Just ordered a PS3...

[MoobyTheGoldenCalf]

Last time I remember playing a console game was Starfox on SNES. How long ago was that? Seems like ages. Anyway finally pulled the trigger on a PS3. Getting it primarily for Blu-Ray movies, but I figure I'll end up trying some games on it to, even though I've been PC gaming forever. How hard is it for PC gamers to get used to the PS3 controller?

I wish I would have bought this a few months ago, but it just wasn't possible then. I kinda feel like I'm getting ripped off because I missed out on the 5 free movies, Spiderman bundle, etc. Oh well, that's how my luck seems to go. :laugh: Get ready for big PS3 deals tomorrow since I just ordered today. LOL!

 

[mugs]

How hard is it for PC gamers to get used to the PS3 controller?

Depends on what kind of game you're talking about. For many games, the console controls are better (unless you're using a gamepad on the PC, but then you wouldn't need to ask that question). FPSes are easier to control with a keyboard and mouse, but it really only takes a few weeks of playing on a console and it becomes like second nature.

You didn't miss out on the Spider-man bundle... Spider-man 3 sucked.

If you're not big into console gaming and don't want to spend $60 on games, check out the PSN games - there's some really good ones, and they're only $5-10. And of course you can find a lot of games used at stores like EBGames.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

Being a first time console owner when I got my PS3, I'd stay away from FPS's for a while. I could get used to the 3rd person view action games, and all other RPG games, but I couldn't ever hit anything in a FPS with the controller. (Never tried any sports games, so no experience with them).

So my rule is to play all FPS's on my PC.

 

[Schadenfroh]

How hard is it for PC gamers to get used to the PS3 controller?

I still do not like it and I have used a PS3 for several months now. Any game that makes use of both analog sticks at the same time results in your hands / thumbs being placed in an awkward and uncomfortable position (unless one has small hands). You can hook up the standard PC mouse / keyboard to it, but the only game that works with them is Unreal Tournament 3 as far as I know.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

How hard is it for PC gamers to get used to the PS3 controller?

I still do not like it and I have used a PS3 for several months now. Any game that makes use of both analog sticks at the same time results in your hands / thumbs being placed in a very awkward and uncomfortable position (unless one has small hands). You can hook up the standard PC mouse / keyboard to it, but the only game that works with them is Unreal Tournament 3 as far as I know.

I wear an XL in full finger mountain bike gloves, and while the PS3 controller is so small I feel like I am pinching it, instead of holding it like the 360, it isn't uncomfortable at all. I've co-op all the way through Resistance in a single session, and experienced no cramping, stiffness, ect.

I had been playing sports, racing, and platformers on the original xbox for years though, before buying a 360, then PS3. Only in the last 18 months or so have I gotten into the shooters though, I played a little Halo, but like most PC gamers the learning curve was daunting, so I shied away from them. Gears MP got me holding the sticks for hours on end, and now I am very comfortable with all types of games on console. I couldn't hope to consistently make the no scope sniper shots these cats make in Halo 3, but almost no one else can either, they are freaks.

 

[DivideBYZero]

I avoid FPS games on my PS3. The PC is where those games shine and there they shall stay for me!

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
I avoid FPS games on my PS3. The PC is where those games shine and there they shall stay for me!

That works if you don't mind waiting to play some titles i.e. wait for them to be emulated on PC or a port to show up. Or you just don't give a crap about console exclusive shooters to begin with.

That doesn't work for me, I don't want to wait to play Gears 2 or Resistance 2, or Halo 3 or any other console shooter. I enjoyed Resistance and Gears more than most of the PC shooters I've played. F.E.A.R. is the most overrated shooter of the last couple years in my book, just to show what my tastes are. I also dig co-op, and that is one place the PC shooters need to pick it up. I am not the bloody unibomber the alone at my keyboard shat gets old fast if the title isn't an extremely immersible one.

