Official February 20, 2013 Playstation event

Isn't that just the width? Do we have actual dimensions or a good comparison to a ps3 controller?

Press release has the exact dimensions. Wiki seems up to date already so easy to compare there. There's not much between them though, at current spec:

162 × 52 × 98 mm
160 × 55 x 97 mm

Quotes 'near final' though, and that we won't get a proper demonstration of what it can do and its final form until E3 comes along.
 
Interesting that the "controller box" is not much bigger with so many things bolted on. The sticks look wider by using the space more efficiently ? Someone should overlay both of them to get a better comparison.
 
The dimensions there don't look bigger enough for my taste, which probably doesn't matter for me as I will require a 3rd party controller with proper left thumbstick placement.
 
The dimensions there don't look bigger enough for my taste, which probably doesn't matter for me as I will require a 3rd party controller with proper left thumbstick placement.

I have big hands, but fail to understand the preference (have both consoles)
 
The dimensions there don't look bigger enough for my taste, which probably doesn't matter for me as I will require a 3rd party controller with proper left thumbstick placement.
...In your opinion. I'm glad Sony didn't change the placement... they're right where they should be... IMO.
 
The dimensions there don't look bigger enough for my taste, which probably doesn't matter for me as I will require a 3rd party controller with proper left thumbstick placement.
It's just personal tastes, the majority of Playstation players prefer the dualshock placement, while Xbox players prefer the gamecube placement.
I prefer the dual shock way because it aligns the thumb tendons in a more relaxed symmetrical position (when holding it correctly, both thumbs should be in straight line with the forearm). For the correct position, with big hands, you have to place it further back, and it feels like you're barely holding it, the pinkies are almost hanging in mid air, causing cramps. So with just a bit larger grips and rounder it would be perfect for me. The plastic seam is also in the way.
 
I prefer the dual-stick placement. Dual-stick controls are very popular, and the asymmetric design of XB's controller doesn't make sense to me in that respect. Of course, for single stick+face buttons, XB's controller is more sensibly balanced. But I guess 15 years of PlayStation have some of us pretty engrained. ;)
 
It was Kameo for me. Stunning visuals, huge numbers of actors on screen, and a launch game, at that.

Made even better once we got co-op DLC; Wavey and I played on a few occassions and my son and I talk about re-playing the game about once a month and he's still asking for Kameo 2! I'm sure someone will correct me but I think MSFT was the co-op champ this gen...Kameo, Halo (all), Gears, Crackdown, etc.
 
I prefer the dual-stick placement. Dual-stick controls are very popular, and the asymmetric design of XB's controller doesn't make sense to me in that respect. Of course, for single stick+face buttons, XB's controller is more sensibly balanced. But I guess 15 years of PlayStation have some of us pretty engrained. ;)

I prefer the left stick placement of the Xbox controller, but wish they'd swap the buttons and right stick. PS3 makes more sense in that the sticks are symetric, but I wish they were in the position of the D-pad and the face buttons. It's just a more natural position for your thumb.

Either way, the controllers are both good enough, so it's not exactly a make or break feature.
 
There are some relatively subtle changes to the controller that I think make it feel better than the DS3 when it's in your hands. I'm assuming the changes will carry over to the production units.

I prefer the Xbox controller over the current DS3 controller, but almost none of that has anything to do with stick placement.
 
It's just personal tastes, the majority of Playstation players prefer the dualshock placement, while Xbox players prefer the gamecube placement.
I prefer the dual shock way because it aligns the thumb tendons in a more relaxed symmetrical position (when holding it correctly, both thumbs should be in straight line with the forearm). For the correct position, with big hands, you have to place it further back, and it feels like you're barely holding it, the pinkies are almost hanging in mid air, causing cramps. So with just a bit larger grips and rounder it would be perfect for me. The plastic seam is also in the way.

Yep, it is a matter of preference first and foremost.

But in the PS4's favour, the analogue sticks where they are are positioned much more ergonomically friendly. They are placed where the thumbs naturally oppose the other fingers.

The main muscles in the thumb are the opponens pollicis, flexor brevis, and abducens pollicis. The way our thenar muscles are designed is to adduct, abduct, and oppose.

In the way the 360 pad is situated, the left hand has to abduct, but what makes it bad is that the thumb must extend at the same time which is hard on normal sized and small hands.

The thumb is simply not built in a way to make this comfortable for most people.

