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"Sore Thumbs"

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Mon 10/12/01 at 19:05
Regular
Posts: 787
The old consoles, like the NES, MegaDrive and SNES.

They all had controls right? Well what I have seen over the years is the controller standard going up. Lets take the NES.

It had a weird rectangle shaped control, with only 2 action buttons, a start and a select button. Yes, not many I know, but at the time it was enough. If you have ever used an NES control what you would have noticed is that over a period of about 30 minutes your hands were hurting like hell! Why is this? Because the shape of the damned thing. It was so.. Rectangle! It had sharpish edges and it always didn’t quite fit in your hands. You always ended up with sore thumbs. Anyone remember Gauntlet 4, or something like that, with about 100 levels and you couldn’t save. Oh my god that was an absolute annoying sod. After about the 40th level you just collapsed to the floor, sucking your poor thumbs. You also had to adjust your hands to fit the weird shape and it was ugly to look at. Not very practical at all.
There were not and 3rd party control that were made. Only Nintendo made ‘em.

The SNES.

The SNES controls were not much different to the NES ones. The edges had been smoothed and more buttons added and some shoulder buttons. Which changed the gaming world, forever. Shoulder buttons have changed the gaming world. They are used for multiple things like aiming, swapping camera’s and blocking moves in a beat ‘em up. Anyway, the SNES control. It didn’t quite fit in your hands again, it was, uncomfortable but much more comfortable than those ugly NES controls. It was more colourful that the NES control so it brightened up your room a little. It was lighter, in colour. Not all dark and drab like NES controls. The buttons were all easy to get to, like the NES controls. There were some 3rd party controls made they had turbo buttons and all sorts of extras.

The MegaDrive.

This was the Daddy of its controls at the time. It had 6 fire buttons and it had a proper fully functional 8-Way D-Pad. No more trying to use a 4-Way SNES control for performing 8-Way killer instinct moves.
It was slightly more comfortable than the SNES and NES controls and the buttons were all in easy reach. I can’t remember seeing any 3rd party controls but I bet there were some..

After inspecting these few controls we can all see that they have the same basic problem. They were all uncomfortable.

Here we shall take a look at some of the latest controls.

The PlayStaion.

When it came out, it was the ruler of all buttons with a monster mind boggling 8 action buttons! With 2 shoulder buttons on each side! It also had a D-Pad but was not 8-Way but could easily be used as 8-Way.
There was a breakthrough, it was comfortable! It fitted in your hand. But, not quite. After a while it got sort of uncomfortable, after about 6 hours mind you :o) The buttons were not letters, or numbers. They were shapes! Circle, Square, Triangle, and X (Cross). It also looks quite pretty. There were numerous colours after a while. Only grey. Then cream followed it. Then, loads of colours followed it, like “Arctic Blue” Ohh very posh . Well, the cream one was an absolute beauty to look at, but it easily got dirty. All in all, it was a monster to look at with a traditional rectangleish shape. It was also nice and smooth :o)
Dual control and a built in rumble pack were also added. After seeing the N64 analogue stick of course ;o)
There were loads of 3rd party “Copies” which always look crap. Funny init?

The N64.

The weirdest most beautiful controller to look at.
It slipped into your hands so well. It had an analogue stick and a D-Pad! There were 9 action buttons with a “Hidden” Z-Button. Which in my view, was the best button ever placed, On ANY pad.
It was sooooo comfortable and the shape was totally new. It isn’t even a shape, it a made up shape. It looked so nice and with 6 colours coming out at release how could you not like it? The buttons were so easy to reach and with the right shoulder button being used more than the right. Because of the control having 2 different grips. Another sign of quality :oP
There were loads of “Copies” which in my view. Were rubbish.

I didn’t include a DreamCast control because its dead.

So, the NES gave you sore thumbs, so did the SNES and the MegaDrive and even the Playstation control (After about 6 hours) My conclusion is that the N64 control was the most original, biggest, best, most colourful, comfortable control so far. And if you disagree. You shouldn’t.

How can a Playstaion control be compared to an N64 control? It cannot.

Cheers for your time.
GasMask
Wed 12/12/01 at 13:23
Regular
"I confused?"
Posts: 2,440
The earlier consoles controllers were just too small. They were made for people with tiny hands and theye had the ergonomics for a mouse.
Tue 11/12/01 at 23:28
Regular
"---SOULJACKER---"
Posts: 5,448
U missed out the Saturn... pioneer of the analogue stick as standard in home consoles!

