Response
A very simple input device with very li le sensitivity can, by virtue of a nuanced reaction from the game, be
part of a very sensitive control system. I call this ???reaction sensitivity???: sensitivity created by mapping user
input to game reaction.
The NES controller was just a collection of bu ons, but Mario had great sensitivity across time, across
combinations of bu ons, and across states. Across time, Mario sped up gradually from rest to his maximum
speed and slowed gradually back down again, more commonly known as dampening. In addition, holding
down the jump bu on longer meant a higher jump, another kind of sensitivity across time. Holding down
the jump and le directional pad bu ons simultaneously resulted in a jump that ?¬‚ owed to the le , providing
greater sensitivity by allowing combinations of bu ons to have di?¬? erent meanings from pressing those buttons
individually. Finally, Mario had di?¬? erent states. That is, pressing le while ???on the ground??? has a di?¬? erent
meaning than pressing le while ???in the air.??? These are contrived distinctions that are designed into the game
but that lend greater sensitivity to the system as a whole so long as the player can correctly interpret when
the state switch has occurred and respond accordingly.
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