D-Pad or Stick?

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D-Pad or Stick?

Postby Thoul » Tue Jan 15, '08, 11:59 pm

There are lots of different control styles for video games, but two of the most widely used as the D-Pad and joystick.

Personally, I prefer using the joystick because I started gaming in arcades and on the Atari 2600, which used that. The more precise moving speed in some games (as in, push a little to walk, more to run) can make for a fun element, too. The D-Pad (D for directional, btw, introduced by Nintendo on the NES I think) works really well for some games, but even on the NES I preferred using a joystick controller to the D-Pad.

What's your opinion?
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Postby SparkyIII » Wed Jan 16, '08, 12:53 am

I always favored the D-pad, mainly because its the control I used to play with only. But now, I like the Sticks, HOWEVER I like the D-pads, cuz they don't ever break. Our Sticks are all stucks. XD
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Postby DrkTr14ce » Wed Jan 16, '08, 4:54 pm

Hoo...boy..that's a tough one. I'm in the middle for this one, but for obvious reasons. If it's 2-D, I'll probably be using my D-Pad. It's a lot more accurate, and feels a bit better than the stick. 3-D, however, and it's Stick all the way. Because then the D-Pad feels too stiff and awkward, especially when trying to go diagonally.
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Postby Thoul » Fri Jan 18, '08, 7:41 am

Yeah, I always hated trying to do a diagonal on the NES or SNES D-Pad. I think one of the Genesis controllers had a D-Pad with a round base to it. That was a lot easier for diagonals.
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Postby DrkTr14ce » Fri Jan 18, '08, 3:40 pm

Really? I haven't really played the Genesis.(I really want to, though.)
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Postby Atlinsmere » Fri Jan 18, '08, 4:20 pm

I used to only use D-Pad all the time but, since I got a gamecube, I have gotten so used to using a Stick it bugs me to use anything else. >_<
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Postby Thoul » Sat Jan 19, '08, 3:10 am

DrkTr14ce wrote:Really? I haven't really played the Genesis.(I really want to, though.)


Yeah, but I can't remember if it was the default three button controller or a six button controller I bought later. I think it might have been the six button, since it was designed more for fighting games and the typical "left, down/left, down" moves than the normal controller was.
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Postby SparkyIII » Sat Jan 19, '08, 5:01 am

Have you ever played with one of the super controllers? It has all the funnest commands like turbo, slow motion and normal mode, plus the mode button, which I still don't get. And all six buttons.
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