You see the Saturn was released with a rather bothing, Mega-Drive style pad.

However, when NiGHTS! came out, it was released with a 3D analogue controller, which was the most comfortable pad I have ever used! It was completely genius, and became the standard from games (in the same way dual shock ousted original PSX pads).

Sonic
Tue 11/12/01 at 19:39
Posts: 0
The origianal gameboy always gave me sore thumbs after a few hours gameplay.
Tue 11/12/01 at 19:07
Regular
"Want a cd key.."
Posts: 3,443
Grix Thraves wrote:
> "I didn’t include a DreamCast control because its dead."

Now, stop
> me if I'm wrong here, but isn't the NES, SNES, and Megadrive dead too? :0)

Oh Shi'

There had to be someone that noticed it didn't there. Damn you Grixy. :o)

Well, its actually because... I have played on a DreamCast but I ain't played on one for so long I just forgot how many buttons there where etc etc :o)
Tue 11/12/01 at 19:06
Regular
"Trout a la creme"
Posts: 2,858
I don't like the playstation controller, the d pad makes it more difficcult to pull off any street fighter 2 combos (that is for someone like me who is used to the nintendo d pad) and the analogue sticks don't feel right like having to stretch your thumb over to use them.
Tue 11/12/01 at 19:02
Regular
Posts: 23,216
"I didn’t include a DreamCast control because its dead."

Now, stop me if I'm wrong here, but isn't the NES, SNES, and Megadrive dead too? :0)
Tue 11/12/01 at 18:57
Regular
"Want a cd key.."
Posts: 3,443
Ant wrote:

And my opinion matters more than yours Gassie, so I will argue.
> {:)

Argue away sunshine :o) Oh yea. What the Hell is this? {:)?

I mean? What?! Its like. A smiley but with a "Posh" center parting. Sorta. Its probably like some kind of weird voodoo signal saying that I have been cursed or some absolute crud :o)


*Taken from previous experiences*
Hmm. It was, was it? Hmm.

NO! :oP
Tue 11/12/01 at 18:54
Regular
"Want a cd key.."
Posts: 3,443
Sibs = silk

Soz. Your names are so damned close.
Tue 11/12/01 at 18:52
Regular
"Want a cd key.."
Posts: 3,443
slik wrote:
> Zarathustra wrote:
> GasMask wrote:
>I didn’t include a DreamCast
> control because its
> dead.


What? And the N64 isn't?

Funnily
> enough, the Dreamcast controller
> is in fact the best controller. For
> driving games the triggers are perfect.

It's still not a patch on the
> N64's.
slik ~_~


The DreamCast has OFFICIALY stopped making games before the N64 did. So, HEH! :op And yes Sibs. Its amazing. The N64 control rules "Tra La La La" *Sings*

er-no says he could hit someone with the NES control? Or somink like that. Well. Yes. You could probably do some serious damage with one of those.

The PS's anologue controls are not correctly placed. They were "Shoved" On after seeing the N64 anologue stick ;oP
Tue 11/12/01 at 13:00
Posts: 0
I still enjoy the odd game of Super Smash Brothers on my N64 but really I'm waiting for an X-Box. Still you have to wonder about the N64 controller because if the N64 is such a kiddies console then why is the controller so big that a small kid would have difficulty in holding it and pressing any buttons at the same time. Well they might, and then there's always Vertically Challenged people (or whatever the term is now) who may also suffer from having hands too small. Anyway I think that the X-Box expects an older audience for their console so I doubt they care if kids may have difficulty with it and we'll have to wait and see for the confort test (unless some of you have had your hands on one).

Of course the best controller of all has to be the mouse, from the first mouse to the last (well maybe not any hard rectangular ones) all are comfortable and highly functional. There's not a game where a mouse isn't useful really. Well not really, the GTA games didn't use it and some others but with the mouse being so very useful in FPSs, RTSs and almost any game you can think of then obviously it's the best controller. Oh and you can use it for applications and such, like this one. You know, maybe the keyboard is just as useful since it can do a lot too and with so many buttons to choose from it makes an excellent backup to the mouse. Of course the joystick is handy for flight and space sims but other than that it's not great and anyway you often need a keyboard to back it up with all those throttle controls and such.

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