Is it me or are joysticks faster than thumb controls on a console?

[rackoon]

I have been building a cab for a long time but only have a keyboard hooked up right now. So I got some old classics on the xbox 360 for my son to see what old arcade classics are like.

Let me just use Robotron as an example. Using the thumb controls, I cant run in between robots like the old days with a joystick. Or, is it just me? My kid doesnt understand because he has never even used a joystick to play a game. I swear I can play steetfighter faster with a joystick as well. At least thats what I remember.   

[TOK]

I think since you use more of your hand/arm you have finer control. My basis for this is playing shooters on the PC with a gamepad vs. cabinet. I can hardly get anywhere at games like Don Pachi with a gamepad since modulating the small precise movements between shots is harder.

Stuff like Donkey Kong doesn't matter much, but in the crazy stuff like Robotron, I completely agree with you.

[DeLuSioNal29]

I think a joystick is much faster.  The Xbox controls are ANALOG and a normal arcade Joystick is DIGITAL.  The joystick is either on/off when you move it, whereas the analog control has many values in between when you are moving it.  Although Robotron for xbox emulates a digital joystick, it's always better to use an actual joystick for faster movement in my opinion.

~ DeLuSioNaL

[Level42]

The clumsy tiny controls with zillion buttons everywhere turned me off on game consoles from Playstation 1.
I guess the Super Nintendo was about what I could handle in number of buttons.
The analogue controls.....don't get me started. Ever tried a racing game with it ? 

It was funny, was in a store yesterday and of course no Wii's to try (they keep being sold out here) so my 5 year old son was trying a motor racing game on an XBOX360. After him I tried it for a while, and I just couldn't get away from the feeling, geez....fantastic graphics, but nothing has REALLY improved since the PS1. It's still the same (boring) racing game.Clumsy controls and no fun.....
Was glad to came back home for another high-score on my Centipede 

[SavannahLion]

As you subtly pointed out. I think it largely depends on the game itself.

I find games like SFII are easier to play using a joy than most pads because it's far easier to do the "roll" (motions that involve continous changes of the stick such as L->D->R) moves with the stick.

However, I find certain games, such as Super Mario Bros, play better with the most pads because the very very short travel of the pad facilitates instant changes between directions. The button layout plays a role as well since I can use my thumb over two buttons at once. I suppose, it can be argued that the same can be said by using each finger for each button for control.

In the end, I think the deal is what our brains have grown accustomed to on a per game basis (that's the way it is for me). If I originally play the game in the arcade, then my brain wants whatever control was used for that game. If I originally played the game on the console, then it is whatever control was used there.

This is the primary reason I want arcade cabs as part of my collection. I have many of the home versions of the arcade games, but the feel is incrediably different between the two. Conversely, I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone wants to build a console cabinet because those console games have a better playing feel when you're lounging on the couch with soda and chips.

That's just me though.

[MrMojoZ]

Wrong tools for the job.

[MaximRecoil]

The D-pad on a console controller has a much shorter "throw" than pretty much any joystick, however, you have to work it with your thumb, which can't generate the speed that your arms and wrist can when operating a joystick. To illustrate this, tap a button as fast as you can on a console controller using only your thumb. Then tap a control panel-mounted button on an arcade machine as fast as you can using your finger as normal. The reason you can tap the arcade machine button faster is because you are using your arm and wrist for the tapping motion, rather than just a digit on your hand like with a console controller.

Now the very short "throw" of the D-pad makes up for some of this, but not completely in many cases. And of course, speed of the controller is more relevant in some games than others too.