Poll: During game play which hand do you use?

[Popcorrin]

I myself am option 3, but I am curious to see how others play.

[thebrownshow]

I also use Style #3.

One thing I've found is that it feels really strange recently is using my right hand for games like Frogger or Ms. Pac-Man or whatever on the left stick.  For all those "joystick only" games, the stick was usually in the middle, so playing with either hand kept you centered in front of the cabinet.  Now I'm way over there on the left-hand side.  Feels strange.

[Farmboy90]

Also does it matter if it is a joystick or a trackball?  I have yet to see someone spin the trackball in golden tee with only their left hand.

Left hand for everything, even the trackball.

*** EDIT ***
I forgot about the flight stick.  I play that with my right hand.  Oh and I am right handed.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I use my left hand for almost everything, except when the CP layout dictates otherwise.
Tron needs the stick on the right to feel proper, for example.

I will fit the CP to my taste however.
I play Tempest with the spinner on the left, where I think it SHOULD have been in the arcade.

Trackball games really depend.
I play Missle Command with the trackball to the right, and Centipede/Quantum with it to the left--most of the time.
I can switch up if it's already in one position or the other, and I don't feel like switching it.

I probably should mention (if you hadn't guessed already) that I am naturally left-handed, but highly ambidextrous.

[javeryh]

Left hand with joysticks and trackballs.  Right hand for buttons.  I'm left handed.

[Hoopz]

I chose #2.  I am probably one of the few, but I designed my CP specifically so Player one has the joy on the right and player two has the joy on the left (for guests and kids). 

Growing up playing Intellivision and Atari made it so I could use my dominant hand on the joy (disc) and I did that in the arcades.  I know Paige's position that the joys were placed for righties until game play advanced and pressing the buttons became more important.   When designing my CP I tried playing with the joy in my left hand (sounds like something for an EE thread) but it wasnt comfortable.  That was the nice things about doing mockups for the CP before finishing.

[RayB]

Your poll is flawed. It assumes everyone is right-handed.
Your questions should read like this:

DOMINANT hand for games that do not incorporate a button and other hand for games that do.

[Jay.H]

Your poll is flawed. It assumes everyone is right-handed.
Your questions should read like this:

DOMINANT hand for games that do not incorporate a button and other hand for games that do.

I was tinking the same thing. I'm RH and consistently use my dominant hand for the controls that require the most (1) speed or (2) control. Option 3 for me.

[Popcorrin]

I changed the title to try and eliminate any confusion.  I really wasn't looking for hand usage based off of which hand is dominant but I know that will likely play a part.  I was just curious to find out what was most common and maybe hear some reasons why. 
 
I like the point that HoopZ or shall I say Paige brings up, that as button play became more important the controls changed to reflect that.  I think the way people use their hands might be less of a choice and more of requirement nowadays.  Joystick on the left and buttons on the right.

NoOne=NBA= brings up the point on trackball play that he can go either way and I was trying to think to myself which way I prefer and I can't really say.  I know if I am playing golden tee or a bowling game that I usually use my right hand, but if the game involves buttons, such as centipede or missile command I don't know which way would be most comfortable.  It might have to do with the fact that you need to be agile with either hand.  You need to have fine control of the trackball and you need to be able to hit the buttons quickly.  Unlike a joystick where you make a definitive movement in one direction or another, not usually requiring real fine control.
I'd be interested to hear what others think about this.

[Hoopz]

I think one thing has changed though regarding using your dominant hand for the buttons.  Since the PC has become more an integral part of every day life, alot more people are learning to use their "off" hand much more now.   I can't recall the time period when Paige said the change was made, but as people have adapted and learned to use both hands, IMO the joy/button isnt as valid now.  YMMV, but for me, I am just as good with my left hand for buttons as I am with my right so its logical for me to then use my strong hand for the joy.

Of course, I did not play many arcade games in the 90's so I learned to use my right hand in the 70's and 80's.  I did ---smurfette--- all the time when I had to use my left.  That's the nice thing about my cabinet, I get to make it my way.   

I still think doing mock ups and figuring out what you like/dont like is the best solution.  Or having 2 or more cabinets to cover all the possibilities. 

[Crowquill]

On classic cabs that are set up to be ambidextrous (most), I ALWAYS use my right hand for the directional controls. I think it's interesting that most Atari control panels were either ambidextrous or forced you to use your right hand for controls.

This holds true even for the 2600 joysticks. I remember an article in "Atari Age" magazine on how to wire your joystick to be "left-handed". Intellivision, Colecovision, and even 7800 had ambidextrous controllers though.

On the other hand, pretty much every other manufacturer made their control panels "left-handed." It became the standard and my MAME cab reflects that.

I still answered right-only though

[Orclord]

Hmmmm...

What an interesting question.....Made me think.....

I'm right handed.....

Normally Joy in left.... buttons with right....

Although....

Gorf = Right hand

Arkanoid....spinner = right hand...

Trackball (Combat schoool) = left hand trackball......

Still thinking......

I'm sure I also used to swap as the cab I was playing dictated or what felt most comfortable...

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm





This thinking lark sucks.....

Gimmie a beer....

 

[nostrebor]

Left hand with joysticks and trackballs.  Right hand for buttons.  I'm left handed.

Yup.

[danny_galaga]

i choose 'left hand only'. this is because both my cocktail cab and the game pad i use for my PC only have this option. given a chance i would play games like pacman with my right. eventually ill build an upright and i guess ill config those games onto player 2's joy...

[markb]

I use my right hand for joystick control and have set all of my CP's out with one joystick set for RH use the other for LH use.

[farmecologist]

I also chose option #3.  Interesting, I guess I never really thought about it.  However, if my setup for a game 'feels strange' I usually go and take a look at a pic of the actual control panel..and more often than not, I have it set up incorrectly. 

[u_rebelscum]

I answered #3, but with a few notes:

No or one button:  right hand stick
Three buttons and up: left hand stick

Two buttons: some games one way, others the other.  No real logical reason one way or the other (such rotary sticks).  Sometimes I would switch hands (if CP set up ambi) in the middle of the game for tired hands, ect.

Trackball: right hand trackball if with buttons, except for moving down right fast.  If no buttons, both hands depending on direction.

Spinner: right hand

some exceptions:
flight sticks usually right
tron/DOT: joy right, spinner left