PD XBLA

[A Black Falcon]

How is 8 absolute directions more precise than omnidirectional input via a stick? I'm not sure I see that.

... Um, because it'll actually stay in the direction you put the stick in with no effort, in that point of the 8-pointed gate, instead or you having to carefully try to keep the stick exactly in place? I thought that was pretty obvious...

Really, as I've said before, in my opinion, the only possible advantage of a round gate is for a game like NiGHTS, which relies heavily on making curving motions. For pretty much anything else, Nintendo's style is a lot better. It makes precision with an analog stick a LOT easier than it is with a circular design, and that's good.

Plus, having to move at a snail's pace is a problem for me if I want to strafe kinda diagonally across a dangerous part while simultaneously shooting at a helicopter or something. I just prefer having full control over speed and direction across a full range if I'm playing a 3D game. Direction pads are for 2D games.

You're just not making any sense at all here.

First, movement speed has nothing to do with it, so I don't know where that comes from. Push the stick partway and you crawl, mid and you walk all the way and you run. Push the button and you walk (or run, it varies), press shift with it and you run (or walk, if you have autorun on, as is common), push something else to crouch and you'll then move slowly. Movement speed options are the same, you just don't get the gradients in between with buttons -- but those aren't important anyway, so it doesn't matter.

As for moving diagonally while shooting, well, that's exactly why PC FPS controls are so much better! Your control with a mouse over where you are pointing is so many times better than with any kind of analog stick that it's not even fair... at an equivalent skill level, someone playing an FPS on a PC would crush someone playing on a console almost every time. This isn't a debatable point, or a matter of opinion. It's a proven fact.

Now, of course, this is mostly because of how much better a mouse is than an analog stick for aiming, not because buttons are better than a stick for moving, so that doesn't conclusively answer the question just on the movement side. If we just look at N64/DC vs. systems with dual-stick controls, it'd be a much less clear picture (unless you're using the DC mouse and keyboard, that is... :)). But I do think the advantages of precise digital movement would prove important.

if I want to strafe kinda diagonally across a dangerous part while simultaneously shooting at a helicopter or something.

That would be a whole heck of a lot easier with a mouse to precisely aim and position yourself with, and with digital buttons to then be sure that you stay at the proper angle... with an analog stick you have to constantly worry about keeping it in the exact right position, and that's never easy (hence the 'it is less precise' issue). No, I definitely don't think that scenario would be easier with two sticks. :)

I'd have to agree with lazy/ABF on the debate of whether movement is better on an analog stick or a d-pad. For me, though, it just comes down to preference. Obviously an analog stick is more precise than a d-pad, but I prefer the d-pad's simplicity and speed. There's little need I can see to walk in an angle between a diagonal direction and a perpendicular direction (yeah, I know, the diagonals are perpendicular too, but you know what I mean).

Yeah... just change your view, point yourself in the direction you want to go now, and go there. FPSes do not require you to do complex jumping puzzles while NOT facing in the direction you are jumping... even jumping-heavy FPSes like Jedi Knight don't do that. :) If you need to move 'in the direction between two of the points' (of the 8 directions possible with standard buttons), just turn a bit with the mouse to angle in the needed direction.

As I said, it's not like you use the keyboard for angling anyway! It's just forward, backwards, and strafe. You can't turn your viewpoint with the movement controls, only with the mouse (or stick). So as long as you've used the look stick/mouse properly, you'll never need more than eight directions of movement.

As for having to use a run/walk toggle of some kind, it's a slight hassle, but oh well, you get used to it quickly.