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Shmups: Gamepad vs. Joystick?

Vieo

Member
What's better for playing Shmups? Gamepads (d-pad or analog stick) or Joysticks? Or is it just a matter of personal preference?
 

luka

Loves Robotech S1
seimitsu stick with sanwa buttons.

a saturn pad is fine too under certain conditions.
 

danmaku

Member
I prefer arcade sticks, but any kind of digital input device can be fine. It's mostly a matter of taste. Prometheus destroyed Dodonpachi with a keyboard, so anything is possible. Just stay away from analog devices, unless the game is specifically designed for analog.
 
For almost every game, it doesn't really matter. You can get a good score using whatever controller you're most comfortable with, as long as you have the skills.

One could argue that [seimitsu] arcade sticks are the best option, since that's what the best players in the world use, but I'd say dedication and skill is far more important than input device.
 
I bought Deathsmiles on sale not too long ago and it was the first time I played a shooter with an arcade stick. I actually kind of prefer it now
 

Cheska

Member
Arcade sticks are the preferable method of play for me. Movements are so fluid and they really add to the fun factor IMO.
 
used to play them on a PSX pad, best results. Until i got this beast and started on DoDonPachi :D

koreastick.jpg


edit: the roundgate koreastick is quite super for shmups.
 

V_Arnold

Member
Arcade stick, unless - like with Sine Mora - the game is designed around analogue movements - which was insane for me, because I was expecting a drop in my performance when switching to analogue stick anyways, and it did not happen: the improvement was tenfold almost immediately.
 

Sixfortyfive

He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
The only advantage that an arcade stick has over a good gamepad is in the buttons, not the directional input. It's easier to alternate buttons quickly on a stick because you have multiple fingers hovering over multiple buttons at all times (and quite frankly, this isn't something I've found to be important in any shooter I've ever played).

So it's pretty much all preference.
 

linko9

Member
Love my HRAP EX-SE, honestly the difference is minimal between it and a keyboard for me, but it exists. And both options are much much better than a pad for me.
 

Suairyu

Banned
There's no objective difference between a gamepad, joystick or keyboard. Complete personal preference.

Well, except on a keyboard you can theoretically press inputs slightly faster.

Or, if a game is setup for it, an analog device or mouse would be best.

I'm actually always amazed that keyboards or devices designed to approximate their characteristics aren't more popular in the competitive scene.

Fighting games are best played on a keyboard or a device that approximates one. Piano-rolling a hadouken or dragon punch feels so good.
 

linko9

Member
Fighting games are best played on a keyboard or a device that approximates one. Piano-rolling a hadouken or dragon punch feels so good.

Wut... that must take a lot of practice. I remember trying to play some fighters in MAME with a keyboard and it was hell. Stick is infinitely more useful for me for doing fireball motions, etc (mainly the full circles or half circles are difficult).
 

manzo

Member
Arcade stick.

Seimitsu LS-56 for the stick. LS-32 is not stiff enough for STGs. LS-32 is better suited for fighting games.

Sanwa or Seimitsu buttons.
 

Veal

Member
Wut... that must take a lot of practice. I remember trying to play some fighters in MAME with a keyboard and it was hell. Stick is infinitely more useful for me for doing fireball motions, etc (mainly the full circles or half circles are difficult).

Hitbox son. Hitbox.
 

Joule

Member
These days I prefer stick but pad is fine too. My EX-SE is nice. I still like being a keyboard warrior as well. Dat ZXC + arrows.
 
I prefer a stick for Shmups over a d-pad, although years of practice has made me proficient with a d-pad. I actually prefer a d-pad for fighters; can't do shit with a stick.
 

KevinCow

Banned
I tried playing a shmup with a stick once, and I felt completely retarded. Kept flying into bullets I saw coming and should have avoided. To me, a stick feels as awkward as using my elbows.
 

Tain

Member
Arcade stick, for sure. Realistically I'd imagine I can do about as well with a good d-pad, sure, but it's hardly as fun to use.

"Touchscreen" is a pretty weird choice, as the iOS Cave ports are fundamentally different games with different sets of rules when compared to the arcade originals and the 360 ports. Using a touchscreen while following the original rules of these games would be pretty nasty.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
A good quality digital pad and an arcade sick are pretty much equal. More fun to play on an arcade stick, though. Just gotta get used to both, since mastering the two different setups is a learned skill.

Certain games like UD seem to play better on a pad, but that is just personal preference.
 

Theonik

Member
Depends on the shooter, I find a stick more fun but a good D-Pad is generally fine. But then you have games like Radiant Silvergun which require a lot of simultaneous presses and button input which are much better when performed on a stick.
 
A good quality digital pad and an arcade sick are pretty much equal. More fun to play on an arcade stick, though. Just gotta get used to both, since mastering the two different setups is a learned skill.

Certain games like UD seem to play better on a pad, but that is just personal preference.
This is my experience. Overall, I prefer to play on a stick. However, I cannot deny that there is a definite advantage when switching over to a Saturn pad for certain shmups. I totally agree that UD is more responsive and easier to play using a d-pad.
 

Seik

Banned
I prefer a good old D-pad with Shmups, I tend to hit buttons I don't want to hit with my stick, plus I feel more in control with a D-pad. I guess that with some practice a stick can get quite handy though.

Playing Espgaluda II/Dodonpachi Ressurection on my Ipod touch were both surprising, good and fun experiences too.
 

Veal

Member
Just tried one out the other day playing Melee, it was great once I wrapped my head around it, played Brawl and TvC too.

On topic, probably a arcade stick. Playing Ikaruga on my SFIV TE stick is amazing.

Playing Smash with an arcade stick in general is pretty awesome. It makes me want a Smash arcade game SO BAD.
 

danmaku

Member
Playing Smash with an arcade stick in general is pretty awesome. It makes me want a Smash arcade game SO BAD.

I thought Smash used analog controls for the character's movements. An arcade stick looks like an odd choice for that game.
 
I thought Smash used analog controls for the character's movements. An arcade stick looks like an odd choice for that game.

I don't know how my roommate had it setup, but when I played Melee/Brawl using the Hitbox right and left functioned as full right/full left, double tap to dash. He did say it took him a minute to set the controls.
 

BHK3

Banned
To me, using a arcade stick is like trying to move your character using the analog stick with your teeth in a game.

So yeah, controller. If I could use both my analog sticks in Jamestown, I'd wreck that game.
 

Veal

Member
I thought Smash used analog controls for the character's movements. An arcade stick looks like an odd choice for that game.

It does, but I play it on Dolphin. With the way the controls work, you basically C-stick by default while still having control of walking. It actually feels really good!
 

Orayn

Member
I'm pretty bad at shmups, but I generally do better with an arcade stick. I can still play Jamestown pretty well with a standard Xbox 360 controller, but Jamestown isn't particularly hard.
 

naib

Member
Does anyone use a square gate for schmups?

When I got my first TE my excitement about trying it with Pac-Man CE quickly turned to disappointment. I just assumed an octogate was better for schmups to so never even bothered.

I know what I'm trying when I get home.


Arcade stick.
My HRAP3's been getting more shmup play than fighting game action recently.
That's a square gate isn't it?
 
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