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[Deleted member 752119]

Finale Fireworker is still the closest to how I hold a controller:

Yeah, that works perfecly IMO on controllers like the DS4, X1 etc. where you have the handle type design to hold on to. Very comfy to me with three fingers on those and index on the triggers/shoulder buttons.

Doesn't work nearly as well on things like the SNES or Vita (without grips) where there's no handles to hold on to. Those designs are more comfy to me with all fingers on the back. But honestly, they're just not comfy to me period and I always bought grips.

 

[N30RYU]

Ever since I went from my NES to SNES as a kid I never understood these buttons. They suck. They are not in a place where your hand naturally rests on a controller. To hit them you have to cramp up your entire hand and lose all back support.

And yet, controllers keep getting worse at this. These controllers with bumpers/shoulder buttons and triggers that use both to play? No.

Triggers alone are fine. I think the placement of the z button on the n64 controller is a good example of a back button where your finger naturally rests. Or something like the triggers of the dualshock.

If a game uses these stupid buttons, I will not use them unless absolutely necessary. The worst is on handheld consoles. Adding to the hilarity, sometimes handhelds have fucking sliders or switches for power or volume and stuff on the side of the system, right where your hands will need to be if you need to have access to the shoulder buttons.

So yeah, if you make controllers and are reading this how about you just do double triggers or something next time? Thanks.

try play some android/ios emulators like PPSSPP and press that shoulder buttons on the screen at the same time with other buttons (L1+X) for God of war magic...

The soulder buttons were an improvement as huge as the analog sticks.

 

[EMT0]

OP, you're a man of many weird opinions.

 

[JCX]

I prefer triggers because I accidentally hit the shoulder buttons all the time. I'd accidentally pitch the ball in NCAA football because of the left shoulder button.

It's too cramped for me to hold the controller with my pointer fingers under the controller, so it's usually floating somewhere above/in front of the shoulder buttons.

 

[Raonak]

I've never heard that opinion expressed by anyone... ever.

so many games would be crippled without shoulder buttons; all shooters would feel a bit gimped, stuff like DMC would have to have a more clunkier

When I hold my DS4, my index fingers are naturally sitting in between R1 and R2. so no problems for me.

 

[Mohonky]

I swear people who grew up on Sony consoles developed claw like appendages. Thats the only way i can figure anyone doesnt have a problem with it.

 

[jem0208]

Is this you after playing a game?

Nope, I actually find it quite comfortable. I often find myself switching to the claw even when it's not needed at all.

 

[xxracerxx]

I swear people who grew up on Sony consoles developed claw like appendages. Thats the only way i can figure anyone doesnt have a problem with it.

So then how do you hold your controllers?

Pics please.

Spoiler

a/s/l?

 

[theWB27]

My fingers usually rest in the crevice between the shoulder and triggers. Whatever I'm anticipating pushing then my fingers just creep over to the button. Really can't imagine the current design being cumbersome.

 

[striferser]

This is how i done it in most game
index in R1/L1, middle in R2/L2,

Yeah, i know you don't need to hover all shoulder button, but i'm used to it.

 

[RageWaffles]

I sorta agree with OP. With a DS4, my index fingers naturally rest on the underside of L2/R2. Moving my fingers to easily press them is fine, but to press L1/R1, I need to change how I'm holding the controller.

I'm blaming my short fingers for this, as holding the controller to hit L1/R1 puts the Triangle button just out my thumb's reach.

 

[Lettuce]

Because you needed them in F-Zero to lean the craft

 

[gafneo]

I hate them too. The only trigger that made sense to me was on the n64 and wiimote. A perfect controller would be 2 nun chucks with just a stick and trigger. The rest could be precise motion. To start and pause you could put a nunchuck down. Yeah it can sense if you are holding it.

 

[EdwardTeach]

I don't want to trawl the whole thread, so has OP posted a picture of himself holding a controller because I truly can't picture how shoulder buttons could be uncomfortable to use.

 

[kavanf1]

I swear people who grew up on Sony consoles developed claw like appendages. Thats the only way i can figure anyone doesnt have a problem with it.