EDIT: I would like to mention, since the OP is a PC Gamer, that some titles are far less fun on console. The Ghost Recon series is about as dumbed down as it gets, simply awful in comparison to the PC versions.

 

[DarkThinker]

Nah...just get a SmartJoy Frag or a MaxShooter, you'll be FPSing on the PS3 in not time

 

[purbeast0]

dont listen to all these people who just suck with the controller on FPS games on a console.

i havent played a PC game since counterstrike in like 03 and dont plan on ever playing another one (maybe starcraft 2).

FPS on console is easy as pie these people just suck at it and find it too hard to learn how to do. it's second nature now and I prefer playing on a console over a PC any day for an FPS.

the ps3 in general however is not the best for FPS. the analogs are too loose and don't have much resistance making them a little tougher to use for FPS than the 360 controller. also the placement of the analogs are sketchy, and you can even bump thumbs while playing FPS games.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dont listen to all these people who just suck with the controller on FPS games on a console.

i havent played a PC game since counterstrike in like 03 and dont plan on ever playing another one (maybe starcraft 2).

FPS on console is easy as pie these people just suck at it and find it too hard to learn how to do. it's second nature now and I prefer playing on a console over a PC any day for an FPS.

the ps3 in general however is not the best for FPS. the analogs are too loose and don't have much resistance making them a little tougher to use for FPS than the 360 controller. also the placement of the analogs are sketchy, and you can even bump thumbs while playing FPS games.

I think claiming that people who don't want to play FPS on consoles 'just suck' is flame bait of the highest order.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dont listen to all these people who just suck with the controller on FPS games on a console.

i havent played a PC game since counterstrike in like 03 and dont plan on ever playing another one (maybe starcraft 2).

FPS on console is easy as pie these people just suck at it and find it too hard to learn how to do. it's second nature now and I prefer playing on a console over a PC any day for an FPS.

the ps3 in general however is not the best for FPS. the analogs are too loose and don't have much resistance making them a little tougher to use for FPS than the 360 controller. also the placement of the analogs are sketchy, and you can even bump thumbs while playing FPS games.

I think claiming that people who don't want to play FPS on consoles 'just suck' is flame bait of the highest order.

well no matter how you guys put it by saying the PC is better than the controller is for FPS, it's for 1 simple fact - it's too hard for you to use, which would mean you probably aren't good with it, which would mean you suck with it.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dont listen to all these people who just suck with the controller on FPS games on a console.

i havent played a PC game since counterstrike in like 03 and dont plan on ever playing another one (maybe starcraft 2).

FPS on console is easy as pie these people just suck at it and find it too hard to learn how to do. it's second nature now and I prefer playing on a console over a PC any day for an FPS.

the ps3 in general however is not the best for FPS. the analogs are too loose and don't have much resistance making them a little tougher to use for FPS than the 360 controller. also the placement of the analogs are sketchy, and you can even bump thumbs while playing FPS games.

I think claiming that people who don't want to play FPS on consoles 'just suck' is flame bait of the highest order.

well no matter how you guys put it by saying the PC is better than the controller is for FPS, it's for 1 simple fact - it's too hard for you to use, which would mean you probably aren't good with it, which would mean you suck with it.

I'm good at both and the PC is still superior. Some console games support Keyboard and Mouse, so they are fine. Not others. Console controllers are simply inferior. There are limited buttons available on the console and the precision is still not in the same league as a good mouse. Also, a lot of console FPS do not use good control schemes. The ideal scheme would be one where one stick is used to "look" and the other to "move" and the buttons to fire a weapon, swap weapons, turn on the flashlight, and throw grenades are all easily accessible without looking. I've only played a few console games where all of those are possible.

Even when possible, the sticks offer a limited motion compared to a mouse. There is no ability to scale movement at the same level. With a mouse I can flick it and perform a perfect 180 in a fraction of a second without having to use the "backpedal and turn" method. Not realistically possible with any console FPS I've played. Since there is such a limited distance between "center" and "fully extended" on the sticks, either you end up with extremely imprecise but rapid movements, or you end up with precise but incredibly slow movements. With a mouse you can do both easily.

