Video Game Controller Family Tree

[silverpoodleman]

I came across this interesting page that has a family tree featuring the video game controllers over the years starting with the Atari 2600 Joystick. It's a kick - check it out.

 

 

http://www.axess.com/twilight/console/

[sku_u]

Is that really the Nintendo Revolution controller? It looks like a hospital remote control. I don't like that set up at all. I hope there are third party alternatives.

[Phineasfool]

Is that really the Nintendo Revolution controller?  It looks like a hospital remote control.  I don't like that set up at all.  I hope there are third party alternatives.

1019899[/snapback]

 

You are going to be able to use GC controllers on the Rev. Also there are different shells planned for the controller so it resembles a more common controller. But the Rev controller itself is going to have motion sensors and be almost like using a mouse in 3D space.

[sega saturn x]

Pretty neat, but why sony continues to but the two analog sticks right next to each other still baffles me. They are the only company to ever do that, and for a good reason it just isn't erganomic. But people love it anyway, most likely for the same reason people like the angular nes brick and 2600 joystick it's what the started playing games on.

[SHAGOHOD X99]

Pretty neat, but why sony continues to but the two analog sticks right next to each other still baffles me.  They are the only company to ever do that, and for a good reason it just isn't erganomic.  But people love it anyway, most likely for the same reason people like the angular nes brick and 2600 joystick it's what the started playing games on.

1019929[/snapback]

 

WORD.

 

It didn't bother me at first, but when stuff like KILLZONE came

out (at least to me), the danged side-by-side analog controls

weren't as comfortable to me as playing on the "S" controller on

the XBOX. To me it's not fluid/responsive enough with the way the

tops of the button feel on my thumbs. Strangely enough I had the

easiest time in FPS games (though I don't play too many) with the

Nintendo GC controller over everything else, though that controller

sucked for the majority of "other" games.

 

As for the old school stuff, shoot it's all about the FAMICOM AV or

NES "Top Loader" Dog Bone controller over the brick, and I

only ever use my Mega Drive gamepad on my 2600 VCS because

while the joystick worked for me from '83 till about '88, I just can't

get used to it anymore. Though on that note I sometimes will use

the Sega Master System controller as well.

[JB]

Is that really the Nintendo Revolution controller?  It looks like a hospital remote control.  I don't like that set up at all.  I hope there are third party alternatives.

1019899[/snapback]

Well, it's half of the controller. The other half is swappable, but the pack-in will be an analog thumbstick.

 

Anyways, the part they're showing is motion-tracking. So it's mainly a place to stick buttons, and you tilt it for directional control.

 

 

Is that really the Nintendo Revolution controller?  It looks like a hospital remote control.  I don't like that set up at all.  I hope there are third party alternatives.

1019899[/snapback]

 

You are going to be able to use GC controllers on the Rev. Also there are different shells planned for the controller so it resembles a more common controller.

The 'Cube controller ports haven't been confirmed as working with anything but 'Cube software. As far as I can tell, they're only there for backwards-compatibility.

 

And the controller "shells" are in a similarly vague state. They could easily be subject to software support, assuming they ever make it to market.

[Famicoman]

That chart actually looks pretty thought out. Not bad.

[JB]

That chart actually looks pretty thought out. Not bad.

1020370[/snapback]

Yah.

 

I'd run connections from the INTV and Vectrex over to the NES/Game+Watch(Vectrex has the button layout and construction of the NES pad, and INTV introduces the gamepad), and tie the 360 pad to the DualShock, but all things considered it IS a pretty good thingie.

[keilbaca]

Pretty neat, but why sony continues to but the two analog sticks right next to each other still baffles me.  They are the only company to ever do that, and for a good reason it just isn't erganomic.  But people love it anyway, most likely for the same reason people like the angular nes brick and 2600 joystick it's what the started playing games on.

1019929[/snapback]

 

WORD.

 

It didn't bother me at first, but when stuff like KILLZONE came

out (at least to me), the danged side-by-side analog controls

weren't as comfortable to me as playing on the "S" controller on

the XBOX. To me it's not fluid/responsive enough with the way the

tops of the button feel on my thumbs. Strangely enough I had the

easiest time in FPS games (though I don't play too many) with the

Nintendo GC controller over everything else, though that controller

sucked for the majority of "other" games.

 

The sticks don't bother me. Then again, I don't play FPSson the PS2. I plan on getting the keyboard/mouse adapter for it. Once I get it, then I'll play FPSs on the console.

