One Handed Controller

1. Team Assignment 2:
Controller Design
The Sanke
Sweet Teeth Studios
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Team Leader Week 2:
Matthew Leonard
Team Members
Keith Shingle
John Edwards
Nick Mahan
Adam Steele

2. Sweet Teeth Studios have devoted themselves to creating a controller that
can be used by a one-handed individual. We have identified the inspirations of
our original individual designs to create a controller that uses the core elements
of each. The reasons for each of these various elements being implemented
into our final design has also been detailed with sources validating why we
believe they improve the controller’s usability. After finalizing our design, a
prototype was created and then linked to three different games from various
genres. The controller was then user tested with people familiar with the video
game medium. Their feedback was gathered to give us input on our design and
allow for iteration and improvement. Finally, a post mortem was written detailing
how the development of the controller went and what we have learned for the
next time we attempt such a project.
Abstract

3. Video games are a form of entertainment very different than other
mediums that also allow their users to escape their real world and enter a
realm of fantasy. What makes them different though is the use of human-
computer interface devices, also known as controllers. Through the use of
these controllers, users are able to interact with their entertainment in a
way that movies, music, and books cannot provide them. Unfortunately,
due to these controllers being designed for the average person, they are
not completely usable with people with certain handicaps. As games have
continued to evolve and become more complex, so have their controllers,
further alienating those unable to properly operate these devices.
Introduction

4. Over the years gaming has transformed from a niche hobby to a
worldwide phenomenon. Video games continue to improve upon
themselves and are now able to reach an incredibly wide audience.
Unfortunately, while gaming has become more accessible, those who do
not have control over both of their hands have been severely limited on
what they are able to play. We believe it is unfair that a person who has
such a disability cannot play the games they enjoy, so we set out to change
that. Our purpose is to design a controller that has all the functionality seen
on normal human-computer interface devices, but can be easily utilized by
a person who only has the function of either the right or left hand.
Design Purpose

5. The Razer Tartarus and PS2 controller heavily influenced my design choices. I once
owned the Tartarus, but had to return it due its uncomfortable arc. This is why I went for length
and a padded palm rest. Still, I loved the idea of having “25 fully anti-ghosted fully programmable
keys”(Razer, 2013) within finger reach. The PS2 controller brought my focus away from the pc
and to the consoles that we are designing for. The double mini-joysticks combined with the
traditional four buttons and base triggers lead me this set up. I had thought about adding many
points, but I also wanted to keep the design clean and easy to recognize.
Inspiration:
Adam Steele

6. I started designing the controller
with the wand shape of the PS Move in
mind; however, I always felt that if you
were going to sell the Move controller and
Navigation controller separately
(Koller,2010) that you were going to divide
the community even further. Henceforth,
the objective of creating a one-handed
controller met with the desire for just that.
My initial controller boils down to the ‘fang’
of a PS3 fused with a wand and shaped to
be very ergonomic. Then you combine the
triggers of the 360 for the Primary triggers
and the triggers of the PS3 for the
secondary bumpers.
Inspiration:
John Edwards

7. When I was creating my original one-handed controller, I
found Nielsen’s heuristic for “Aesthetic and minimalist design” to
be very fascinating. In particular, I especially found the part of the
heuristics description that stated “Every extra unit of information
in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and
diminishes their relative visibility” to be very true for every type of
interface, including video game controllers (Nielsen, 1995). A
controller should only contain what is absolutely necessary to
allow for the most optimal experience and should be designed
with simplicity in mind so users can easily understand how to
manipulate the interface. With this as my initial inspiration, I soon
found the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation Move controllers to be
amazing examples of simplistic design. The controllers were both
perfectly laid out with the necessary buttons easy to press and
their symmetrical design allowing users of both left or right
handed preference to hold the controller without any problems.
With these real world examples and Nielsen’s heuristic as my
inspirations, I designed a controller that minimized the visible
“information” and was symmetrical in order to allow ease of use
for users with only one functioning hand.
Inspiration:
Keith Shingle

8. As I was thinking of a design for a one handed
controller, I remembered a couple of arcade games I
enjoyed playing that had a type of joystick controller. The
Star Wars Arcade game stuck out to me, so I decided to
use that joystick as the base of my design. I wanted the
controller to have more functionality than a regular
joystick, which is usually limited to a 360 degree
movement and two buttons. I came up with the twisting
feature to increase the input capacity of the joystick from
having used different kinds of shower heads, as they can
have a different mode of spray when they are twisted. I
figured the twist motion would be seamless for a one
handed person to do and would be able to do be done
quick enough to allow capable functionality with faster
paced games. The modular feature was added to add
some customization to the controller, which was taken
from one the example designs from the unique controller
article.
Inspiration:
Matthew Leonard