The PS3 controller does take some acclimation too. The primary buttons are defined by weird shapes, and it takes a while to memorize them. The dual sticks are perhaps foreign to people who didn't spend hours on end in games like Smash TV growing up. The R2 and L2 buttons have a weird tactile sensation too.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: torpid

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dont listen to all these people who just suck with the controller on FPS games on a console.

i havent played a PC game since counterstrike in like 03 and dont plan on ever playing another one (maybe starcraft 2).

FPS on console is easy as pie these people just suck at it and find it too hard to learn how to do. it's second nature now and I prefer playing on a console over a PC any day for an FPS.

the ps3 in general however is not the best for FPS. the analogs are too loose and don't have much resistance making them a little tougher to use for FPS than the 360 controller. also the placement of the analogs are sketchy, and you can even bump thumbs while playing FPS games.

I think claiming that people who don't want to play FPS on consoles 'just suck' is flame bait of the highest order.

well no matter how you guys put it by saying the PC is better than the controller is for FPS, it's for 1 simple fact - it's too hard for you to use, which would mean you probably aren't good with it, which would mean you suck with it.

I'm good at both and the PC is still superior. Some console games support Keyboard and Mouse, so they are fine. Not others. Console controllers are simply inferior. There are limited buttons available on the console and the precision is still not in the same league as a good mouse. Also, a lot of console FPS do not use good control schemes. The ideal scheme would be one where one stick is used to "look" and the other to "move" and the buttons to fire a weapon, swap weapons, turn on the flashlight, and throw grenades are all easily accessible without looking. I've only played a few console games where all of those are possible.

Even when possible, the sticks offer a limited motion compared to a mouse. There is no ability to scale movement at the same level. With a mouse I can flick it and perform a perfect 180 in a fraction of a second without having to use the "backpedal and turn" method. Not realistically possible with any console FPS I've played. Since there is such a limited distance between "center" and "fully extended" on the sticks, either you end up with extremely imprecise but rapid movements, or you end up with precise but incredibly slow movements. With a mouse you can do both easily.

The PS3 controller does take some acclimation too. The primary buttons are defined by weird shapes, and it takes a while to memorize them. The dual sticks are perhaps foreign to people who didn't spend hours on end in games like Smash TV growing up. The R2 and L2 buttons have a weird tactile sensation too.

dude ... every single FPS to date has been the "ideal scheme" that you talked about above in your bolded part since controllers w/dual analogs have been around.

and no one is arguing the kb/m is superior to controllers for precision and aiming. thats a fact of the technology, always has and always will be.

im talking to the people who are saying "dont play FPS on console cause the controller sucks."

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dude ... every single FPS to date has been the "ideal scheme" that you talked about above in your bolded part since controllers w/dual analogs have been around.

and no one is arguing the kb/m is superior to controllers for precision and aiming. thats a fact of the technology, always has and always will be.

im talking to the people who are saying "dont play FPS on console cause the controller sucks."

Some have weird use of the analog sticks, and some just have buttons in inconvenient places (or non existent). It's possible you can tweak some of the games, but since Halo pretty much set the standard for console FPS controls, there have been a disturbing number of games that buck the trend. I haven't played a lot of PS3 FPS games, but I know there were tons for Xbox, PS2, and Wii/Gamecube. Metroid's controls were utterly abysmal. If there is any PS3 game with that scheme, avoid it like the plague.

The controller does suck compared to a keyboard and mouse. Didn't you just agree with that?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: torpid
Even when possible, the sticks offer a limited motion compared to a mouse. There is no ability to scale movement at the same level. With a mouse I can flick it and perform a perfect 180 in a fraction of a second without having to use the "backpedal and turn" method. Not realistically possible with any console FPS I've played. Since there is such a limited distance between "center" and "fully extended" on the sticks, either you end up with extremely imprecise but rapid movements, or you end up with precise but incredibly slow movements. With a mouse you can do both easily.

