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Hand/Button Layout for Fighting Games
shponglefan:
--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on June 07, 2013, 08:24:07 pm ---The so called Ergonomics of Arcade buttons is largely a farce. If you place you hand FLAT on the control panel / mock up sheet... then sure... your fingers will extend to various lengths, making a nice curve. However, you cant press a button with a flat hand. Same as you cant type letters on a keyboard with a flat hand.
--- End quote ---
This is true. However, even with the fingers bent, the index finger tends to be at a position lower than the other fingers. So it does make sense to position the first row of buttons lower than the rest of the buttons.
At least this has been my experience trying out various layouts until I settled on the one I use now.
Xiaou2:
--- Quote ---even with the fingers bent, the index finger tends to be at a position lower than the other fingers.
--- End quote ---
Yes, but your forgetting critical details, which change that whole argument.
Place your hands on a standard layout keyboard, in a straight alignment on the keys.
1) Notice that your knuckles form a 3d arc, and so do the joints above them.
2) Notice that the distance from your knuckles to your finger joint to your finger nail edge, is pretty much the same
on The middle 3 digits. So even though the middle finger is longer... the joint is higher on that digit.. and to it contracts to about the same exact alignment of the two digits on either side of it.
2a) Easiest way to see this... is to lay your hand flat on the table, then pull the fingers inwards, clawing the desktop with the fingernails as the fingers contract and the joints raise. Stopping when your fingers are vertically aligned... all the 3 fingers nails will almost be in a perfectly straight line. At most, theres a 3mm difference. And that difference, is further reduced when you allow your wrist to leave the table surface.
3) Now, again, look at your fingers on your keyboard letters. Allow your pinky to slide off a letter and down to where it seems it should be...
Then, slowly adjust your wrist and hand as you return it to the on-key position. What you will notice... is that with only a 5 degree angle change outwards in your wrist... will make the pinky sit on the key with superb comfort... with all the other fingers also comfortable as well.
4) Switch back and forth, moving both wrists in and out, and comparing them and the comfort level. What you will notice, is that the wrist feels better at that slight angle, than to try to snake it with a harsh bend at the wrist. Meaning, it feels better if your elbow to your finger... is one straight line... rather than you having a sharp bent in a different direction at the wrist.
5) Notice, that as your wrist is in this more comfy position, all the digits become even more straight in alignment. And again, all digits, including pinky, can easily operate efficiently and fairly comfortably. The pinky being the weakest and smallest digit.. and lower in the arc, still able to put in effective work without noticeable strain.
So... unless you have an Alien Appendage... or a severely uncommon finger distance anomaly... you can both operate a standard keyboard.. as well as a straight-6 SFII layout.
However, if you DO have an oddity.. then make your-side of the controller for your hand type.. but leave the other players
controllers to a more average / standard of human proportions.. allowing for the worst case scenario... where someone, like a woman, (or man) whom has smaller hands... to still be able to operate properly and comfortably. As, its easy for a larger person to adapt to a smaller configuration... but not the other way around.
Unstupid:
--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on June 07, 2013, 09:42:34 pm ---
--- Quote ---even with the fingers bent, the index finger tends to be at a position lower than the other fingers.
--- End quote ---
2a) Easiest way to see this... is to lay your hand flat on the table, then pull the fingers inwards, clawing the desktop with the fingernails as the fingers contract and the joints raise. Stopping when your fingers are vertically aligned... all the 3 fingers nails will almost be in a perfectly straight line. At most, theres a 3mm difference. And that difference, is further reduced when you allow your wrist to leave the table surface.
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Now spread your fingers apart so that they are about 1 1/4" from each other on center (about as close as you can put arcade buttons to each other). Nice arc you got there. Not a problem if you use arcade buttons the same size as the keys on a keyboard!
Nephasth:
--- Quote from: Unstupid on June 07, 2013, 10:00:13 pm ---
--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on June 07, 2013, 09:42:34 pm ---
--- Quote ---even with the fingers bent, the index finger tends to be at a position lower than the other fingers.
--- End quote ---
2a) Easiest way to see this... is to lay your hand flat on the table, then pull the fingers inwards, clawing the desktop with the fingernails as the fingers contract and the joints raise. Stopping when your fingers are vertically aligned... all the 3 fingers nails will almost be in a perfectly straight line. At most, theres a 3mm difference. And that difference, is further reduced when you allow your wrist to leave the table surface.
--- End quote ---
Now spread your fingers apart so that they are about 1 1/4" from each other on center (about as close as you can put arcade buttons to each other). Nice arc you got there. Not a problem if you use arcade buttons the same size as the keys on a keyboard!
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+1!
brad808:
The more games I play and the more layouts I try, the more I realize it doesn't make a difference.
Sent from my Nexus 4