Gamepad racers: how do you steer with left stick?

[yyr]

Old-school steering with a D-Pad was easily the best input method - pressure sensitive analogue D-Pad during the PlayStation 3 generation - because applying pressure downward is way more controllable than applying the right sense of pressure left or right on a stick. Usually I'd end up applying way too much pressure, especially when there are swift direction changes in track layout or overtaking.

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In this thread I learned that the Directional Buttons on the DualShock 2 and 3 controllers were pressure-sensitive. But the functionality sounds nearly-useless to me...because the possible travel distance seems really small. Similarly to the Cross/Circle/Square/Triangle buttons on the same controllers, I'm not sure how I could merely half-press the buttons.

In general, I feel that the Xbox 360/One's standard controllers have better analog sticks for racing games than the PlayStation consoles, because they require more pressure to move. This increases the gap between the minimum and maximum levels of pressure, making it easier to apply half-pressure, 75%, etc.

But an even better solution was the Namco neGcon, which had analog "I" and "II" buttons that came up further on the controller than the others, introducing a much greater travel distance. This made it easy to press it down halfway, 25% of the way, etc. Combined with the natural-feeling twisting motion, it really was an ideal controller for racing games. I played Ridge Racer 1 through V with it. It also worked with Gran Turismo 1 and 2 (but sadly not 3 and 4). I'd love if they could reintroduce it for modern consoles.

 

[SigSig]

Left/Right but I'll try pushing forward and rotating for subtle movement going forward. Seems like it would alleviate deadzone issues/allow to do real fine movement.

 

[score01]

When I first entered this thread I thought op had gone crazy but the more I think of it... pushing forward on the stick would make it easier to make slight left right adjustments?

Haven't pressed up on the stick since accelerate went to a button/triggers.

 

[Teenage Fansub]

I get pushing up since it gives you tension to hold a less than 100% turn steady.

 

[Chiramii]

I always play racing games with a keyboard even though I have controllers and a wheel readily available. Don't @ me.

Maybe I should invest in a Wooting mechanical analog keyboard for those fine adjustments.

 

[cognizant]

In this thread I learned that the Directional Buttons on the DualShock 2 and 3 controllers were pressure-sensitive. But the functionality sounds nearly-useless to me...because the possible travel distance seems really small. Similarly to the Cross/Circle/Square/Triangle buttons on the same controllers, I'm not sure how I could merely half-press the buttons.

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One of the Metal Gear games, I think 2, required you to half press a button to aim a pistol, or something like that. It was incredibly counter-intuitive! I shot so many people by accident.

 

[FlanjeUK]

https://youtu.be/xBhoVgdhup4

 

[Decarb]

Push up and rotate for Gran Turismo/Forza, left-right for everything else. I thought it was silly before I tried it, never went back to left-right for sims again.

 

[i-Jest]

I've never given it much thought but I guess I rotate as I'm going along.

 

[Segaswirl]

I've only heard of people pushing up and rotating when playing Daytona USA 2001 on the Dreamcast because the handling on that was so twitchy.

 

[Deleted member 24097]

Come on.
How is "move your entire upper body" not even in the poll?

 

[Lukemia SL]

Left and right, I use the other stick to accelerate/break.

 

[cognizant]

Come on.
How is "move your entire upper body" not even in the poll?

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Just be glad I didn't put Thor: The Dark World.

 

[Deleted member 24097]

Just be glad I didn't put Thor: The Dark World.

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Then again, moving one's upper body when playing racing games is something no one doubts the existence of, and usually has even witnessed with their own eyes.

(N... No! I totally never do it at all! Stop asking me questions!)

 

[Starwing]

Huh, I never even considered the second one. Usually if I used the analig stick, I'd just make a more careful and percise push to the left or right. Regardless, I mostly use the d-pad for racers since they're more accurate for me when turning.

 

[Goodacre0081]

longer sticks actually help with this

 

[aspiegamer]

Keeping the stick shoved forward sounds like it would be extremely painful, and I'd never once considered this. You find extra speed in smoother, more presicse movements in a sim racer, and not just thrashing all the way side to side. I guess it'd be possible to adapt that to also holding the stick up but my thumb cramps up just thinking about trying it.

On another note, one Summer I spent so much time playing Gran Turismo 5 that I got RSI in the finger I used to hold the R2 trigger down to accelerate, so I taught myself to use the right analogue stick for acceleration.

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This is a bit less of an issue on the DS4 with the triggers being swishy, but yeah I highly recommend people additionally map right stick+up to throttle as a backup for hand fatigue.

How is "move your entire upper body" not even in the poll?

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Hah. That's how you know you're really focusing.

 

[GamerJM]

I always push forward.

 

[Falchion]

I only push up and to the side with games that have horse controls like Red Dead or the Witcher because those feel weird to just turn left and right since you're more leading them by the head instead of turning wheels.

 

[ghibli99]

I tried the hold forward and rotate left/right for more nuanced steering, but it never felt quite right to me... if there's d-pad support, and I'm not using my wheel/pedals, I just tap/hold that. It's worked for me for decades.

 

[AStrangerIsHere]

I've thought about that when I played Gran Turismo 6, so I tried it: if it's allow for a better handling, it's also more tiring because you have to keep pushing up (almost) all the time.

And while I was playing like that, an idea dawned on me: why aren't there any pad with a micro wheel in place of the left analog stick somewhere? Because I would buy one if it can help me have a better control of a car. After all, not everybody have the money to buy a wheel.