Sony's biggest issue is their refusal to change the controller layout - it worked really well on the original PS, when the d-pad was still the main means of controlling a character. At that point the thumb rested naturally on the d-pad which made sense given it was the primary part of the controller.

Their mistake came from PS2 onward, when instead of factoring in that the left stick was now the primary means of player navigation, and therefore should take the place of the d-pad, they slapped it into an awkward position which hurt the thumb during prolonged gaming sessions.

The DS4 is by far their most comfortable controller, but even so I read complaints from some users playing the likes of DriveClub for long sessions.

I can use most controllers without issue but my preference is definitely for offset sticks, by far the most ergonomic design IMO.

 

[Vlade]

Sony's biggest issue is their refusal to change the controller layout - it worked really well on the original PS, when the d-pad was still the main means of controlling a character. At that point the thumb rested naturally on the d-pad which made sense given it was the primary part of the controller.

Their mistake came from PS2 onward, when instead of factoring in that the left stick was now the primary means of player navigation, and therefore should take the place of the d-pad, they slapped it into an awkward position which hurt the thumb during prolonged gaming sessions.

The DS4 is by far their most comfortable controller, but even so I read complaints from some users playing the likes of DriveClub for long sessions.

I can use most controllers without issue but my preference is definitely for offset sticks, by far the most ergonomic design IMO.

try the wii u pro controller. it's a godsent.

 

[jem0208]

try the wii u pro controller. it's a godsent.

Nope. Can't claw = instant failure.

 

[entremet]

I tried the OP's method and my fingers hurt. Shoulder buttons are very ergonomic.

 

[xxracerxx]

Sony's biggest issue is their refusal to change the controller layout - it worked really well on the original PS, when the d-pad was still the main means of controlling a character. At that point the thumb rested naturally on the d-pad which made sense given it was the primary part of the controller.

Their mistake came from PS2 onward, when instead of factoring in that the left stick was now the primary means of player navigation, and therefore should take the place of the d-pad, they slapped it into an awkward position which hurt the thumb during prolonged gaming sessions.

The DS4 is by far their most comfortable controller, but even so I read complaints from some users playing the likes of DriveClub for long sessions.

I can use most controllers without issue but my preference is definitely for offset sticks, by far the most ergonomic design IMO.

I always love when people say offset sticks are the most ergonomic and then play FPS mostly (not saying you specifically) and their right thumb is always in the "wrong" position but that is perfectly ok.

 

[Lagrangi]

Shoulder buttons were made for dashing in Mega Man X games. Nuff said.

 

[Vlade]

Nope. Can't claw = instant failure.

i have actually use the claw for X and A and my thumb-butt for Y and B.
I don't really like the claw anyway, but that seemed just as passable if not better.

 

[jem0208]

i have actually use the claw for X and A and my thumb-butt for Y and B.
I don't really like the claw anyway, but that seemed just as passable if not better.

I was initially very confused until I remembered that the Nintendo design has the button positions flipped in comparison to the Xbox design.



Anyway, that doesn't have any of the benefits of claw though.

With claw you can use the right stick (with the same accuracy as you normally would) at the same time as the face buttons. This is ridiculously useful in games like GTA where sprinting requires you to tap the A button.

 

[Magnet_Man]

How do you use them without having your thumbs anchored into place? Move your thumbs to switch buttons and the entire thing is going to fall on you.

What the hell are you even talking about??

 

[Muzicfreq]

What the hell are you even talking about??

At this point I hope he is just trolling us.

 

[Dr.Acula]

I'm not even sure if my index or middle fingers have anything to do with supporting the controller when I hold it. I can lift all my fingers off the controller and still hold it comfortably. Now normally my hands are palms up when I hold a controller, so it's like I'm holding it the same way I would just something like a plate, the controller is just resting in my palms, but this photo is illustrative of just how light and ergonomic modern controllers are -I have no difficulty holding it with just my palms.

If you find your fingers getting tired from holding a controller I would say you are over-gripping it.