Edited February 18, 2006 by keilbaca

[Vic George 2K3]

And one would think that the Intellivision keypad/disc controller would have SOME "familial connections" with the Nintendo and Sega gamepads, since they both share having a multidirectional control button of some sort.

[Atarifever]

All the wireless controllers are shown as coming from the WaveBird because:

 

The WaveBird is notable for being the first, best and so far only wireless first-party controller. Signal dropouts are virtually non-existent, and the controller can be generally expected to operate to a distance of 50 feet.

 

How is the term "wireless" being used there. I have a wireless Sega Genesis 6 button pad that is from Sega. That's a first party wireless controller, isn't it?

Edited February 18, 2006 by Atarifever

[JB]

And one would think that the Intellivision keypad/disc controller would have SOME "familial connections" with the Nintendo and Sega gamepads, since they both share having a multidirectional control button of some sort.

1020490[/snapback]

That was my POV, too. Regardless of it's failings, the INTV was the first gamepad, and all the japanese systems use teh same control concept.

 

 

 

All the wireless controllers are shown as coming from the WaveBird because:

 

The WaveBird is notable for being the first, best and so far only wireless first-party controller. Signal dropouts are virtually non-existent, and the controller can be generally expected to operate to a distance of 50 feet.

 

How is the term "wireless" being used there. I have a wireless Sega Genesis 6 button pad that is from Sega. That's a first party wireless controller, isn't it?

1020505[/snapback]

I think he means RF wireless, in which case it's a phrasing issue.

There's a few other omitted devices, though, so he could've just mised it.

[A.J. Franzman]

All the wireless controllers are shown as coming from the WaveBird because:

 

The WaveBird is notable for being the first, best and so far only wireless first-party controller. Signal dropouts are virtually non-existent, and the controller can be generally expected to operate to a distance of 50 feet.

How is the term "wireless" being used there. I have a wireless Sega Genesis 6 button pad that is from Sega. That's a first party wireless controller, isn't it?

1020505[/snapback]

I think he means RF wireless, in which case it's a phrasing issue.

There's a few other omitted devices, though, so he could've just mised it.

1020520[/snapback]

Like the Atari Remote Control Joysticks, and the original NES dogbone.

[minorleagueguy]

...so whare would the joysticks for the Astrocade, Channel F, and Arcadia 2001 go...looks like he missed these...

 

minorleagueguy

[BassGuitari]

...so whare would the joysticks for the Astrocade, Channel F, and Arcadia 2001 go...looks like he missed these...

 

minorleagueguy

1020547[/snapback]

 

Ditto. There isn't much out there quite like the Bally and Fairchild controllers. But, he does acknowledge that there's quite a bit missing from the chart.

 

Also, and this may be a little naggy, but what about paddles, trakballs, light guns and stuff like that? I ask only because this isn't explicitly about only joysticks.

 

It would also be neat to go further back than the Atari joystick, although there's not much there besides the various Pongs. Weren't joysticks available (if not necessarily for gaming) for computers before the CX-40? And if anyone knows exactly when the Odyssey 4000 came out (same year as the 2600 I think, but I'm not sure), its joysticks may predate Atari's, if only marginally.

Edited February 19, 2006 by BassGuitari

[awsomo3000]

I can't believe I never noticed hoe simmilar the X-box controller is to the dreamcasts.

[NintendoDieScreaming]

Its a nice page, but he has some wrong information regarding the Sega Saturn Arcade pad.

[JB]

All the wireless controllers are shown as coming from the WaveBird because:

 

The WaveBird is notable for being the first, best and so far only wireless first-party controller. Signal dropouts are virtually non-existent, and the controller can be generally expected to operate to a distance of 50 feet.

How is the term "wireless" being used there. I have a wireless Sega Genesis 6 button pad that is from Sega. That's a first party wireless controller, isn't it?

1020505[/snapback]

I think he means RF wireless, in which case it's a phrasing issue.

There's a few other omitted devices, though, so he could've just mised it.

1020520[/snapback]

Like the Atari Remote Control Joysticks, and the original NES dogbone.

1020528[/snapback]

Fine... first MODERN RF controller.

 

And I'm not familiar with the NES wireless pad you're talking about.

 

 

...so whare would the joysticks for the Astrocade, Channel F, and Arcadia 2001 go...looks like he missed these...

