"Akai" Game Controller Design (Justin Lin and J. Logan Olson)
"Akai" is a first-person action game from the perspective of a man, "Trent," trying to return to his former self. Once a normal civilian, a mysterious accident led to his body and mind being used for military research in the field of nano-science. His hand has become a versatile weapon and tool using nanobot technology, his skills have been trained over many decades, his aging slowed down and memory warped and eliminated through experiments. The result of the research done on him is now used by the corporation to sell their tools of war around the globe and become a dominant force in business and politics. Now, an improbable event has recalled traces of his innocent past, and Trent must know more against the wishes of his military captors.
The focus of the game is primarily on action connected through plot and character development. The nanobot action and other control uses a unique controller comprised of two separate motion-controlled pieces: a lightsaber-like rod with four triggers and a start button (C1)
and small grip only featuring an analog stick (C2).
C1 controls all actions other than movement and looking, both of which are controlled by C2.
C2 uses the analog stick to move forward and back, as well as strafing left and right, using a traditional first-person conrol scheme. However, perspective is controlled through motion, the player tilting C2 up, down, left, and right to look or turn in those respective directions, almost as if the player was controlling the head of the character like a puppet.
C1 uses the triggers to perform all functions, the motion used to aim, swing, operate, or select. In addition to "Start," there are four buttons: B1, B2, B3, B4. Operation is as follows:
B1: Gun/Long Range Weapon (operated like a light gun)
B2: Pick up/Use/Talk/Interact
B3: Inventory
B4: Special (attacks or power-ups)
B1 + B2 + B3 + B4: Sword/Melee Weapon (1:1 movement correlation with controller movement)
A combination of the B3 with the other buttons will allow for selection among different guns (B1), melee weapons (B2), and special (B4).