Games that have a walking "mode" and an aiming "mode" like CoD 4 do a decent job of compensating for that. When you're walking around you can turn faster, and when you're aiming you can aim more precisely.

And yeah, like purbeast said, I can't even think of a console FPS that doesn't have controls like what you described... except games that came before dual analog sticks.

 

[warcrow]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dont listen to all these people who just suck with the controller on FPS games on a console.

i havent played a PC game since counterstrike in like 03 and dont plan on ever playing another one (maybe starcraft 2).

FPS on console is easy as pie these people just suck at it and find it too hard to learn how to do. it's second nature now and I prefer playing on a console over a PC any day for an FPS.

the ps3 in general however is not the best for FPS. the analogs are too loose and don't have much resistance making them a little tougher to use for FPS than the 360 controller. also the placement of the analogs are sketchy, and you can even bump thumbs while playing FPS games.

I think claiming that people who don't want to play FPS on consoles 'just suck' is flame bait of the highest order.

well no matter how you guys put it by saying the PC is better than the controller is for FPS, it's for 1 simple fact - it's too hard for you to use, which would mean you probably aren't good with it, which would mean you suck with it.

Nice. The KB + Mouse setup is a much more percise control system for a FPS than a gamepad. Ever see autoaim/aim assist on a PC FPS? How about a console?

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: torpid

Originally posted by: purbeast0
dude ... every single FPS to date has been the "ideal scheme" that you talked about above in your bolded part since controllers w/dual analogs have been around.

and no one is arguing the kb/m is superior to controllers for precision and aiming. thats a fact of the technology, always has and always will be.

im talking to the people who are saying "dont play FPS on console cause the controller sucks."

Some have weird use of the analog sticks, and some just have buttons in inconvenient places (or non existent). It's possible you can tweak some of the games, but since Halo pretty much set the standard for console FPS controls, there have been a disturbing number of games that buck the trend. I haven't played a lot of PS3 FPS games, but I know there were tons for Xbox, PS2, and Wii/Gamecube. Metroid's controls were utterly abysmal. If there is any PS3 game with that scheme, avoid it like the plague.

The controller does suck compared to a keyboard and mouse. Didn't you just agree with that?

metroid was not an FPS, it was an FPA - first person adventure game. that's why it had weird controls.

and i have no clue wtf you are talking about with weird use of analog sticks or having busttons in inconvenient places. are you still playing FPS on N64 or something?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: warcrow
Nice. The KB + Mouse setup is a much more percise control system for a FPS than a gamepad. Ever see autoaim/aim assist on a PC FPS? How about a console?

No one thinks gamepad controls are more precise than KB/mouse. But this is the Console Gaming forum, most of us are proficient with console FPS controls, and the frequent whining by PC gamers about console FPS controls get a bit tiresome. What's worse, they want to bring their keyboard/mouse controls to consoles, where they'll have an obvious advantage over those of us who play console games because we WANT to use console game controls.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
metroid was not an FPS, it was an FPA - first person adventure game. that's why it had weird controls.

and i have no clue wtf you are talking about with weird use of analog sticks or having busttons in inconvenient places. are you still playing FPS on N64 or something?

What the hell is the difference? It had weird controls and was a first person game that would have benefited from "normal" controls. Adventure vs Shooter, makes no difference... the controls sucked unnecessarily.

I'm not sure how I can dumb it down further to get you to understand the button / control issue. It basically goes like this: if it doesn't have the exact same control scheme as Halo, it sucks. Some games don't. Even if it has the same controls as Halo, it still sucks compared to Mouse + Keyboard by a wide margin.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: warcrow
Nice. The KB + Mouse setup is a much more percise control system for a FPS than a gamepad. Ever see autoaim/aim assist on a PC FPS? How about a console?