 

minorleagueguy

1020547[/snapback]

 

Ditto. There isn't much out there quite like the Bally and Fairchild controllers. But, he does acknowledge that there's quite a bit missing from the chart.

 

Also, and this may be a little naggy, but what about paddles, trakballs, light guns and stuff like that? I ask only because this isn't explicitly about only joysticks.

He skips paddles, lightguns, and trackballs because there's not any real connection tothe "main" controls.

 

Could do another, but paddles and trackballs will basically be single boxes. Lightguns... are iffy. Odyssey through NES/SMS is static. Then Sega and Nintendo throw out a pair of over-featured monstrosities that don't sell. Then they go BACK to single-trigger affairs. Then they add support buttons AGAIN, this time in a conventional pistol housing.

[A.J. Franzman]

I think he means RF wireless, in which case it's a phrasing issue.

There's a few other omitted devices, though, so he could've just mised it.

1020520[/snapback]

Like the Atari Remote Control Joysticks, and the original NES dogbone.

1020528[/snapback]

Fine... first MODERN RF controller.

 

And I'm not familiar with the NES wireless pad you're talking about.

1020623[/snapback]

Sorry for the confusion - I was referring to the NES dogbone as one of the "few other omitted devices", not as an RF wireless controller.

Edited February 19, 2006 by A.J. Franzman

[JB]

I think he means RF wireless, in which case it's a phrasing issue.

There's a few other omitted devices, though, so he could've just mised it.

1020520[/snapback]

Like the Atari Remote Control Joysticks, and the original NES dogbone.

1020528[/snapback]

Fine... first MODERN RF controller.

 

And I'm not familiar with the NES wireless pad you're talking about.

1020623[/snapback]

Sorry for the confusion - I was referring to the NES dogbone as one of the "few other omitted devices", not as an RF wireless controller.

1020963[/snapback]

Ah.

[Blur2040]

I feel it's worth pointing out that the SFC "proto" pad looks suspicously like a random Famiclone pad.

[AtticGamer]

The original PlayStation pad (no analog sticks) is my favorite because it's very practical.

I also like the A2600 joystick due to it's simplicity and the dual shock.

Sony seems to be the only one who gives attention to the dpad and puts it in the right place. In other controllers I think it's hard to use the dpad for long periods of time. The main advantage of the PS controller is that i suits all games (xbox is good for fps, gc for platform games) and the analog sticks aren't that hard to use, just a matter of getting used to it.

[SteveW]

I feel it's worth pointing out that the SFC "proto" pad looks suspicously like a random Famiclone pad.

1020999[/snapback]

 

I thought that too. I was wondering why it had a DB-9 plug on the end.

[JB]

I feel it's worth pointing out that the SFC "proto" pad looks suspicously like a random Famiclone pad.

1020999[/snapback]

 

I thought that too. I was wondering why it had a DB-9 plug on the end.

1021115[/snapback]

I'd just assumed because it saved them money on concept designs.

No point in comissioning the custom connectors until you're reachign the end stage.

 

Mis-ID'ed Famiclone pad makes a lot of sense too, though.

 

 

*studies board traces*

Yup, it's a Famiclone pad. There's no way to get 4 buttons out of those connections. Either the tops and bottoms are linked, or the lefts and rights are linked.

Edited February 20, 2006 by JB

[Blur2040]

I feel it's worth pointing out that the SFC "proto" pad looks suspicously like a random Famiclone pad.

1020999[/snapback]

 

I thought that too. I was wondering why it had a DB-9 plug on the end.

1021115[/snapback]

I'd just assumed because it saved them money on concept designs.

No point in comissioning the custom connectors until you're reachign the end stage.

 

Mis-ID'ed Famiclone pad makes a lot of sense too, though.

 

 

*studies board traces*

Yup, it's a Famiclone pad. There's no way to get 4 buttons out of those connections. Either the tops and bottoms are linked, or the lefts and rights are linked.

1021139[/snapback]

 

Dead giveaways for me were the fact that it said "Super Family" (One of those Close but not quite there Famiclone names) and the fact that it said "NASA," a once popular brand of Famiclone. Pile on top of that the fact that nintendo hardware prototypes NEVER (ok, never say never) get out. If SFC pads were floating about...I'd know about it.

 

That said...I think that the web contains most of the relevant controllers...but I got teh feeling that there should be a confusing array of links between everything...this all seems way too neat.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Blur2040