Gaming Confessions & Blasphemy

tuffalobuffalo wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

At least that's my hypothesis.

I don't fall into that category, and I like the PS3 controller now. The ergonomics are initially terrible for people with larger hands. I didn't really like it at first. I would get sore hands from gripping the thing. With practice, however, you learn how to hold it properly and relax your hands. If you clutch Dualshock 3, look at how your hands are placed, remove your hands from the controller, and then put your hands in the same position, it's actually a fairly natural position. You have to keep your hands relaxed, though, otherwise your 4th and 5th fingers will get fatigued. So yeah, it takes practice, and people who have been using the design for awhile, will be more comfortable with it.

The PS4 redesign looks like the extended grips will help force you to relax those 4th and 5th fingers like the 360 controller does. It should be pretty decent.

It shouldn't take practice to hold a controller comfortably.

Garden Ninja wrote:

It shouldn't take practice to hold a controller comfortably.

Well, I like it a bit better than the 360 controller now, so it was worth the time spent getting used to it to me.

Honestly, the only type of game I don't like so much on the PS3 controller is the shooter, but not badly enough that I haven't bought shooters for the system. Otherwise, if I'm playing any other game genre, I don't notice so much.

Maybe it has to do with what sorts of games you're playing primarily.

I'm pretty sure most of the "I like X controller better" stuff can be chalked up to either 1) anatomy or 2) the length of time using one layout over the other. In other words, it's a personal thing. It does seem like more people prefer the 360 layout, which is why it's a confession that I do not, but I think that's at least in part due to the 360 simply being more popular than the PS3.

Personally, I came to both the DS3 and the 360 controllers with mostly a clean slate, having skipped both the PS2 and original XBox and really having minimal prior experience with thumb sticks. The PS3 controller just feels like a more appropriate size to me, and the things I want to hit are closer to where I feel like they should be. The 360 controller in comparison feels large and clunky, and I never really feel like my thumbs are in the right place.

For me, the PS3 controller is far better than the Xbox controller. My experiences with the 360 controller largely involve a buddy's jank-a$$ controllers with stuck bumpers, near-constant disconnects, and loose and/or stuck analog sticks. The shape of it too just feels odd compared to the Dual Shock controllers.

dhelor wrote:

For me, the PS3 controller is far better than the Xbox controller. My experiences with the 360 controller largely involve a buddy's jank-a$$ controllers with stuck bumpers, near-constant disconnects, and loose and/or stuck analog sticks. The shape of it too just feels odd compared to the Dual Shock controllers.

Time to get new friends

The only trouble I've had with Xbox controllers have been the two that I've bought used from GameStop. The two I have that were brand new are champs.

I have actually switched back to one of my oldest Xbox 360 controllers because my newest one has a stick that does't seem to stick in a physical sense but it continues to send a tiny bit of data when it is released. It is most noticeable in Unreal powered games for some reason. Been playing tons of Borderlands 2 and Mass Effect 3 MP and finally decided to retire it because of this. Funny thing is I had to do a warranty exchange on the controller that actually came with my S model because it had buttons that didn't work and this is the replacement. My original Xbox 360 may have died but the controllers are still fine.

Hey, I've got one:

I've gone through probably 10 Xbox controllers during the past three years. All because of Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3. I've stopped now, but for a long time I would squeeze my controller very very hard when I got frustrated. And, yes, I've even been known to throw my controllers. At my fireplace. The fireplace wins, every time.

lostlobster wrote:

Hey, I've got one:

I've gone through probably 10 Xbox controllers during the past three years. All because of Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3. I've stopped now, but for a long time I would squeeze my controller very very hard when I got frustrated. And, yes, I've even been known to throw my controllers. At my fireplace. The fireplace wins, every time.

I may have a tendency to slam down my mouse really hard when frustrated.

I may have an issue with having non functional mice.

In the case of my Cyborg R.A.T. 7, I occasionally have to slam it down because it doesn't work properly. That's probably not helping it to work better in the future.

