior uses a mouse and keyboard like many other PC shooters, but rather than using standard WASD controls for free movement, it restricts the player to using tank-like controls. The player does not control a large mech, but instead controls the pilot inside of said mech, and thus has an intentional barrier to what would otherwise be conventional movement. The player has to use the keyboard to manually accelerate and decelerate their machine, pivot the mech's legs, switch weapon systems, vent heat, etc. using the keyboard while the mouse is used to aim within the torso's turn radius. This is used to immerse the player within the role of a pilot and create a new form of skill expression where players not only have to contend with enemies, but with maneuvering their own vehicle. Like Skate, it's expected that players will struggle with the controls at first, but the basics of the controls are just similar enough to conventional shooter controls that it may be a turn off to some. Rather than embracing the controls as game mechanics, players may become frustrated that their skills from other games do not carry over and they may have to unlearn old muscle memory.
The benefit of diagetic controls for games using typical input devices is that those games are typically accessible and easily archived. There is no need to purchase expensive or rare hardware to experience the games as intended. However, these games may be less intuitive or engrossing than titles that utilize custom hardware, so there is a trade-off.
Diagetic Controls on Platform-Specific Controllers
While most platforms have moved away from bespoke or unusual controllers like the original Xbox's Duke, Nintendo has long maintained the use of unique controllers for its consoles. While there are certainly non-Nintendo platforms with unusual controllers that lend themselves to diagetic controls, Nintendo certainly had the widest reach with its best-selling Wii console. Here, I'd like to talk about two titles exclusive to Nintendo platforms: Trauma Center on the DS and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the Wii.
Trauma Center places the player in the role of an expert surgeon, curing patients with a variety of surgical tools. Rather than using the d-pad and buttons to perform surgery, the player uses the touchscreen, with the stylus performing the role of scalpel. The stylus gives the player the much-needed precision to perform the delicate maneuvers befitting of surgery while also emulating the feeling of a scalpel in hand. This creates an engrossing experience that cannot be fully replicated using a mouse on an emulator or a finger on a smartphone. Even smartphone styluses will struggle to feel as precise as a DS stylus, as they are made to stick and drag against the smartphone screen like a proper finger instead of ending in a fine point.
Metroid Prime 3 is in a unique position compared to the other titles in this article in that its control scheme is actually an evolution of the previously less-diagetic control schemes of Metroid Prime 1 & 2. Those titles certainly used diagetic elements in the HUD and other UI elements, such as steam fogging up Samus's faceplate or her face being reflected off the glass under bright light, and the free-aim system where Samus's arm can move freely off her field of view is somewhat diagetic, it took the addition of motion controls to complete the overall package. The combination of the previously mentioned diagetic elements with motion controls that allow Samus's aim to match the player's creates a deeply immersive experience that not only enhances the overall feel of the game, but separates Metroid Prime 3 from other first-person shooters by emphasizing its exploratory nature. The player doesn't just take on the role of an action hero, but of an explorer who scans and analyzes alien life and culture. The control scheme was so effective that Retro Studios remastered the first two titles in the series on the Wii with the updated motion controls.
These types of titles are extremely unique experiences and can serve as an effective means to sell the unique features of a given platform. However, they are difficult to archive, as the hardware used to experience them as intended will fall into disrepair. Luckily, the hardware isn't particularly unique or difficult to replicate with some investment, but it's still an extra barrier compared to games with more typical input devices.
Diagetic Controls with Unique Peripherals
As the home console began to match and eventually overcome the power of arcade machines, many arcades began to focus on experiences defined by their unique controls. Racing games, dancing games, light gun games, etc. are all staples of the modern arcade, but there are still experiences on home platforms that make use of peripherals to deliver something unique. Two of the more famous examples include Guitar Hero and Steel Battalion.
Guitar Hero was not only incredibly popular but inspired a generation of spinoffs and competitors such as Rock Band or the much reviled DJ Hero. It was one of the first rhythm games to put the player directly into the role of a performer. Rather than just following a pattern in accordance to the rhythm like Elite Beat Agents or dancing in response to a song like Dance Dance Revolution, the player was the one on stage rocking their heart out. The guitar-shaped controller not only provided an intuitive input device for the game, but resulted in players embracing the fantasy of being a rock star by mimicking a real guitar without the difficulty of actually playing a guitar. No traditional controller could ever produce the experience of immediate proficiency in a real skill that actually takes years to achieve. Everything else in the games became built around the rock star fantasy as well, from the curated licensed song lists to the 80's rock aesthetic of the UI. However, the series ultimately went into decline as a result of a lack of innovation in future titles and the oversaturation of the plastic instrument genre.
Steel Battalion, on the other hand, only received three games in total, the third of which completely abandoned its unique peripheral in favor of the Xbox Kinect. While this last title was not well-received, the first two games received substantial praise for the unique experience they provided. Much like MechWarrior, this game places you in the role of a pilot for a massive war machine. Unlike MechWarrior, however, this game utilizes an expensive but game-changing controller with over two dozen buttons, two flight sticks, an acceleration lever, three foot-pedals, and a turning dial as a means to pilot your mech. Rather than using a keyboard to emulate the feeling of a cockpit, Steel Battalion uses its peripheral to transform your desk into the cockpit itself as each button, pedal, and joystick serves a specific and critical function when it comes to gameplay. Combined with the diagetic interface, Steel Battalion's unique controller provides one of the most immersive gameplay experiences ever available on home console.
There is a clear downside to these types of diagetic controls, and that is the element of cost. Not only are peripherals for these games expensive, but they often require specific home arrangements for their setup. If a player doesn't have a clear floorspace of reasonable size, for instance, they won't be able to enjoy a large variety of VR games. In addition, these games are incredibly difficult to experience as availability of the required hardware goes down. For example, the Steel Battalion controller regularly goes for $400 nowadays.
When Diagetic Controls Go Wrong
While unique control schemes can enhance gamefeel and turn an otherwise standard game into an unmatchable and engrossing experience, there's plenty of ways that diagetic controls can make a game worse. The simplest way this can happen is when the diagetic controls are unreliable, which is particularly common in games with motion controls. If you constantly have to recalibrate a controller, it can frustrate players and hurt their gameplay experience. Another issue with diagetic controls is that if they don't bring something particularly unique to the game, they can be seen as gimmicky and unnecessary, driving players off. Make sure you have a good reason for including diagetic controls, especially if they require a unique peripheral.
Concluding Thoughts
Honestly, diagetic controls are incredibly fascinating and can create amazing, novel experiences, but they're not for everyone. Luckily, not every game needs to be for everyone, so if a particular idea strikes your fancy as a designer, go ahead and pursue it.
Next time, I'll be talking about how monetization models influence design and some of the ethical issues that can come around as a result.
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