Why are most Dpads/sticks directionals left-sided?

[Spencer]

What I mean by this is why is movement controlled with the left hand and buttons controlled with the right.

Most people are right handed and right thumbs/right hand is usually more precise due to it being used more well at least for me it is.

Directional inputs are usually the Buttons you need to be more precise with so why is on the left side lol.

Most of us are use to directionals being on the left side due to are experience with it and probably would find it awkward now. But I want to know the reason Why Dpads/sticks are like this.

For example: We draw with are right hand most of us and it usually precise. Now try drawing with you left hand it's usually a lot less precise .

 

[Braindead]

#LeftiesPower

 

[countrypistol]

You could ask the same thing about guitars. Simple answer, it's what people are used to so nobody questions it.

 

[IrishMantis]

Because if they where right sided you would of made a thread asking "why are Dpads right sided"

 

[Scott The Scot]

Because if they where right sided you would of made a thread asking "why are Dpads right sided"

Go to bed, FireBreather.

 

[Qwark28]

Because dpad can be sloppily pressed while buttons are small and need to be pressed with certain precision and timing.

 

[themagiccan2]

Fascinating observation man, I can't believe I've never thought of this. There are lefty guitars so yes, people do question these things. Most likely when they were making the first controller they just experimented and surveyed how people felt with both sides and it just happened to be more natural. In football, right handed players use the right hand to throw and the left hand to guide. So maybe that's it, the left hand is the natural guide for the right

 

[Tony at Home]

Pretty much the same reason we still use the QWERTY keyboard layout.

 

[RyuKazuya]

Because if they where right sided you would of made a thread asking "why are Dpads right sided"

fn mind blown!!

 

[CrimsonShadow]

I feel like button timing actually needs to be a lot faster and more precise than d-pad/joystick timing for most characters. Maybe not if you play Kabal or Solomon Grundy, but I don't feel limited in left-hand speed or accuracy.

 

[IrishMantis]

Good question btw

I'm just being goofy don't take offence to it bro

 

[Hidan]

What I mean by this is why is movement controlled with the left hand and buttons controlled with the right.

Most people are right handed and right thumbs/right hand is usually more precise due to it being used more well at least for me it is.

Directional inputs are usually the Buttons you need to be more precise with so why is on the left side lol.

Most of us are use to directionals being on the left side due to are experience with it and probably would find it awkward now. But I want to know the reason Why Dpads/sticks are like this.

For example: We draw with are right hand most of us and it usually precise. Now try drawing with you left hand it's usually a lot less precise .

... 30 year late question

yet I believe the answer is this

Because dpad can be sloppily pressed while buttons are small and need to be pressed with certain precision and timing.

 

[Dankster Morgan]

So that way the thumb stick used for aiming is on the right

 

[Spencer]

Maybe they were originally created for first person shooters or those type games with that type of movement . I haven't researched this but I don't think fighting games were the first games invented.
.

Same thing with the mouse and keyboard.

Mouse/movement requires precision so it's controlled with right hand.

Keyboard is used less so it controlled with left hand until you start typing then both.

 

[themagiccan2]

Maybe they were originally created for first person shooters . I haven't researched this but I don't think fighting games were the first games invented.

Movement in Fps shooters don't need that much precision therefore it's controlled with the left thumb/hand.

But you need a lot of precision when aim in First person shooters therefore it's controlled with your right thumb/hand.
.

Same thing with a mouse and keyboard.

Mouse/movement requires precision so it's controlled with right hand.

Keyboard is used less so it controlled with left hand until you start typing then both.

The dpad has always been on the left side I think before a right-joystick was implemented like on the NES. Nice observation with the keyboard and mouse there

 

[Eric The Scruffy]

Its probably the same reason QWERTY is still the standard for all keyboard layouts even though it is, by design, one of the most ineffecient layouts you can have for a keyboard.

Everyone is just used to it at this point because the first controllers were oriented that way...and nobody questioned it since nobody knew where this whole gaming thing was going anyway.

 

[jaythatruth]

I'm left handed and I'm offended by this

 

[Solignac]

I guess as a workaround, you could bind your main 4 buttons inputs to your dpad and your 4 buttons to your directions


....But then things will get kinda reversy spooky

 

[Mista_Snacks]

We lefties finally got something made for us first and here come these damn rightys questioning it!