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I hate shoulder buttons. Why are they a thing?

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
This is a real WTF moment right here. What are the others?

In terms of overall controller preference, my top 3 is something like:

Dualshock (All of them. 4 is best right now)
NES
Neo Geo pad

I also really liked the original xbox controllers, both the big one and the S.

EDIT: I also modded a nice custom fightstick with sanwa parts. That is very nice to use.
 

Shady859

Member
How many fingers do you have OP?

You are doing something weird, pics are required.

All the uncomfortable/comfortable pics are labeled backwards if that's how you game.
 
Seriously, how is this thread still a thing?

It's not like most major controllers are designed by some crazy in a back room with magic hands.

Millions of dollars, thousands of man hours, and dozens of prototypes are all thoroughly tested and experimented with for each controller release.

Research and design have created the modern controller. Most people who use these controllers like them and find them comfortable.

OP doesn't like the shoulder buttons. Okay, you have an opinion and preference, so what, move on.
 
Fine, I'll do it:

Uncomfortable:

Comfortable:

Uncomfortable:

Comfortable:

Uncomfortable:

Comfortable:


I don't mean for like holding it for 5 minutes. But if I'm going to be spending hours holding these things I'd rather just have my fingers on the back.

This is the most bizarre post I've ever seen. I just tried holding my Dualshock 3 like this and I couldn't imagine playing a game like that.

My index fingers have naturally rested on the shoulder buttons for as long as I can remember, even when I played the NES as a child. It's also how I hold my phone when I type on it.
 

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
Seriously, how is this thread still a thing?

It's not like most major controllers are designed by some crazy in a back room with magic hands.

Millions of dollars, thousands of man hours, and dozens of prototypes are all thoroughly tested and experimented with for each controller release.

Research and design have created the modern controller. Most people who use these controllers like them and find them comfortable.

OP doesn't like the shoulder buttons. Okay, you have an opinion and preference, so what, move on.

Okay? I disagree. You move on.
 
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.

DVAaV.png

I think its funny that n64 has got to be the worst case of button placement ever and its your example of good button placement, lol. Unless you have three hands like the designer at Nintendo apparently did, you can't use the trigger and both shoulder buttons at the same time. Well, not comfortably. That design is manifested insanity.
 
I think its funny that n64 has got to be the worst case of button placement ever and its your example of good button placement, lol. Unless you have three hands like the designer at Nintendo apparently did, you can't use the trigger and both shoulder buttons at the same time. Well, not comfortably. That design is manifested insanity.

????

it wasn't designed to be used like that though. it was designed to use either the stick and z-button, or the d-pad and L button, never both at the same time. it's not the greatest controller, but this is a silly argument
 

BPoole

Member
Because not everybody is you. What would you rather have? If anything, more buttons need to be added to controllers
 

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
Because not everybody is you. What would you rather have? If anything, more buttons need to be added to controllers

More buttons would be fine with me. I just want them lower on the back, like the double triggers I talked about.
 

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
OP are you any of those two people? ^^

So while a funny joke, look at how they are holding the back of the controller. That's exactly the comfortable way for me to hold it, yes. Index rests well under where the shoulder buttons are.
 

HolyCheck

I want a tag give me a tag
Fine, I'll do it:

Uncomfortable:

Comfortable:

Uncomfortable:

Comfortable:

Uncomfortable:

Comfortable:


I don't mean for like holding it for 5 minutes. But if I'm going to be spending hours holding these things I'd rather just have my fingers on the back.

I'm completly with you and OP.

with your uncomfortable images (especially say the PSP one) press too hard and boop the controller can fall.

the strength lies in the index finger support!
 

injurai

Banned
So while a funny joke, look at how they are holding the back of the controller. That's exactly the comfortable way for me to hold it, yes. Index rests well under where the shoulder buttons are.

notice how their pinkies are useless, move you so they are on the grip

your index just rests over the trigger/bumper grouping
 

SystemUser

Member
More buttons would be fine with me. I just want them lower on the back, like the double triggers I talked about.

You would probably like a controller with under buttons like on the MadCatz CoD controllers. While I am not against shoulder buttons I would welcome under buttons as a welcome addition. I would use the under buttons for face button actions in dual analog games, but you could use the under buttons to replace the shoulder button actions.
 

