Quote Originally Posted by j_factor View Post
Yeah, I find that less than ideal. While (arguably) the N64 didn't need anything like the Mission Stick, its controller is definitely no substitute for a mouse or light gun.
As much as I like teh Mission Stick, the N64 (or Xbox, or most modern consoles)'s way is better overall, because you don't need a bunch of expensive, uncommon controllers to get ideal control in games; you have it with the default pad.

I mean, sure, a joystick for the N64 might have been nice, but a mouse? Console mice are rarely very useful... and as for a light gun, I'm terrible with those anyway so I usually do just as well (or better) with a gamepad... though the N64 has only one lightgun-ish game, and it's average at best, I guess if it had a gun you'd think it'd have had more? I don't think that was much of a loss though.

I'm not sure why you keep harping on those. What difference does it make? They're not necessary, they don't get in the way. It's pretty easy to just not notice that they're there.
Just pointing out that Sony's controller has legitimately useless buttons, while Nintendo's doesn't.

(To answer your question, a few driving games let you click to activate turbo and/or rear view.)
It's used in very, VERY few games.

You know what I meant.
Pointing out that the N64 controller was the first console gamepad in a long time with analog is a very valid point, though... the others were inspired by them, pretty much. That does matter.

I don't see how Turok would control any worse if you got rid of the middle prong and put the analog stick on the left.
Because then were would the d-pad go? As I've said, "both on the same prong" is not quite as good design, I think. And also, the Z button needs to be there, not just a boring shoulder button like L. You need that trigger.

The C buttons aren't analog, though. So you couldn't quite replicate something like Medal of Honor; you'd need a "walk" button. A and B are replaced by L2 and R2, I don't see any difference there.
What, as if you actually walk around in any non-stealth FPS? Since when? PC FPSes usually have a "walk" button, but almost no one ever uses it... no, I don't see that as a relevant factor at all. In FPSes, you generally want to run all the time.

And if a "walk" button really is so important, then map it to something. Put it on R or something maybe, I don't know.

Large libraries of inferior-controlling 3d games with digital-only controls? Like what? There really aren't that many Playstation or Saturn games that were digital-only and suffered from it. I don't feel that, say, Jumping Flash needed analog control.
Pretty much any 3d game (not counting fighting games, since those are better with digital control) released on the PS1 or Saturn that doesn't have analog support would be better with it. That's a lot of games. There isn't much reason to list examples because of how many there are, but if you really need examples, fine, I'll list a few... how about Solar Eclipse, Independence Day, TigerShark, Impact Racing, Psybadek, Bubsy 3D, Critical Depth, Willy Wombat, JetMoto, ShipWreckers, Total Eclipse Turbo, Tunnel B1, Bug!, Bug Too!, Street Racer, Bravo Air Race, Warhawk, Off-World Interceptor Extreme, CyberSpeed, Hi-Octane... and plenty more I'm sure. Lots of stuff on PS1/Saturn from 1994-1997. A lot of 3d games on the Jaguar also could be listed here, and any 3DO ones that don't have gun or flightstick support.

Well if that was their goal, they failed, because the N64 controller is clearly the most unfamiliar.
In your opinion.
Previous controllers did not have multiple handles for using them in different ways. Hell, just look at the argument earlier in this thread about how to hold the N64 controller. How many other controllers have people disagreeing on how to hold them?
There isn't really an argument, just some people who hold it wrong. I'm sure that there are other controllers than could be held wrong too. It's not hard to learn, and I do not agree that this is a negative for the controller. Once learned, it works great, and that's what matters.

It's not just "the minds of people who hate it"; the controller had a mixed reception from the start, and its use had to be demonstrated by Nintendo, rather than being readily apparent.
A lot of people liked it once they used it. Some didn't, sure, but almost every controller has its critics. The N64 controller might be more divisive than some, but given that some people really love it, can't you tell that it is a good design? I mean, we're not talking about something like the Jaguar here, where only a tiny number of people like it while almost everyone else hates the thing!