The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
In today’s world we base a game on how it looks, how fun it is to play, who easy it is to get into, and how long it can last you. Although these criteria are vital for a good game there is one part of the criteria that is surely overlooked, and that is control.
You don’t really tend to realise how important the device in your hand is when you are moving your fingers up and down, left and right but that controller I am starting to realise contributes a very huge part to the gaming experience.
I’ve only just noticed it while playing shooting games on the Playstation 2. The PS2 controller is clearly useless when playing an action shooting game and looking back at the N64 controller, that also wasn’t suitable for any shoot em up. You see the thing that consoles have not succeeded in doing yet is to create a controller suitable for a 3D shooting game, however in other areas the same controller is amazing. Take the PS2 controller for example. For racing games the controller is perfect, yet for shoot em ups it is not.
In my opinion the only decent controlling system for a shooting game is the one the PC has – the trusty mouse and keyboard. You can’t really go wrong with that combination. The many keys on the keyboard allow easy access to weapons and to action keys while the mouse amazes for aiming and it is the aiming part that many controllers are not good at. Play “Return to Castle Wolfenstein” for example for several hours on the PC and then commence playing a game like “Timesplitters” on the PS2. Notice the difference in aiming. While the mouse in “RTCW” allows quick reflexes to shoot people attacking you, the PS2 “Timesplitters” does not. The analogue stick is not brilliant for aiming sadly and this is a thing developers of controllers haven’t yet found a perfect controller that can do so. Back in the early days of the Mega Drive we had a D-pad and three buttons. This was perfect as all games were 2-dimensional. We could walk characters forwards and backwards along a linear set path but could not moving them to the left and right. Yet since 3D was created we haven’t been able to perfect a method of going these several other directions that have been planted into the average game.
It’s a problem that needs to be addressed more than anything else. The analogue stick really isn’t the best way of playing a shootemup. The controllers we have to do are fine for racing games, and many other times of games, but where time and reflexes are vital, like in shootemups we have a problem. Many consoles are going in the direction of online gaming play. This is a good step forward for consoles and will be welcomed by many but if we are to play shooting games online in the future (and shooting games tend to be the most popular online game genre) the control system has to be sorted out. People cannot be expected to aim with an inaccurate analogue stick, and the introduction of an autoaim to the server will destroy the beauty of a shooting game.
Control is so important to a game yet I have only just realised how important. If consoles are to get better, controllers must be much better. Sometimes I wish I was using a keyboard and mouse, sometimes I wish I was using a PS2 controller, or an N64 one. Yet I’m yet to find a controller that incorporates the best of them all. Until we find one it looks like we will be stuck with swapping ports around and forking out lots of money.
You don’t really tend to realise how important the device in your hand is when you are moving your fingers up and down, left and right but that controller I am starting to realise contributes a very huge part to the gaming experience.
I’ve only just noticed it while playing shooting games on the Playstation 2. The PS2 controller is clearly useless when playing an action shooting game and looking back at the N64 controller, that also wasn’t suitable for any shoot em up. You see the thing that consoles have not succeeded in doing yet is to create a controller suitable for a 3D shooting game, however in other areas the same controller is amazing. Take the PS2 controller for example. For racing games the controller is perfect, yet for shoot em ups it is not.
In my opinion the only decent controlling system for a shooting game is the one the PC has – the trusty mouse and keyboard. You can’t really go wrong with that combination. The many keys on the keyboard allow easy access to weapons and to action keys while the mouse amazes for aiming and it is the aiming part that many controllers are not good at. Play “Return to Castle Wolfenstein” for example for several hours on the PC and then commence playing a game like “Timesplitters” on the PS2. Notice the difference in aiming. While the mouse in “RTCW” allows quick reflexes to shoot people attacking you, the PS2 “Timesplitters” does not. The analogue stick is not brilliant for aiming sadly and this is a thing developers of controllers haven’t yet found a perfect controller that can do so. Back in the early days of the Mega Drive we had a D-pad and three buttons. This was perfect as all games were 2-dimensional. We could walk characters forwards and backwards along a linear set path but could not moving them to the left and right. Yet since 3D was created we haven’t been able to perfect a method of going these several other directions that have been planted into the average game.