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

I think the dualshock masters shoulder buttons, but slacks a tad on triggers. 360's pad on the other hand had excellent triggers, and just garbage shoulder buttons. I couldn't use them effectively at all.

Dualshock 4 is a very good controller, I feel like it made significant improvements to the triggers, but I still wouldn't rank them up with the 360's triggers.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

I swear people who grew up on Sony consoles developed claw like appendages. Thats the only way i can figure anyone doesnt have a problem with it.

I grew up exclusively on Nintendo machines and didn't get my first Sony console, a PS3, until 2012.

 

[DarkJedi24]

What year is it? How can it be that the OP hasn't been able to adapt to controllers designed in the past 20 years? I can understand preferring the input device that you grew up with, but let's be honest here, a flat rectangle with buttons only on the top isn't exactly relevant for most of today's games.

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

I always love when people say offset sticks are the most ergonomic and then play FPS mostly (not saying you specifically) and their right thumb is always in the "wrong" position but that is perfectly ok.

This. I hate offset sticks, it's extremely unnatural. And it's more limited on the type of games you can play. Most games of all 3D nature involve camera control, which makes more sense to have the sticks aligned. Then in the off chance (I dunno, indie platformers maybe), you have the d-pad and the buttons in proper alignment once again.

 

[Pezus]

How do you hold a controller? Wtf

this

srsly, op??

 

[davitpr]

Sorry but I think you're alone on this

 

[Beelzebufo]

The controllers are explicitly designed to have your fingers be most comfortable on the shoulder buttons. I think the last one that wasn't like this was probably the N64.

 

[davitpr]

OP's hands

 

[Duxxy3]

I always love when people say offset sticks are the most ergonomic and then play FPS mostly (not saying you specifically) and their right thumb is always in the "wrong" position but that is perfectly ok.

Offset stick allows for greater grip with the left hand, which takes weight off the right hand allowing it better flexibility. You can essentially float your entire right hand with offset sticks.

You can switch the right stick and face buttons, but face buttons are still heavily used in shooters. Keeping the buttons in the primary position, and the right analog in the secondary position, doesn't have a noticeably negative effect.

This isn't to say that having both analogs in the secondary position can't work, but grip has to be more equal, rather than one sided. Equal grip is fine for some games, particularly action games that require 4 fingers on top (e.g. DMC), but it's less optimal (imo) for shooting games.

 

[MikeDip]

What the hell are you even talking about??

That specific comment was talking about playing while lying on your back in bed. Like with the handheld above your face or stomach.

I don't want to trawl the whole thread, so has OP posted a picture of himself holding a controller because I truly can't picture how shoulder buttons could be uncomfortable to use.

No I said I wouldn't do that due to the aforementioned blood.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

I'm struggling - painfully - to figure out how one could hold an SNES controller in a way that wouldn't rest your fingers on the shoulder buttons that would also in any way result in improved use of the face buttons.

 

[MikeDip]

I'm struggling - painfully - to figure out how one could hold an SNES controller in a way that wouldn't rest your fingers on the shoulder buttons that would in any way result in improved use of the face buttons.

Did you see the pictures posted that compared comfortable vs uncomfortable on the last page?

 

[Duxxy3]

All right. I got out of bed to do this because I am too far into this mystery now.

MikeDip, this is how I, and I think most others, hold a controller.

Under normal circumstances, obviously your other hand is in the same position on the opposite side. When holding the controller, your index finger is not involved in supporting the controller at all. You are able to freely extend your finger, like so, without your grip being impacted or your controller moving.

This would be how these same positions look from the back.

My personal resting spot for my index finger is generally the space between the trigger and the bumper, meaning they are equidistant from my finger at any given time.

How is this different from how you hold a controller?

This is one of the problems I have with the DS4. With the 360/XB1 controllers your index naturally falls on the trigger. With the DS3 your finger naturally falls on the shoulder buttons. With the DS4 your finger falls in between the shoulder button and trigger.

 

[Muzicfreq]

HEY OP
What do you think of my mouse?

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

Did you see the pictures posted that compared comfortable vs uncomfortable on the last page?

