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Why controllers don't have pressure sensitive buttons anymore?

VulcanRaven

Member
PS2 and PS3 controllers had pressure sensitive buttons but not PS4 for some reason. I wonder why they didn't include them anymore? Would it cost too much? Also Xbox controllers don't have them either. I hope Sony decides to include them on PS5. I'm not the biggest fan of them but it would give developers more options. Also PS2 games used them so remastering would be much easier because they wouldn't have to change the controls. Old Metal Gear Solid games are not the same without the pressue sensitive buttons for example. I haven't tried them on PS Now but I don't think you can do everything.

Would you want to see them on PS5 and Xbox Series X?
 
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KOMANI

KOMANI
Xbox did have pressure sensitive buttons. Some say that the 360 had them too but not on the face buttons, but on the D-pad (no clue how true that is).
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
And they are good for what? I remember that only one game which used them and that was MGS 4 and that's about it. I don't think they are good idea, because travelling way is miniscule, so it's pretty tough to qualtify what you meant by your press. I don't think that they are important. Same way is why keyboards on PC with such a technology has not set the world on fire, because it's easier to holt another key for reduced speed of walking (for example) then to get the pressure just right.
 

Husky

THE Prey 2 fanatic
The additional functionality's neat, but I guess since next to nothing ever used the feature, it was easy to cut without bothering most users. Actually it might be for the best that developers are forced not to even try using them...
MGS3's been retooled for 3DS, surely any future releases will be fixed for updated Dualshocks as well. And tbh it'll be for the better.
 
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LordOfChaos

Member
They cost something and games mostly didn't use them

The PS5 does have adaptive triggers which I assume would come with pressure sensing, so maybe it was always a better fit for triggers than face buttons
 

Nymphae

Banned
I hated it for the most part, there wasn't enough feedback to know how much you were pressing the button, like in MGS2 you could slowly put away your gun after drawing it by slowly releasing square, but it's not the same as slowly letting off a trigger, you basically have to use the on screen visuals to know how much you were pressing the button. I'm sure there could be some minor cool uses for it but it seems pretty unnecessary.
 

Pejo

Gold Member
And they are good for what? I remember that only one game which used them and that was MGS 4 and that's about it. I don't think they are good idea, because travelling way is miniscule, so it's pretty tough to qualtify what you meant by your press. I don't think that they are important. Same way is why keyboards on PC with such a technology has not set the world on fire, because it's easier to holt another key for reduced speed of walking (for example) then to get the pressure just right.
This was my experience too. It makes sense on triggers, but even then I have a hard time hitting the "right" spot sometimes. I can barely do walking by slightly tipping analogues when I'm supposed to.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I’m old school.

I don’t care at all about pressure sensitive context. I just want to press the button where it’s like a light switch on and off.

I totally get gently holding a button can lead to more control (like gently pressing a trigger to accelerate/brake smoother) but I don’t feel it’s easy enough to do. If I need to gun it or brake I’ll pump the buttons.

Analog sticks are different as there’s much easier control (and give) so for most games it’s better than a d-pad.
 

VulcanRaven

Member
I hated it for the most part, there wasn't enough feedback to know how much you were pressing the button, like in MGS2 you could slowly put away your gun after drawing it by slowly releasing square, but it's not the same as slowly letting off a trigger, you basically have to use the on screen visuals to know how much you were pressing the button. I'm sure there could be some minor cool uses for it but it seems pretty unnecessary.
I liked that in MGS2 and 3. Xbox 360 didn't have pressure sensitive buttons so you had to press the analog stick to lower the gun in that version of the HD Collection if I remember right
 
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Nymphae

Banned
I liked that in MGS2 and 3. Xbox 360 didn't have pressue sensitive buttons so you had to press the analog stick to lower the gun in that version of the HD Collection if I remember right

It was good functionality, it just never felt right to me. I think it was dumb to have a "put away gun" function literally be the same button as firing the weapon.
 

Woo-Fu

Banned
Additional points of failure, barely utilized, more expensive, an increasingly casual audience.

No, I don't want them back. I don't like forms of input without immediate tactile feedback. Maybe I'm just clumsy but I can't tell where the breakpoint is for hard/soft button pressing.
 
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PSYGN

Member
My guesses:
  • Error prone due to low travel of buttons
  • Welcomes users to press harder than usual, potentially causing more wear and tear
  • Not really effective in most games aside from trying to maintain speed in driving
  • Cost
I didn't even realize the PS4 didn't have this feature, that's how much I missed it.
 
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LordKasual

Banned
I prefer digital inputs to analog almost everywhere applicable.

If a game lets me use a D-pad, i'm probably gonna use it.
 
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daveonezero

Banned
I don't mind that it was taken out of the face buttons but my god Nintendo fucked up not continuing the Gamecube triggers and digital click.

The Wii would have been better if those were on the nunchuck and mote.

