PS2 Analog Buttons

[Tom Salter]

Just been playing Primal on the PS2, and was just thinking. The attacks in this game make use of the analog nature of the buttons (i.e. a hard press becomes a hard attack) and yet while this sounds great on paper, it just doesn't work in the heat of battle.

Same goes for racing games. Moto GP in particular. When analog buttons are used, it becomes difficult to hold down the button all the way, and soon you switch back to digital controls.

Anyone else had any problems, or does anyone think that the buttons are actually useful in a game? Discuss.

[Afterbirth]

The butto config in primal is supposed to be pretty dire anyway (don't they use the shoulder buttons?).
Analog buttons are more applicable/suited to driving games, esp. when taking corners as you can control the speed without slide-outs.

[Tom Salter]

I agree with driving games working with analog buttons, but not the PS2 ones...

It's just too hard to gauge the sensitivity on these things. And using them in a fighting game, that's awful.

Analog triggers are the way forward

[Afterbirth]

Pro Evo 2 makes good use of them, but i kinda see your point as digital buttons just have to be held down longer instead of pressed harder.
People were saying you could speed up quicker but thats not really true as with digital buttons the speed will increase as fast as its programmed to (theres only on/off). In fact, you could accelerate slower, but thats all.
And its also true that judging how hard to depress the button does not help, although it could be argued that you could feel your way through a racing game. Stab-button games are best worked with digital i guess.

[Brats]

I do agree that the analogue buttons can be a bit hit and miss. I quite like them in Vice City, but in GT3 I prefer using the right analogue stick for acceleration/braking.

[Henning]

Thanks for bringing it up (yes I don?t have weak hands), I?m totally tired in my right thumb after a driving session. Now hopes there is a digital option in Kaido Battle.

[yashiro]

Analog buttons are a waste of time as the travel is too small for you to gauge.
They are also badly implemented on PS2 as they're more 'pressure senstive' than 'analog'. This hurts your thumb in the long run too.

The dpad on dual shock 2s is also 'analog' and this leads to a spongy less tactile feel imo. Not great for fighters.

I think that dpad and buttons should be digital on/off only. Analog triggers on the other hand are welcome as long as the travel is sufficient.

[Tom Salter]

Edit : As for analog triggers, do you mean the A.Pad buttons or shoulder buttons?

I meant Xbox/Dreamcast/GC analog triggers! They are fantastic for racing games. And as for GT3, I just use the analog sticks too, but only for steering, I prefer the digital nature of the control.

[Tom Salter]

Dpad and buttons should be digital on/off only. Analog triggers on the other hand are welcome as long as the travel is sufficient.

Like the gamecube? Not quite sure that the xbox one's are that great yet.

I mean, why did sony bother with a dual shock 2, when the original was imo superior? Another case of marketing guff getting in the way of practicality.

[yashiro]

Annoyances aside, the dual shock 2 is lighter than the original dual shock. Oh yeah... and it's black.
What more do you want?

[Jay]

Call me cynical, but I suspect Sony made the buttons on the DS2 analogue for purely financial reasons. Apparently the buttons return a value between 0-255 depending on the amount of pressure applied. As these buttons have a travel of about 1mm, I think most people agree that it is pretty pointless. And I agree with the comments about the DC triggers. As crappy as DC pads are, the analogue triggers are superb for racing games.

Jay

[markftmuk2]

I hate using them in racing games, cruising along with police behind you, only to realise you're grounding to a halt for not pressing hard enough.

[KempStar]

Why would they do it for financial reasons? surely analog components are more complex, and thus expensive than digital ones. MGS2 makes excellent use of the analog buttons imo, you can use them to "ease of" the gun. Hard to explain this unless you have actually played the game

[Tom Salter]

Oh aye, MGS2 is a fantastic example, but I'd have preferred this with triggers. You had to be extremely careful to not let off a shot, as there's not enough play with the buttons.

[C']

Call me cynical, but I suspect Sony made the buttons on the DS2 analogue for purely financial reasons. Apparently the buttons return a value between 0-255 depending on the amount of pressure applied. As these buttons have a travel of about 1mm, I think most people agree that it is pretty pointless.

The amount of travel in the Dual Shock 2's 'analog' buttons is not important. It's how much pressure you exert on them once they are pressed down that is the determining factor.

Still doesn't stop them being guff though.