Author Topic: Sony's controller designers should be shot. Multiple times. (Read 7109 times)

NotSoStu · « **on:** May 25, 2005, 05:36:48 AM »

Okay, I'll be frank: I haven't played a whole lot of PS2. I've played some fighting games, and I've played that Ratchet and Clank game (Or was it Jak and Somethingoranother? They're both pretty much the same.) But, is it just me, or is Sony's controller just, for lack of better words, retarded?

A) Why do they keep the D-pad in the dominant position, even on the PS3? The setup on the GCN/Xbox is much better.
B) Up up down down left right left right traingle square start?! What the hell is with the symbols, anyway? If anything, they make it much harder. ABXY is so much nicer, personally, since you actually know where the heck they are.
C) The design of the PS3 controller looks.... like a boomberang. Or a banana.

Yeah, I'm ranting so I can get studying for the history final that's in half an hour off my mind. >_>

KDR_11k · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2005, 06:54:10 AM »

Wikipedia describes Sony Computer Entertainment's Controler Design Division as "a bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes". Coincidentally, a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica that was sent back in time from a distant future describes Sony Computer Entertainment's Controller Design Division as "a bunch of mindless jerks who were the first against the wall when the revolution came".

Sorry, I think I've used that reference way too often lately but that's what comes into my mind when reading "should be shot multiple times" though I'm more partial towards hanging them upside down and sawing them in half.

couchmonkey · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:46:28 AM »

Well, if you know where ABXY are, it's because you've played Nintendo consoles forever. But I totally agree on the placement of the D-Pad.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:53:09 AM »

"Well, if you know where ABXY are, it's because you've played Nintendo consoles forever."

Logically though we think in terms of letters so it's easier to figure out. Although on the Cube it's a little different with the SNES once I knew where A was I knew where everything was. B was logically next to A. X & Y were then obviously the other two buttons over top and since B was on the left side of A X must be above A with Y to the left of it since they go in reverse alphabetical order. There's a clear pattern.

You don't have that with shapes. We don't think in terms of triangle and square. Once I find one button on the Playstation controller I can't logically find the others because there is no natural pattern. How do I know where circle is in relation to square without looking down or memorizing the layout?

Djunknown · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2005, 03:47:21 PM »

The Playstation is approaching its 10th anniversary on this side of the continent. There's probably a large crop of gamers who were weaned on that Square-Triangle-Circle-X format. If Nintendo did the shape button format back in the day, it'd be second nature to most of us. I'm sure most people here are used to Sony's button layout by now, but I still have to glance down every now and again when I'm playing a Playstation game.

Hopefully that PS3 controller is a just a prototype. It seems they're going for a minimalist approach, but those long ends kill it. I'd just as use that thing like a bat-a-rang.

Avinash_Tyagi · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2005, 04:46:47 PM »

Maybe that's the intent, more immersive gameplay, instead of pressing the buttons you throw the controller around the room.

Its teh revolution!

ThePerm · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2005, 04:51:26 PM »

well the x o thing was on purpose...x means cancel o means confirm..just how we use a and b..triangle goes on the top just because it points up..and square..just because they wanted to use symbols

mantidor · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2005, 06:06:59 PM »

my theory is that sony made the controller like that so its easier for them to fit Nintendo's revolutionary idea on their controller once its revealed, thats why the give the controller such disproportionate handles, to have more blank space.

nickmitch · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2005, 06:59:51 PM »

So what you're saying is that sony created a crappy controller intentionally to copy nintendo's controller?
Sony: "Here's our controller!"
People: "Wow that sucks. Do it again."
Sony: "Okay? iI'll just need to see a 'cool' controller. *wink*"
Nintendo: "Why are you looking at me like that?!?"

blackfootsteps · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2005, 09:49:11 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: ThePerm
well the x o thing was on purpose...x means cancel o means confirm..just how we use a and b..triangle goes on the top just because it points up..and square..just because they wanted to use symbols

Ummm. In most PS2 games X is confirm and O is cancel. Highly logical. Ha.

Edit: Also the XBox muddled up the whole ABXY setup as well be reversing the positions. Whyyyyyyy!!! Curse you.

ThePerm · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:10:57 PM »

after buying what is probably going to be an expensive assed console..how will you afford games?

