Best gamepad or joystick for PC SF 4?

lazlo

I'm using a 360 pad atm but I find that there is far to much travel in the analogue stick and that its D-Pad's vertical axis is far too sensitive(when pressing forwards or backwards the character will often jump rather than walking, this also means that the wrong charge move can come out all too often)

Anyone else using a 360 pad on the PC? Or can anyone recommend another pad thats particularly good?

Orim

If you are willing to spend the money then your best bet is to get an arcade stick. There was a pretty good thread recently that covered some great points about which stick to buy and advice on getting used to sticks.
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055646825

If that's not your cup of tea then the Mad Catz fightpad seems pretty good.
Here's a random article about it : http://www.destructoid.com/mad-catz-official-street-fighter-iv-fightpad-impressions-121945.phtml

The saturn pad is supposed to good but I never played with. In theory it should be the same as the above but with a better d-pad. Might be hard to get your hands on though.

Finally the SNES controller had one of the best d-pdas ever but good luck getting one.


If our curious about using a stick then come along to one of our casuals if you can. There will be loads of sticks there that you can try out and if Kirby comes along then a fightpad might be available.

L31mr0d

HMUYA wrote: »

If our curious about using a stick then come along to one of our casuals if you can. There will be loads of sticks there that you can try out and if Kirby comes along then a fightpad might be available.

Don't think that would work. I tried using a stick at a casual before I got my own and my first impressions left a bad taste in my mouth. However I bit the bullet and just bought a TE. After about an hour of training with it I was back to the same level I was before with a Saturn Pad.

OP what is your budget like. If you're relatively recession proof atm get a TE. Best buttons and sticks you can get without building it yourself.

lazlo

I would prepared to spend quite a bit. I've never really used a stick ever, I've always played games with joypads or k/b & mse, so I dont know if I would adapt well to using a stick.

What is the TE stick you refer to? And arent there only 6 buttons on the saturn pad?

Orim

L31mr0d wrote: »

Don't think that would work. I tried using a stick at a casual before I got my own and my first impressions left a bad taste in my mouth. However I bit the bullet and just bought a TE. After about an hour of training with it I was back to the same level I was before with a Saturn Pad.

I think that trying it out first is better. The key is to remember that you are not going to be instantly better and that it is just a test to see if you like the layout nad the feel of the buttons/stick.

I would prepared to spend quite a bit. I've never really used a stick ever, I've always played games with joypads or k/b & mse, so I dont know if I would adapt well to using a stick.

What is the TE stick you refer to? And arent there only 6 buttons on the saturn pad?

I hadn't player with arcade controls since I was a kid yet after a bit of practise I got better with my stick then I had been after weeks of practise with the x-box pad.

This is a TE stick

However personally I think that the SE is a better buy. Link

It is a bit cheaper so you can used to having a stick without the full expenditure. It is also easy to mod so you order the full Sanwa (proper arcade parts) for about 30 bucks and put them in.
Also I prefer the shape of the SE case to that of the TE.

Dreddybajs

I really should make a start on writing up a general sticks thread to sticky, these threads are getting a bit ridiculous...

DARK-KNIGHT

hi OP i was in a similar boat to yourself and bought a madcatz TE stick and what a great buy im hitting combos all over the place now and in my opinion im pretty handy at SF4 but if you have cash lying around then amazon.co.uk and search for it and it will cost you 150 all in!!!!!

good luck!

Cunny-Funt

Dreddybajs wrote: »

I really should make a start on writing up a general sticks thread to sticky, these threads are getting a bit ridiculous...

Might be easier to make an FAQ and sticky that and just copy and paste questions and answers that have already come up instead of writing up a big post. If you get me? Reserve a few posts after the original one for future updates. (so it doesn't get messy with people replying to the 1st post and then you wanna add stuff later on)

People enjoy chatting about sticks though so its not the end of the world if info most people know gets re-told to new people, means more new people can join in on the convo.

Kirby

Indeed. Sometimes I get the impression that some people on forums are averse to discussion.....on a forum . I mean, over on SRK people are whining about threads being created that are "useless". But ultimately its all useless, its just people chatting about stuff that interests them. I've been on a few forums with overzealous mods who lock and delete threads all over the place. Whats the point in that? Over-regulation is the death of good discussion.

Most people ignore stickies anyway as they are usually filled with out of date info. I like having new people ask about sticks and games and stuff. Lets me know the community isn't dying.

