Game 1: Minecraft

https://classic.minecraft.net/?join=DAuqqkaPLwfXJ0xL

We picked Minecraft because it is one of, if not, the most popular games in the world.

In Classic Minecraft, the controls are:

WASD/Arrow Keys - Move
MOUSE - Camera
LMB - Break / Place Block
RMB - Toggle LMB
Space - Jump
Mouse Scroll Wheel - Navigate Hotbar

In Modern Minecraft, there are more controls and a whole inventory:

LMB - Attack / Break Block
RMB - Place Block / Interact / Use Item
CTRL - Sprint
SHIFT - Crouch
Q - Drop Items
1-9 - Navigate Hotbar

and a lot more intricate controls...

There's some odd choices when it comes to both control schemes. Using the RMB to toggle what the LMB does isn't a common thing, you'd usually have one button do one thing and the other do another thing. Having Shift as Crouch & Control as Sprint is the opposite of the standard seen in most games: Shift = Sprint & Ctrl = Crouch. Also having to double click control and double click jump in order to do some actions is a little unnatural, creating a new input for these actions would make it easier.

Translating some of these controls to a new controller is weird but some fit well. Using the dial to navigate the hotbar would feel natural. Separating the classic version of the LMB into two buttons instead of a button and a toggle make the controls better. And turning any action that requires a double click into its own button could help some players who struggle to double click.

Questions

Seeing as though Minecraft is a game with a lot of controls, which controls are the most important for a simple playthrough? Are the Classic controls ideal?

Would the essential controls of Minecraft translate well into a controller? And if so, would the game still be fun if it is?

Sketches

Game 2: Happy Wheels

https://totaljerkface.com/happy_wheels.tjf?level_id=562820

We picked Happy Wheels because it is a simple flash game we used to play in our childhoods.

The basic controls are:

Up Arrow - Move Forward
Down Arrow - Move Backwards
Left/Right Arrows - Lean
Z - Eject

There are also some controls that are unique depending on which character you pick:

Shift
Control
Space

Because the game is 2D, having the up and down arrow for moving forward and back is a bit awkward. A controller where you can interact with a switch/button in the direction that you are moving would feel more natural.

Using a dial or switch for moving forwards/backwards or leaning is more realistic to the vehicle theme of the game. Using a switch could be similar to shifting a car from park to drive or reverse to park. Turning a dial is similar to the leaning motion that the characters make. Having the eject button be something interesting like screaming loudly for the sound sensor makes the experience a lot more interactive.