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
You would probably like a controller with under buttons like on the MadCatz CoD controllers. While I am not against shoulder buttons I would welcome under buttons as a welcome addition. I would use the under buttons for face button actions in dual analog games, but you could use the under buttons to replace the shoulder button actions.

I have never tried these underbuttons but now I want to. MadCatz build quality is still pretty good these days right? I know when they took over the fightstick market they got a lot better. Still true?

I'm completly with you and OP.

with your uncomfortable images (especially say the PSP one) press too hard and boop the controller can fall.

the strength lies in the index finger support!

Right on.
 

Lork

Member
I sort of skimmed through the middle third of this thread because it was so long so I apologize if this has already come up, but if not, I think I may have solved the mystery of the rotating controller.

When I hold a controller like in the "comfortable" pics, the "natural" (lol) orientation of the controller seems to be almost perfectly vertical. If I then go back to holding the controller like a normal person, the orientation shifts to more of a diagonal position. Mystery solved! As for why orienting the vertically would be in any way desirable, you got me.
 

Muzicfreq

Banned
Starting to think OP and couple others don't know how to hold a cup and drink out of juice boxes.
If you think about it, it kinda feels that way hold the controllers
 

usp84

Member
I always use my point(index?) finger when I click r2, l2 or rt, lt. I dont feel good using my middle finger to click r2, l2


Thats the common way right?
 

Muzicfreq

Banned
I'm completly with you and OP.

with your uncomfortable images (especially say the PSP one) press too hard and boop the controller can fall.

the strength lies in the index finger support!

My strength is in my middle finger.... must be from me giving the bird to all the horrible mechanics in games.
 

Canklestank

Neo Member
I can kind of relate to the OP, in a way.


I HATE the shoulder/bumper buttons on the 360/One controllers. It's slightly uncomfortable to use them and feels all kinds of awkward because of how naturally my index fingers rest on the triggers. I end up pressing them with only the bottom half of my finger and I hate that for some reason. I want press them with my fingertips like every other controller. It feels like it was designed to be used with both fingers on the bumpers/triggers and I'm too set in my ways by now to hold them like that.

Other than the D-Pad, it's the only complaint I really have with the 360 controller. Every other controller with shoulder buttons? Perfectly comfortable.

Edit: Oh, but handhelds are a different story. The Vita definitely needs grips for the shoulder buttons to work comfortably.
 
Microsoft's triggers are far better than Sony's R2/L2 buttons, for comfort and use. The R1/L1 and RB/LB buttons each have their pros and cons.

I hold controllers with fingers over the shoulder buttons or triggers like most, so I don't mind them. I don't find it uncomfortable.
 

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
Yeah... I think that quantifies the quality and reasonableness of this thread.

I think I'll be moving on now. Thanks for the laughs.

I just don't agree with what you posted at all and am confused at your confusion.

I don't care how many millions went into designing something, you think just because that happens it can't be bad? (Look at the 360 d pad)

Lots of other posters were saying similar things I was. We were discussing controllers on this video game forum.

Frankly I find it incredibly fascinating that people are claiming their index fingers naturally rest where the shoulder buttons are. I find that amazing. This is not how my hands work at all, and the same is true for some other people in here.
 

Orayn

Member
Frankly I find it incredibly fascinating that people are claiming their index fingers naturally rest where the shoulder buttons are. I find that amazing. This is not how my hands work at all, and the same is true for some other people in here.

My fingers naturally rest on the triggers like yours, I just don't experience an extreme degree of discomfort from moving them to hit the shoulder buttons. That is a relatively rare complaint and you're presenting it as a super obvious problem where everyone else is wrong.

Even the "bad" 360 d-pad isn't objectively so. There are very high level pad players who use it for fighting games without much trouble.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
My fingers naturally rest on the triggers like yours, I just don't experience an extreme degree of discomfort from moving them to hit the shoulder buttons. That is a relatively rare complaint and you're presenting it as a super obvious problem where everyone else is wrong.

His fingers supposedly do not rest naturally on the top of the controller, but rather wrapped around the grips.
 

Orayn

Member
His fingers supposedly do not rest naturally on the top of the controller, but rather wrapped around the grips.

My bad, I hadn't been fully following that development. I did know that OP considered triggers to be fine for the most part.
 
notice how their pinkies are useless, move you so they are on the grip

your index just rests over the trigger/bumper grouping

what, like this?

Pinky on grip; index comfortably on the bottom of the trigger.

