I have the same problem... my hands can palm an offical NBA basketball. The DS1-3 are not uncomfortable so much as they are not as comfortable because of shape and stick placement.

The PS3 pad's problem is the inaccurate spongy analogue sticks and the awful plastic lumps that are supposed to be triggers.

The moment someone says "but its my opinion/preference, respect it" they've just lost the argument because they've acknowledged that they are unable to actually argue any points that attempt to verify their opinion. Its like writing a research paper with no references. Nobody cares about your opinion unless you can support it. Don't take the easy road, because its one large academic cop-out that wastes everyones time and only makes your viewpoint laughable.

Cliff is the man

Spankey said: WessleWoggle said: Maybe for you, but for the length of my thumbs, the Ps3 sticks are too close together to use comfortably without my thumbs coliding in the middle on daul-stick games. This inhibits the ability of my thumb to use both sticks full range at the same time, unless I play with the tip of my thumb, which is harder on the Ps3 controller because of the non-indented sticks. Because the 360s sticks are in different positions, my thumbs don't touch when I look left and strafe right. I don't think this would be a problem if the controller was really small like it was designed for a ten year old.   your thumbs collide? How big are your hands? I'm 6'3" and this has never happened to me through all DualShock/Sixaxis generations, so I'm just asking. Do you perhaps hold the controller differently than I do I wonder?

I'm about your height and my thumbs collide every few minutes while playing a shooter on the DS. It's been a problem since the inception of the controller.

Wrap your hands around the controller naturally and notice where your thumbs sit. Right over the d-pad and buttons on the DS, right over the left analog and buttons on the 360 controller. This is a simple ergonomic test, people. It's not that hard to figure out which controller had it right in 1997 and which one has it right in 2008. Argue all you want but conventional design logic dictates that you place the most-used features where your hands naturally rest at ease. In 2008, it's the left analog and buttons for most games. You may like old designs that are outdated because that's what you're used to, but don't try to tell me that it's a good, modern design. It's not. The DS design is old and needs to be revamped.

Oh, and the L2/R2 triggers are a joke. Convex triggers... Brilliant, Sony. Just brilliant. The buttons and D-pad are much nicer than the 360 controller, though.

This guy has intentional 5'o clock shadow and a fauxhawk, how can anyone possibly give a shit what he thinks, especially when he can't even articulate why?

double post!

phil said: This guy has intentional 5'o clock shadow and a fauxhawk, how can anyone possibly give a shit what he thinks, especially when he can't even articulate why?

People give a shit about what he says cause hes making Gears of War...which is surely a greater achievement than blogging on forums about him.

 

@ rocketpig

I have big hands (I am a big 1.98m guy) and this never happened to me.



When I put both my thumbs on the analog sticks, I can comfortable move around the whole range of motion, as well as quickly reach d-pad and playstation buttons (i.e. try selecting weapons on the d-pad as well as hitting the action buttons on the 360 like one would on the PS3 with Warhawk, that requires a lot more thought, one hand has to go down and the other up) . Maybe your thumbs slide for some reason, for such I think there are overlays available.

With regard to the 360 configuration, if you place both thumbs on the analog sticks. Imagine rowing a boot in Ape Escape, it feels weird. Probably the lower placed stick will be easier to move around considering the MLPP. The asymmetrical design also means the gamepad isn't equally useful to both left and right handed people.



Not really much of an issue IMO, but I think you can get concave covers for that as well if you have such slippery fingers.

2 of my female family members get cramps from using the 360 controller. This probably has to do with the small size of their hands.

MikeB said: When I put both my thumbs on the analog sticks, I can comfortable move around the whole range of motion (~45 degree position), as well as quickly reach d-pad and playstation buttons. Maybe your thumbs slide for some reason, there are overlays available. With regard to the 360 configuration, if you place both thumbs on the analog sticks. Imagine rowing a boot in Ape Escape, it feels weird. Probably the lower stick will be easier to move around considering the MLPP. The asymmetrical design also means the gamepad isn't equally useful to both left and right handed people.

No controller is going to be perfect. For the few games that require symmetrical movement with both analogs, the DS would work better. The thing is, those games are about one in a million. For the vast majority of games, it makes far more sense to put the left analog where your thumb rests naturally. You can make the argument that both analogs should be where your thumbs rest naturally given the control schemes of today's games but the DS would still have it wrong while the 360 would have it half right.

I don't understand your comment about the gamepad and left or right handed people. You have to use the gamepad with your left hand on either controller. It's not an issue where the D-pad is located in that regard.