Is the PS3 controller too small?

Dwaegon

I'm an Xbox guy, set in my ways, but my roommate has a PS3, and he got MW3 the other day and I decided that I'd give it a go, since I figured I didn't have to go pick it up (as I assumed I eventually would).

Now, I'm a fairly decent COD player when it comes to Xbox or even PC, but on PS3 it seemed simply unplayable!
The problem is that the controller is too damn small! I don't have enormous hands, I would say they're about average for a 21-year old, but I felt like I was playing with something designed for an eight-year old! My thumbs kept getting in the way of each-other, making certain types of manoeuvring impossible.

As this was never even slightly a problem on 360, I have to ask, do many people have a problem with the small design of the PS3 controller?

(I know there are bigger models you can buy at a ridiculous price, but as this model is the one that is shipped with the console, it's clearly the most commonly used controller)

Eathrin

As an Xbox player, it's one of the biggest issues I have with the Ps3 when I play it in my friends house. The controller feels very awkward between it's size, the positioning of the thumbsticks and lack of grooves and the odd feeling bumpers.

F1ngers

The only thing I dislike about the PS3 controller is the L and R 2 triggers - piss poor design there.
You can buy buttons to give it a better feel for those triggers though. They slip off a little too often for my liking.

Everything else is fine, imo.

Simply Red

Probably just cause youre so used to the xbox controller, i have pretty big hands but have no problems with the ps3 one

amacachi

First time I picked up a 360 controller it made me realise how bad the PS3 one is. :pac:

Darkglasses

Same as Amacachi above. I went from PS2 to the first gen xbox controller, it was better but still too big. 2nd gen controller was better, 360 controller close to perfect.

penev10

Size-wise I find it fine. The issue I have is the lack of sensitivity in the sticks, they're brutal! Last gen I ended up playing alot more on the Gamecube and Xbox and as soon as I got a PS3 I noticed the drop in precision.

r3nu4l

amacachi wrote: »

First time I picked up a 360 controller it made me realise how bad the PS3 one is. :pac:

Hmmm, first time I picked up an XBox controller it made me realise how good the PS3 one is :pac:

It's pretty much what Simply Red said, it's what you're used to. I hate the XBox 360 controller with a passion, I like how close all the buttons on the PS3 one are. I'm no Sony fanboy but I'll happily admit that I think the PS3 controllers are pretty much spot-on (for me).

penev10 wrote: »

Size-wise I find it fine. The issue I have is the lack of sensitivity in the sticks, they're brutal! Last gen I ended up playing alot more on the Gamecube and Xbox and as soon as I got a PS3 I noticed the drop in precision.

Sensitivity can be changed from the default...

penev10

r3nu4l wrote: »

Sensitivity can be changed from the default...

Calibrating sensitivity in-game doesn't take away from the fact that the sticks have a huge dead zone (compared to the Gamecube stick in particular).

eddhorse

I like the PS3 controller because I'm used to it, i think starting a thread about something you dislike after using it once is a bit lame but you are entitled to your opinion.

Ed

Dwaegon

eddhorse wrote: »

I like the PS3 controller because I'm used to it, i think starting a thread about something you dislike after using it once is a bit lame but you are entitled to your opinion.

Ed

I wasn't trying to flog my opinion really, I just was interested in whether many people had the same problem.

In hindsight, a playstation forum is probably the wrong place to get an unbiased opinion though...

little big planet 2

the only prob i ever found is with L2 and R2 they tend to be pressed accidentally
alot doing things i don't want it to do like throw grenades

theteal

I'm finding it depends on the game I'm playing tbh. I much prefer the ps3 pad when playing football games as the d-pad is perfect and it has been since the ps1.

That said, however, I could not for the life of me use it for COD. The left stick is in the wrong position to be used constantly. I also find the surface of the sticks to be badly designed i.e. the bump shape. I think they've admitted themselves that the triggers are pish by having the default layout for MW3 the wrong way around i.e. R1 to fire instead of R2.

little big planet 2

i agree

Retr0gamer

Always hated the PS controller since the PS1 days and it's annoying that they haven't changed it, especially the d-pad which is awful. However I've been using it so long now that I'm used to it, it's like gamepad Stockholm Syndrome. Still for the fourth iteration I'd like them to try something new, but I doubt it will happen.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Always hated the PS controller since the PS1 days and it's annoying that they haven't changed it, especially the d-pad which is awful. However I've been using it so long now that I'm used to it, it's like gamepad Stockholm Syndrome. Still for the fourth iteration I'd like them to try something new, but I doubt it will happen.