(I should note that the DS4 is the only controller to give me issues with the shoulder buttons. The DS3 was fine for me.)
 

MikeDip

God bless all my old friends/And god bless me too, why pretend?
My fingers naturally rest on the triggers like yours, I just don't experience an extreme degree of discomfort from moving them to hit the shoulder buttons. That is a relatively rare complaint and you're presenting it as a super obvious problem where everyone else is wrong.

Even the "bad" 360 d-pad isn't objectively so. There are very high level pad players who use it for fighting games without much trouble.

If I did this, I didn't mean to. Obviously when I speak it is just for my own opinion. Just surprised so many people hold these things differently from myself and a few others.

I'm not the one claiming anything as fact, but people are doing it towards me :(

That picture right above this post explains what I mean very clearly. That index finger is naturally under where those shoulder buttons are. That's how it is for me. Not on top like many are claiming is normal for them.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
If I did this, I didn't mean to. Obviously when I speak it is just for my own opinion. Just surprised so many people hold these things differently from myself and a few others.

I would hazard a guess that you few are in the vast, vast minority that have this issue.
 
what, like this?


Pinky on grip; index comfortably on the bottom of the trigger.

(I should note that the DS4 is the only controller to give me issues with the shoulder buttons. The DS3 was fine for me.)

ಠ_ಠ I didn't have a major issue with the DS3 shoulder buttons but for you to have an issue with DS4's and not the DS3's when they're almost universally acclaimed as a significant improvement seems very odd to me, to say the least.
 
I just don't agree with what you posted at all and am confused at your confusion.

I don't care how many millions went into designing something, you think just because that happens it can't be bad? (Look at the 360 d pad)

Lots of other posters were saying similar things I was. We were discussing controllers on this video game forum.

Frankly I find it incredibly fascinating that people are claiming their index fingers naturally rest where the shoulder buttons are. I find that amazing. This is not how my hands work at all, and the same is true for some other people in here.

There is a lot to industrial design and how it works. Companies go to great length to make their input devices as comfortable and intuitive as possible.

Bad decisions or misses can always happen. But if after all these years, tens of millions of dollars, dozens of companies researching and designing controllers with shoulder buttons, that there was a comfort issue, then the buttons would have been dropped or majorly adjusted.

Modern controllers are designed to be gripped by the palms, not the fingers. The natural curve of your fingers provides balance and stability by the round grips giving comfort and the ability to adjust your hand as needed during game play.

For most people, your forefingers will naturally rest in the proximity of the shoulder buttons but not directly on them (hence the gap between the R1/L1 buttons and the R2/L2 triggers).

It's all about comfort and ease of access. If most people had issues this would have been changed long ago.
 

samn

Member
The Wii U shoulder buttons (not triggers) suck. They're just not comfortable to rest your finger on. They depress too easily.
 
ಠ_ಠ I didn't have a major issue with the DS3 shoulder buttons but for you to have an issue with DS4's and not the DS3's when they're almost universally acclaimed as a significant improvement seems very odd to me, to say the least.

I agree that the DS4 is an improvement, but the shape of the controller did change dramatically from previous DualShocks
 
I agree that the DS4 is an improvement, but the shape of the controller did change dramatically from previous DualShocks

Dramatically?

19789999.jpg


The SNES controller to the N64's was a dramatic change in the shape, the N64's to the Gamecube's was a dramatic change, the Saturn's to the Dreamcast's.. you get the picture. The DS3 to DS4 was an iterative improvement. It is the Dualshock controller with the largest amount of physical changes, you can argue that, but that doesn't make it a dramatic departure, just improved. The PS3's boomerang controller, if it had been released, would have been a more dramatic change than the DS4, and even that would be debatable.
 
Dramatically?

19789999.jpg


The SNES controller to the N64's was a dramatic change in the shape, the N64's to the Gamecube's was a dramatic change, the Saturn's to the Dreamcast's.. you get the picture. The DS3 to DS4 was an iterative improvement. It is the Dualshock controller with the largest amount of physical changes, you can argue that, but that doesn't make it a dramatic departure, just improved. The PS3's boomerang controller, if it had been released, would have been a more dramatic change than the DS4, and even that would be debatable.

I meant that the DS4 is a dramatic change from all the previous versions or even dramatic compared to changes between the 360 and XB1 controllers. I'm not interested in arguing semantics.
 
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