Console Controller Lament (oh how I hate you!)

[ace_of_something]

Dear Console/Game designers,
You always put large people in your games but when any of you make a console they are difficult for people from the land of tall folk to use. Please manufacture some grown-up sized controls.

I am a tall person; to put some context into the size of my hands; get a bic pen hold the tip to where your wrist and hand meet; about where does the other tip come to if you angle it to your middle finger? On me it comes co where my finger and hand meet.

I recall when I first played the xbox and they had a control many many people hated. I loved it I could hold it without having to bend or lace my fingers together. Than they stopped making them because nobody like them; that hurt my feelings.

The n64 which came out shortly before I began become adult sized; it was a constant gauge throughout my puberty of how much taller a person I was going to become (I grew 16 inches in 3 years) by the time I was done-ish growing I simply could not fit my sausage fingers around the controller to play with the joy stick; that also hurt my feelings.

Seems to me that controls are about as big is they?re gonna get and I?ll have to get used to it.

What controllers have you hated? Why? Of the modern systems which do you feel is the worst?

I know there have been many a thread on the favorite but I don?t see one on the most hated.

 

[shatnershaman]

I hate the six-axis/DS3 triggers since they are uncomfortable buttons that push too far in, not triggers, but everything else is fine. I'm fine with the rest of the recent controllers (now the SNES brick on the other hand...)

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I really hate the marshmellow triggers on the PS3 controller... and Six-Axis gimmicks really suck.

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

What do you think of Xbox 360 controllers?

I rather dislike the Wii Classic Controllers, I always use a GameCube one if the game supports it.

 

[searanox]

I'm like three feet tall, so I don't have problems with controllers due to their size; I love the GameCube's controller, for example, because it's about as ergonomic as a pad can get, but many people dislike it. That said, I find console controllers cumbersome and awkward for most games and I much prefer a keyboard and mouse input due to the much greater level of precision, versatility and comfort.

 

[Random Argument Man]

I didn't like the gamecube controllers. They're too small.

 

[ace_of_something]

What do you think of Xbox 360 controllers?

I don't get why the moved the trigger buttons...

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I'm also a small guy with very petite hands (my girlfriend has bigger hands than me) so I have no problems with Videogame controller size, except when its too big like the old ExBawks controllers were, those things hurt.

 

[SargentToughie]

Worst game controller ever? the N64 controller

"argh, I have not three arms! I can't use this controller the way nintendo wants me to!"

 

[Anton P. Nym]

The only one I tried and truly disliked was the Big Duke; my hands just did not suit it, and it was impossible for me to reach the black or white buttons without shifting my entire grip. I suspect if I'd played more N64 or NES I'd have grown to despise them too, but my stints with them were brief and so I didn't get all carpal-tunnel from 'em.

-- Steve

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

What do you think of Xbox 360 controllers?

I don't get why the moved the trigger buttons...

They did?

As far as I can tell the only significant differences between the original and the 360 controllers are the added guide button and the black and white buttons being replaced by bumpers. Granted I've never owned an Xbox but I've used one quite a bit.

 

[NeedAUserName]

The Wii one annoys me, as I only play the Wii, when I'm at my friends house, and so its still quite hard for me to get to grips with.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

I really hate the marshmellow triggers on the PS3 controller... and Six-Axis gimmicks really suck.

Yes and yes, particularly that six-axis shit. The PS3 controller works well for fighting games and other games where the D-Pad is essential, but otherwise it stinks.

I do like the X360 controller, other than the fact its D-Pad sucks and its bumpers don't seem to always be as responsive as they should be.

 

[Nimbus]

I wish game companies would wise up and make different sized controllers. Imagine if every piece of clothing ever made was one-size-fits-all. NOT a good system.

 

[ace_of_something]

I wish game companies would wise up and make different sized controllers. Imagine if every piece of clothing ever made was one-size-fits-all. NOT a good system.

amen to that. That's why i got so pumped when xbox had two sizes.

 

[crimsondynamics]

I don't know your exact hand size but it may be that your hand is exceptionally large.

When designing ergonomic products, you normally work with percentiles. That is to say, the design is suitable for a certain percentage of the population.

Mercedes-Benz cars, for example, are designed to accommodate people that fall within the 95% range. Those that fall outside the range (e.g. very tall / short / wide people) will not feel entirely at ease in one of their vehicles. The design of controllers in this case is no different.

Without knowing your exact hand size (and the manufacturer's design considerations) it's hard to be certain, but there is a possibility that you unfortunately fall outside that percentile.

----------

I love controllers and peripherals, but none of the console controllers strike me as particularly bad. After all, they've done the r&d. Third-party controllers are a mixed bag though. Having said that:

360 controller: I think the 360 controller fits like a glove but the d-pad is squishy and not a true 8-way directional, making some games unresponsive. I also find the shoulder buttons difficult to access. Those are the changes I'd like to see but otherwise it's a great controller for my PC gaming needs. Besides, I have a Hori arcade stick for my MAME fighters.

PS3 controller: the four buttons instead of a d-pad for me makes some fighting games more difficult than they should be. The PS3 bottom shoulder buttons are too slippery but it's a minor gripe. I don't like both analogs at the bottom and much prefer the 360 layout in that regard. Why isn't the battery removable? I don't want to buy a new controller once the battery charge wears out. The PS3 controller is the least evolved of the three. The shape and size hasn't budged in over a decade. That isn't necessarily bad though; many gamers prefer its form.

Wii remote and Nunchuk: the Nunchuk cable is far too short for truly "expressive" arm movement. I've yanked it on a couple of occasions. More than that though, why isn't the Nunchuk wireless? It has to take a third-party manufacturer to do what Nintendo should have done in the first place. Motion+ should have been a part of the controller from day one. I felt Nintendo misled the public into thinking the Wii remote was capable of 1:1 movement when it clearly isn't the case. Ergonomically speaking, the Wii remote buttons are poorly placed. The d-pad is too far away from the thumb, the 1 and 2 buttons are under your palm! How do they expect you to press those buttons? Other than those gripes I do like having the controllers separated. For once, you have an ambidextrous controller that suits righties and lefties alike.

 

[EzraPound]

For 2D games, the non-dual shock PS1 controllers were the best ever.

For 3D ones, I'd opt for the 64 controller, though I guess not having two analogs could be frustrating.

 

[swift tongued]

I like x-box 360 controllers because they remind me of dreamcast controllers and the dreamcast was, is and will be awsome.

PS3 eas pretty disappointing design. I just hate how they backed down from the original idea.

 

[swift tongued]

Oh also the dreamcast's grip spikes sucked if you played Street fighter Alpha three, when I beat the game as evil ryu after the hindredth fight with Akuma, not only was I mentally exhausted, but I was missing a layer of thumb skin.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

I just realised that I forgot to list my Number One Most Hated controller; the Intellivision's d-pad+membrane-keyboard hellbox. *shudder* Not uncomfortable usually, but hellishly imprecise.

-- Steve