Author Topic: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?  (Read 3165 times)

The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« on: July 16, 2017, 02:17:15 am »
which kind of video game movement device do you like better.? I prefer the D-pad in which according to the following video was invented by Nintendo in 1982


Wiki information about the joystick (1910)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joystick

video from "The Gaming Historian" Who Invented The D Pad "spoiler Nintendo did (1982)"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmMDzgTB7o&list=PL397C52406E483BAB&index=4
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 02:19:19 am by oldgamerz »
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Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2017, 02:48:30 am »
D-Pad for sure.  I've only barely touched the Atari 2600 joystick, which are terrible.  Though Stealthrush brings up analog sticks and is that part of the discussion? Because analog sticks win out outside of maybe like fighting games, where it's more about the d-pad and arcade sticks.  Though if we are just talking about joysticks, that would I assume include arcade cabinet joysticks, which have their place, but I still prefer d-pads generally...which has been done on arcade cabinets before.  I use to play on a multi-game Nintendo cabinet that came with an over-sized SNES controller back when I was a kid lol
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 04:55:39 am by kamikazekeeg »

burningdoom

PRO Supporter

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2017, 02:58:33 am »
Grew up on the NES, so I prefer a D-pad.

stealthrush

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2017, 04:10:44 am »
Arcade Stick and then D-Pad. Never was a fan of PS1 and PS2 analog controllers, to this day.

pzeke

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2017, 04:59:35 pm »
D-Pad, but either is fine with me.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 11:13:16 pm by pzeke »

I know your every move behind this face; I have control over expendable slaves.
When confrontation comes down to the wire, I'll use my cyclotrode to commence the fire.
You're never gonna get me!

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2017, 05:02:21 pm »
It really depends on the game for me, it's all about how they coded the movements for them.

brazbit

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2017, 10:30:32 pm »
Whatever the game was coded for. Forcing one to play a game written for the other is generally a fools game.

Not trying to do everything with a single input method makes for far greater control in games, and for many timeless games that would never have worked if forced to use a different input method. Trackballs for Centipede, Missile Command, and Marble Madness. Steering wheels for Super Sprint, Turbo, Spy Hunter. Light Guns for Duck Hunt and Wild Gunman. Twin Joysticks for Robotoron 2084, Battlezone and Smash TV. Paddles for Breakout, Pong, Kaboom, Warlords.  Handlebars for Paperboy. Flight Yokes for Star Wars Arcade and Top Gun. The Power PAD for that one game and DDR... R.O.B. for pushing A & B on controller two... Umm.. The Power Glove for... well... that's enough of that. You get the point, moving on...

Kaboom! is a fantastic game that cannot be satisfactorily controlled with either D-pad or Joystick. Same goes for Missile Command and Marble Madness. Sure many games can be controlled with either but they are really only satisfactory with the controller they were designed for. Even Q*bert, which was designed for a joystick, is only properly controllable at home if you hold the controller at a 45 degree angle so even using the proper controller requires a compromise.

That being said, put me down for Joystick. ;)

I have a lot of nostalgia for the joystick. A game like Pac-Man on a proper, short throw, arcade joystick is far more enjoyable than the same exact game on a D-Pad. Even at the height of the NES I would use a Joystick (Beeshu Jazz Stick primarily, liked it better than the Advantage) for arcade games like Contra and the DPad for things like Zelda. A bad joystick is worse than not having one at all though, so quality matters.

If I could only have one, it would be a good joystick, thankfully I have choices.

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2017, 08:03:39 am »
Depends.  Most things D-pad for sure.  3D games, D-pad just can't do justice, so joystick.  FPS games, regardless of 2D/3D, go joystick.


kashell

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2017, 08:44:18 am »
Directional Pad.

However, I wish I had the time to master sticks for fighting games. Doing all of those inputs on a d-pad really hurts your thumbs.

pzeke

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2017, 09:20:48 am »
Doing all of those inputs on a d-pad really hurts your thumbs.

So true.

I used to place a towel on the d-pad, but it rarely worked.

I know your every move behind this face; I have control over expendable slaves.
When confrontation comes down to the wire, I'll use my cyclotrode to commence the fire.
You're never gonna get me!

rayne315

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2017, 09:41:26 am »
each has there own use which is why modern controlers have both. joystick has a lot of freedom of movement and with it you can move in very complicated ways (26° north west for example). where as the D-pad is a refined 8 directional pad that is definitely for more refined movement. I cant imagine beating a game like trials fusion without the d-pad and I cant imagine beating a game like dark souls without a joystick.
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azure

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2017, 11:13:52 am »
All depends on the game. 2D games are usually D-pad, 3D are analog etc.

tripredacus

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2017, 11:20:45 am »
Keyboard.  8)

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #13 on: July 17, 2017, 12:09:25 pm »
For tournament fighters and arcade fighters, and beat em ups and of course any linear 2d games from the past,  D-Pad.   Most modern games like Halo and ratchet and clank or kingdom hearts...  any shooters, sports or racing games i always go definitely with joy stick.



pzeke

Re: The D Pad? Or The Joystick?
« Reply #14 on: July 17, 2017, 01:50:02 pm »

I know your every move behind this face; I have control over expendable slaves.
When confrontation comes down to the wire, I'll use my cyclotrode to commence the fire.
You're never gonna get me!