Topic: GameCube Controller Question

[Kasceis]

I only have 2 controllers for my gamecube, one I use all the time, and one for when friends come over.  I am buying a new one for Wind Waker though, cause I need more and because I have always bought a new controller for a new Zelda game, always.  The controller that I use the most doesn't rumble as much as it use to, I found this out when I was playing SSBM with my cousin.  His controller was going crazy when we won matches and mine was barely shaking.

So my question, does the rumble power run out in the controllers?

[RickPowers]

What's more likely is that you have a short in your controller's cord someplace which is causing your Rumble to malfunction.  If you wrap the cords around the controller for storage, this is a fairly common occurance.

Personally, I'd suggest getting a Wave Bird, just that's just me.  

[Kasceis]

Thanks for the info Rick, but there is no need for me to get a Wavebird.  I have a Futon bed, the one that turns into a couch, so even if the cord was 2 feet long it wouldn't matter, but then again, I wouldn't have to worry about wires shorting out.

I checked the cord and it seems fine, I guess rumble isn't that important really, anyway, I'll have a new controller for WW anyway so its all good.

[Gamefreak]

Continuing on about controllers...
Maybe it's just me or...
Do standard GCN controller analog sticks wear out and get loose while Wavebird's don't. My controller that came with my GCN has a loosed left analog. I've used my wavebird like 10x more than the original (smash attacks and all) and it's 100% perfecto...
Um?...I thought first party meant first class, not all loose-like...and no I don't screw my controllers up I am a perfectionist and take the utmost care of my video game accessories (seriously, I like line them up all neat and stuff when I'm done playing).

And notice how at walmart and such, the dumb punks screw up the GCN analogs till they are so loose they can't recognize the slightest input, but the xbox controller's analogs are always (semi) fine. Maybe it's just something to do with launch controllers? Are the corded ones fixed now?...

[kennyb27]

Yeah, Gamefreak, I've noticed that too.  I don't know if it was just the controllers at launch, but now that makes sense, because a controller that I bought a couple months before the WaveBird was released has a perfect left analog (except for the bite marks from my stupid dog) while my one that shipped with my GCN is semi-loose.  And, my WaveBird is pretty dern close to perfect.

[Stimutacs Addict]

i don't think that people purposely attack the GCN controllers to wear them down, i just think that the style of analog stick used on the GameCube controller is easier to wear down because of the internal components

[Bloodworth]

I've never had problems with analog sticks, but I have had spotty rumble problems.  I noticed that my spice controller stopped rumbling properly early on.  Upon inspection I saw some scratches on the back side that indicate that at some point, someone dropped it on my hard wood floor.  Since it seems to work better when I pound it hard against my hand, I believe that has something to do with it.  

Also, the other time I noticed a rumble problem, it seemed to be related to the extension cord I was using.  Apparently, after some months, the cord received some minor damage as Rick said.  Once I plugged the controller in directly everything worked fine once again.

So as these devices get more sophisticated, it becomes more necessary to take proper care of them.  At least the GC's controllers are holding up far better than the N64's did.

[Hayato]

My MadCatz controller (MadCatz is the only third party I will buy from) I noticed when you leave the analog stick alone it while slowly move to the left... I still haven't taken the time to figure out why though...

[mouse_clicker]

On my main controller, the main analog stick is very loose- I haven't had it affect gameplay like some people have, but it does feel kind of weird. I doubt it's fixable, too- I recently took apart my controller to fix it (I spilled some Coke on it, making every button sticky and causing the control stick not to recognize up or down motions) and found the fixture for the stick itself was just loose. I don't think there's any way to tighten it.

[olimar]

i've noticed that the anolog sticks and the B buttons wear down on the original batch of controllers like the ones that came with the cube if you got it right when it came out.  
I have 5 controllers, 4 regular, 1 wavebird,  my first two are pretty bad but my other 3 (including the wavebird) are fine and i use them more too.    

[mouse_clicker]

I have 2 controllers, both bought at launch. My main one is my spice orange controller (my indigo one got stepped on and split along one side- still works but is pretty uncomfortable). I've been contemplating buying a new controller, maybe a Wavebird, for a while I really have no use since my spice orange one works great now.

[Kasceis]

Thanks for the info guys.  Any suggestions on what new controller to get?  Also, what are the prices of controllers now.

[Gharakh]

the analog on the black controller i got on cube launch-day is loosening up a little bit but i still play with it most of the time. when it gets much worse i'm gonna do the ol' swap by buying a new controller, then returning it with the old one in the package.  i did that before with an indigo controller that the B button was stuck on. why should we spend money for defected controllers, you guys should just do this instead of buying more controllers

[kennyb27]

Quote
Thanks for the info guys. Any suggestions on what new controller to get? Also, what are the prices of controllers now.