No one thinks gamepad controls are more precise than KB/mouse. But this is the Console Gaming forum, most of us are proficient with console FPS controls, and the frequent whining by PC gamers about console FPS controls get a bit tiresome. What's worse, they want to bring their keyboard/mouse controls to consoles, where they'll have an obvious advantage over those of us who play console games because we WANT to use console game controls.

That's well and good, but in this Console Gaming forum, the OP asked about getting used to the controllers, having come from a PC background, and people offered good advice. The console controller is inherently inferior for FPS, but great for most other genres.

 

[warcrow]

This thread is really going places! :laugh:

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: torpid

Originally posted by: purbeast0
metroid was not an FPS, it was an FPA - first person adventure game. that's why it had weird controls.

and i have no clue wtf you are talking about with weird use of analog sticks or having busttons in inconvenient places. are you still playing FPS on N64 or something?

What the hell is the difference? It had weird controls and was a first person game that would have benefited from "normal" controls. Adventure vs Shooter, makes no difference... the controls sucked unnecessarily.

I'm not sure how I can dumb it down further to get you to understand the button / control issue. It basically goes like this: if it doesn't have the exact same control scheme as Halo, it sucks. Some games don't. Even if it has the same controls as Halo, it still sucks compared to Mouse + Keyboard by a wide margin.

it does make a difference, if you read any review or anything about metroid you will know it's not an FPS per se, it's an FPA.

and by you saying "it still sucks compared to the mouse + keyboard" you should really be saying "i suck with the controller compared to the mouse + keyboard", which is exactly my point in my initial post in this thread.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: warcrow
Nice. The KB + Mouse setup is a much more percise control system for a FPS than a gamepad. Ever see autoaim/aim assist on a PC FPS? How about a console?

No one thinks gamepad controls are more precise than KB/mouse. But this is the Console Gaming forum, most of us are proficient with console FPS controls, and the frequent whining by PC gamers about console FPS controls get a bit tiresome. What's worse, they want to bring their keyboard/mouse controls to consoles, where they'll have an obvious advantage over those of us who play console games because we WANT to use console game controls.

I fail to see any whining in this thread.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: torpid

Originally posted by: purbeast0
metroid was not an FPS, it was an FPA - first person adventure game. that's why it had weird controls.

and i have no clue wtf you are talking about with weird use of analog sticks or having busttons in inconvenient places. are you still playing FPS on N64 or something?

What the hell is the difference? It had weird controls and was a first person game that would have benefited from "normal" controls. Adventure vs Shooter, makes no difference... the controls sucked unnecessarily.

I'm not sure how I can dumb it down further to get you to understand the button / control issue. It basically goes like this: if it doesn't have the exact same control scheme as Halo, it sucks. Some games don't. Even if it has the same controls as Halo, it still sucks compared to Mouse + Keyboard by a wide margin.

it does make a difference, if you read any review or anything about metroid you will know it's not an FPS per se, it's an FPA.

and by you saying "it still sucks compared to the mouse + keyboard" you should really be saying "i suck with the controller compared to the mouse + keyboard", which is exactly my point in my initial post in this thread.

It does not make a difference. I don't need to read reviews to know that the metroid controls sucked unnecessarily. There was no reason for the controls to suck that much aside from any intentional, artificial difficulty imposed as a result of such crappy controls.

And if you read my initial post I refuted the notion that it's merely about user skill quite handily and you agreed with me. The controller is inherently inferior. It has nothing to do with sucking at using the controller. Even the most skilled user of a console controller in an FPS will never be able to achieve things that are easy to do with a keyboard and mouse.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: torpid
That's well and good, but in this Console Gaming forum, the OP asked about getting used to the controllers, having come from a PC background, and people offered good advice. The console controller is inherently inferior for FPS, but great for most other genres.

People are offering advice specifically about FPSes when by their own admission they don't even play console FPSes. How is that good advice on transitioning from PC to console controls?

OP should take advice from people who were able to make the transition without giving up - stick with it for a few weeks, and it will be second nature.

People in this thread aren't giving the OP advice, they're voicing their opinion on which is better. OP didn't ask for that.