Navigating menus with an analog stick mimicking a mouse pointer.
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Who needs the D-pad?
- Thread starter Hummel003
- Start date
Navigating menus with an analog stick mimicking a mouse pointer.
I use the Pokken controller for 2D games that I play docked. It's got a long cable and is generally an underated retro controller imo. I understand a wired controller isn't for everyone in 2020 though lol.
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Oh god. Did this trend started with Destiny? I remember being one the first games were I took notice of this type of menu navigation because it was just so bad imo.
Idk, I use analog sticks for everything on consoles, they feel much better to me than the d pad
-Menu navigation
-2D sidescrollers/platformers
-Fighting games
I play fighting games using the d-pad so it's absolutely critical for me.
-2D sidescrollers/platformers
-Fighting games
I play fighting games using the d-pad so it's absolutely critical for me.
I miss the rumble as well, but it's a sacrifice I'm more than willing to make.
You thought very very wrong. Fightsticks are digital input for a reason.
Yeah you need a Dpad for 2D games. You probably haven't played anything demanding if you're fine playing them with a stick. Also find many racing games tend to control better with Dpad's too. Menu navigation is better also.
- All the time on any menu
- Any 2D platformers
- Some 3D platformers like Crash 4 where I want to move in absolute 8 way directions
- Fighting games
- Most retro games, as many of them are designed for 8 way movement
- Any sort of grid based game, such as Disgaea, I'll use the d-pad
On the whole I probably use the d-pad as much, if not more than the analog stick. It really depends what type of games you play. The popularity if first person shooters downplays the value of the d-pad in other genres.
Arcade sticks are assigned to digital / d-pad and aren't based on analog input.
D-Pad is pretty much invaluable for most arcade games and 2D platformers and side scroller titles.
Especially with games that require absolutely precise and small inputs such as STG's like Ikaruga, Crimzon Clover, Mushihimesama, or Radiant Silvergun rely on D-Pad input and are absolutely terrible with Analogue.
D-Pad is pretty much invaluable for most arcade games and 2D platformers and side scroller titles.
Especially with games that require absolutely precise and small inputs such as STG's like Ikaruga, Crimzon Clover, Mushihimesama, or Radiant Silvergun rely on D-Pad input and are absolutely terrible with Analogue.
Anything 2d that requires quick precise inputs is best played on dpad. Analogue sticks have deadzones and need a lot more thumb travel in general, making them slower than dpads.
Fighting games.
I was at my cousin's house this weekend and his 13 year old daughter was playing Street Fighter V which she had gotten free on PS+ and oh my God she was trying to play with the analog stick.
So frustrating. Even after I showed her the benefits of using the d-pad for cardinal movements on Chun-Li (her character of choice) for proper charging of the moves (God bless her heart, she didn't know there were special moves and has been playing for weeks with just normals), and watching her gameplay improve I still saw her gravitate back and forth mid match between the analog stick and d-pad.
I was at my cousin's house this weekend and his 13 year old daughter was playing Street Fighter V which she had gotten free on PS+ and oh my God she was trying to play with the analog stick.
So frustrating. Even after I showed her the benefits of using the d-pad for cardinal movements on Chun-Li (her character of choice) for proper charging of the moves (God bless her heart, she didn't know there were special moves and has been playing for weeks with just normals), and watching her gameplay improve I still saw her gravitate back and forth mid match between the analog stick and d-pad.
It's useful for most 2D plats. Some are OK with a stick, I didn't mind celeste or super meat boy on stick.
Also some menus feel better on d pad.
Also some menus feel better on d pad.
Only monsters use analog sticks in 2D games. MONSTERS. Put good Dpads on controllers! This shouldn't be so damn hard. Looking at you Nintendo! Of all the companies to have bad Dpads...
And every selection is hold to confirm. There's no simple button presses.
It drives me nuts when you start a 2D game, and the dpad is disabled and only the analog controls it. Mildly drives me nuts when the same happens on menu screens.
To add to OP's opinion (which I mostly agree with) - I find it hilarious that people complain about the separated buttons on the joy con "d pad" (which - unless you have a tiny ass thumb - is hardly that different from a regular one in gameplay) while also complaining that the dpad on the pro controller isn't accurate. The separated buttons = more accuracy in a "dpad" than you could ever hope for.
Do you play fighters? Cause if you did you would realize that buttons need to be a d pad or else they won't work well.
I actually don't mind hold to confirm for some games. Especially in some games with a critical decision you meant to select the other option instead with no way to undo your choice.
I can't wait until the kids who are growing up playing exclusively on touchscreens post threads wondering why we need buttons at all. Should be fun.
EVERYTHING is hold to confim. Want to go back? Hold to confirm. Want to go into a sub menu? Hold to confirm? Want to sell an item? Hold to confirm for every single item - no multiples.
It would truly be the menu from hell.
While I don't doubt that's the future, people said the same after the Wii, and here we are.
I'm a believer in using the right tool for the job. My games are split across platforms, so the necessity of a good D-pad varies. For example, the Switch is my primary system. I appreciate the Joy-Con buttons for what they accomplish regarding accessible multiplayer, but an optional Nintendo-made Joy-Con with a D-pad would be great. Despite that, I've found the tactility of the sticks to be surprisingly good alternatives. For PC I have a wide arrange of options for indie and retro games so that's a non-issue. I rarely play anything on Xbox or Playstation that would be better with a D-pad, so I'm happy as long as they're good enough for menu navigation. ^-^
I still use is extensively, in all kind of 2D games. The stick isn't effective on them unless it's gated, and not even Nintendo makes them like that anymore.
