Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the right?

[Mr. Adventure]

The standard controller has the control surface on the left and the buttons on the right but for most right-handed people wouldn't they have more control over a stick on the right? I mean I write my name like a five-year-old with my left hand.

The old Atari 2600 sticks had the fire button on the left but when the Japanese consoles came out it was reversed. Anyone know why this is the case? It was just something I was thinking about and was curious.

 

[firehawk12]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

I'm assuming that they believed the dominant hand should be on the action buttons rather than on the movement... but no idea. Interesting question though.

 

[Sephiroth]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

it all began with the N.E.S. just about all game controllers have been copied/improved/derived from it

 

[firehawk12]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

From this story:
http://kotaku.com/5749652/before-mario-was-a-game-it-had-to-exist-on-paper/gallery/
Which is from the latest Iwata asks:
http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/mario25th/vol5_page1.jsp

(Link chasing is annoying!).

Anyway, sort of interesting to see how they thought up how actions would work on a pad at the time.

 

[T.Geiger]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

I'm assuming that they believed the dominant hand should be on the action buttons rather than on the movement...

This is most likely it. From a design perspective, you want the part of the controller that most requires speed, precision, and frequency of use to be under the dominant hand.

You typically need to be able to press a button in a much shorter action window than moving the stick, typically will require to be able to press a specific button over specific stick position, and typically use buttons much more frequently and with more drastic changes than the stick. (You might press up to move forward the entire time, but that's really just one use.)

If most games were like flight simulators, we would probably have right-sticked controllers. But as it is, the buttons typically require far more of all three characteristics than the stick does.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

This explains why I've always been so ridiculously good at strafing and zipping away around corners but not as proficient with the buttons. I'm left-handed.

 

[captcalhoun]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

i remember my master system joystick had the stick on the right and buttons on the left in complete defiance of the controller orientation of dpad on left buttons on right.

 

[Sparky]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

i remember my master system joystick had the stick on the right and buttons on the left in complete defiance of the controller orientation of dpad on left buttons on right.

This would be the one I had. Actually I still have it. Along with the oh so awesome SegaScope 3D glasses.

I think the Atari Lynx had a really interesting design. It was designed so you could easily play as a lefty or a righty.

 

[firehawk12]

Re: Anyone know why the stick is on the left and the buttons on the ri

This explains why I've always been so ridiculously good at strafing and zipping away around corners but not as proficient with the buttons. I'm left-handed.

Man, I can only imagine how awkward standard console controllers would be. I guess it's something you learn anyway, but if I had to suddenly control movement with my left hand, I probably couldn't play games anymore.