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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Symmetrical or asymmetrical analogue sticks?

 

I prefer...

Symmetrical 46 45.54%
 
Asymmetrical 55 54.46%
 
Total:101
curl-6 on 20 July 2020
Manlytears said:
curl-6 said:

I couldn't do it; just tried it with my PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers and it got uncomfortable for me in under a minute.

Plus I can't think of a single game where I'd need to anyway.
okay, something that works for me may not work for you, there’s no single answer here, it’s a matter of preference. Also, did you try with a Xbox360 controller!?? Like "Xclaw"? "Xclaw" is extremely different and, Imho, truly strange since you use the index on the analog and the transition between "Standard" and "xclaw" is quite awkward and inaccurate.

Just look, it just feels wrong to me using index on Analog stick:


About games that can make good use of claw grip. I mentioned some, and i even posted a video showing the use of claw grip in Devil May Cry, should I assume that you are not a familiar whit any of the games i mentioned? Dark souls, boodborne, Horizon zero dawn, Monster Hunter, Devil May Cry, Nioh, prety much any game that uses D-pad to select itens/weapons/skills...

In games like those I simply never found it a problem to just quickly switch my thumb to the D-Pad and back or between the right stick and face buttons.



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Manlytears on 20 July 2020
GrahfsLament said:
Manlytears said:


On a note, i think this game is one of the first games that made me use claw grip whit great results, truly a classic.

Haha. That .gif definitely made me chuckle.

I truly love my PSP, but I don't think it loves me (or my wrists) back quite as much. It was, perhaps, not Sony's most ergonomically accommodating layout...I would be telling a complete and utter lie if I said that I did not immediately jump at the opportunity to play through Resistance: Retribution using a DualShock 3.

Vita is kinda ok, but PSP... i hated the ergonomics on PSP. Never used Dualshock whit my handhelds.

curl-6 said:

In games like those I simply never found it a problem to just quickly switch my thumb to the D-Pad and back or between the right stick and face buttons.

good for you.



SvennoJ on 20 July 2020
NightlyPoe said:
SvennoJ said:

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.

Either you have deformed hands, or you're so used to holding the controller in a way that wasn't intended because you've become so compensating for stretching for the analog stick that you don't even realize you're holding it awkwardly anymore.

The original Playstation controller (which the DS4 is based on) didn't even have an analog stick.  And they most certainly didn't design the controller so that your thumb would rest well below the D-Pad.

Zkuq said:
Symmetrical, just like my hands.

Same answer as SvennoJ that gets the ergonomics backwards.  Your symmetrical hands want the Analog stick in the default position and don't care about the aesthetics or glibness.  What you are saying is that you'd prefer to stretch your finger constantly for an analog stick based on a completely unimportant aesthetic factor.

Haha sure. But now you mention it, I never found the original PS controller very nice to use.

Dunno what's going on with your hands, but my thumbs are naturally away from my index fingers. As I said they sit much closer to the analog sticks than where the D-pad is. I'm not even stretching, heck the analog stick actually sits more to the bottom of my nail.

But good to know my hands are 'wrong' and kind of Sony to make a controller to fit my 'wrong' hands :)



JuliusHackebeil on 21 July 2020

I can reach each and every button and stick on the dualshock without trying much at all. Everything is in a good place.

And I don't get some peoples complaints about default position. Let's say on the dualshock the d-pad and face buttons are in the default position. Than why are so many people complaining about the left stick, but not the right?
The moment I move my charakter in a game, I got both my thumbs on the sticks. Camera and charakter movement always go hand in hand with me. I surely use the face buttons less than the camera (especially with the surge of open world games, running around constantly, searching for where to go next). So should not the right stick also be on top and the face buttons beneath?



Peh on 21 July 2020

"Claw" grip seems to be a real thing, huh?

I can't do it. I have big hands and it would break my index finger by playing like that. I use my thumbs for all the front buttons and analog sticks and index fingers and sometimes middle finger for the shoulder and trigger buttons.



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JRPGfan on 21 July 2020

Used to Symmetrical, dont wanna change.
Unfair its a 2 on 1 fanbase (since Nintendo & Xbox are both asymmetrical).



Louie on 21 July 2020
Manlytears said:
Louie said: 

Yes, whit the side of my index. Most of the time I hold the control in a "standard" manner and when I need to use the D-pad I slide my index onto the D-pad and press the desired button easily. Believe me, it works very well and in many situations this option is much better than removing the thumb from the analog stick (something that can leave your character immobile and defenseless, or make it difficult to execute a command). I use this technique for about 10 years, I never felt pain and i agree that it is not perfect, but man... it is much better than dropping the analog stick in the middle of the action to press the D-pad.

Truly, i can't see myself using Asymmetrical, it contains a inferior level of access to the buttons, i mean it is certainly possible to play on a Asymmetrical control  but... I would undoubtedly feel uncomfortable and maybe I could not do some advanced moves.

This video shows a bit of what i'm talking:

Thanks for explaining! It still looks weird to me and I doubt I could get used to holding a controller this way. But it's interesting to see some people prefer this as I never gave it a thought. To be honest your comment initially reminded me of my dad trying to play Super Mario 64 with an N64 controller. At one point he rotated the controller 180 degrees and played that way haha.I'll never get that picture out of my head. 



Otter on 21 July 2020

I've actually never had a preference. I always prefered playing on my 360 versus my PS3 but that was more duet to the build. This generation I've gamed mostlyy on SP4 so I'm especially used to Symmetry



SvennoJ on 21 July 2020
NightlyPoe said:
SvennoJ said:

Haha sure. But now you mention it, I never found the original PS controller very nice to use.

Dunno what's going on with your hands, but my thumbs are naturally away from my index fingers. As I said they sit much closer to the analog sticks than where the D-pad is. I'm not even stretching, heck the analog stick actually sits more to the bottom of my nail.

But good to know my hands are 'wrong' and kind of Sony to make a controller to fit my 'wrong' hands :)

Do you really think that Sony made a controller where it'd be more comfortable to play with an analog stick three full years before they actually put one on the controller?

It's not my hands or your hands, it's the way it was designed.  And no matter what you say, unless your hands are indeed deformed, that controller is ergonomically designed to have the D-Pad the default option.

Did you really think early controllers were ergonomically designed?

Of course the later ones were designed with the analog sticks as primary input in mind.




Somini on 21 July 2020

Both are fine. I prefer symmetrical though.