Next Generation Controllers

I hope controllers go in the direction of the Razer Hydra; which would basically be a standard controller, split into two "nunchucks", with full freedom and motion support allowing for lightgun-style aiming. Finally dual-wielding will make sense when you can shoot two dudes at the same time.

Personally I hope they get bigger like, a bigger version of the current xbox controller, cause my hands are too big for the dualshock 3 to feel very comfortable. Actually you know what would be amazing is if they came in different sizes, it's kind of stupid that they don't do this already.

I'll settle for nothing less than an updated version of the Power Glove!

Sony is bringing the boomerang back.

Get it?

@Colourful_Hippie said:

Sony is bringing the boomerang back.

Get it?

Well played.

For a while, I thought I forgot how to throw a boomerang. But it just came back to me.

Sony and MS need to take a leaf from each other's books. The shortcomings of both controllers are mostly fixed by the competitor's.

I can't imagine either one will deviate in any major way, though.

I'd like to see 6-axis control in one hand. Something like a CAD spaceball but with the ability to hold it without using a table as a base. Anyway, right now we only get the right analog stick for camera control - 2-axis control via thumbs, so relatively poor precision movements and limited. It works but it's not all that great.

6-axis in one hand would make more complex games like Mechwarrior (camera and torso control) or space combat games more practical and fun. Other hand goes for digital buttons and "fire control", and what the heck throw in a 3-axis gyro while you're at it.

I'll settle for better quality analog sticks and a d-pad that isn't shit though.

Sony needs to move on from the Playstation 1 era.

Don't change em! I'd like Sony's controller to be a bit bigger but other than that I think Microsoft especially has nailed the ergonomics of that type of controller. I think this industry has grown up to the point where we don't need to accustom ourselves to a new lump of plastic in our hands every few years.

I'd be surprised if either make any real changes.

I just want the dualshock 4 to be the dualshock 2 but bluetooth...

@Delta_Ass said:

Sony needs to move on from the Playstation 1 era.

Why fix what isn't broken?

Microsoft needs to put a decent fucking d-pad on that thing.

Or Sony needs to start putting drivers on their controller, so you can use it on the PC. I'd use it no questions asked if I didn't have to use questionable third party drivers.

I dont care what they do as long as they let me plug one of these in for anything that does not need analog.

Probably something along these lines:

Aside from the d-pad (which isn't that big a deal for most games), I think the X360 controller is perfect. I would have no problems with them keeping the same design.

i think that the xbox 360 controller is fine. i just kind of want them to change the bumpers to be triggers also and the D-pad to something better instead of that rounded d-pad.

the ps3 wish the handle parts were round like xbox 360. have the R1 and L1 a little down a little from where they are. the controller is good though. sony kind of went why fix something when it's not broken way. the controller design has been around since ps1 era. they only changed the R2 and L2 buttons to something else.

@Terramagi said:

Microsoft needs to put a decent fucking d-pad on that thing.

Or Sony needs to start putting drivers on their controller, so you can use it on the PC. I'd use it no questions asked if I didn't have to use questionable third party drivers.

The Motioninjoy driver is pretty good, that's what I use.

Stay with the 360 controller but add a better D-pad (and then the return of the glorious black and white buttons from the original Xbox! 6 face buttons was the best!) :D

I want the Xbox 360 controller with an eight-way D-pad--that WORKS--and tertiary index finger triggers/bumpers. I was just playing Arkham Asylum and I could never choose the correct gadget on the first attempt, and the more buttons one can use without taking one's hands off of the thumbsticks, the better.

The main reason I haven't finished Uncharted 3, Killzone 2 and 3, Little Big Planet 1 and 2, etc., etc., is the form of the PS3 controller. I have to unhinge my thumbs to reach the sticks, and I ended up buying clip-on fixes to turn L2 and R2 into proper triggers.

I'm actually just patiently waiting for someone to write PC drivers for the Nintendo Wii U Pro controller that can emulate a 360 Controller if need be (for console ports). It has everything I want in a controller besides the placement of the analog sticks (but I'm sure I'll get used to it). The official Nintendo D-pad will be a godsend for emulators and the ergonomics are great (I love the 360 controller except the awful D-pad).

I just hope they fix the trigger and shoulder buttons on the PS controller. My finger always slips off when I play a racing game and have to hold down the R1 button for an extended period of time.

@SathingtonWaltz said:

@Terramagi said:

Microsoft needs to put a decent fucking d-pad on that thing.

Or Sony needs to start putting drivers on their controller, so you can use it on the PC. I'd use it no questions asked if I didn't have to use questionable third party drivers.

The Motioninjoy driver is pretty good, that's what I use.

It is pretty good, but it still bugs out from time to time to the point where I need to relaunch whatever game I'm playing to have it recognize the controller again. It's not enough to make me stop using it (as I personally prefer the DS3 to the 360 controller), but it is annoying nonetheless.

I just had a neat idea. What if PS4 uses PS3 controllers, Move, and Vita? This way you don't need to buy new controllers. Brilliant.

Come to think of it, PS3 and PS2 should have done the same. Actually wait, PS2 did do this, didn't it.

Personally I would like to see the inclusion of the mini keyboard they both use and to see it being used in game so console gamers can also enjoy a hotbar.

Or better yet, make the KB&M a viable option for games.

@Village_Guy said:

Stay with the 360 controller but add a better D-pad (and then the return of the glorious black and white buttons from the original Xbox! 6 face buttons was the best!) :D

Yeah, I miss those little guys.

Ergonomically the 360 controller is perfect. But they can still fix the d-pad (unless that twisty thing already solved that problem)

The PS3 controller could be just a tad bigger, but otherwise it's also a very good design.

Why fix what isn't broken?