The MSRP for a regular controller is $24.95 (US) and for a WaveBird is $34.95.  And for what my opinion is worth, go with the Wavebird, it's a great buy and I couldn't be more happy with it.

[Infernal Monkey]

Quote
Originally posted by: Kasceis
Thanks for the info guys.  Any suggestions on what new controller to get?  Also, what are the prices of controllers now.

... Anything but a Thrustmaster GC 'FireStorm' controller. Yikes, a month after use (And I take care of everything), the C-Stick didn't work, at all, the left analouge stick was crazy, as in, you press left and your on-screen character goes right for a few seconds, before going left.. (It made playing SSB:M a nightmare)

Damn 3rd party rubbish.
Also, I have a very odd cosmetic problem with my WaveBird. I've found that the D-Pad is now a healthy shade of grey. It looks terrible. At first I thought it was .. Dirt? But it doesn't come off. Bah.

[Kasceis]

I just looked at the controllers online and I think I'll be going with the 'ol Spice Controller.  Its yellow(I think) or maybe orange-yellowish, anyway, it might go along good with my gold WW disc.  Now I just gotta see if I get the extra cash to get it tomarrow along with my new game.

[PIAC]

i have a perfect sollution to anyone whos B button has lost its spring, someone told me on the IRC channel to twist the controller and it will fix it, not really beliving the guy i twisted it (grab the handles and twist) and tada!! b button is perfect again, its bizzar yet helpfull

[ALetterNeverSent]

I got my Gamecube at launch and the controller it came with is almost impossible to use. The left analog is so loose that there is barely any room to actually push it in a direction. If there is a way to fix this, I would love to know it. Mine is mostly busted from SSB:M and NCAA Football 2003.

Shane

[Infernal Monkey]

Quote
Originally posted by: PIAC
i have a perfect sollution to anyone whos B button has lost its spring, someone told me on the IRC channel to twist the controller and it will fix it, not really beliving the guy i twisted it (grab the handles and twist) and tada!! b button is perfect again, its bizzar yet helpfull

Hmmm, wonder if that'll work for my Master System control pad?

*Twists pad, controller explodes*

Hmmm....

[aoi tsuki]

Kasceis, i understand distance isn't a problem. Using the Wavebird isn't [just] about distance. It's about freedom. You'll use it like any wired controller, at first. Then you'll realize that you can get into any position, and not have a cord draped over you. If you're like me and have all kinds of crap (CDs, cables, papers) on your floor, you'll appreciate just being able to pick the Wavebird up and play, instead of fishing through a sea of stuff.

It's the little things, but for most of us, they really add up.

[kennyb27]

Quote
I got my Gamecube at launch and the controller it came with is almost impossible to use. The left analog is so loose that there is barely any room to actually push it in a direction. If there is a way to fix this, I would love to know it. Mine is mostly busted from SSB:M and NCAA Football 2003.

Well, I like to look at this in two ways, if there is a solution, I'll be kinda annoyed, because instead of fixing my 64 controllers I just bought about 7 new ones because this happened with all of them.  And in the other way, I'd really love to know a way to fix them in case this epidemic gets any worse on my wonderful GCN controllers.

[Bloodworth]

One thing I want to ask everyone with control stick problems: Do you put a lot of downward force on the control stick when you use it?

I haven't taken apart a GC controller yet, but I'm pretty sure that the big problems that came from the N64 had to do with people gripping the controller and pushing down on the stick too hard.  The N64 controller also got "grindy" due to using a dry lubricant, but I again think that was made worse by people pushing in on the stick so hard that the lubricant got packed into some of the parts (and often came up as "fairy dust").  Taking apart the controller and dumping the lubricant was the only solution I found, but a friend of mine was experimenting with various other types of lubricant.  Anyways, from what I can see, the GC control stick is constructed quite differently, but I still think that excessive downward force could be what's damaging the sensitive controls.

[Armed]

Yes this is happening to me too, when I press down on the analog stick of the controller that I got with my Gamecube it wont work on NFL2k3 when i'm trying to pick plays, but the others it works fine.  I don't get why this problem only happens to Nintendo controllers and not on the PS2, i don't know about Xbox since i don't play it because i think it sucks; but anyway it makes you think Nintendo is trying to milk your wallet especially their little memory cards, compared to the PS2 and Xbox anyway (whatever happened to those SD Memory card Panasonic and Nintendo were planning)!!!

[Bloodworth]

I don't mean down as in the direction down...I mean down as in squeezing down on the stick.  

[kennyb27]

Bloodworth: Hmm, I don't think I put unusual amounts of force on it like that.  I mean, my WaveBird is still in excellent condition, so I can't imagine it being like that.