It’s a problem that needs to be addressed more than anything else. The analogue stick really isn’t the best way of playing a shootemup. The controllers we have to do are fine for racing games, and many other times of games, but where time and reflexes are vital, like in shootemups we have a problem. Many consoles are going in the direction of online gaming play. This is a good step forward for consoles and will be welcomed by many but if we are to play shooting games online in the future (and shooting games tend to be the most popular online game genre) the control system has to be sorted out. People cannot be expected to aim with an inaccurate analogue stick, and the introduction of an autoaim to the server will destroy the beauty of a shooting game.
Control is so important to a game yet I have only just realised how important. If consoles are to get better, controllers must be much better. Sometimes I wish I was using a keyboard and mouse, sometimes I wish I was using a PS2 controller, or an N64 one. Yet I’m yet to find a controller that incorporates the best of them all. Until we find one it looks like we will be stuck with swapping ports around and forking out lots of money.
Joe Dark wrote:
> I disagree with you about the N64 controller being bad for shoot 'em ups. I
> thought it was ace for Perfect Dark and GoldenEye, the Z trigger was really good
> for shooting. I dont think the PS2's controller for shooting is very good
> though, its better for other stuff.
I used to think the N64 controller was great for shoot em ups. Then I played quite alot of shooting games on my PC. Then I went back and I just missed the ability to aim easily, their were too many restrictions on aiming in my opinion. The PS2 is just bad for shootemups though. I've been playing Timesplitters today and if it wasn't for that autoaim I would have failed every mission...
> I disagree with you about the N64 controller being bad for shoot 'em ups. I
> thought it was ace for Perfect Dark and GoldenEye, the Z trigger was really good
> for shooting. I dont think the PS2's controller for shooting is very good
> though, its better for other stuff.
I used to think the N64 controller was great for shoot em ups. Then I played quite alot of shooting games on my PC. Then I went back and I just missed the ability to aim easily, their were too many restrictions on aiming in my opinion. The PS2 is just bad for shootemups though. I've been playing Timesplitters today and if it wasn't for that autoaim I would have failed every mission...
I think it's just what you're used to.
Always use a pc for FPS games, and the controller will feel quite odd, and a bit restricted. Someone going from the likes of perfect dark, to a pc would probably be lost in all the buttons, and awkward mouse control at first.
Just until they get used to it.
Always use a pc for FPS games, and the controller will feel quite odd, and a bit restricted. Someone going from the likes of perfect dark, to a pc would probably be lost in all the buttons, and awkward mouse control at first.
Just until they get used to it.
I disagree with you about the N64 controller being bad for shoot 'em ups. I thought it was ace for Perfect Dark and GoldenEye, the Z trigger was really good for shooting. I dont think the PS2's controller for shooting is very good though, its better for other stuff.
In today’s world we base a game on how it looks, how fun it is to play, who easy it is to get into, and how long it can last you. Although these criteria are vital for a good game there is one part of the criteria that is surely overlooked, and that is control.
You don’t really tend to realise how important the device in your hand is when you are moving your fingers up and down, left and right but that controller I am starting to realise contributes a very huge part to the gaming experience.
I’ve only just noticed it while playing shooting games on the Playstation 2. The PS2 controller is clearly useless when playing an action shooting game and looking back at the N64 controller, that also wasn’t suitable for any shoot em up. You see the thing that consoles have not succeeded in doing yet is to create a controller suitable for a 3D shooting game, however in other areas the same controller is amazing. Take the PS2 controller for example. For racing games the controller is perfect, yet for shoot em ups it is not.
