Did the Dualshock doom us all?: Gamepads' effect on game design

Things are not worse or more narrow, the opposite is true. There has never been a better time with more options for controllers and ways to map them. It’s fine that we’ve settled on a default.

The show discussing the topic in episode 315 has made me think that the perfect controller would be two wii nunchuks, one in each hand, ideally wireless, thumbs go on the sticks and then add two additional paddles to the bottom of the nunchuck for a total of four buttons.

one stick for move, one stick for camera, and then all actions assigned to the rest of your fingers twitching. throw gyro in there. maybe make a version where the stick is instead a dpad or a touch pad.

i am thinking this might be a fun diy project. of course i know nothing about building controllers.

I miss lightguns for consoles. Guncon, you are missed.

@“tomjonjon”#p148187 if you want to enjoy retro games on modern screens check this out the Sniden Light Gun Works with pretty much any compatible game and on almost all hardware. My friend has one and swears it's like using anything from the past, but on his new TV!

1 Like

For anyone upset that the modern triggers have too much throw to them, the xbox elite controller has a switch on it for each trigger that lets you adjust the length of the trigger pull. At the 3rd (shortest) setting, they are effectively like the old L2/R2 buttons.

This isn't just changing the detection length for activation, it mechanically moves something inside the controller so that the whole action is shorter.

1 Like

I agree the touch screen (and more specifically the capacitive touch screen) is the one huge alternative gaming interface to the Dual Shock which has emerged in the last 10-15 years. It is now even more widespread than button-based controllers or physical keyboards. Many kids barely accept the idea of using buttons.

We also now get hybrid derivatives of the most common touch screen interface like this controller compatible with PC, PS5 and Xbox Series.

[URL=https://i.imgur.com/Mry0q8P.jpg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/Mry0q8P.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

•••That being said!

>

@“wickedcestus”#p147967 touch is still how kids play Fortnite on iOS today

I checked on Google again just in case and DuckyTheGamer has bad news for you.

[URL=https://i.imgur.com/zaYHqnh.jpg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/zaYHqnh.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

>

@“Tradegood”#p147969 give us a clicky L2 and R2 buttons again!

That’s a Switch Pro Controller!

In general, I agree the standardization of controls, just like the standardization of technology, is stifling creativity, but it also has its perks (mainly compatibility across machines and generations).

@“pizzascrub”#p148154 I‘ve thought of this also. Pair two wii remotes with nunchaku to PC, then map just the nunchaku buttons and sticks to games. a more custom solution is fun to dream about, like a joiner controller with two wii aux connectors to interface them both into one controller input.

Though with the way things are going with paddles, we really want at least 2 triggers and 1 paddle for each side, so a third button on each nunchuk would be ideal. plus nunchuk doesn’t have L3/R3 clicking action, does it?

Also while on this subject, at this point you should have two foot pedals, and a big red panel mount button on your desk to function as the start button that you slam real hard like a pop'n music button.

So at this point I'm talking a big, nintendo babified pop'n music pilled Steel Battalion setup.

@"◉◉maru"#146 since I use my PC from my bed, when I don't feel like having the full keyboard+track ball setup, i.e. when in media mode or gaming or just so cold I need to input from under the covers, I use this comfy little video game controller style trackpad + keyboard.
https://www.amazon.com/Rii-Bluetooth-Keyboard-Smartphones-Mac-Black/dp/B07T13GLY3
it has a lot of improvements to be had, but right now this is the best on the market for my tastes.
while it's not for gaming, there are times I've used it for interface with fullscreen games when my controller dies or something.

I‘ve thought for quite a while that shoulder buttons just feel unnecessary. Forces your hands into an unnatural feeling position. I think there’s still a good way to go as far as controller ergonomics. Something like a modern controller setup that removes shoulder buttons and features the old Mad Catz PS1 controller grooved-type grips would make a decent amount of sense:

[img]https://thisisgameroom.com/cdn/shop/products/796df8fa-8d28-4f00-9929-899e7c5d0b0c.png?v=1669639661[/img]

On the bottom of the controller above the grips you could have a slightly offset trigger buttons much like the N64 Z button. Then on the inner half of the controller at the ends of each finger groove (think where crease of the top and bottom of the controller shell generally is) could rest a paddle-type button, where you just slightly squeeze in on individual finger tips to activate corresponding buttons. The 8BitDo Pro 2 has paddles that work in this manner, but the paddles rest too far inside the finger to make it natural for me to use. Sorta requires a firm squeezing motion, where I'd just like a slightly inward flick of the finger tips.

Been saying this a lot in other threads, there’s never been a better time for controllers. Glad to see the Saturn pad making a comeback.

What’s left now for the Saturn pad is, we need an offset joystick with Saturn buttons just like the official oem 3D controller for Saturn.

@"Herb"#876 i agree that shoulders feel like misplaced paddles. Even Nintendo figured this out with the N64 and Wii having Z and B triggers. They included similar ergonomics with all their triggers since. The Z trigger is kind of just like a paddle.
But imo it doesn’t hurt to have bumper style shoulders too