Must agree with this, the D-Pad has always been like trying to crush rocks, right the way from the PS1 through to the current incarnation.

Socialist_Pig

I always found the mouse and keyboard the most natural way of playing FPS's.
Having owned a ps1+2 I never had a problem with them but having played using the xbox 360 pad I think its the best out there.

Having said Im back on the ps3 after the Xbox kicked the bucket and dont really have an issue with the ps3 pad.Still prefer the xbox one over all,never got cramp shooting people in the face with that after playing an fps for a few hours:pac:

Krusader

deccurley wrote: »

Must agree with this, the D-Pad has always been like trying to crush rocks, right the way from the PS1 through to the current incarnation.

The d-pad on the xbox controller is even more horrendous IMHO

Zomg Okay

I've only played a 360 a handful of times and while I agree the 360 controller is better, I don't have any problems with the PS3 one.

Retr0gamer

Crosáidí wrote: »

The d-pad on the xbox controller is even more horrendous IMHO

It may be better, but it's still horrendous. Coming from playing on the megadrive, SNES and Saturn the PS1 was god awful. If only the games weren't so good on it!

evolutionqy7

I remember the first time i picked up the xbox controller it was the most mmm confusing to get used to with the joy stick layout.

After a couple of times i got used to it.

Now i dont use the PS3 alot. Havent owned a PS for over 3 years.

But everytime my gf's brother challenges me to play sometimes on the PS3 i feel awkward with the controller.

It does feel to small.

But thats not the biggest problem.

I remember years ago with the PSone and the PS2 your hands would be in bits and sweaty if your playing it for hours.

Never had that problem with the xbox controller. Its bulkier and heavier but its alot more comfortable to hold in my opinion.

Mario007

they should go back to the boomerang

eddhorse

Mario007 wrote: »

they should go back to the boomerang

Had to google that, looks good?

Eathrin

Having played on it again yesterday I found the joysticks were just terrible in comparison to the 360. Apart from the awkward positioning which I'm sure I can accustom to over time, I found it difficult to hold my thumb on the joystick because of its awkward rounded shape.

Zomg Okay

eddhorse wrote: »

Had to google that, looks good?

IMO, that looks like a pain in the arse.

Classic Rock Man

i dont think its TOO small but i prefer the xbox controller as it rests on your palm instead of the ps3 control where you have to use your fingers to grip it

Varik

I don't grip the PS3 controller with my fingers, the controller sides are resting where the two pieces of plastic join are at the palm side of my knuckles.

R2/L2 are a good shape when i hold it this way but i would prefer the analogue stick to be concave but i prefer them light when compare to the 360 stiff sticks.

Classic Rock Man

Varik wrote: »

I don't grip the PS3 controller with my fingers, the controller sides are resting where the two pieces of plastic join are at the palm side of my knuckles.

R2/L2 are a good shape when i hold it this way but i would prefer the analogue stick to be concave but i prefer them light when compare to the 360 stiff sticks.

maybe my hands are just too big :P , i find the xbox controller superior in everyway except the d pad

Varik

Classic Rock Man wrote: »

maybe my hands are just too big :P

Maybe you don't have big enough hands.

Classic Rock Man

Varik wrote: »

Maybe you don't have big enough hands.

no.

raze

Things like this are always going to come down to personal preference - even with ergonomic rules, neither system has a heinous design.

While it seems the majority think that the positioning and shape of xbox analog sticks is better, I much prefer the playstation mould - that's only because I've played with it more often.

Also, having full analog inputs on the face buttons (X, O, square, triangle) can make a major difference (e.g. gauging an accelerator press in Gran Turismo), it would be less of an issue if the PS controller had Xbox style triggers. As is L2/R2 have a lot of shortcomings - wrong direction of the curve of the trigger, non-linear analog input and low build quality on the springs used (I've had controllers where the R2 would remain pressed after release).

The Xbox does get the D-Pad wrong though. It is possible to push one direction and the lack of a gate on the pad can roll the button down, so instead of pressing 'left' you get 'down'. I can't imagine enjoying a fighting game on a standard Xbox controller.

Also, I find L1/R1 are better positioned for use as buttons (in a game like Street Fighter for example), than the bumpers on Xbox.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. In an ideal world the controllers would be cross-compatible.

WolfForager

While i'm not annoyed with the current Dualshock design, i would be delighted to hear that Sony were doing a re-design for the PS4, better triggers for one :mad:

Beefy78

The triggers are rubbish but overall I much prefer the PS controller to the X-Box's one. In fact it's the controller which stops me from buying a 360.