Playstation 3 controller alternative

[Nashsafc]

I'm really having difficulty with the playstation 3 controller and i want something more ergonomic, something that doesn't allow my thumbs to obtrude into each other. I tried a cyborg v3 controller, it's comfortable with the thumb positioning, just that the right analogue stick is indiscriminate in its sensitivity. Is there a controller that has an xbox 360 style lay out, or has grippy thumbsticks and has a high contrast in thumbstick sensitivity movement? It has to have good contrast in sensitivity with thumb movement like the dualshock 3 controller has.

 

[fulle]

You can't have an ergonomically placed D Pad and left Analog stick at the same time. The PS3's analog placement is less ideal for shooters, and so are the triggers, suggesting it wasn't the focus when Sony did the controller design. The silver lining is that you can buy grips for the triggers and the analog stick is very responsive with a very good dead zone, so it's actually a pretty good FPS controller if you get the grips and get used to the less comfy ergonomics.

Meanwhile the Xbox360's controller had an obvious focus on shooters with it's analog placement and triggers, but has an absolutely terrible D Pad. Analog responsiveness and deadzone is also inferior to the PS3s.

It takes a while getting used to a PS3 controller coming from an Xbox360, but it really is an excellent controller once you get used to it.

If you simply can't adjust in your shooters, your best option is to use an Xbox360 wired controller with an adapter. Pretty much anything similar for PS3 has deal-breaking design flaws, that makes it un-usable.

 

[fulle]

I wanted to point something out about the analogs too. The 360 and PS3 analogs are way way different. The 360's controller is concave, short, and with a larger deadzone. The PS3's is convex, longer, with a smaller deadzone. You would want to use the tip of your thumb on the PS3 controller, since the analog requires smaller movement and is convex, while the Xbox360's controller you are more controlling with the middle of the thumb, and have more physical movement of the thumb to get the same response due to the shorter sticks.

What I see Xbox gamers do, is they pickup a PS3 controller and try to use it like a 360 controller's analog. Controlling with the middle to bottom of their thumb, and wanting bigger movement. They try to make it work by turning sensitivity way down, but they don't change how the they position their thumb on the analog, never really adjust to the smaller deadzone, and suck. It's also uncomfortable for them to try to control this way ergonomically. Also, since sensitivity is turned way down, they may also need unnecessarily long travel on the left analog, ending up with the thumbs getting too close in gameplay. Even though the left and right analogs are somewhat close, this would never be a problem for someone using the DS3's analogs properly.

It's a legitimately long adjustment period getting used to the very different feels in the analogs. Don't write off the DS3 after just a couple of hours, if you're still adjusting to it.

 

[Nashsafc]

do battle converters work well? I'm considering just using a xbox 360 controller for the ps3, using a battle converter. Is it possible to change the ps3 dualshock's thumb sticks? I'm not a modder, so i'd need something fairly simple to accomplish.

Yes now the question has changed, i'm not looking for a third party controller anymore, i want to use the xbox 360 controller on the ps3, has anyone had any experience with this, i know you can with a battle converter, but does it work well, or does it just simulate what other third party controllers do with the one sensitivity setting no matter how far you push your thumbstick?

 

[fulle]

The converters work OK, although added features like turbo and button mapping rarely works properly, and you usually have to pay extra for one that supports rumble. Specific to the Xbox360 controller, only the wired controller works reliably with these converters. A Wireless controller with the USB charge adapter does not work.

For the DS3's sticks... there are modders who've done some pretty neat things taking apart Xbox controllers to add PS3 controller parts, but for "easy" solutions, you're going to be limited to grips you can add to the end of the analog sticks. I'm not really sold on the idea.
- For FPS games, it was my suggestion to get some grips for the Triggers, since it's my opinion they were shaped with racing games in mind, not shooters. A lot PS3 FPS players really like the trigger grips for this reason.

*While I agree with opinions that trigger grips are helpful, I don't think adding grips to the analog sticks will help you with adjusting to the controller.

 

[Nashsafc]

I just want the xbox controller to simulate the ps3 controller will it do that with the battle converter, and by rumble feature, you mean devices like XCM will do? Does the analogue thumbstick work similar or identical to how it does on the xbox 360? Does the PS3 have turbo then, when you press down a button it repeats? Is that just some games i had a look at a fighting game video and the button commands repeat when the button is held down, is that as standard or an added feature to ps3 controller simulation?