9. The anatomy and mechanics of the human hand was the inspiration for the N-Pad. As stated by
Maggie Macnab (2012), “Nature’s design purpose informs your design purpose” (p. 42). I focused my
design on making sure a one-handed user would be comfortable during long play sessions. This led me
to conduct research on what is a very complex structure of bones, muscles, and tendons. Specifically, I
focused my research on the resting hand pattern, which is the most comfortable and natural hand
position. Every button and both haptic feedback trackpads were placed in strategic positions as to limit
stress on the users hand. The controller is also slightly arched as to mimic the resting hand pattern.
Beyond the natural design of the hand, handicapped parents who wish to game with their kids inspired
me. I want them to be able to play as long as they wish while remaining comfortable throughout.
Inspiration:
Nick Mahan

10. At first, we were at a bit of a loss how to start combining ideas. So, we looked at each team
member’s controller and picked out the prevalent theme behind it. We went down the lists of posts in
our Week 2 folder and selected those aspects. Adam’s controller offered adaptability, John’s controller
gave us an ergonomic and the basis of motion control, Keith’s controller gave us symmetry and
simplicity for an ambidextrous model, Matthews’s twisting features gave us more options for quick input,
and finally Nick’s controller gave us the Haptic Trackpad. This allowed us to get past the first hurdle of
design.
The second hurdle proved far more difficult. In an effort to make our single controller usable by
all, we struggled with putting all the buttons within reach. The team started with a mix of John’s and
Matthew’s design. We did this so we wouldn’t restrict the user in their own house. However, this left us
to combat the issues of finger anatomy. We spent many hours politely discussing and some arguing on
how the buttons would be usable. We tried the Haptic Trackpad on the back only to learn that the index
won’t move up and down when holding the controller like a gun. We tried moving buttons and various
heights, but always ran into the issues of the buttons being too close to each. There were many
drawings* and ideas to solve these issues.
After several hours, we came up with a possible solution by reducing the number of active buttons
and relying on the twisting features. We also added a way to change what buttons would be active as
needed for the game. In the end, we believe we have a cohesive usable idea that is being crafted out of
clay for the playtest.
Design Method

11. Design Method Drawings
This slide shows our drawing and
iteration session where we combined our
different ideas and created a finalized
controller. As the screenshot shows, our
method for designing the device was a
combination of the team working hard to
make the controller and still having an
enjoyable time during the process to
keep us motivated, something we learned
about way back in the Psychology of Play
course. All grammatical errors, including
design misspelled as “disign,” were made
consciously as a joke to keep the team
motivated and lighthearted.

12. Schematic Diagrams:
The Sanke

13. Schematic Diagrams:
The Sanke

14. This is a very basic prototype
for the default key bindings.
The total number of options and
colors are subject to change.
The user will change settings
with the motion control by
hovering over an icon in the
Bound section.
This will highlight the setting
and ask the user to press the
button to assign.
Software Layout: Key Bindings

15. It was agreed that we take the theme of adaptability from my controller design. In order to
adapt to the new changes for our combined remote, I started with the idea of adding two switches
to our controller. The first is a Horizontal/Vertical switch and the second is a Sensitivity switch.
The former’s purpose is to allow our controller to adapt to games and player comfort. The player
slides the switch to the way they wish to hold the controller. This will allow the buttons to change
roles depending on the key bindings and demands of the game. The latter switch will allow the
player adjust how the controller registers the player’s movements. These two switches and the
ability to remap the buttons to the player’s comfort through included/downloaded software will
give our players the most options to play with their disability.
While standardization, in the book Game Usability, is focused heavily on making sure
playtests, research questions, and hardware all remain equal (Isbister, 2008, p. 44). It reminds
me that novelty for the sake of novelty often ends poorly. As such, our controller needs to have
well made and standardize set of default settings for the genres, easily recognizable buttons and
triggers, and player friendly software that is point and click to change.
Design Assumptions:
Adam Steele