And now the Switch. It would be near perfect if it had analog triggers on the joy cons. I'm not buying any racing games on it because I feel like I need the analog triggers.
 
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XBox One and PS4 controllers have analog triggers, IIRC, so they're still there--they're just not used for all buttons, as it's not necessary at this point and time.

I dunno why Nintendo skipped out on Analog triggers for the Switch Pro controller (and JoyCons)--but I doubt we'll be getting any quality GCN ports to the Switch out of Nintendo any time soon...
 
The only instance of me ever using it is in MGS3 HD port on PS3. A soft press made you only grab the enemy. If you press all the way, you cut their throat. I didn't know about these pressure sensitive buttons, so I was really confused that I was insta killing every enemy I was grabbing. Kinda unnecessary feature imo, at least for front facing buttons.
 

FeldMonster

Member
Despite disliking the controller overall, I did enjoy the Gamecube's analog shoulder buttons. I am unsure if they would still be useful today in the era of analog triggers and digital-only shoulder buttons, but they were comfortable.

Perhaps settings making the shoulder buttons analog or digital (and for triggers as well, why not).

Another possibility is the scroll wheel shoulder buttons from the Nintendo patent.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
They're unintuitive because of the short travel. It makes sense for triggers where there's a clear range of motion. With face buttons, it's really hard to tell what amount of pressure is going to result in a given response.

Good riddance.
 

Rheon

Member
Lol wtf, I was just playing GTA Vice City a few hours ago on my PS2 earlier and I discovered while driving cars that pressure sensitivity on the DS2 was a thing. I was pretty amazed as I didn't even know such a thing existed.

Weird coincidence.
 

mcz117chief

Member
Horror show? What do you have stumps for thumbs? Was easy to pull off.
It was just incredibly bothersome and served no real purpose. It could have been more practical like it was done in MGS4.
It was a bit of a hyperbole on my end of course.
 
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EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Hell no we're not going back to older joysticks we see the future in gaming controllers is custom parts.
 

JimmyRustler

Gold Member
Man, I always get reminded of the Metal Gear Solid 3 controls. Literal horror show that was. Press gently to aim, press fully to fire...unholy terror.
First thing that came to my mind when I read the thread title.
God, I hated this crap.

Good riddance it‘s gone. Nothing of value was lost.
 
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01011001

Banned
pressure sensitive buttons are a dumb idea.
they are imprecise and pretty useless for 99% of games.

I never saw an OG Xbox game that used them, not sure any used them...
and on PS2 most of their use was to overcome the issue of not having analog triggers.

you just have way too little travel and the fact that face buttons usually use membranes they can never be precise enough to actually be fun to use.
 

-Troid-

Banned
The only instance of me ever using it is in MGS3 HD port on PS3. A soft press made you only grab the enemy. If you press all the way, you cut their throat. I didn't know about these pressure sensitive buttons, so I was really confused that I was insta killing every enemy I was grabbing. Kinda unnecessary feature imo, at least for front facing buttons.

That happened to me so many times playing MGS3 for the first time it ticked me off. Even after realizing it had to do with pressure I still had instances where I'd accidentally slit a dudes throat because I just barely pressed too hard.
 

mcjmetroid

Member
Nintendo and the GameCube was the best use of this.
Luigi's Mansion and super Mario Sunshine are some of the best controlling games because of this.

The original Luigi's Mansion is still unmatched in control though I love the new one.
 

Majormaxxx

Member
Bump :)

I used the ps3 pressure sensitive buttons on gt 5.

Unfortunately, the final controller I bought, although sourced from a legit retailer, lacked pressure sensitive buttons.

Could be a fake...

Curiously, they tech behind pressure sensitive buttons isn't very low tech. The buttons have magnets on them and the closer you push them to the pcb of the controller, the more stronger the better signal.
 

Wunray

Member
Happy Excuse Me GIF

What? I didn't even know ps2 and 3 had that.
 
For me the face button travel wasn't enough.

Triggers are far more useful for this feature and even then I don't use it lol.

No idea how long haptic feedback is going to last. That might also go the way of the dodo
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Face buttons on controllers don't have enough travel for effective use of pressure sensitivity without a ton of practice. It was always better for triggers.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
No need, the same “ feeling “ can be achieved with short and long button presses.
 

DaGwaphics

Member
Xbox did have pressure sensitive buttons. Some say that the 360 had them too but not on the face buttons, but on the D-pad (no clue how true that is).

If it did, it wasn't something that developers utilized much. I can't remember a single game where light touch was required. Seems like it is easier to just do tap vs. hold if you want to do two things with one button.
 

Aenima

Member
Outside of GT3 and GT4 i dont remember other games where i used the pressure sensitive face buttons on PS2. It was great in GT to controll the throttle, once the controllers start having analog triggers, the pressure sensitive buttons became useless.
 
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