Arcade stick VS. Control pad... which has an advantage?

[Frankiebonez]

I have had a talk with Scheisse about this the other night. And I was wondering what other people feel about this subject. Which is better, the Control Pad, or an Arcade Stick, and for what reasons?

IMO, I think the stick is harder and slower to use, given its size and nature in this game... in a game like Street Fighter where 1/4 circle moves and double 1/4 circle moves are needed, I really think a stick prevails more. But in an environment where tapping the buttons to cancel moves with run and joystick tap motions, I honestly feel the pad is faster. When compared to an Xbox360 pad though, which is junk, the stick is 10x more precise, at least to me. A PS2 pad, or maybe an N64 controller would rule out the precision arguement, they would be equal. But still being able to do stuff like run jabs and such I think come down to being done even quicker, with less skill needed, on a pad.

I consider myself to be very good with both, better with a stick for alot of things. But I definetly still use the pad very well. I'd say, giving myself a 10/10 on a stick I'm a 9/10 on pad. If I could get to a 10/10 on a pad, and was able to use a good pad, I would consider using a pad more often and probably prefer it. The sole fact the pad is smaller, and require's tiny amounts of distance traveled to push the buttons compared to the X+1 layout of UMK3, gives it a distinct speed advantage.

Discuss!!!

 

[O Juggernaut 0]

Well I think that the control pad would be better if there was a really good d-pad. The arcade stick you have to use to many fingers and stuff but the stick part is excellent. So IDK...

 

[SABER Linkdude]

Arcade stick, because no thanks to Microsoft's stupid D-pads on the Xbox 360, they break easily. Arcade sticks have more toughness and control over moves like Sub-Zero's freeze attacks or Scorpion's spear.

 

[jdub03]

Well i like the stick better. I feel like i have more control. All the buttons are on the top so I have easy access. I have no problem hitting each one. Also, I can perform motions a lot quicker on the stick .

 

[dreemernj]

Keyboard, lol.

Arcade stick has the benefit of allowing you to use more fingers on the buttons than the gamepad does. On an UMK3 stick I usually use 4 out of 5 fingers on my right hand for the buttons versus 2 fingers for a game pad. It makes controlling the character easier.

I think the stick can be slow, depending on what the stick is like. A really good d-pad might outweigh the stick for MK though.

Honestly, the keyboard has them both beat. It's just better, so long as it's a good one without button blocking.

 

[TheRedPsychosis]

I can't use that many fingers very well.. and I have a tough time using arcade machines. I thought to myself how fucking bad I was on arcade on the board walk.. I'm not a very coordinated person, the buttons were in totally weird positions for me. If I could have like a arcade/wii mot sort of thing.. like a hand held trigger with four buttons on the right side and a stick with a trigger on the left, I probably could manage.. but the way the buttons are set up on the arcade console are just so foreing to me. I felt like a turnip at a carrot party.. :cry:

 

[Shock]

There is nothing I can say about a game pad, from my experience, that would make it in anyway better than a stick. I have played UMK3 to 100% of my ability on stick and gamepad, and I cannot perform on a gamepad the same way.

Keyboard > everything.

 

[ded]

kbd! :twisted:

 

[dreemernj]

KB is just cheating imo, MK just wasn't designed to be played allowing you to do multiple directional inputs at the same time, shame on you all, lol.

Pad has the advantage for sure. I used to use a N64 controller setup, run on the top middle of the 6 buttons which limited me a lot in the game, because I had to hit every button with my thumb. I wanted to keep most of the feel of the arcade in my pad in case the arcade ever happened to make a comeback.

I gave up on that little fuckin idea and got a ps2 pad (after about 10 years), which was extremely faster, run on the L2 and R1(used for Kung Lao's spin, etc), block on the R2.

I recently played umk3 on a stick for a night offline and I can definitely say that pad is way faster, just think of how easy it is to be more resilient with Mileena. In MK you have to think ahead, but there is still an element to where you have to 'wing-it' which I often do. In this case which is usual the factor of the game that wins matches, pad is way quicker and you don't need to commit to movements as much.

