I've seen computer games where any input device is accepted, and on-screen instructions refer to the last type of device used. Seemed like a good idea. And how does input-based parental control work? Do you hide the adult's controller?

> Do you hide the adult's controller?

the case for physical games: put the cartridge on the high shelf

On first use of the controller after a reboot, you're prompted to select which user is playing. Saved games and achievements and whatnot are per-user.

If you've got a child in the household, you're expected to tag their user as such, which imposes some restrictions on their account. Then set up an access code on your user, so the child can't log in as you.

Which input device out of my total of one controller that is on?

On a console that has already asked me who's playing when I turned it on?

Feedback regarding the ins and outs of the UX would be better directed at Sony rather than me. But it accommodates the case where you haven't connected the controller yet.

I can't remember if it's Playstation or Xbox that does this, but the game can start out in a sandboxed state, and explicit user input is required for the system to grant it access to the gamepad and the associated user.

The console knows all that, but does the game know all of that too? I'm not a console developer but perhaps the game doesn't have permissions to know which devices are on, only which devices are sending key presses right now.

I would argue it's also just a tradition of the medium at this point. And tbh most games I play would feel weird without it. It's like a spiritual carry-over from the Attract-Mode games used to have in arcades, and without even needing to put in a quarter. (Don't tell the game companies about that)

There's no need to force a special interaction. They usually have to interact with a menu regardless. You can know the controller then.

I had the impression this was on Sony's technical requirements list, so people have no choice.

You're right about the reqs. A lot of the menu screen behaviors were traditions borrowed from arcade games and big box demo kiosks. The idea is that your game must do "something" if idle for a long period of time without someone officially "starting" it.

I assume the thinking is that there's a non-zero chance that the first input event will pop up some kind of user selection thingy. And that it's mildly cleaner to have this happen in response to a prompt such as PRESS <NAME OF BUTTON> TO START, where the user is clearly being directed to press a button to start, than it would be to be have it happen in response to them pressing (say) the down button when hoping to get to the second option of the apparently useable menu they'd just been presented with.

As a bonus, this does also simplify handling any user-specific options that may affect the display of the initial menu.

Games having a title screen where you “Press Start Button” is a slightly odd convention going back to the arcades, even on games where there’s only one set of controls.

With arcades it at least makes sense because it puts the game out of demo/attract mode.

Many games can just swap devices on the fly (from the top of my mind, Elden Ring, Witcher 3, Lords of the Fallen, Dirt Rally).

It's not the game. You just press the PS button and then you can turn off the controller that is running out of battery from a system menu, turn on another and go back to the game. At least on the PS4 and 5.

Maybe on PS; on PC all the games I mentioned just switch on the fly depending on the last device you touched.

This gets a little rickety when you have permissions tied to input devices, which is not uncommon in households with young children.

Also for some games it’s just generally buggy.

Which consoles/ systems use the controller to determine which account is active?

At least on the switch you just have accounts in the upper left and switch between them regardless of controller. Is it a Sony implementation?

I’m not trying to be difficult but this is very easy to search and the combative tone is unnecessary. I can tell you firsthand my Xbox does it, but that doesn’t really do anything for you because you already doubt me for some reason. You should still look it up to confirm it for yourself. You can tie users to controllers and set that for login. It’s a documented, widely used feature. I get that may sound ridiculous to you but it’s been standard for years.

I don't mean to be combative, I've just genuinely never used a console with that. The perils of mostly using PCs and Nintendo ones, I guess? If it's standard with both Xbox and Sony that does cleanly explain the press any button screen, although I wonder why they leave it in for the PC ports.

I don’t think it’s standard on Sony. But then I just play games on a few PlayStations , never used the actual parental controls.

But I guess they’d have told me that I could attach a user to a certain controller.

Hah, I looked it up. Even on Xbox it’s just some kind of auto login but the kid could switch profiles after.

It’s mostly about simplicity less for security. You have to use a password if you want to guard against a curious kid lol

I wouldn’t consider it a “peril.” You have to turn it on, it’s not a default setting. It’s a useful feature for some.

I don’t use it personally but tbf my Xbox has also been pretty much collecting dust for probably 2 years now.