16. The two main pieces taken from my controller for our combined
controller was the ergonomic design and the motion control
functionality. For the handle I used a combination of the length from the
Move & the angle of the fang from the PS3 joystick to make it more
natural to hold for longer sessions. Finally, the grooves I implemented
were mostly subconscious, as after the fact a team mate pointed out to
me that the grip was similar to that of a handgun. Despite guns being
very different from controllers, the more I looked into the ergonomics of
guns the more I realized there were valuable lessons to be learned. For
instance, when considering the trigger reach you want to take into
account how natural it feels, whether or not the user has to stretch their
finger to reach the trigger at its default position, and many other factors
(Andy C, 2013). Finding the overlapping sections of design and
following the underlying fundamentals has shown me that my first draft
was in fact on the right page.
Design Assumptions:
John Edwards

17. For Sweet Teeth Studios’ final human-computer interface device we have brought over the key
elements of my original controller, the symmetrical and simplistic design. By having few buttons on the
controller, but using a toggle feature to ensure the controller has full functionality, the device will be easy
to understand even when it is being utilized for the first time. This is very important for a controller
designed for those handicapped due to their inability to fully operate both hands. As stated by the
Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, an institute specializing in usability for people with handicaps of many
varieties, a good design for disabled users is “easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience,
knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level” (Harris, n.d., pg. 2). With few buttons on the
controller, none of which are dependant on language skills, the controller fits this description thus
allowing it to be effectively utilized by its intended audience.
The bilaterally symmetrical design was carried over to this controller in order to allow for left or
right handed users to easily utilize the device. Having the design symmetrical means that, for example, a
left handed user doesn’t have to overcome the uncomfortable feeling and mediocre experience of using
a right-handed controller. By doing this we are ensuring that the means of use are identical for every
individual, we are avoiding segregating our users, and it makes the device appealing for its potential
audience, all of which are key to designing a usable item for people with disabilities (Harris, n.d., pg. 1).
Design Assumptions:
Keith Shingle

18. The main design of the final controller is taken from my own design. A joystick styled
remote held by one hand is the overall shape of the final design. This allows the easiest way to
hold the controller for the player while enabling us to add additional features to it.
The twisting feature is also taken from my design, translated into motion sensors as
opposed to physical twisting in a base.This allows the design to be sleek without adding
numerous buttons while adding more hidden functionality. Implementing this feature into motion
sensors helps eliminate the problem of having to put the base down on a surface or lap that my
own controller had. The motion controls also implement the sliding and tilting aspects from my
original design, as it allows for secondary movement that would usually be provided by a second
control stick. It is improved by being done with motion controls, so the controller again has no
need for a base.
Design Assumptions:
Matthew Leonard

19. For the combined team controller, Sweet Teeth Studios decided to
implement the dual haptic feedback trackpads feature from the N-Pad. I believe
that these trackpads, although a fairly new concept and not widely tested by the
public, will provide a new level of comfortableness and precision control for one-
handed users. According to Valve, “the trackpads allow far higher fidelity input
than has previously been possible with traditional handheld controllers.” Valve
also claims that the resolution of the trackpad is near that of a desktop mouse.
On top of the precision that the trackpads will offer, the haptic feedback they
provide the user is unsurpassed. Designed similarly to speakers, each pad has a
weighted electro-magnet dedicated to it that provides feedback for nearly any
situation or event. Game Usability (2008) says, “Being sure that the action has
been registered will help to reduce unnecessary insecurities and providing good
feedback aids in learning how to play the game” (p. 103). Creating this haptic
feedback will be especially important for our one-handed users, as the natural
feedback on the trackpads isn’t that of regular thumbsticks.
Design Assumptions:
Nick Mahan

20. Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead is a graphic adventure
game with a heavy focus on story and characters. The player is
often put in situations where they must make a difficult choice or
series of choices, and then they must face the consequences of the
choices they made. Played via a third person perspective, the game
has moments of action in the form of quick time events and
shooting. There are also slower moments that consist of searching
for items akin to typical point and click adventure games.
Telltale’s The Walking Dead
The haptic feedback trackpad allows the player more precision than that of the DualShock 4. Add
in motion control, and the player will find The Sanke is hands down the best console controller for
weapon aiming and cursor movement. Quick time events are handled using the unique buttons located
on the back of the controller, which can be switched to two new buttons with a twist of the wrist. The
supreme diversity of the haptic feedback track pad also makes conversation tree navigation intuitive and
easy. To make a selection, simply press down on the trackpad in the desired direction. The R2 trigger is
also located in an easy to reach position, and the player will use this to make the character run in certain
situations. Zombies won’t stand a chance with The Sanke in hand!

