I don’t think people hated the original Xbox controller so much as they thought it was too big. Not quite the same thing, Dave-- almost a preference, really, though I do agree the original controller was too large. It’s the difference between “I FUCKING HATE THAT SHIRT” and “nice shirt, but way too large for me”
And I certainly haven’t read nearly as many complaints about the Xbox controller as the Gamecube controller in reviews. Check out any review of a sports or FPS game on the Gamecube, and the reviewer invariably mentions how poorly designed the controller is. For example:
And mind you, this is just off the top of my head; I’ve read the sentiment expressed at least a half-dozen other times, and I don’t make a habit of reading GC reviews.
Dave, I doubt the hatred for the Xbox controller is as universal as you think. For a while it was the hip thing to do, bash the Xbox controller. Most of my friends that tried it didn’t mind it at all. I’ve got two S controllers and two regular controllers, and every time I ask someone which one they want to use (after they’ve used both) they just shrug and say “Whatever’s plugged in”. Certainly there was a lot of fuss about the controllers and I’m not saying it was the right choice for MS to go with such a large controller to begin with, but I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as most people found it fashionable to claim.
it’s destined to be the first standard controller to be ditched in favor of a different design during the lifetime of the system.
There he goes again. Sorry, the Dualshock was developed and released during the lifetime of the PS1.
I prefer the large Xbox controler- I’ve got several of it, and several of the ‘S’ controlers, and the only thing I prefer about the ‘S’ version is the flat buttons- too long mashing on the original controler’s buttons equals a sore thumb. :(
The Gamecube’s controler is just too small. End of story. The Dualshock is good- I loved it during the days of the PS1, but now I’ve been using the Dreamcast controler and the Xbox controler, I’ve come to be annoyed by the analog sticks being so low- the two aforementioned controlers have the left one in place of the d-pad, shere your thumb naturally rests. It really works better that way. :)
I prefer the original Xbox controller too. It’s big, but so are my hands. I don’t like the button placement as well in the S controller, though I prefer both over the PS2 controller. The Gamecube controller is too small for my hands.
And the Dual Shock replaced the standard controller in the PS One.
I remember one time I asked Ed Fries (Microsoft’s head of third-party games) what the Xbox team was thinking with those enormous controllers. He just shook his head and said “but those controllers tested off the charts! Every group we tested it with loved them. Everyone else seems to despise them.” He told me then and there he lost confidence in marketing research groups. I’m guessing his marketing research groups consisted of NBA players or people suffering from elaphantiasis of the hands.
On a side note, I prefer the S-controller, but hate the fact that the white and black buttons are recessed. They’re super hard to find in a hurry.
Sorry to you too…the Dual Shock was not created in response to people disliking the original controller. It was created to add analog support for games, specifically Gran Turismo. That’s a world away from the hate the original Xbox controller generated resulting in Jim’s anecdote above.
The Gamecube controller is almost identical in size to the Dual Shock. I’ve got both…I checked. So if one is too small, then both are too small. Either that or you’re just arguing because I’m the guy posting.
I’m not disputing that you like the Xbox one better, just noting the fact that the Dual Shock and GC controllers are the same size.
I’m in favor of the original X-box controller, as well. It’s simply the most comfortable controller on all platforms (for me). Heck, I’d love to see a larger versions of the GameCube controller. I find the standard controller inconveniently tiny, such that I cramp if I try to play for any length of time.
You guys must be holding the PS2 and NGC controllers in a weird way! My hands may be small but not that much smaller than average. Are you folks making an effort to cramp your fingers around the horns on each side? I just put each horn against the line of my finger roots in each palm and support the horns with my middle and ring fingers from below. That requires practically no conscious effort because the controllers are so light anyway. I don’t actually “grip” the controller, except for short moments when it gets hectic, I more or less “cradle” it in my hands.
Perhaps this board is mostly comprised of people with grotesquely large hands. Seriously, though - the PS2 and GameCube controllers are usable, but uncomfortably small for those of us with big hands. That’s all.
There isn’t any amount of coaching that makes the controller more comfortable.
That’s what puzzled me for a while, because even though they are the same size, the PS2 controller feels more comfortable to me. The problem with the GC controller isn’t the size, it’s the angle of the handles; they’re too acute. They force me to bend my wrists inward to get a good grip. If the spread of the handles was aimed out about 10 degrees I think the GC would be a lot more comfortable for grownup sized people. It’s not a matter of hand size but of body size, because you can’t have your elbows at your sides and keep your wrists in line with your forearms using the GC controller. The controller seems super ergonomic for kneebiters because of this, but it makes me feel like I’m trying to peddle a little kid’s tricycle.
I dislike the PS2 controller. The stick and button placement (symmetrical and perpendicular) feel awkward, and the palm grips are way too short. OTOH, I think that both the GC and Xbox controllers are quite comfortable. I like the substantiality of the Xbox controller (for me, the size of the thing is a positive attribute–there’s more to hold onto). I’d give the GC controller the edge on button layout, however.
Perhaps this board is mostly comprised of people with grotesquely large hands. Seriously, though - the PS2 and GameCube controllers are usable, but uncomfortably small for those of us with big hands. That’s all.
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No doubt. I can play games for hours with the original Xbox controller and rarely get sore thumbs or fatigue from using it because it fits my hands perfectly. I can easily reach all of the buttons without any problems and the triggers are perfect.
My son also prefers the classic Xbox controller as well but then again he also has large hands. So that is two in my house.
I really dislike the large Xbox controller. The triggers have way too much resistence. Playing racing games caused my fingers to cramp up. The Smaller one is just fine, but I have noticed that the calibration seems a little funky (on both of the ones that I own). The sticks don’t always recenter just right causing some floating around when playing First-Person games.
The Gamecube controller works just great for me (I’m guessing my hands are normal). However, my thumb has a tendency to slip off the left analog stick when I push down. I love the button placement, especially the “Z” button. As, I think Tom said, it feels like a special little button for a special little command. You alway know where the buttons are.
I’m also fine with the DualShock. However, even after all these years using them, I still can’t remember which button is R1/L1 and R2/L2. Strange.
If I had to pick a favorite, I’d guess I’d go with the Cube controller. But then again, maybe that’s my Miyamoto-hugging bias showing through. :wink:
the Dual Shock was not created in response to people disliking the original controller. It was created to add analog support for games, specifically Gran Turismo. That’s a world away from the hate the original Xbox controller generated resulting in Jim’s anecdote above.
Was that the reason? I thought it was because they saw that the N64 had an advantage in this regard (the analog stick and rumble pack), and moved to fix the percieved inadequacy. Sort of like how MS is replacing the critically-hated (but otherwise liked- anecdotally at least) original controler- they are seeing a weakness, and responding. Are you actually trying to argue that MS responding to criticisim is a bad thing? I’m kind of lost here.
Are you actually trying to argue that MS responding to criticisim is a bad thing?
No…I’m pointing out that it’s the first console where the controller it shipped with was so wrong, the company was forced to respond with something else. Redesigns and changes to the manufacturing process like that cost money. When you’re trailing the market leader, you can’t overcome them with products that the market dislikes.
It’s one of the many things Microsoft got wrong in this go round.
I’ve commented before that with my large hands, the original Xbox controller is my favorite of any system. The DC was getting there, but I still bought a MadCatz controller that is even larger than the stock DC controllers. I have always hated the PS1/2 controllers. To me they are barely an improvement over the original NES controllers - way too small, and part of the reason I have never purchased a PS.