KDR_11k · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2005, 01:13:42 AM »

blackfootsteps: I use that to remember them: X means "no" and since Sony is ass-backwards that's the button to confirm stuff. Unfortunately a PS2 gamer managed to wipe my Burnout 2 saves by thinking the green button that clearly associates with "yes" means "no".

The triangle is on the top and points upwards, with the square you're out of luck.

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2005, 12:25:26 PM »

In all honesty. I think the PS3 controller will be redesigned. I think Sony put a prototype controller out there so they wouldn't have to show the other controller, or because the final design wasn't decided. The controller they showed they probably felt fit the look of the PS3 so they used that design.

Also, nobody has held the controller yet, so we have no idea how it feels, or functions, or even what other features the controller may have.

stevey · « **Reply #13 on:** May 29, 2005, 03:52:04 PM »

"PS3 controller looks.... like a boomberang. Or a banana. '

or something to put down there paint like the psp. when I first saw it, I knew nintendo won't show the controller intel the rev. is come out . and then they sill steal the idea (duke/s), even if it made up by fan or suck, 3d glass for sly 3, handheld to console link, and eyetoy 2 with a pojector. The only good thing I seen a e3 controller wise is the xbox 1.5 power butten on it that because I'm lazsy and hate getting up.

"and square..just because they wanted to use symbols "

so they can make square enix happy

PaLaDiN · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2005, 10:35:10 PM »

Heh, KDR... took me a while to figure out where I'd read that quote about 6 years ago.

nemo_83 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 08, 2005, 02:00:24 AM »

behold Sony's revolutionary aspect on their controller; it will attract more female gamers than the DS!

http://img285.echo.cx/img285/8325/sonyps3doubledong0ns7yt.jpg

BlackNMild2k1 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2005, 02:21:37 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: nemo_83
behold Sony's revolutionary aspect on their controller; it will attract more female gamers than the DS!

http://img285.echo.cx/img285/8325/sonyps3doubledong0ns7yt.jpg

is that pic legal? and does anyone have a clue what the hell stevey is talking about?
and yes, its that funny to me right now, I'm drunk................................

KDR_11k · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2005, 03:48:51 AM »

Yes, so many people have made that reference now... I wish Sony would release something like Megatokyo's Ping in real life, then we'd actually have a use for that controller...

Uglydot · « **Reply #18 on:** June 08, 2005, 09:25:34 AM »

Eh, I rather like the Sony controller.

blackfootsteps · « **Reply #19 on:** June 08, 2005, 04:52:43 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
blackfootsteps: I use that to remember them: X means "no" and since Sony is ass-backwards that's the button to confirm stuff. Unfortunately a PS2 gamer managed to wipe my Burnout 2 saves by thinking the green button that clearly associates with "yes" means "no".

The triangle is on the top and points upwards, with the square you're out of luck.

That is completely rough. Ouch. But it perfectly illustrates what Sony is doing. When playing a game you press 'O' naturally to confirm. But alas 'O' cancels and forces you to sort through a menu/ conversation/ whatever again thus increasing playtime. Yay!

TMW · « **Reply #20 on:** June 08, 2005, 07:38:44 PM »

yeah...I still have problems remembering Square and Circle. I always get them confused.

And yes...I was shocked when I first saw the controller. I seriously thought it was someones idea of a joke, until they showed me the same picture up at IGN.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #21 on:** June 09, 2005, 03:07:04 AM »

What I hate even more is the lack of convention on the PS2, some games cancel with O, others with /\. And some even force you to use that demonic contraption that is the dpad for navigating the menu (even the f###ing BIOS does!).

nemo_83 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 10, 2005, 02:21:19 PM »

Well Sony it appears is not as dumb as we think.

http://di-links.com/link1614.html#null

I was unable to make that a link, but trust me; its worth looking at. There is a video you can view on that page that might potentially blow your mind.

BlackNMild2k1 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 10, 2005, 02:42:31 PM »

for lazy asses like me

- Sony Revolution <-- same link as post above

But I've seen that about a week or so ago on another forum, and while I wasn't sure what the practicle
application of this was, I was still very intrigued at the possibilities that might come from this.

someone also stated that this is from 2001, so this technology might be making its way into the mainstream in the near(not too near) future

nemo_83 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 10, 2005, 02:47:55 PM »

2001, damn now I feel behind the times. In all the talk about Revolution's controller talk on many boards online, I have never seen this.

News:

Author Topic: Sony's controller designers should be shot. Multiple times. (Read 7109 times)