|
Post by vysethebold on Nov 18, 2006 11:31:23 GMT -5
I personally have been saying that the N64 controller is one of the worst for years now. How can you make a controller that looks like you have to use 3 hands and your face to play a game? How can they make a controller where you can't reach all of the functions at any one time?
|
|
|
Post by YourAverageJoe on Nov 18, 2006 13:03:25 GMT -5
I think it was more of a "3 controllers for the price of one!" deal, since you could have one in the center and the other on either side, and then you could have them on both of the outer thingeys. I'm actually thinking of getting a Core Edition since I don't like having to recharge my controller, and then I have to switch batteries regularly, and then there's the possibility of charging it for too long and ruining the battery. I just don't like wireless.
|
|
|
Post by papersquadcontrol on Nov 18, 2006 18:20:32 GMT -5
For the most part, I have no qualms with the N64 controller...except for that twig of an analog stick. Although it works well and is comfortable to use, it always feels like it's going to snap in half, or at least just corrode and fall off from grazing against the controller too much.
|
|
|
Post by kal on Nov 18, 2006 19:33:49 GMT -5
I want you to presss all the buttons on the Duel Shock, including L3 and R3, while using the D-Pad and Twidingly the sticks all at the same time. Now do that with constant proficency..can't? Just because the n64 controller is the one that looks the most like you can't press everything doesn't mean that any controller recently is less guilty.
Just like every single Controller released in the last few generations, the n64 controller is not designed to activate every single button at once, it's designed in a way that you have enough buttons to map plenty of functions to but should only ever need the analogue stick, A,B, the C buttons, Z and R..I can't think of many games that actively use the d-pad or the L button (in the heat of a fight).
Basically it all comes down to the game designer, no developer in their right mind would make you operate the two analogue sticks of the duel shock while using the 4 face buttons for all of your important functions no developer should have forced a similar situation on the n64 control (mapping your important controls to the L, R and analogue stick).
Time do a controller comparison, whip out your n64, DC and Xbox controllers and look at them all right now. Count the shoulder buttons you should find that they all have the same accesible amount (Z replaces L on the n64) now identify a minimum of 2 four way control setups. You've got a minimum 3 on all 3 controllers (D-pad, Sticks, (DC A, B, X, Y), (n64 C buttons). Now we realise looking at the 3 controllers that there really isn't too much difference in accessiblity and it would depend on the choices of the Devs involved with any particular game and the genre, for instance the X-box has more buttons remaining afterwards but that doesn't make it better for say the arcade games that make up the majority of the DCs lineup.
Of the n64 lineup I'd have to say that Mario64, Zelda games, Starfox, Jet Force Gemini, Body Harvest, Perfect Dark, Bomberman 64, Conkers Bad Fur Day, Sin and Punishment, Bangai-o none of them are hindered or indeed made less playable by this supposedly *bad* controller..heck the GC controller is almost a n64 controller with 2 extra buttons ..granted everything is more accesible but suddenly all the extra accesible buttons are unused for anything more then their n64 equivelents.
|
|
|
Post by YourAverageJoe on Nov 18, 2006 21:16:14 GMT -5
Just to counter your argument, I don't think I can hit all eight buttons on the NES controller without using my face.
|
|
|
Post by Scylla on Nov 18, 2006 22:33:46 GMT -5
I personally have been saying that the N64 controller is one of the worst for years now. How can you make a controller that looks like you have to use 3 hands and your face to play a game? How can they make a controller where you can't reach all of the functions at any one time? That's basically the "I don't know how to play video games" argument. Everybody who knows anything whatsoever about the N64 realizes that you're not supposed to use all three prongs at once, and there are NO games designed to make you do that because that would just be plain retarded. I can't even think of a single game that requires you to switch positions at any point in the game. The whole point of it is that you can have alternate control layouts for different kinds of games or mutliple choices in one game so you can choose which you like best. If you think that's a negative feature, then well... I don't know what to say about that. Anyway, I love the N64 controller, and I've always found the design very intuitive and clever. It feels perfect in my hands, and it's extremely precise (trust me, as somebody who's beaten a few of the staff ghosts in F-Zero X, I know). Of course, it has its flaws. The sticks are prone to wear, but I've seen that more in the used controllers I've picked up. The one that I've had since launch still works well since I've been good to it. The D-pad is just plain shitty, though, and that's quite unfortunate since the NES and SNES had great D-pads. Thankfully few games use it (and when they do it's usually for a task that's not very demanding). And for just a minor quibble, the C buttons can get a little painful due to their somewhat sharp edges if you're going back and forth between them and the A and B buttons very quickly. I hear more negative about the N64 controller than positive actually, so nobody is alone on that. In fact, I feel like the odd one out for liking it so much and prefering it over the GameCube controller.
