Biggest Advancement in Controllers

Hey everybody,

So I was watching the E3 report on the new Ghost Recon game, and their use of the Kinect was pretty impressive (mind you I am not sold at all on motion controls).

This made me think before this whole motion control movement (or fad) what was the most important advancement in controlling video games? To me, I'd just have to say the change from a joystick to a D-Pad/buttons layout.

i think the biggest innovation was good analog sticks. (like on the ps1 dual shock controller). the fact that they are buttons as well is huge. Next I would say the D-pad design of nintendo. the original NES controller is amazing if u ask me.

the wii u touch screen and ability to use the controller to display the game , ,

that has to be big ,,

that makes wii u a freakin hybrid

the wii u touch screen and ability to use the controller to display the game , ,

that has to be big ,,

that makes wii u a freakin hybrid

mariokart64fan

The analog stick as redefined by the N64 pad imo. However I now feel it's time to move on and I'd go for a trackball controller. Sadly no console company is listening.

Yeah I would have to put the analog stick up there, especially with the dual shock/ dual analogs, which allowed for both y and x axis movement/looking.

Analog sticks were a great advancement as well as shoulder buttons.

The N64's analog stick.

controller shape. the newer controllers are more comfortable than the gen before

Analog sticks were a great advancement as well as shoulder buttons.

DSmon

Shoulder buttons, well on handhelds at least. When I first found out that the GBA was going to have shoulder buttons I nearly shat a brick.

the wii u touch screen and ability to use the controller to display the game , ,

that has to be big ,,

that makes wii u a freakin hybrid

mariokart64fan

I think this may be the first time for it, but I agree with you. Wii U was pretty dang impressive and as far back as I can remember has to be the biggest jump in controller technology.

The D pad in 1983 by Nintendo. The analog sticks of the Dualshock controller by Sony. (Yes I know Nintendo had Analog thumbstick in Sept 1996) So Nintendo gets the inovation credit but Sony perfected Analog control with the DualShock Controllers, 1,2,3. 1996-2011 sorry Nintendo.

Biggest advancement I remember is the N64 controller. Allowed you to play FPS effectively on consoles, and analog movement was a huge upgrade.

The mouse...CellAnimation

Interestingly the mouse was never ment to be a gaming controller. But things changed quickly when we got "point and click" adventures, FPSes, real-time strategies and so forth.

To all you N64 analog stick folks, I'll just leave this here: They were released two weeks apart, so throw Sega a bone, willya?El_Zo1212o

are you sure the Saturn pad came out first??

at any rate even if it didn't , the first analog controller was not the N64 controller, but the Atari 5200 controller.

[QUOTE="El_Zo1212o"]To all you N64 analog stick folks, I'll just leave this here: They were released two weeks apart, so throw Sega a bone, willya?Darkman2007

are you sure the Saturn pad came out first??

at any rate even if it didn't , the first analog controller was not the N64 controller, but the Atari 5200 controller.

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"]

[QUOTE="El_Zo1212o"]To all you N64 analog stick folks, I'll just leave this here: They were released two weeks apart, so throw Sega a bone, willya?El_Zo1212o

are you sure the Saturn pad came out first??

at any rate even if it didn't , the first analog controller was not the N64 controller, but the Atari 5200 controller.

[QUOTE="El_Zo1212o"]To all you N64 analog stick folks, I'll just leave this here: They were released two weeks apart, so throw Sega a bone, willya?Darkman2007

are you sure the Saturn pad came out first??

at any rate even if it didn't , the first analog controller was not the N64 controller, but the Atari 5200 controller.

I've heard some claims that Sony actually made the analoge stick before Nintendo but the N64 still was the first console to feature it on a gamepad. I'm sure there were analoge sticks before but they weren't really relevant for 3D gaming.

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"]

[QUOTE="El_Zo1212o"]To all you N64 analog stick folks, I'll just leave this here: They were released two weeks apart, so throw Sega a bone, willya?nameless12345

are you sure the Saturn pad came out first??

at any rate even if it didn't , the first analog controller was not the N64 controller, but the Atari 5200 controller.

I've heard some claims that Sony actually made the analoge stick before Nintendo but the N64 still was the first console to feature it on a gamepad. I'm sure there were analoge sticks before but they weren't really relevant for 3D gaming.