With the reveal of PlayStation Move, the question on everyone's minds is whether or not Heavy Rain will be updated to take advantage of the motion controller.
While Quantic Dream is quiet on the topic, we do know that the developer had originally designed Heavy Rain with a motion controller in mind. But taking it a step further, David Cage revealed to me that they went as far to design a working motion controller, specifically for the title.
Designed for two hands, the controls were to allow for full interaction with the on-screen environment. While he didn't go into any great detail, he calls it "very different" than Sony's upcoming motion controller. Cage talks about this, he taps the back of both hands to visually describe the concept. I'm reminded somewhat of ARI, the fictional virtual reality device used by Heavy Rain's Norman Jayden.
The controller was eventually shelved, as Quantic Dream came to the conclusion that designing a device to work with one game "wouldn't make sense." As for whether or not he feels motion controls are the next step for what they're trying to accomplish, he's not entirely convinced, but is interested to see how it could work.
"I wouldn't say it's the next step," he tells me. "It's... something we will look at with some interest. We want to see if it's possible to create something that's not family entertainment or casual games, to see if it's possible to use it in the context of a more serious experience."
Contest:
6:40 PM on 03.11.2010
| 
I actually think HR would benefit more from something like Natal, since immersion seems to be what HR's about, and it doesn't get any more immersive than no controller + voice recognition...
Yeah. Come to think of it gameplay complaints about Heavy Rain are rare. It's all the other stuff you see people cutting each others throats over.
Coincidence? I THINK NOT.
Seriously, it is pretty similar. Look what Peter Molywolydingdong is trying with Fable 3, he described the same thing. Using your hands to interact directly with the characters and game world.
I do what I can for the cause.
Are you reading this, Tony Hawk?
Since Cage has said he isn't planning to do another thriller maybe we'll see a more action-oriented game from them that incorporates motion control. I for one can't wait.
When I'm thinking about motion controls.
Hope so!