buttons to left of joystick

[Distortion]

While planning out my control panel, I've been looking at a lot of other peoples' control panels and I've noticed that every once in a while somebody puts the buttons to the left of the controller.  Is there any reason this is preferrable?  I've always seen it in the arcades the opposite way.

[2slk]

It's preferable for me because I feel more comfortable that way. It's just a matter of personal preference regarding which hand you like to control the joystick with.

[Xphile]

It's preferable for me because I feel more comfortable that way. It's just a matter of personal preference regarding which hand you like to control the joystick with.

rotfl!  I guess i'd better just leave that comment alone..sorry..<grin>:-)

back on topic for me now...I wonder,  do left handed people prefer reverse Layout, or do they adapt at the arcade as youngsters and just continue on through life using their dominant hand for joystick, and right hand for buttons (even though it must feel as akward for them as right handers using a reverse layout.)?

anyone here left handed?

[Eddie Lukin]

I'm left handed, and I prefer to use my left hand on the stick and the right on the buttons... which is "right handed" I guess. To me it just makes more sense to use the dominant hand on the side that needs the more precision.

Kinda like playing guitar. A "right handed" guitar has the left hand doing the hard work on the fret board, which is more comfortable to me. I don't get why a lefty would want their right hand doing the work that requires more dexterity.

[BeBoxer]

I'm a lefty, and put my buttons on the right. That's just the way all the arcade games were set up, so that's the way I did it. The funny part is that my wife is somehow convinced that I made the control panel "left handed" because the joystick is on the left. I guess I'll have to make her an actual left-handed panel to keep her happy (even though she's right handed.)

[ErikRuud]

I am right handed, my buttons are on the left.  I did it this because I am more comfortable that way.  Many of the older classic games that were popular when I hung out in arcades did not have standard layouts like a lot of the newer games do.  

In addition I was a teenager during the age of the Atari 2600 and Odyssey 2.  Those controllers had the button on the left as well.

[Howard_Casto]

It's just personal preferance but If you put them on the "wrong side" then guests won't like to play on your machine.  

I'm left handed and I prefer it the traditional way.  Besides, console controllers have also been like this for years now, so you should be used to it.  

[Brax]

Who says we've ever used a console controller?
My console days ended at the Atari 2600 actually.

[ErikRuud]

Yes Howard, I know that some people may not like it, but if I go with the buttons on the right, then other people won't like it, including me!.  Most of my guests would be my age, and have the same preferance.  


Brax, I still own my Odyssey2.  I also have an old Sega, but that is for my nephews to play when they are over.  I hardly ever touch it.

[Frostillicus]

I have friends who have never played the real games   *gasp* so they don't know to use the buttons on the right.  So i stuck 2 on the left to accomodate them.  They are just duplicates of the first 2 on the right.    Actually i've found that most people who haven't played in the arcades just play classics like pacman and dig dug and so only need 2 buttons anyways if at all.  If they know enough about street fighter and newer games("I have to learn stuff to play??")  than chances are they've played it and will use the buttons on the right.

[Rocky]

I'm left handed and I made my player 1 controls so the joystick is on the right, Player 2 controls are "normal" (joystick on the left).

I was trying to analyze why I like the stick on the right. I think it is because I got so used to using the keyboard in MAME (arrow keys on the right).

Anyway, I give my guests the choice of controls. That gives me a handicap if I get the one I don't like (they usually need it  ).

Also, my layout works great for Crazy Climber (sticks in the middle). Man, I used to love playing that in my college days. I remember the first time I cleared all 4 buildings.


Rocky

[2slk]

 I'm a lefty and I just feel more comfortable with the buttons on the left side. ErikRuud, I completely agree with you. Games didn't always have today's standard layout. Take TRON. Joystick in right hand, spinner in the left. I've also seen a lot of people (mostly right-handers come to think of it) play FPS on a PC and they all use the mouse in their right hand and tap the keyboard buttons with their left. Should translate to a game panel as joystick in right, buttons on left, no?

 In any case, I would hate to think that there are panel configuration purists out there who think anything other than 'normal' is unacceptable. And yes, I am one of those idiots who you see in an arcade who plays any game with the joystick in his right hand even if it means crossing his arms. I still have a TON of fun. That's the point.  

[Xphile]

interesting responses...

I always figured the machine makers decided the dominant hand would be more effective pounding the fire button really,really fast or dextrously (sp?) utilizing strange button combos, and the other hand would be 'effective enough' to manhandle the joystick.. :-)

[u_rebelscum]

Back in the days, most games with buttons (that I played) had them on both sides, others "joy left, buttons right", others "joy right, buttons left".  Then 2 player games starting coming out, and most of them had the joystick left, buttons right, my preference.  But a couple of my friends had to play the games arms crossed.  One never "switched over", and stopped going to the arcades soon after (could have been growing up or something else, too).  The other "switched over", but sometimes at a hard part of a "buttons right" machine, he'd cross arms until he passed that part.  Haven't seen them for years, so don't know how they play (if they play) now.

Funny how most PC 'sticks (general & flight) with buttons off the stick have the buttons on the left.  Complained to the companies about it since I was in college, and found out about the few "buttons right" sticks only after they were discontinued.  Now, I'm a BYO, so I forgot looking for a "correct, buttons right" retail PC stick, and BMO!

[brandon]

I'm left handed, and I prefer to use my left hand on the stick and the right on the buttons... which is "right handed" I guess. To me it just makes more sense to use the dominant hand on the side that needs the more precision.

Kinda like playing guitar. A "right handed" guitar has the left hand doing the hard work on the fret board, which is more comfortable to me. I don't get why a lefty would want their right hand doing the work that requires more dexterity.

Im a lefty too and I prefer the standard buttons right setup.  I also play guitar "right handed"  I never really thought about it but the standard setup feels fine to me.  When I play something like Pacman I dont know what to do with my other hand so sometimes I switch..  I never really thought about it being weird for righty people..  I guess I just adapted like everything else...