“Nearly perfect” and “pretty much perfect” were two of your comments about Halo 3. “I absolutely loved the Halo 3 campaign” and “Halo 3 is the best FPS I have played” were two more.*
Like fellow Xbox 360 title Forza 3 it was not a great success from a Tweak It point of view. Nevertheless, you did come up with a handful of tweaks that could be applied to Halo 3:
- Genetically-enhanced super-soldiers shouldn’t need to rely on an armour ability to be able to sprint. ~ Kennykazey, hazelam
- A compass on the H.U.D. so that “when they tell you to go east or west” you know which way to go. ~ hazelam
- Smarter allied A.I. when using vehicles. ~ Kennykazey
- Co-op matchmaking. ~ Armonster9000
*Glowing comments from Armonster9000, Sad Panda, a inferior race and Sad Panda (again) respectively.
The PlayStation’s controllers have remained remarkably unchanged considering that we are not that far away from the twentieth anniversary of the brand’s launch; the addition of the two analogue sticks being the only really significant difference that is immediately apparent.
Contrast this with how Nintendo’s controllers have changed over a similar timescale, starting with the N64’s ‘tri-hulled’ design; then onto the Gamecube’s controller, which is still one of my all-time favourites; and then from the wireless Wavebird to the Wiimote, and finally next year we’ll have the Wii U’s ‘tablet’ controller.
Clearly there must be something about the design of Sony’s PlayStation controller that just works. Either that or whenever they show something different, like the infamous PS3 ‘boomerang’ controller concept, the negative reaction is so venomous that it frightens them off from making any changes.
It is not surprising that we tend to have strong feelings about a controller. A console’s controller is arguably its most important feature. It is the part of the system that you continually interact with throughout your time with the console. Whether wireless or not it is your physical connection to the console being thrust triumphantly skywards in victory or hurled floor-wards in anger and frustration.
All that means that controllers are a very personal preference and we will all have likes and dislikes about them. Personally, this is how I would tweak the Sony’s DualShock 3:
- Produce a version which is essentially a PS3 Dual Analog controller. The “arms” of the original PlayStation Dual Analog were longer than those of other PlayStation controllers and were pitched at slightly less of an angle in relation to the controller’s ‘face’. The Dual Analog’s analogue sticks themselves also had concave tops rather than being the mushroom-like appendages we are now left with.
- While on the subject of concave-y-ness, I would also prefer concave triggers. I have tried some of the various third party add-ons to make the triggers but there is something not quite right about the feel, the pivot point feels wrong. I suspect integrated concave triggers would not have that problem.
With what must collectively be hundreds of thousands of hours of holding PlayStation controllers in your sweaty little hands, you must have some great ideas for how you would tweak it to perfection…
BIGAL-1992
Concave triggers please. The Dualshock 3 triggers have the unusual effect of causing cramps in my fingers due to my medical condition. Hence why I use gioteck clip-on triggers to help me.
eye8have9you3
Ok well first things first, it’s brilliant as it is. Yes concave sticks might be a bit better, but I like the L2/R2 buttons as they are, for me R1 makes a much better trigger for FPS games than the 360 controller anyway, so the second shoulder buttons are for me often just that, secondary. What I would like is a way of stopping the shoulder buttons from getting jogged and fastforwarding when watching films etc. but that could easily be solve by just using the analogue sticks instead and don’t use the shoulder buttons for anything whilst watching video.
Finally the only actual improvement I can think of would be wireless charging, like the ill-fated HP touchpad. Put whatever tech you need for it in the middle rectangular bit, then release a stylish official stand so that when you’re finished gaming you can just put the controller down on it and leave it to charge, eliminating the annoying tangle of usb cables and extensions I usually have sticking out of my PS3 and give me somewhere to keep my controllers that isn’t 3rd party and tacky, and stops them from cluttering up the whole room.
Deathbrin
R1 is only better on PS3 cause it’s well, the only button that works. The 360 shooters that require you have pressure sensitivity (like Alan Wake for instance), won’t work with the L1/R1 setup.
eye8have9you3
Not played alan wake so I can’t comment, but you can get a decent level of sensitivity from all the buttons on a ds3.
Deathbrin
Well you wouldn’t be saying that if you did i think.
moshi
It fits perfectly like a good pair of gloves.
colmshan1990
To everyone talking about the triggers accidentally fast forwarding a video, why don’t you guys turn off the controller in a video? It only takes a second to turn back on, saves power, and effectively ‘locks’ the controller.
Hmm… There’s an option- a ‘lock’ switch for people who don’t want to turn their controller off?
Oh, and I’d like changeable skins too- kind of like the 360’s console faceplates. If you could remove the plastic and put a different piece of plastic over it, it’d be nice. They could sell more designs as accessories, or even stick them in collector’s editions of games.
Deathbrin
Much easier just to produce a themed d-pad like they did with inFamous. A lock switch is interesting but doesn’t really help cause you can’t lock specifically the triggers as you’d be using other buttons and they will get in the way.
Deathbrin
The R2 and L2 go off quite easily when you place the pad on the couch, leg, or try to do difficult moves; usually this leaves you with a not-so-well timed grenade under your own feet which is often far from pleasing.
Basically i would say the triggers are indeed the weakest points of the controller. Yes it would be interesting to see the 360-styled analog stick caps too but it’s not that necessary really. It has to have a feel of it’s own after all, that’s a very important bit.
Darth Newdar
I think the DualShock 3 is a pretty good controller – I’ve always found it comfortable and great to use. All the buttons are perfectly placed, and the D-pad is great. I would tweak the analogue sticks to concave, as I admit they feel a little better on the 360. The triggers, L2 and R2, as many have mentioned, also could be improved – they should curve out at the bottom to avoid finger slippage. Finally, I think it would be great if Sony would lower the price – £30 is a lot for just a controller. However, I doubt that will happen, as Sony have got to make their money somewhere. So while we get the PS3 cheaply (almost no profit for Sony), they must make a fair chunk on the DS3. Us consumers can’t have it every which way!
XisTG
The controller is near-perfect; I too think that they should make the buttons (R2/L2) slightly concave.
tonycawley
How about a little screen on the conroller that could display in-game features like radar, mini-map, ammunition etc? Just a thought, because as it is, the controller is outstanding. I never really saw the point in the triggers, my fingers have never slipped off R/L2. The thumb sticks are abolutely fine for me too, though this is just me, and judging by the comments above, some people seem to have issues.
A better range of colours would be good, though I think I’d always choose black, would just be nice to have the option.
colmshan1990
I think any screen would be too small though, unless they make the controller bigger, which I wouldn’t really want.
The controller as it is though? Damn near perfect, in my opinion, and the ONLY reason I decided to wait until the PS3 came down in price rather than get a 360 far cheaper…
eye8have9you3
I thought about that too, but where would you put it, there’s hardly much space in the middle and anywhere else wouldn’t be visible? Also how much time do you spend looking at the controller when your playing?
Awayze
The only thing I wish was the “arms” were a bit longer and bulkier and triggers likes the 360 controller otherwise its near perfect.
Still the PS3 controller is the best controller so far.
TSBonyman
I would like a slightly larger controller with more defined trigger buttons. Also i think the dead zone in the dual sticks could be a little bit tighter.