Pushing Buttons: Intelligent Solutions for Ambiguous Player Controls.

When I played SF2 and what not on my SNES, I dont even think I used the weak buttons.

I think I lack the part of the human brain that allows people to be good at fighters.

It's funny you say that, I do too. For some reason, I cannot bring myself to use all of the buttons in fighting games.

I really couldn't say what I am; the only game I've really played for the last few months is Halo 2, and my thumb is on the right analog stick untill I need to hit a button. But I would probably be closests to a sloppy gamer though, I always tend to actually push a useless button (like holding down jump when I'm not jumping) while play platformers almost out of instinct.

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Originally Posted by AstroBlue

Niether. I'm so used to playing games like Mario on the NES were you held B to run (with the tip of your thumb) and then jumped by flattening your thumb over A. So my thumb is usually hovering over B (NES, GCN), Y (SNES), Square (PS) and X (Xbox), etc.. I'll flatten my thumb to press "A" (the bottom button), and for the top and right buttons i'll press them the precise way.

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You must hate playing GBA games on DS, where that style would require you to contort your right hand into a very uncomfortable position.

As for me, I guess I would fall into the precise category, although for some odd reason I have one hell of a time using a keyboard without hitting more than one key at once.

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Originally Posted by AstroBlue

Niether. I'm so used to playing games like Mario on the NES were you held B to run (with the tip of your thumb) and then jumped by flattening your thumb over A. So my thumb is usually hovering over B (NES, GCN), Y (SNES), Square (PS) and X (Xbox), etc.. I'll flatten my thumb to press "A" (the bottom button), and for the top and right buttons i'll press them the precise way.

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I do this too. It just makes more sense this way, unless the game pretty much requires precise control. In Bangai-O, precise control is where it's at.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

This article proves that when game designers look at design from a more scientific perspective, analyzing the situation and problems closely and not saying "they just dont get it" or "its art" it can lead to some fantastic results. The reason why THPS succeeded and all those damn skateboarding games coming out in 1999 didnt was most likely because Neversoft put this work and research into the control while those guys didnt.

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That exact thought came to me, too.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

I think I lack the part of the human brain that allows people to be good at fighters.

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Funny enough, it took guilty gear to teach me how to play street fighter. Because there are no "weak buttons", i finally figured out fighting games with it.

Note: I used to use only Heavy attacks period. I mean, the dragon punch looked so much cooler, why would I use the half-assed one.

I know this is an old thread, but the "Pushing Buttons" article by Mick West is now available online:

http://cowboyprogramming.com/?p=17

Is this spam?

I'm probably the precise button pusher--I usually rest my finger on whichever button I'm most likely to use (jump button in some games, attack button in others), then hover over to whichever button I need next. Definitely hover in fighting games, especially on arcade sticks where you need to press buttons in such rapid succession with zero mistakes that the sloppy method just wouldn't work.