It is a small difference, but extremely significant for comfort.
 
I have big hands, but fail to understand the preference (have both consoles)

I mainly prefer the 360 pad because after the Nights and DC controller, I grew accustomed to the left analog being above the D-pad. Along with that, I'm able to connect a chat pad to the 360 controller, giving me more to grip.

In reality I find both controllers too small and have minor issues with both.
 
In reality I find both controllers too small and have minor issues with both.
TBH I don't understand why the console companies don't sell official different sized controllers. Seems an easy way to cash in on a peripheral with a good sized markup. 3rd party controllers are always just a little naff and tacky by comparison IMO, and people will ordinarily want an official controller, limiting them to the one size.

Having said that, I'm not overly impressed with DS3 quality. We've got through a few collectively in our game nights. I also see that the left thumbstick gets worn away where it rubs the casing, which is something DS2 never did.

I'm very surprised at the given dimensions. DS4 certainly looks longer. How does the touch-pad click work? Does the whole thing depress like a jumbo button? Would be a great horn button in a new Driver game! :mrgreen:
 
I would have liked to have seen three triggers (left and right) with the removal of the clicking thumbsticks. Clicking the thumbsticks seems to have reduced their lifetime significantly.

So, about that Playstation Event ...
 
Yep, it is a matter of preference first and foremost.

But in the PS4's favour, the analogue sticks where they are are positioned much more ergonomically friendly. They are placed where the thumbs naturally oppose the other fingers.

The main muscles in the thumb are the opponens pollicis, flexor brevis, and abducens pollicis. The way our thenar muscles are designed is to adduct, abduct, and oppose.

In the way the 360 pad is situated, the left hand has to abduct, but what makes it bad is that the thumb must extend at the same time which is hard on normal sized and small hands.

The thumb is simply not built in a way to make this comfortable for most people.

It is a small difference, but extremely significant for comfort.

What a crock of...

It depends how the controller fits into your hands. There is nothing natural about the way I need to hold a ps controller to use the thumbsticks.

The reason I only complain about the left is because that stick is primary to most control schemes with the right my thumb is often on the buttons so its less uncomfortable.
 
I suspect those used to the 360 left analog placement might find the DS3 more comfortable to use if they placed their hands more at a 45 degree angle slightly higher up the controller, rather than 0 degrees by the sides.

Basically instead of the left hand's thumb and index finger forming a C, you want more of a V shape. Try palming the left handle of the controller with more of the base of your ring and pinky fingers rather than your er, palm.
 
They all feel fine to me. It's the games' control schemes that confuse me sometimes.

DS4 looks more comfy than DS3. Curious to see if I can detect the decreased latency.
 
What a crock of...

It depends how the controller fits into your hands. There is nothing natural about the way I need to hold a ps controller to use the thumbsticks.

The reason I only complain about the left is because that stick is primary to most control schemes with the right my thumb is often on the buttons so its less uncomfortable.

Excuse me? Lol.

If you want to discuss don't act like that.

I specifically stated for people with particular hand sizes.

Small hands are not good for some devices. It can force people to shift hands into comfortable positions. Similarly other controllers can be difficult for larger hands.

The most common complaints I have heard about DS3 for cramping hands is that it is too small. For people with large hands it is obvious how a small controller can cramp your hands just using anatomy.

Similarly the analogous placement on the 360 can be very obvious in the way it can be difficult to use for people with smaller hands.

You want to dispute the anatomy or innervations, then be my guest, but don't call it what you are saying now thanks.

Just because its not computer knowledge doesn't make it irrelevant. The way you hold the device matters. So does the anatomy. Unless you want to tell others that the anatomy is insignificant in product design?

What was the very first thing I stated in my post?

Preference is most important. Why? Because people's hands can still be different, cue personalised medicine advertisement. That doesn't mean the shape of hands and the average hand size and anatomy doesn't matter.

The shape of one's hand, the size of one's hand, the way one holds the controller, and the anatomy of one's hand are all important factors in product design. There is no perfect controller, but some features in controllers are very similar for a reason.

Unless you have designed prosthetics or something I don't think you can tell me my post is a crock of anything.
 
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Your post was nonsense and is still nonsense. I know many people with much smaller hands than mine that are more comfortable with a 360 controller because of the way they hold the controller.

But this probably belongs in a different thread. If a mod wants to move or delete this discussion that'd be fine.
 
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