Yeah, but I disagree, I don't find pinching the controller more comfortable, and as I said I don't see how this either improves or detracts from use of the face buttons. Plus, there hasn't been a good ergonomic reason to hold your thumb horizontally over the controller's face since the Genesis 6-button. Ever since the SNES I have rested controllers against my palms with whatever free back fingers supporting the back middle of the controller. I didn't have to give it much thought and it felt natural to me. I rarely use anything but my index finger for triggers or shoulders, but if a game benefits from having both first fingers on the shoulder and trigger on the same time, I have no issue there either.

I mean, obviously everyone's different and I'm not asking you to defend yourself. I just don't think there's anything fundamentally wrong with them, certainly not enough to justify abandoning the basic design.

 

[Magnet_Man]

That specific comment was talking about playing while lying on your back in bed. Like with the handheld above your face or stomach.

OOOOOH. Well in that case:

What the hell are you even talking about?? How are you holding a handheld where moving your index finger, which would just be resting on the back of the handheld in this situation, would cause the handheld to fall forward?

The only thing your index finger would be holding the handheld from would be falling up into the ceiling. Are you using the controller / handheld like a keyboard??

 

[xxracerxx]

Did you see the pictures posted that compared comfortable vs uncomfortable on the last page?

Ok, but I bet that when he reaches for the triggers it does not rotate his controller.

 

[Figboy79]

During the SNES era, it took me a little bit to get used to the L and R buttons on that controller, but I did. By the time the PlayStation rolled around, I was fairly comfortable with shoulder buttons. The additional L2 and R2 buttons then posed a bit of a learning curve, analog sticks as well.

By this point, however, shoulder buttons, triggers, and analog sticks are second nature. I generally hold the controller with my index finger on the L1 and R1, buttons, and then shift the fingers between the L1 and L2/R1 and R2 buttons, but I'm so comfortable with them that I can also use my middle finger to hit the L2 and R2 buttons in games. Usually, I don't do that, but it's an additional option if I want.

I'm curious as to how you are holding the controllers, because they are all pretty comfortable these days (although I have yet to hold an XB1 controller. They look more comfortable than the 360 controller at least. The PS4 controller may be my favorite out of thirty years of gaming, however).

 

[tuxfool]

During the SNES era, it took me a little bit to get used to the L and R buttons on that controller, but I did. By the time the PlayStation rolled around, I was fairly comfortable with shoulder buttons. The additional L2 and R2 buttons then posed a bit of a learning curve, analog sticks as well.

By this point, however, shoulder buttons, triggers, and analog sticks are second nature. I generally hold the controller with my index finger on the L1 and R1, buttons, and then shift the fingers between the L1 and L2/R1 and R2 buttons, but I'm so comfortable with them that I can also use my middle finger to hit the L2 and R2 buttons in games. Usually, I don't do that, but it's an additional option if I want.

I'm curious as to how you are holding the controllers, because they are all pretty comfortable these days (although I have yet to hold an XB1 controller. They look more comfortable than the 360 controller at least. The PS4 controller may be my favorite out of thirty years of gaming, however).

Look at the previous page. There are people that insist on holding modern controllers as if they were tiny nes controllers. I completely fail to see how such a thing does not place strain on the thumb when using analogue sticks.

 

[oti]

You're wrong OP.
Just wrong.

 

[MikeDip]

Look at the previous page. There are people that insist on holding modern controllers as if they were tiny nes controllers. I completely fail to see how such a thing does not place strain on the thumb when using analogue sticks.

I still think the NES controller is one of the most comfortable controllers ever made. In my top 3 for sure.

 

[MrChowderClams]

They are literally buttons at your fingertips.

👏👏👏

 

[tuxfool]

I still think the NES controller is one of the most comfortable controllers ever made. In my top 3 for sure.

This is a real WTF moment right here. What are the others?

 

[xxracerxx]

I still think the NES controller is one of the most comfortable controllers ever made. In my top 3 for sure.

Is the Dreamcast up there as well?

 

[L95]

I still think the NES controller is one of the most comfortable controllers ever made. In my top 3 for sure.

Madness.

...seriously what.