Symmetrical or asymmetrical analogue sticks?

[SvennoJ]

NightlyPoe said:

SvennoJ said:

My thumbs are still in the same place. What am I reaching for, left thumb to move forward, back, strafe, right thumb to turn the camera, fingers to shoot. It's the default setup for first and third person games, the majority of games. While racing you can use the right stick to accelerate or brake, or use R2 and L2 and L1 and L2 for shifting. But using my thumb to shift with x and [] is not reaching either.

If your left thumb is on the analog stick, which is in the secondary position in your setup, then you are indeed reaching all the time.  You may not feel it due to repetition and being used to it, but the controller was designed for you to rest naturally on the D-Pad.

Again, the question isn't symmetry, it's ergonomics and whether the most used control function is in the dominant placement or the secondary placement.  You are literally stating that you prefer the controller be slightly uncomfortable to play.

With the Switch and WiiU gamepad, my left thumb start aching after a while because the left stick is in an unnatural position. With my hands in a 'natural' position, my thumbs fall 2/3 rds on the analog sticks of a DS4, slightly off the the side of the d-pad / face buttons. It is 'unnatural' for me to use the d-pad on a DS4. When using the D-pad in streets of rage for example, I can't use L1 since my index finger is now too low. Trying to use the D-pad and shoulder buttons is uncomfortable.

For racing perhaps swapping the right analog stick with the face buttons (to use for shifting) might make sense. I can't comfortably use the R1 button together with the face buttons either. Yet I haven't seen any controller design with the right analog stick in the high position, left in low. Switch, WiiU and XBox are all exactly the opposite.

For any games where you use both analog sticks, DS4 is most comfortable for me.