21. The Sanke is suited very well to shooting games such
as Destiny. The track pad allows seamless movement on the
field and on the menus, and the motion controls of tilt or
slide, based on player preference, will allow for precise
aiming and camera control. Aiming and shooting is done
with the two triggers to replicate the feel from other console
controllers. The two face buttons are used for sprinting and
melee, while the two track pad buttons are used for
crouching and collecting. The unique twist feature of the
Sanke will allow for these same buttons to have new
functionality, which will allow for quick weapon switching,
reloading, and menu buttons.
Destiny
This massive multiplayer game developed by Bungie is a first person shooting game with a
sci-fi setting. The player can join in raid missions with other players to earn items and experience.
The game is being updated with new content over time. The game also allows for deep character
customization.

22. Created by Mike Bithell, Thomas Was Alone is a narrative driven side scrolling puzzle
platformer. The game is, according to Bithell (n.d.), “about friendship and jumping and floating
and bouncing and anti-gravity.” Players must use the unique abilities of each character and guide
them to specific goals located in every level. The minimalistic graphics help turn the player’s
focus to the tight gameplay and compelling story.
Thomas Was Alone
The Sanke controls Thomas Was Alone, which is simple as
far as player inputs are concerned, as well or better than any
existing controller on the market. The haptic feedback trackpad
acts just like a directional pad if need be. This allows for precise
platforming and character control. There are two buttons located
on the backside of the controller, which are very easily and
comfortably reached when using the trackpad in tandem with said
buttons. One of the buttons on the back will function as the “X”
button, which affords the character to jump. The other button acts
as the “square” button. This particular button switches which
character the player is currently controlling.

23. Create a Simple Prototype
The Prototype

24. Create a Simple Prototype
The Playtest/User Feedback
The tester
holding the
controller for
the first time.
The tester
checking out
the triggers’
placement.
Testing the
controller with
Destiny on the
PS4.
Top-down view
of the tester
holding the
Sanke and
pressing the
face buttons.

25. Create a Simple Prototype
The Playtest/User Feedback Cont.
When first using the Sanke, the tester found the shape of the controller and the button
placements to be quite strange. However, after a bit of time and learning how to place her hand
properly onto the device, she got used to the design and found it to be comfortable. Throughout her
entire time with the prototype, she never had problems trying to find the buttons she was looking for.
This was due to the simplistic overall design.
The tester was able to utilize the haptic touchpad and motion controls simultaneously without any
problems or loss of control. While she was able to reach the face buttons at the top of the controller
with only a few errors, she did end up saying that the farther button was difficult to press. The tester
also suggested that even though the triggers were functional in their current location, placing them on
the sides might have made them easier to press and the controller more comfortable to hold. Finally,
she found the Share, Options, and PS Buttons to be in a very smart location. She never once
accidentally pressed them, but was able to reach them when necessary.

26. By being in contact every day, we were able to do individual work loads
between major meetings. As such, we used the meetings to focus on one or two big
topics that needed everyone’s input.
Every team member finished their assigned/volunteered duties on time.
This made it easy to stay focused in our meetings and increased the overall level of
our work.
All disagreements were debated in a respectful manner. The prototyping
meeting was caused most of the disputes. It felt like we were spinning our wheels
and getting no where. Still, everyone was able to pull together and back a team
design.
Post Mortem:
What Went Well

27. Combining all of our best features into one controller was a little more challenging than we
originally thought. We decided to use a handheld model, so it took us a while to figure out the
layout. We wanted to make sure the track pad, triggers, and buttons were easy to reach, while
also keeping the symmetrical design in tact. Once we decided to focus our attention on the three
games we chose, it became easier to plan the layout of The Sanke.
We also encountered some issues with Skype and our Internet connections. These issues
weren’t enough to derail our meetings, but they were an annoyance. Luckily, our group members
are very flexible and patient. We were able to work with one another to make the meetings as
productive as they possibly could have been.
Coordinating our schedules was a slight challenge, but we overcame it successfully. The
major problem was spacing out the meetings as to have enough time to complete both our
individual slides and the team slides. Some of us work at night, some of us struggle to find a good
place to meet, but we all did everything in our control to accomplish our assigned tasks.
Post Mortem:
What Went Wrong

28. Despite how well the week went and the quality of our presentation being very
high, we did wait until late in the week to make true progress as a team. We learned
that if we were to do another project such as this, we should schedule our time
better, allowing ourselves enough time to complete our personal and team work
earlier on in the week.
Every one of us learned how hard it is to create a one-handed controller that will
work just as well as a normal controller for every type of game genre. When we first
started conceiving our team controller, we perhaps focused on too broad of a
concept. When we started to focus our attention on the three specific genres we
chose, things became much easier. We will remember to always keep scope in mind
in the future.
Post Mortem:
What We Learned

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