I remember having a PC gamepad - the name eludes me, I believe it was Logitech - that had a third set of shoulder buttons positioned where your middle fingers usually rest when holding a controller (unless you're some sort of weirdo who uses both index and middle fingers for shoulder buttons on the 360 pad/dualshock). Would give devs an extra two buttons to work with if required.

All in all though, I love the 360 controller. After a few minutes it feels like I'm not even holding anything, that's how comfortable it is. Slap the dualshock d-pad on there and it'd be perfect.

Be nice if the Playstation controller was a little bigger, and if the standard Xbox had a d-pad that was anything less than terrible. Other than that I really don't want them to change anything, apart from maybe bring back the black and white buttons on the Xbox :)

@ValiantGrizzly said:

(unless you're some sort of weirdo who uses both index and middle fingers for shoulder buttons on the 360 pad/dualshock)

HEATHEN! Next you'll tell me that you invert your damn controls!

The 360 controller is more or less perfect, aside from the d-pad. I don't see them changing it much, if they do, it'll be as an excuse to get everyone to buy new controllers for their PC's as well. Just wait, Windows 8 will only support the new ones.

Sony's need to be larger, have better positioned analogue sticks made out of a better material, and it has to fix those nasty shoulder buttons.

Sony needs to move on from the Playstation 1 era.

@ValiantGrizzly said:

I remember having a PC gamepad - the name eludes me, I believe it was Logitech - that had a third set of shoulder buttons positioned where your middle fingers usually rest when holding a controller (unless you're some sort of weirdo who uses both index and middle fingers for shoulder buttons on the 360 pad/dualshock). Would give devs an extra two buttons to work with if required. All in all though, I love the 360 controller. After a few minutes it feels like I'm not even holding anything, that's how comfortable it is. Slap the dualshock d-pad on there and it'd be perfect.

Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Analog 3 Gamepad.

Has 6 trigger buttons, still have it, hahah!

@Franstone: that's exactly the one! Thrustmaster, alright, I'm bad with company names.

Man, I used to rule in THPS3 with that gamepad.

@Terramagi said:

Microsoft needs to put a decent fucking d-pad on that thing.

Or Sony needs to start putting drivers on their controller, so you can use it on the PC. I'd use it no questions asked if I didn't have to use questionable third party drivers.

The Motioninjoy driver is pretty good, that's what I use.

@MrKlorox said:

I hope controllers go in the direction of the Razer Hydra; which would basically be a standard controller, split into two "nunchucks", with full freedom and motion support allowing for lightgun-style aiming. Finally dual-wielding will make sense when you can shoot two dudes at the same time.

I think the move has already proven that is a shitty experience.

@SathingtonWaltz said:

@Terramagi said:

Microsoft needs to put a decent fucking d-pad on that thing.

Or Sony needs to start putting drivers on their controller, so you can use it on the PC. I'd use it no questions asked if I didn't have to use questionable third party drivers.

The Motioninjoy driver is pretty good, that's what I use.

It's a really rough, risky driver to use. It might work perfectly, or it might cause you hours of trouble, or it might just flat out brick your computer and force you to do a reformat and start fresh.

@Landon said:

@Delta_Ass said:

Sony needs to move on from the Playstation 1 era.

Why fix what isn't broken?

PS controllers aren't terribly ergonomic, particularly for the large handed folk like myself.

They are also way too effing light.

I think we'll see see a slightly updated versions of the current ones. I don't think there is need to make completely new ones.

I'm actually hoping I can just plug my 360 controller in and go with it.

I expect both Sony and Microsoft will create their own versions of the Wii U GamePad.

@ValiantGrizzly said:

unless you're some sort of weirdo who uses both index and middle fingers for shoulder buttons on the 360 pad/dualshock

Wait, who doesn't do this? Index fingers for the bumpers, middle fingers on the triggers. Makes sense to me.

I hope MS sticks to the deisgn of the current controller

I'm just going to call it and say your current console controllers will work with their next gen counterparts.

Just a crazy theory I had.

@Hippie_Genocide: Perhaps this man is like ET and only has 3 fingers? It's the only explanation I can think for only using index fingers on the shoulder buttons.

@Terramagi: @Hippie_Genocide: @Canteu:

Wait, wait, wait wait wait wait, wait.

What?

You actually have four fingers on your shoulder buttons at all times? That would feel so unnatural.

@Vinny_Says said:

Ergonomically the 360 controller is perfect. But they can still fix the d-pad (unless that twisty thing already solved that problem)

The PS3 controller could be just a tad bigger, but otherwise it's also a very good design.

Why fix what isn't broken?

Couldn't disagree more. I've had a 360 for over 2 years now and I still get finger pains after long sessions. And I can't even use the wireless ones because of the big unwieldy power-pack. After playing Demon's Souls heavily on PC this summer (using the 360 controller) I had pain in my left index and middle finger for over a week after I stopped playing. I'm sure it's my grip, but I just can't find one that feels natural and doesn't screw me up over time. The problem is the ridges it has where you grip on the backside that causes a very focused pressure-point.

@ValiantGrizzly: There are four lights....erm...buttons.

@Hippie_Genocide said:

@ValiantGrizzly said:

unless you're some sort of weirdo who uses both index and middle fingers for shoulder buttons on the 360 pad/dualshock

Wait, who doesn't do this? Index fingers for the bumpers, middle fingers on the triggers. Makes sense to me.

Yeah I thought this was the way everyone played, then was a bit surprised how most of my gamer friends only use their index finger.

I only wish Dual Shock gets proper triggers, or just goes back to DS 2 ones. Other than that, I'm happy with both 350 controller and Dual Shock.

Apart from the D-pad I really like the Xbox 360 controller. Fix that and I'm satisfied.