Movement: it takes longer for you to do one movement on stick than it is for you to simply press down on a directional pad.

Buttons: I can see how people would think that stick may have an advantage over pad, but, pad easily(and comfortably) has your fingers on block and run while having less distance for your thumb to travel in between buttons on a pad is faster.

If you use more fingers on an arcade controller then you end up having to move less and you can do things a lot faster. Because you don't have to move your thumb to HK then move your thumb to LP to do a combo. You just press the buttons because your fingers are already on them. I usually press HP and LP with the same finger, LP I press with a part closer to the knuckle and HP I press with the tip. There is basically no movement.

And it doesn't have to take longer to do moves on a stick. It probably does when people hold the tip of the stick and play that way or when they are just not as used to doing moves quickly on the stick, but there is nothing inherently slower about it.

 

[NinjaGrinder]

I honestly think its not a matter of what's better or faster. no controller device has advantage over another. it just depends on being accustomed or getting used to...

there are tons of people that think kb is better, other bunch thinks is pad. other go for stick. its personal choice. I prefer stick over everything else and the only pad I can use decently is n64's. my hands hurt bad when I play on KB. its just unconfortable for me.
also, since we play on stick with "SF" button layout (3 buttons up, 3 down) I can play faster that way.

 

[Rockzilla220]

I LOVE the analog on the 360's controller. Call me weird, but I'm just used to playing 2d fighters like that. And my thumbs are so fast that it's not really a problem for me to play on that. D-Pad just doesn't offer what I'm looking for. I like more of a "rolling" sense. The D-Pad I have to tap down and then forwards to do a special move like that. I can't do that the whole game.

 

[O Juggernaut 0]

I LOVE the analog on the 360's controller. Call me weird, but I'm just used to playing 2d fighters like that. And my thumbs are so fast that it's not really a problem for me to play on that. D-Pad just doesn't offer what I'm looking for. I like more of a "rolling" sense. The D-Pad I have to tap down and then forwards to do a special move like that. I can't do that the whole game.

If the analog was lower (like the one on the right side of the controller) than I would be using it as well. But it just doesnt feel right having to reach that far. * a few inches is far *

 

[TheRedPsychosis]

I LOVE the analog on the 360's controller. Call me weird, but I'm just used to playing 2d fighters like that. And my thumbs are so fast that it's not really a problem for me to play on that. D-Pad just doesn't offer what I'm looking for. I like more of a "rolling" sense. The D-Pad I have to tap down and then forwards to do a special move like that. I can't do that the whole game.

If the analog was lower (like the one on the right side of the controller) than I would be using it as well. But it just doesnt feel right having to reach that far. * a few inches is far *

You have Sausage fingers or something? oll:

I use the analog stick too. I only use the D-pad for turning invisible.

 

[megalomaniacvon]

As long as the control pad or control stick isn't really small then I'll be glad.

 

[abc ur dead0]

For me it's.

Controller > Pad > Keyboard. At least for me. That's what Im used too now. I used to suck on the Controller because I was used to playing on a pad, now I suck on a pad because Im used to the controller. And I just suck with Keyboard period because I hardly use it. I Still havn't played UMK3 on MAME. But from playing MVC andf MK2, I dont really like it too much. Maybe if I had a good setup, but I still prefer to have the whole controller in my hand, and next to that, an actual stick and pad.

 

[rzpmkkteam]

arcade: faster and better moves doing "Shoryuken´s" (F,D,F), Hadouken´s" (QHF,) and things like that, faster moves on (on me) BL, RN, LP.

Pad: BL and RN is just right there (GOOD BLOCK MODE: ON), faster combos, BUT: some slow when use TKS or "xx" (in some cases), FF, or BB.