In my opinion the only decent controlling system for a shooting game is the one the PC has – the trusty mouse and keyboard. You can’t really go wrong with that combination. The many keys on the keyboard allow easy access to weapons and to action keys while the mouse amazes for aiming and it is the aiming part that many controllers are not good at. Play “Return to Castle Wolfenstein” for example for several hours on the PC and then commence playing a game like “Timesplitters” on the PS2. Notice the difference in aiming. While the mouse in “RTCW” allows quick reflexes to shoot people attacking you, the PS2 “Timesplitters” does not. The analogue stick is not brilliant for aiming sadly and this is a thing developers of controllers haven’t yet found a perfect controller that can do so. Back in the early days of the Mega Drive we had a D-pad and three buttons. This was perfect as all games were 2-dimensional. We could walk characters forwards and backwards along a linear set path but could not moving them to the left and right. Yet since 3D was created we haven’t been able to perfect a method of going these several other directions that have been planted into the average game.
It’s a problem that needs to be addressed more than anything else. The analogue stick really isn’t the best way of playing a shootemup. The controllers we have to do are fine for racing games, and many other times of games, but where time and reflexes are vital, like in shootemups we have a problem. Many consoles are going in the direction of online gaming play. This is a good step forward for consoles and will be welcomed by many but if we are to play shooting games online in the future (and shooting games tend to be the most popular online game genre) the control system has to be sorted out. People cannot be expected to aim with an inaccurate analogue stick, and the introduction of an autoaim to the server will destroy the beauty of a shooting game.
Control is so important to a game yet I have only just realised how important. If consoles are to get better, controllers must be much better. Sometimes I wish I was using a keyboard and mouse, sometimes I wish I was using a PS2 controller, or an N64 one. Yet I’m yet to find a controller that incorporates the best of them all. Until we find one it looks like we will be stuck with swapping ports around and forking out lots of money.
You don’t really tend to realise how important the device in your hand is when you are moving your fingers up and down, left and right but that controller I am starting to realise contributes a very huge part to the gaming experience.
I’ve only just noticed it while playing shooting games on the Playstation 2. The PS2 controller is clearly useless when playing an action shooting game and looking back at the N64 controller, that also wasn’t suitable for any shoot em up. You see the thing that consoles have not succeeded in doing yet is to create a controller suitable for a 3D shooting game, however in other areas the same controller is amazing. Take the PS2 controller for example. For racing games the controller is perfect, yet for shoot em ups it is not.
In my opinion the only decent controlling system for a shooting game is the one the PC has – the trusty mouse and keyboard. You can’t really go wrong with that combination. The many keys on the keyboard allow easy access to weapons and to action keys while the mouse amazes for aiming and it is the aiming part that many controllers are not good at. Play “Return to Castle Wolfenstein” for example for several hours on the PC and then commence playing a game like “Timesplitters” on the PS2. Notice the difference in aiming. While the mouse in “RTCW” allows quick reflexes to shoot people attacking you, the PS2 “Timesplitters” does not. The analogue stick is not brilliant for aiming sadly and this is a thing developers of controllers haven’t yet found a perfect controller that can do so. Back in the early days of the Mega Drive we had a D-pad and three buttons. This was perfect as all games were 2-dimensional. We could walk characters forwards and backwards along a linear set path but could not moving them to the left and right. Yet since 3D was created we haven’t been able to perfect a method of going these several other directions that have been planted into the average game.
It’s a problem that needs to be addressed more than anything else. The analogue stick really isn’t the best way of playing a shootemup. The controllers we have to do are fine for racing games, and many other times of games, but where time and reflexes are vital, like in shootemups we have a problem. Many consoles are going in the direction of online gaming play. This is a good step forward for consoles and will be welcomed by many but if we are to play shooting games online in the future (and shooting games tend to be the most popular online game genre) the control system has to be sorted out. People cannot be expected to aim with an inaccurate analogue stick, and the introduction of an autoaim to the server will destroy the beauty of a shooting game.
Control is so important to a game yet I have only just realised how important. If consoles are to get better, controllers must be much better. Sometimes I wish I was using a keyboard and mouse, sometimes I wish I was using a PS2 controller, or an N64 one. Yet I’m yet to find a controller that incorporates the best of them all. Until we find one it looks like we will be stuck with swapping ports around and forking out lots of money.