I feel like the Xbox 360 controller was designed specifically for first- and third-person shooters and works very well for those games but is decent to mediocre for other kinds of games. The DualShock design is less suited to shooters but is more versatile in general.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I feel like the Xbox 360 controller was designed specifically for first- and third-person shooters and works very well for those games but is decent to mediocre for other kinds of games. The DualShock design is less suited to shooters but is more versatile in general.

If you think of the pad as a variation of the PS1 pad, it was designed in an era with very few FPS games. I don't recall it being designed for anything in particular, just "now we've got analogue controls, and while we're at it, we might as well stick two on there". I'm struggling to think of many PS1 FPS games besides medal of honor. It seems like a "jack of all trades, master of none" situation.

dhelor wrote:

For me, the PS3 controller is far better than the Xbox controller. My experiences with the 360 controller largely involve a buddy's jank-a$$ controllers with stuck bumpers, near-constant disconnects, and loose and/or stuck analog sticks. The shape of it too just feels odd compared to the Dual Shock controllers.

/sheepishly raises hand

Yeah, my controllers do that. After extended use, the left analogue stick tends to drift up, so characters tend to walk forward of their own accord. It happened with my PS2 controller as well. My first 360 controller eventually got so bad that it made games unplayable, but the controllers I have now are recent enough that they are mostly fine.

And my PS3 controllers are fine because I don't play my PS3

Garden Ninja wrote:

Yeah, my controllers do that. After extended use, the left analogue stick tends to drift up, so characters tend to walk forward of their own accord. It happened with my PS2 controller as well. My first 360 controller eventually got so bad that it made games unplayable, but the controllers I have now are recent enough that they are mostly fine.

And my PS3 controllers are fine because I don't play my PS3 :|

I have had this happen with just about every analog stick and joystick under the sun. It is so annoying. If they switched to an optical reading method rather then the mechanical sensors this problem could be solved with a simple re-calibration. I'm sure there are some fancy joysticks that have this already.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I feel like the Xbox 360 controller was designed specifically for first- and third-person shooters and works very well for those games but is decent to mediocre for other kinds of games. The DualShock design is less suited to shooters but is more versatile in general.

I feel the 360 controller is better for any game that requires a left analog stick as your primary input. Its just a more natural resting position (ergonomic) for your thumb with the way the rest of the controller holds your fingers. I deal with a mild carpel tunnel so flat mice and the PS3 controller really kill me if used for extended periods of time.

Edit: The 360 controller is actually puts your left hand in a very similar position to the N64 controller when using the analog stick so I guess you could say Nintendo thought of it first.

I really don't like the concave top of the 360 controller.

Kamakazi010654 wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

Hey, I've got one:

I've gone through probably 10 Xbox controllers during the past three years. All because of Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3. I've stopped now, but for a long time I would squeeze my controller very very hard when I got frustrated. And, yes, I've even been known to throw my controllers. At my fireplace. The fireplace wins, every time.

I may have a tendency to slam down my mouse really hard when frustrated.

I may have an issue with having non functional mice.

I learned my lesson long ago after putting an NES Advantage into a wall.

...and punching a copy of Secret of Mana into a wall...

Easiest way to solve the problem: limited edition controllers. Now that I've got the R2D2 Xbox and C3PO controller, I don't have any problems with controller abuse.

My only issues with the PS3 controller are the rounded tops of the analog sticks and the general looseness of the sticks. The rounded tops make my thumb slip off sometimes, usually at the worst moment in a boss battle. The Xbox 360 controller's concave tops make a big difference, and the sticks feel like they have more tension. Makes me glad to see the new PS4 controller will have a bit of indentation on the analog stick tops.

Another problem I have is that the X button is in a different position between controllers, leading to some mistakes in quick-time event button presses depending on the console.

It's pretty neat to hear everyone's take on what a comfortable/usable controller looks like.

On the flip side, I'd be interested to hear people's choice for personal worst controller EVAR.

My choice is easy.

