An orchestra conductor game.
Top screen is the scene, say with actors of an opera, or the public, looking at you. It doesn't really matter it would just be a background. On top of this you get some sort of visual feedback of your actions, how well you are doing. Like in a DDR sort of game.
The cool trick would be to use the touch pad (I assume you can touch the screen on several places at once?) to direct the musicians of the orchestra.
The touchscreen would show the actual orchestra, and you'd have to press on the given sections (of instruments) more or less intensively, at the right moment. Tapping the beat so everybody stays in rhythm.
You could start with a 3 piece "orchestra" and end up directing some really cool opera or symphony with a Philharmonic orchestra...

now if you use that one, remember you saw it first ! [grin]
(I was actually thinking about it last night while I couldn't sleep. I just wondered what kind of controller would allow such gameplay. Didn't even think of that DS touchpad till I saw that post. D'oh!)

A game with cute puppies.





Oh, wait, too late for that.

shmoove

Quote:

Original post by Anonymous Poster BTW remember its two screens + wireless multiplayer which opens up alot of options as well. So gameplay based on "head over heels" style play or a game with two protagonists linked 'The Corsican Brothers' (Cheech and Chong movie) style where everything that is supposed to effect one player effects the other. Knowing Nintendo I'd say a cartrige with a bunch of minigame (ala wario) except multiplayer requiring two screens. While it was said before inventory screens automatically come to mind. However think of a mutation of classical adventure gaming where fast inventory management and use comes into play. So you use the regular controller to walk up to machines and other stuff and the touch pad to manipulate the object FP camera style. PUNCHOUT need I say more? Rearview mirror in car racing games. Gunner view for any game where driver and gunner in same vehicle. One screen FPS one third person, to allow for Cinematic style games. One example would be in an 3d rpg where one is currently involved in a minigame or haggling with a merchant or someother task and there would be a set of musical cue's that would/could mean to take a look at the second screen. For example someone sneeking up on you, an added bonus would be the ability exploit this by 'crying wolf' with the cue's and then use it properly when there attention needs to be seriously involved with the first screen. RPG and adventure games - when the PC looks at something the other screen brings up information on the object. Can be used in quest management, combat data... and can be done in varying styles for example the introduction of characters in the movie "snatch". Fighting games and action RPG's - visual feedback as to current possible moves. Space privateering/combat game with an in ship an out ship view. 'live your own startrek episode' aka fix those dilitium crystals major. A Gundam/ZOE style game with a really advanced control system. For example, I forgot the name but the gundum on cartoon network a few years back. (gundam wing maybe) There was this one gundam that was really fast and used this chain like weapon so it would essentially move from one enemy to another before they had a chance to move and destroy them. What you could do is have the touch screen with a radar or map screen, and when you are about to use the weapon, game goes slow motion and you quickly plot a course from target to target, slow-motion ends based on a timer (which can be linked to an rpg stat i might add) then its off to use the weapon in a chorus of blood and machine parts.

those were great ideas, IMO, anomymous! Especially the Gundam one. Quite original.

Top screen gives information to the player, bottom screen gets information from the player. Use it in a game like Syndicate, where the touch-screen lets you call up data on your guys and use whatever abilities or features you might have. The top screen takes care of gameplay views, and the bottom one is interface.

It could help surmount the PC/Console barrier by offering up all the utility that PC gamers get from their keyboards. I still think RTS is the way to do it, but RPG games could also benefit from a quick-inventory/equip screen. FPS games could profit from a map/task screen (hacking, picking, or hotwiring could be done via touch-screen).

Just having it be a second screen hurts the innovation of the touchscreen and cheapens the whole idea. You could have just put on one higher-resolution screen and used a corner of it for the minimap, or the rearview mirror, or whatever.

I like the DS, and I hope that designers challenge themselves to use it well. It took a while for designers to start using the analog sticks for the N64 and then the PSX, but those are standard now, and everyone takes full advantage of them. I'm looking forward to the innovations that the DS engenders.

Edit: Here's another one: Imagine a game where your character fights autonomously, and you use the touchscreen to navigate a "coaching" system. You could use it to modify target priorities, defensive habits, or offensive tactics. You could "train" your little guy to be the best, and then have him take on other characters, with you whispering in his ear. I think that would be very neat indeed.

[Edited by - Iron Chef Carnage on April 19, 2005 2:41:46 PM]

There are many uses for the touch screen. One idea I came up with is that you could use it in a game like Super Smash Brothers, where you could use character specific moves. These moves would be less powerfull because it would be difficult to touch the screen and play at the same time, making them more difficult to get off which is a good thing because it stops everyone from using them all the time. The microphone could also be used in the same way.
An example of the touch screen could be Ness drawing a barrier in front of him to block attacks, or a track for Samus's homing missile to follow. An example of the microphone could be blowing into it to have mewtwo put of a physic barrier. The harder and longer you blow the stronger and longer lasting the shield will be, but when you run out of breath the shield will go away.
Also, you could touch traps on the field, such as clicking a button would cause a pirana plant to pop out of a pipe and grab an opponent.

Here's an Idea or two.

1. Top Screen one FPS style
Bottom 3rd person overhead

2. Top is Your character
Bottom is A FPS, only its of a character with poor AI that you need to protect.

what about a battlezone like game :
main screen : a fps view where you can shoot around
bottom screen : a rts view to control the others units in you army

The Madden idea was truly genius. I'm surprised that wasn't discussed more. It would be a great title. My cousin dave would bust a brain vessel playing that.