I'm 52 and my motor skills are starting to wane. The biggest problem I have oddly enough, is with mouse-only point and click games. They make my wrist and fingers hurt and I'm using a good solid ergonomic setup with raised monitor, lowered keyboard and well-placed mouse. I find the mouse/keyboard combo the most relaxing, most controllable, immersive and least harmful to my wrists and hands. So if that is what is meant by direct control I'm in favor of it.

I do appreciate everything that is being said and I'll put a few things into a little personal perspective. I'm 45 and later this month my eldest son and his partner will be making me a grandparent, so, although I'm not old, I'm no spring chicken. My own partner is a little older than me and suffers with arthritis and also has a hearing problem. I myself have a lop-sided shoulder which has been with me all my life and a few years ago had to have an operation on my wrist for tendonitis. So I'm completely sympathetic to your issues.

Apart from one person, I'm the oldest in the company and many of the others are in their early to mid 20s. As a company we have a lot of creative talent that loves making games and has a great desire to do the best possible. The story and gameplay vision can only be fully realised by giving the game a large budget. This in turn necessitates making the game accessible to a wide number of people across multiple platforms because if we don't make a profit then we will be making games for no one next year.

We do not look on PC as the poor side of the equation as we develop the game across all three platforms simultaneously. The gameplay is the same, the interface a little different, but in some ways the PC version will be the better because of higher screen resolution, higher texture detail and maximum sound quality.

We do care about giving our customers the best possible - it's just a shame that we are unable to do so for everybody.

Have you tried switching hands? Even if the mouse is designed to be used with the right hand, I switch it to my left hand when my right hand/arm is bothering me to give my right hand/arm a rest. Or sometimes I move the mouse with my right hand but poke at the buttons with my left. It isn't my hand or fingers that bother me so much as further up my arm. I'm not as old as you, but my joints and tendons seem to be prematurely worn out from repetitive motion stress.

Jen have you or Scout ever considered using an alternative mouse such as the Cirque Smartcat?
One can lean back in the chair, and use it with one finger.
http://www.ergo-items.com/smart_cat_touchpad.htm

The new one has great setup control features. Try it, you might like it.

I don't know. It looks an awful lot like those touchpads that some laptops have and I don't care for those at all. And $60 is a bit much for something I might not like.

Jen
It is too bad that you can't try it at a store. This is not like the ones found on the laptops. This one is completely customizable to your needs. All four of the buttons as well as the touchpad. It can be set so that the touch pad is only used to move the cursor,or for any combination of other options. It has a complete setup system so that it sets itself automatically to your abilities. It is expensive compared to some of the cheaper mouse systems, however the cost is a lot cheaper than physician's fees for stress injuries and might prevent nerve damage if one is susceptible.
Just a thought.

When did they take the action out of adventures? Most of the early 3d games I got have one or two action scenes.

For me , what I cherish most about my time spent in front of a screen ( playing computer games ) is when all factors collide together to create the best setting for the story to shine.

The story is the KEY here for me – it makes the time spent worth while - so the story is the most important factor ( properly presented and directed of course ) ,something that you can take with you , a through and idea a feeling, like SYBERIA or GRIM FANDANGO – it's the characters the journey you remember – SO, the better it is , the more thought out it is and the more grown up about its self ( why not aim high ? ) the more memorable it will become ( as I believe, ALL of us react to a well told / interesting story in the same way – we get captivated and remember it, that is its worth ! )

So , if the designers can manage to weave the story with relevant action elements fluidly, than all the power to them (If it works ?! ) – puzzles , action or graphics are only good if the story is . ( they are all needed but they need to be truly integrated within the tale, for them to flow seamlessly and react properly ) –

- IM going to confess something here – I play adventure games for the stories they tell FIRST MOST ! ( and when a challenge melds seamlessly with the story , then you have a bonus , something like DEUS EX or ANACRONOX or SYBERIA or TLJ or GABRIEL KNIGHT etc. ) -


But in the end the story rules – it's the lifeblood of every worthwhile game ( games that become more than just a passing transitory distraction . . . )

IM so pleased to see some members of revolution software on the boards here , SO whatever you creative kids do ( up in YORK at REVOLUTION ) – take care of the story and the way it unfolds / develops, ensuring that it DOES something to you – be that an adventure to remember of a feeling that you take at the end of the game or a concept / idea that strikes a cord ( and I'll be happy as long as the action is accessibly integrated, and I hope that goes as well for all those people who like stories , or like them and don't know it, when it comes to console players )

Story and characters are my own personal love. If I could work out how to do a game without any of the action, puzzles, etc. and just concentrate on the story and characters, I'd be happy.

Is it very difficult to make a game with action puzzles or arcade sequences and either make it possible to skip them if desired or make them easy for adventurers and tougher for those who like action? I know games have been produced in the past (like Curse of Monkey Island) that allow the player to choose whether or not they want to play arcade-type sequences on their own or allow the computer or some device in the game control over the sequence. If this sort of flexibility in programming makes the game too expensive to manufacture, perhaps it could at least be possible to push the escape key and skip a sequence if that is preferred. I know that I wouldn't mind action sequences in a truly story-driven game if I knew that I could skip them if they were too irritating or difficult. Just my two cents.
Happy gaming,
Beth