IMAGE(http://st2.tecnoblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/intellivision.jpg)IMAGE(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Intellivision_controller.jpg/360px-Intellivision_controller.jpg)

Intellivision would comfortably fall into my Top 5 consoles of all time, but that damn controller was obnoxious. I've come to lovingly refer to it as the Thumb Killer 'cause it was so awkward to hold with one hand while utilizing the unresponsive bottom disk with your thumb. You had to use two hands if you wanted to simultaneously use the disk and the set of two side buttons (that took 10 tons of pressure to activate) on either side of the controller.

Man that thing was an ergonomic nightmare.

You tried using a default Atari 2600 controller recently? Man those things are terrible.

Yeah, but at least it made sense to cup the controller in your hand, using that thumb for the single button, while using your other hand for the stick. Particularly intense sessions would grind the palm you're holding the controller in. But that's nothing compared to the Intellivison pad. First case of claw-hand cramp I ever remember in gaming.

I think the 360 controller is equal to or better at every thing except fighting games when compared to the PS3 controller.

I've spent a significant amount of time with every major console controller since the NES save maybe the Saturn and Masters system if you can count those. No one controller causes me fits. Each has shortcomings, and each has nuance that those that haven't spent a good enough time with it seem to miss entirely. Sometimes that missed element is talked about a lot by a many vocal parties. Each controller seems to take some getting used to. To add to that, when one spends the vast majority of their time with another style controller, they tend to dislike or even abhor other controller styles.

This has caused endless console and gamepad vs M&K debates. As someone who has had even a gaming pc around a lot, I can say, I like them all since I'm used to them all, but I still have preferences.

And I'd like to add my confession, which should come as no surprise to anyone who pays attention to my rantings. If game has well implemented Wii controls (even if it takes a bit of tweaking), I'd rather play it that way. For example Goldeneye Wii had remote/nunchuck or classic controller options and I preferred the remote.

The Colecovision controller was similar to the [i]Intellivision controller, but also had the "advantage" of being think, clunky, and really uncomfortable to hold. The [i]Intellivision controller was much better.

IMAGE(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/06/coleco_colecovision_controller.jpg)

That being said, my vote goes to the Atari 7800:

IMAGE(http://videogamecritic.com/images/systems/7800controller.jpg)

There is no way to vaguely hold that thing comfortably. The stick sucks, the shape is terrible, the buttons stink . . . the thing is simply godawful in every way.

That raised lettering & logo is pretty boss though.

This has GOT to be a confession.... Or a blasphemy. Or both.

Awww, man, but I LOVED the Colevision controller!!! :D
Maybe that's just nostalgia talking.

Eleima wrote:

This has GOT to be a confession.... Or a blasphemy. Or both.

Awww, man, but I LOVED the Colevision controller!!! :D
Maybe that's just nostalgia talking.

Seconded. For all the stock Colecovision controller lacks in ergonomics, I don't know how the hell those Intellivision folks dealt with that stupid control disc thing dipping below the surface of the controller body. Providing the contacts are clean (ask me about DeoxIt for restoring both these and the Super Action controllers!), that squat joystick is a much better mechanism for moving around. And keypads work better below the movement widget, not above.

Or, to put it another way, there's a reason we got to play Frenzy while the Intellininnies gushed about George Plimpton's advertising contribution.

Aaron D. wrote:

That raised lettering & logo is pretty boss though.

More like embossed.

ianunderhill wrote:

Seconded. For all the stock Colecovision controller lacks in ergonomics, I don't know how the hell those Intellivision folks dealt with that stupid control disc thing dipping below the surface of the controller body.

If memory serves correct, there were after-market "sticks" released for the Intellivison disk pad that were essentially just plastic sticks with a suction cup on the bottom. I owned a couple and they kinda worked. A little.

It's also funny looking at the Colecovision pad pictured above. For as much ribbing as modern companies get for borrowing design ideas from each other, it's funny to see such a direct lift of a controller modeling from two different manufactures.

mr_n00b wrote:
Aaron D. wrote:

That raised lettering & logo is pretty boss though.

More like embossed.

LIKE A BOSS.