Keyboard: everything is perfect xD except when you push two butons at the same time, or more than 3 (smoke morph xD, keyboard are not allowed to let you push or hold more than 3 or 4 buttons), kitana´s fan sometimes is difficult, play with jax and try to do the earthquake ( don´t really use the EQ but is cool to do the chain combo and finish with this xD

 

[dreemernj]

arcade: faster and better moves doing "Shoryuken´s" (F,D,F), Hadouken´s" (QHF,) and things like that, faster moves on (on me) BL, RN, LP.

Pad: BL and RN is just right there (GOOD BLOCK MODE: ON), faster combos, BUT: some slow when use TKS or "xx" (in some cases), FF, or BB.

Keyboard: everything is perfect xD except when you push two butons at the same time, or more than 3 (smoke morph xD, keyboard are not allowed to let you push or hold more than 3 or 4 buttons), kitana´s fan sometimes is difficult, play with jax and try to do the earthquake ( don´t really use the EQ but is cool to do the chain combo and finish with this xD

You should try a keyboard that lets you hold 10 buttons at once :-D It's real real fun.

 

[l3oxel2]

For Me....

(ARCADE) Never really know untill you try it, might be lose might be tight.... the one I have (Namco stick, the one with yellow buttons) is pretty loose now and I tend to mess up TP's alot for some stupid reason, but my reaction time is far better on the stick, I first started playing MK on the stick BTW! THE NAMCO JOYSTICK!


(PAD) I love my PS2 pad, my config for umk3 was: L2 would be lowkick, for charging, R1 would be for HP&LP for obvious reasons, start would be d+HK ol: yeah... loved my ps2 pad!


(KEYBOARD) we'll for me... it's just for look and style... when I tell people around my place I use a keyboard for fighters (UMK3) they would say: "wow your hardcore!" or some crazy stuff like that.... for me, I'm more accurate on combos using the keyboard, but I feel less agressive on it.

 

[BustaUppa]

I think the KB theoretically offers the most precise control possible. But I personally will always perform best on a joystick.

The example I always like to use is Kano's cannonball. I like to abuse that move to death. On a joystick it is a simple matter for me to sweep, start charging LK, and then rush in with runjabs or a knee-lift combo. With a stick, I can leave my pinky on LK and still have the rest of my hand free to use on the other buttons. On a gamepad, I've only got one finger to devote to attack buttons so it's much more awkward to pull that technique off. Generally I just have to rely a lot less on the cannonball when I use the pad.

 

[rzpmkkteam]

dreemernj is a keyboard or a bug, softare or what? sounds good that shit xD

 

[abc ur dead0]

dreemernj is a keyboard or a bug, softare or what? sounds good that shit xD

He bought a keyboard. The Topic is around here somewhere. It was expensive.

 

[dreemernj]

dreemernj is a keyboard or a bug, softare or what? sounds good that shit xD

He bought a keyboard. The Topic is around here somewhere. It was expensive.

http://ultimatemk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1380

Yeah it was stupid expensive, lol. And after jumping some hoops it allows 10 button presses at once.

There are other ones that allow 7 button presses at a time too. Some cost the same I think there might be one or two that are less expensive but not by much. And when i tried them the buttons weren't as light and responsive.

It's gotten to the point that I have trouble doing anything on other keyboards because I just have to brush the keys on here for it to register. I don't think I've ever typed faster in my life.

 

[rzpmkkteam]

Look great, but the thing here is not about how expensive is, the thing is how hard is to find it... lol@

 

[Tim Static]

I cant even imagine using a keyboard for a MK game.
I grew up in the arcade so this is a no brainer for me. Sticks all the way. Even after all these years, I'm still not comfortable with any game pads or analog sticks for any MK.

 

[Shock]

I also grew up in arcades but I moved on to the Keyboard when there was nothing else. In the mid 90s there wasn't a single decent gamepad for PC out there, at least, none that fit my standards, and there were no adapters for systems, at least none that I knew of. The keyboard is just so much more accurate.