HORI Fighting Comander 3 not as great as I thought

[J0e Musashi]

So I've used one of these now, and I can say that it is an excellent fighting pad for SSF2HDR, KOFXII and anything that does not require an 8B setup. The actual D-pad is highly responsive and I could pull off a continuous stream of Dragon Punches with zero difficulty.

However, in my opinion it suffers from a huge design flaw if you do not employ a "piano style" of play.

Look at the shoulder buttons.

Whilst they appear normal they are actually not if you play a game that requires 8 buttons. For instance Street Fighter IV where you would need to set a button to Punch x3 or Kick x3 you will run into what I think is a major problem.

The reason is because they chose to put R1 and R2 as face buttons, instead of L1 and R1.

Due to this, you can only set Punch x3 and Kick x3 to L1 and L2, with R1 and R2 shoulder buttons acting the same as the face buttons of Fierce and Roundhouse (HP and HK). This is not a good thing IMO, being used to having x3 set to L2 and R2. I'm gonna have to look into having the buttons rewired.

Check this out too:

※本品はPlayStation®2規格のソフトウェアでの動作保証は致しません。

Not guaranteed to be compatible with PS2 software. Whilst I never tried any PS2 games out to be sure, this is definitely not a good thing.

[Kubrick]

The SEGA Saturn USB controllers don't work with PS2 games either.

[J0e Musashi]

The PS2 Sega Saturn pads do via an inPin. I should just stayed with those.

[Psyduck]

For sf4, map Px3 and Kx3 to your usual HP and HK buttons. It'll work as HP/HK in all instances except when you actually want Px3/Kx3 ie ultras.
It won't work for gief, balrog or for HP supers but should do the business for the majority of stuff...

[J0e Musashi]

I'm a Gouki player though, that'd mean I couldn't do a Hard Dragon Punch.

If I can get the buttons actually rewired it'll be ok, otherwise. I'll just have to keep people awake at night with clicky sticks.

Wish I'd have known all of this before.

[fuse]

I might be having a blonde moment but couldn't you just change the config in SFIV? You'd have to dip to the menu each time you moved from stick to controller but surely not that big a deal? Certainly sounds preferable to having your hard buttons turning into 3x buttons - I'd be doing EX moves every 5 seconds.

I would probably play 'piano style' anyway, 3 x punch/kick buttons are cheating surely

[Decider-VT]

Sounds like good news on the D-pad, though. Is is comparable to the SNES one?

[J0e Musashi]

couldn't you just change the config in SFIV?

You can, but you can't really have x3's as L2 and R2 as the pad doesn't physically allow it. You'd have to have HK on L1 if you did have it that way.

Even if they'd have made the face buttons L1 and L2, it'd have been better. I want my left thumb to only have to worry about movment. I find it quite difficult to pull off D, DF, Fx2 and press L2.

If you play piano style then you may as well use a stick non? It's defeated the whole object of actually using a pad for me.

Sounds like good news on the D-pad, though. Is is comparable to the SNES one?

Yes, although it is raised more. Diagonals are more precise than a floating design. Accidents cannot really occur.

[Brad]

Is it better than the 360's D-pad?

[kernow]

People set px3 and kx3 buttons? ahahah

[speedlolita]

People set px3 and kx3 buttons? ahahah

Yeah, on a pad I kind of understand but I'd rather just not play SF4.

[fuse]

You can, but you can't really have x3's as L2 and R2 as the pad doesn't physically allow it. You'd have to have HK on L1 if you did have it that way.

This is the bit I don't get. From the diagram you've posted, I'd set R1 = HP, R2 = HK, L1 = 3P, L2 = 3K. Does the game not allow you to do that? Or is it the fact that you've not got two shoulder buttons on the right hand side to do both of the 3x buttons?

If you play piano style then you may as well use a stick non? It's defeated the whole object of actually using a pad for me.

I do use a stick. I thought the point of you getting these was to reduce the noise of a stick so you could play late at night?

[Flabio]

Or is it the fact that you've not got two shoulder buttons on the right hand side to do both of the 3x buttons?

I got the impression it was this.

The Madcatz fightpad is the same for this by the way.

[J0e Musashi]

This is the bit I don't get. From the diagram you've posted, I'd set R1 = HP, R2 = HK, L1 = 3P, L2 = 3K. Does the game not allow you to do that? Or is it the fact that you've not got two shoulder buttons on the right hand side to do both of the 3x buttons?

Yes, that's it. I don't see why you would have the two shoulder buttons on the left seeing as you are pressing face buttons with your right thumb. You should use the same hand for the triggers IMO. It seems dumb that you have to use your left hand to do this. They should have set L1 and L2 as the face buttons.

I thought the point of you getting these was to reduce the noise of a stick so you could play late at night?

That is indeed the point of me buying them, but unless I can get the buttons remapped then I'm not gonna bother. Waste of £50 I'm thinking.

People set px3 and kx3 buttons? ahahah

You never had a Saturn I take it? Unless you play piano style, then you'd surely need x3 buttons. But if you play piano style you should just get a stick, non?

I'd rather just not play SF4.

Indeed, or only in the day it seems.

The Madcatz fightpad is the same for this by the way.

I had more hope that HORI wouldn't have been so blind, but no.

[Morph]

As a pad and stick player I see your problem dude, would have best if they put a tiny switch and allowed you to chose if you wanted L's or R's. Mapping the R's to 3 buttons definitely means Gouki is a no no, as you said your best bet is to try and rewire them your self if its even possible. Shame as it sounds like a really nice pad.