What was the worst controller? - Toss up between the Steam controller and N64 IMO

Microsoft's Sidewinder Dual Strike was a failed attempt to produce a controller for FPS games on the PC. The angle of rotation on one of the axes was way too small and didn't allow for any precise movement and having to apply counter force with one hand while rotating the thing with the other got annoying very quickly.

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Kosher Dill said:
I want to give an honorable mention to the Famicom. Fine controllers once the quality issues on the first batch were worked out... but they were hardwired into the system on cords approximately 3 inches long.
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You can get it modded to extend the controllers, but the NES had the right idea on having removable controllers, at the expense of ditching a lot of things that Famicom had.
 
Battlecruiser3000ad said:
I, uh, actually do have it, but it's not really what I'd want - the two buttons near the each analog throttle they added there are extremely flimsy and unusable so B/W are better to use, and I'd like the other things bonetrollers have. Ax the dumb display as well.
But I understand they wanted to recreate the Duke and not bring the glory of Duke's size to the modern day. Still love it for games where I don't have to use b/w.
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OG Duke felt good, but you had to claw or monkey paw your finger around from the trigger to reach B/W. A modern Duke with USB 2/3.0 and a proper breakaway on a 10' cord would probably sell like hotcakes, just due to the removal of B/W. Put those stupid media keys up there and away from where most people remember Back/Select and Start/Pause are. Fucking hate every Switch controller for those dumbass buttons.
TheBest said:
Anything MadCatz, dear God those were awful
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Fuck you, this thing was cheating and you can't change my mind.Wireless-controller_96399.1522869694.jpg

It was about the same size as a PS2 controller IIRC. Never had an issue with it, I think I replaced the batteries once a year, and it had really good signal up to about 20'. Just as durable as the Duke, but actually useful in games where you need B/W.
 
plattschwanz said:
Microsoft's Sidewinder Dual Strike was a failed attempt to produce a controller for FPS games on the PC. The angle of rotation on one of the axes was way too small and didn't allow for any precise movement and having to apply counter force with one hand while rotating the thing with the other got annoying very quickly.

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To be fair though these controllers came at a time when the PC was limited to mouse and keyboard and home consoles hadn't come up with the dual stick lay out yet.

It was a pretty innovate way to navigate 3D space and while not all of the Sidewinders were hits they had a pretty obvious influence on the next generation of controllers.
 
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tehpope said:
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yeah more or less what I had issues with (utterly shit ergo), I got used to the move-and-look on left hand to a large extent but it was not great for fine aiming (which gets IMPORTANT in some of these games).
 
Iron Jaguar said:
M/KB
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A decent optical mouse is bar-none one of the best controllers possible for an FPS or anything where fine aiming is a must. Keyboard... well, you have options/alternatives that aren't the usual 101/104 US layout.

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(older Belkin Nostromo speedpads were kind of crap but supposedly they've improved over the years)
 
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Speaking of the N64 controller, there are 2 ways to hold it: by the sides to use the D-pad and the buttons on the right, or with the left hand on the center "prong" and the other on the right side, to use the 3D stick and buttons on the right. But not both. So a game with good controls couldn't use both the D-pad and 3D stick together At least it isn't too uncomfortable to use for awhile (at least to me).

So yeah, it's kind of a bad design (they even mock it in the DK64 manual).
 
ToroidalBoat said:
Speaking of the N64 controller, there are 2 ways to hold it: by the sides to use the D-pad and the buttons on the right, or with the left hand on the center "prong" and the other on the right side, to use the 3D stick and buttons on the right. But not both. So a game with good controls couldn't use both the D-pad and 3D stick together At least it isn't too uncomfortable to use for awhile (at least to me).

So yeah, it's kind of a bad design (they even mock it in the DK64 manual).
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Honestly the thing that fucked with me the worst when playing Turok or Goldeneye was C-key movement with the analog being much like a flightstick hat for aim (but way worse in feel). I got used to it but it's a complete inversion of most PC FPS (where right hand is controlling POV/aim and left hand handles movement - if you're a lefty it might work better for you but for a righty you're used to that right hand being in control of fine movement and the left just handling the simpler stuff)
 
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TFT-A9 said:
Honestly the thing that fucked with me the worst when playing Turok or Goldeneye was C-key movement with the analog being much like a flightstick hat for aim (but way worse in feel). I got used to it but it's a complete inversion of most PC FPS (where right hand is controlling POV/aim and left hand handles movement - if you're a lefty it might work better for you but for a righty you're used to that right hand being in control of fine movement and the left just handling the simpler stuff)
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N64 FPSes were the result of an awkward period in between Doom and Half-Life's designs being prominent. Try to think of Goldeneye as being closer to Doom's gameplay style, but with Half-Life's graphic quality.

You can also change the controls in both games, like making the D-pad essentially your WASD, though you still have to switch weapons with A & B which is awkward when the analog stick is in your right hand.
 
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ShortBusDriver said:
To be fair though these controllers came at a time when the PC was limited to mouse and keyboard and home consoles hadn't come up with the dual stick lay out yet.

It was a pretty innovate way to navigate 3D space and while not all of the Sidewinders were hits the had a pretty obvious influence on the next generation of controllers.
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The lack of ANY kind of standard was also a huge problem, the closest thing I can remember that most things supported without a problem was the Gravis Gamepad. If a joypad had 11 buttons, a stick and an analog throttle that registered as a one-axis yoke then who knows how a game will react to that and what it lets you bind things to.
The throttle for a racing game should be on the analog trigger but why would a game about cars register inputs from what identifies itself as something found on flight-sim gear?
Then the position of the "A" button equivalent might be registered as button 7 and the game only polls buttons 1 to 4 for mapping controls.

I had a controller exactly like that in the 90's. It was really nice but it could be a real pain in the ass.
 
I've never liked Dualshocks because of the stick placement, but the worst first party controller I've ever used is probably the 64 just because of how poorly they hold up. Basically none of my controllers have usable sticks anymore.

Either the Switch Pro or Gamecube is probably my favorite. The Gamecube's games used its button placement incredibly well and the analog triggers were great, but it loses points for the shitty C stick and D pad. The classic 360 gets a shout out too for being the "Ol Reliable" of controllers, which is ironic considering the console it's paired with.
 
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