 

[fulle]

Yeah, I was referencing the XCM or HDE adapters. Since I was considering buying one, I looked at a bit of comment reviews. From what I deduced, they add a bit of input delay, making them bad for fighting games, but they work OK for shooters. It'd feel like you were playing on the 360 for the most part.
Turbo is basically a cheating feature added to some adapters, and lots of reviews seem to report it not working properly... which isn't surprising.

Why I mentioned the adapters, is that you can pickup the HDE adapter for 15 dollars. If you already have an Xbox360 controller, you'd be able to use it on the PS3 with the drawback of it having a little increased input delay. For shooters, it'd be an OK option, since I'd rather have the slightly increased input delay, than the hugely increased deadzone in something like the Power A Pro EX Controller for PS3.

Again though, it would be more ideal to just get used to the DS3. Add some trigger grips, and adjust to the analogs for a little while, and after a few weeks you might start to prefer it to the Xbox360 controller....

*Quick "I'm not a Sony fanboy" disclaimer*
I have a PS3, Xbox360, Gaming PC, 3DS, and a Vita. For controllers, I have among others, a wired Xbox360 controller, a wireless 360 controller, and 2 DS3s. Even though I've managed to get my DS3s to work on the PC using Motion In Joy, I still find it easier to use the wired 360 controller for PC games that require a controller.... and wired 360 over wireless, since the wireless controller has issues with some games refusing to recognize the triggers properly without hacking game files. So, what I guess I'm saying is that I get good use out of my 360 controllers. Especially my wired one.

 

[Nashsafc]

the input delay is because of the extended wire, or because of the converting of the signal then sending it to the ps3? Is it much different from the input delay getting from a wireless controller? Is the deadzone to do with the software of the playstation 3 or the actual controller itself; meaning that if you were to put the same controller on the computer it should also show the same dead zone? Are analogue thumb grips good at all for ps3 controllers? Another problem is the d-pad for games like dead or alive 5 and warhawk i need to use an 8 way d-pad the dualshock 3 makes it harder with it's 4 button d-pad. i need to use SE, SW, NE, NW directions for choosing weapons, and for choosing attack combinations.

 

[fulle]

The increased input delay is probably caused by the adapter converting the signal... and should be a little worse than the input delay you'd get from a first party wireless controller.

There's some intentional deadzone programmed into some games, since it's not inherently bad to have a little bit of area around the analog where it doesn't read response. Controllers are meant to have a little deadzone built in around the analogs as well, otherwise you might get a slight amount of input when the analog is supposed to be in it's resting position. Problem with 3rd party controllers, is that they often have much too large of a deadzone. Using the same controller on different platforms, you'll have the same deadzone that's built into the controller, but may experience different software applied deadzones.

The DS3 is actually pretty well liked for fighting games, but if that's not good enough for ya', you're going to want to buy a quality arcade Joystick made for the PS3. They're pretty expensive though, with the start of decent arcade joysticks costing over 100 dollars.

Example:
http://www.amazon.com/HORI-Alive-Arcade-Stick-PlayStation-3/dp/B008N7SJCS/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1366843077&sr=1-1&keywords=doa5+arcade+stick

 

[Nashsafc]

I don't understand i tried my 360 controller out on the ps3, with the converter, and i notice the deadzone and highest sensitivity before i reach the edge of the controller sides. When i use my 360 controller for R6 Vegas 1 on PC and i have Vegas 1 capped at 30fps on PC there is no deadzone and the sensitivity is at its highest only when the thumbstick is pushed right to the edge of the controller sides. Would you say using a 360 controller on a ps3 would replicate the experience of playing the same game on a 360, as in same deadzones and sensitivity difference positions on the controller?

 

[fulle]

It sounds like you just need to turn down the analog's sensitivity in your game.

 

[Nashsafc]

i think i'm getting used to the ps3 controller now. adding some rounded thumb grips might help. i think that has been my main problem that i haven't been getting enough grip which is why my thumbs were slipping into each other because the thumbsticks are dome shaped.