|
|
|
Post by vysethebold on Nov 18, 2006 23:35:27 GMT -5
I get your points, guys. I just don't prefer the controller to a lot of others though I will still play N64 games for a long time. All in all it isn't that bad but when initially looked at the controller, I was really confused, though in my defense I was in the fourth grade. It deserves a little bashing on occasion, don't you think? Also, I was referring to a rather humorous story, which no one here would know, that involved my friend trying to input the Wampa Stompa code in Shadows of the Empire and, because the code involved so many button presses, he had to use his face to complete it. It was really funny!
|
|
|
Post by ahnslaught on Nov 19, 2006 0:06:25 GMT -5
Succubus did a great job outlining the problems with the N64 controller, but overall, it does its job well enough (as long as it's not for fighting games...). Plus, you gotta take into consideration how revolutionary the thing was when it came out.
The GC controller, though, is IMO the most comfortable controller of this current (past?) gen. The only two complaints I have are the small digital pad and the z trigger, but overall, the thing fits my hand perfectly. Far cry from the PS2 controller, which also has a crap digital pad and poor placement of its analog sticks which makes it hard to point it up perfectly all the time (I blame half the difficulty of Gitaroo Man on it). Or the xbox controller, where the white and black buttons are the most useless things ever - who's the genius that decided to make the buttons recessed, anyway?
|
|
|
Post by vysethebold on Nov 19, 2006 2:08:58 GMT -5
I agree wholeheartedly with you on the Gitaroo Man issue. I could never keep my thumb positioned on the L Stick on the Dual Shock while moving it for the game. I've had the same issue with other games that use the stick a lot as well. The GC and XB have much better sticks for grip and position. The D-Pad is also awful for 2-D fighters. I also agree with you on the issues with the GC controller. The Z button is in a weird spot and the D-Pad is insufficient for 2-D games because of its stiffness and size. That's why I have one of those GC SNES shaped controllers from Hori. It's worth every penny. Also the C-Stick is pretty bad for FPS's. It needs more surface area to hold the thumb. There are little issues with all controllers I guess. Of course my dream controller would be one with easy to reach six face buttons (Saturn 3D, Saturn, and Street Fighter controllers), concave analogue sticks with click-able functions (XB S and 360 controllers), analogue shoulder buttons (XB and 360 but maybe even GC controllers), a loose but accurate 8 way D-pad with "touchable" corners (Saturn 3D and Street Fighter controllers), face buttons that have a decent surface area but are still really loose to press for rapid tapping (Dual Shock), good grips (XB S and 360 controllers), wireless (Wavebird and 360), really good and noticeable rumble (XB S, 360, and GC) and centered accessible start and select buttons (Dual Shock). It is a hybrid of all of the best features of controllers we know and love and would be perfect for any game really. The 360 controller came close but has a really stiff and crappy D-pad, doesn't have the six face buttons, and the start and select buttons should have better placement.
|
|
|
Post by Scylla on Nov 19, 2006 3:02:09 GMT -5
What always struck me is that if the GameCube D-pad seems so unbearably small to me, a chick with small hands, I don't even want to imagine what it's like to be an adult man with large hands and trying to use it. Heck, it seems too small even for kids.
If only Gunpei Yokoi was still around to smack some sense into the creators of modern D-pads for raping his invention. I guess they figure that since analog sticks dominate now they shouldn't bother giving much space or quality (and, in turn, money) to the D-pad.
|
|
|
Post by megatronbison on Nov 19, 2006 8:29:04 GMT -5
You know, I don't mind the N64 controller, it's always been my best friend for emulation. Think about it- although the d-pad is a tad shoddy, you have the perfect Street Fighter button layout if you are into that kinda thing It also therefore has the buttons placed correctly for emulating 6 button Megadrive/Genesis games and more or less has a comfortable layout for SNES games. The Z-Trigger was also completely awesome- compare it to the Gamecubes awful equivalent and I think you can really start to love it. One big complaint against it- anytime I've handed the controller to someone who has never played on an N64 before for a game of something I have never failed to get a look from the person like I have just grown an extra head. :\
|
|
|
Post by ahnslaught on Nov 19, 2006 9:25:11 GMT -5
It's kinda funny...the d pad is turning into a sort of vestigial appendage for game controllers, with it becoming more and more useless with each generation. New 2D games are becoming more rare, and the d-pad is now being used more as 4 separate buttons rather than as an input for movement.
The height of the d-pad is the Saturn, no argument. I use the saturn pad for any 2d games on my DC, PS2, and Saturn. I was never a fan of the Nintendo cross shaped d-pad, as it was always too stiff and could never hit the diags consistently
|
|