Dual Shock 3

[Shez]

I like the DS2 as well, but I do think it's starting to show its age a bit. The analogue sticks do not compare well to the cube and xbox pads.

Also a slight alteration on the design i.e to something more like the cube pad, which imo is the most comfortable pad to hold...not withstanding the ridiculously placed z button, and over the top rigged shoulder buttons.

One other thing I wouldn't want to see, is having expansion slots added. I don't like big gaping holes in a joypad.

[Fuddle]

dual shock 3 will be exactly the same as the DS2....but L2 and R2 will be changed to analogue triggers like the dreamcast/xbox.

wireless is only good if they include some kind of charging station.

[?pint]

What about the controller having a small lithium battery like mobile phones. It would last long enough for however long you'd play for (longer than you can stay awake) and when you're done just plug it in and let it recharge. That way you don't have to worry about batteries running out while you're playing, or having to pay for new batteries, and indeed it would make the controller smaller too.

Just a thought.

[Halo]

Would be intresting where you have the option of having it cordless or coded, where it recharges itself when it is corded. It'd be a good idea I think.

[Arctic Feather]

I was disappointed with the DS2 as i've always felt using the analoge sticks quite uncomfortable

The analogue buttons on the DS2 seem near identical to the digital buttons of the DS so the DS2 is essential just a blakc DS2 with very minor adjustments that aren't even made use of

For a DS3 i'm hoping they don't actually call it that and they desgin something new - to me wireless is not important as long as the cable is long enough and rumble can be quite important for some games (it works great in rez) I'm really hoping they move their analogue sticks up and make them smaller more like the GC main stick or perhaps the Xbox's sticks

As for the D-pad i quite like the one on the DS/DS2 but soemthing along the lines of the dreamcast's would be a nice improvement

o and for the guy that mentioned the VMU - hasn't the GBA taken that to the next step? well, except for severly reducing the number of buttons

[mwaawm]

i hate the DS always have any controller that requires me to turn into captain hook in order to use the shoulder buttons is simply evil. How people find it comfortable i dont know the DS shoulder buttons may as well not exist for all their practical use to me.

[Squirtle]

The analogue sticks on the Dual Shock are awful. Truly.

As a comparison, I was playing MSR and Le Mans 24 hrs on the DC today. Tried them first with the DC stick, and then used a converter to try them with the Dual Shock (1+2). Just no comparison. The DC analogue stick is still my favourite analogue stick. It just feels so right with so many games.

Consdering the DS2 sticks came out a year or two (and lets face it - 5 years after the still superior N64 analogue stick) after the DC stick, it's quite shocking as to how bad they are.

[Spacecowboy]

I agree with most ppl, the next DS requires analogue triggers, perhaps a repostioning of the sticks, and most definently a redesign of the sticks themselves!!
I'm not that bothered about wireless, so long as they provide a long cord a la Xbox pad.

Also, how about the next gen pads have an earphone port built in to them?? That way if you were playing a 4 player splitscreen rally game, then each one of you, could hear your own pace notes!

[Molloy]

How about a little docking bay on the machine to leave your Dual Shock or PSP recharge. 8)

[Vaipon]

The only thing I would change about the DS3 is the sticks. Just make them a little more like the XB ones. Everything else is fine. The triggers are already analogue (as are all the DS buttons), and the dpad is perfect. Just revamp the analogue sticks and I'll be happy.

[JammyD]

The Dualshock pad is for me the most comfortable controller. I thought it was the Wavebird, but after finishing Metroid Prime, I found that my fingers were all slightly bent for a week - I couldn't put my hand out flat with my fingers all straight. The DS2 is still comfortable after 12 hours straight play with no side affects
The DS2 is by far the most flexible of the current three controllers, I find it works perfectly for any genre which isn't something I could say about the other two.

That's not to say it's perfect, the analogue sticks could be more accurate but I never feel like the 'deadzone' impedes my aiming. The analogue buttons work fine, try Mad Maestro if you disagree. No problem with the triggers either, I just hope there are still four of them for the next iteration.

[Zed]

An additional comment on shifting the sticks about - Dont do it! after playing a few games that use dual-analogue sticks the directions buttons and the face buttons, it is so much better using your left thumb to go "up" to hit the direction buttons for additional commands than go "down" or towards you body if the stick and directions buttons were transposed.

In these days of many multiple button interactions i find i do like the Dual Shocks general positioning. Maybe if the majority of combinations are for simpler games which just use a single stick and a couple of other buttons (Super Monkey Ball for example) shifting sticks about would work, but control heavy games feel so much better with the DS2.

[roobarb]

Wireless for definite - perhaps usage of bluetooth/wi-fi or similar for the 2-way connectivity? Would the response times be good enough with that?

Also rechargeable batteries would be sensible, and seeing all other portable sony devices have this now I don't see why they wouldn't include it.

[quirky]

They ought to make some sort of analogue trigger, they are the best for racers. The Analogue sticks are OK, I have never found them too loose, but they need to sort it so you don't have to stretch your thumb so far to get to 'em as it usually means pushing the stick on an angle when you really want straight up.

The d-pad is awful though - I've never liked them. A short bout of ISS or something similar results in major thumb-hurtage. I don't know what they could do to fix it, because I've never had the same problem on the similar GBA dpad. Maybe it's the grip needed on teh DS?

[Lebowski]

there is technoligy now in mobile phones that draws power from your laptop to power the phone, its probably a bit far off and quite expensive at the mo, but wouldent it be cool if you could use this on a pad it would mean lightweight pad design with no need for batteries.

wireless x bateryless x light weight = cool pad