If it was me, I'd splurge on the TE. You can use it for other fighting games too when they come out down the line because its a quality product that will stand the test of time. But then, I dont use sticks so I'm probably not the guy to ask.

lazlo

Kirby wrote: »

Indeed. Sometimes I get the impression that some people on forums are averse to discussion.....on a forum . I mean, over on SRK people are whining about threads being created that are "useless". But ultimately its all useless, its just people chatting about stuff that interests them. I've been on a few forums with overzealous mods who lock and delete threads all over the place. Whats the point in that? Over-regulation is the death of good discussion.

Most people ignore stickies anyway as they are usually filled with out of date info. I like having new people ask about sticks and games and stuff. Lets me know the community isn't dying.

Exactly, all knowledge is provisional at best and its always subject to revision so new discussions can never hurt. I hate forums where "UTFSE" has become the mantra for its more hardline members.

I'm thinking of buying a fightstick and modifying it by buying a new stick and buttons for it. From what I've read it seems to be a better option than even the TE

Dreddybajs

Your exact question has been asked multiple times in the last few weeks though and it's easy enough a subject to keep updated - there isn't exactly a constant flood of information on sticks coming out, and there's nothing stopping you from making new threads either way if you think your question merits it.

lazlo

Dreddybajs wrote: »

Your exact question has been asked multiple times in the last few weeks though and it's easy enough a subject to keep updated - there isn't exactly a constant flood of information on sticks coming out, and there's nothing stopping you from making new threads either way if you think your question merits it.

It wasn't specific to sticks though, its also about the 360s vertical axis on the PC, which may be a driver issue on my rig. If other people dont have the same prob then I know that either my drivers or my Win 7 beta OS is causing problems with my pad

Dreddybajs

lazlo wrote: »

It wasn't specific to sticks though, its also about the 360s vertical axis on the PC, which may be a driver issue on my rig. If other people dont have the same prob then I know that either my drivers or my Win 7 beta OS is causing problems with my pad

Yeah I saw that - basically the 360 pad imo is muck for SF...not much more to say. If you want to stick with pad then the Fightpad is your best option - I think at our regular meetups Kirby is the only user of one, you could show up and ask him for a go at casuals next weekend if you want to try it out!

Kirby

Dreddybajs wrote: »

Yeah I saw that - basically the 360 pad imo is muck for SF...not much more to say. If you want to stick with pad then the Fightpad is your best option - I think at our regular meetups Kirby is the only user of one, you could show up and ask him for a go at casuals next weekend if you want to try it out!

Indeed. The 360 d-pad is the WORST attempt I have ever seen. Its basically just a hat switch with a piece of plastic on top. Its shocking that controllers made 10 years ago have better dpads on them.

Aside from the dpad tho, the xbox controller is excellent. I Just wouldn't recommend it for fighting games as there is only 4 face buttons....and this limits you a little. If you are going to use a pad, getting one with 6 face buttons is a good idea, as this covers light, medium and heavy punches and kicks.

Having said that tho, you can use the triggers on the xbox controller to assign moves like focus attacks and throws which I suppose could be very useful. I've seen a few people use regular pads at our meetups and have been impressed with some of the stuff they can pull off.

K.O.Kiki

Xinkai uses a 360 pad (and a messed up control scheme).
But then again - he plays Ryu!

L31mr0d

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Xinkai uses a 360 pad

so does FoamyMushroom (although I think it's one of those limited edition ones that has a much better D-Pad)

If you have the money, there is no reason not to get the TE. Yes you could buy the SE and upgrade it with custom buttons but for my first stick I didn't want to void my warranty right out of the gate. Plus I actually like the larger size of the TE, I find the stick and buttons too close together on the SE.

Orim

Kirby wrote: »

Aside from the dpad tho, the xbox controller is excellent. I Just wouldn't recommend it for fighting games as there is only 4 face buttons....and this limits you a little. If you are going to use a pad, getting one with 6 face buttons is a good idea, as this covers light, medium and heavy punches and kicks.

I found the analogue stick to be a little floaty when playing especially using charge characters. And I don't like the fact you are using your left hand for movement and some of your inputs.

chopperbyrne

For control pads there are only really three that can be recommended.

The USB Saturn Pad - http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop/07827.html

Might be a little hard to find as they are quite popular. The Saturn pad is regarded as one of the best pads of all time for fighting games with good reason. Personally I prefer it to the Madcatz Fightpad, but Kirby is really the man to ask about the Madcatz pad as he uses one.

Next up is the ASCII Pad - http://www.consolesandgadgets.co.uk/catalog/dc-ascii-pad-ft-special-snk-version-p-36.html

It's a dreamcast pad, so a converter is needed, but it is also very highly regarded. Only used one myself once, but it is comparible to the Saturn Pad.

Last, but maybe not least is the MadCatz Fightpad - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Catz-Xbox-Street-Fighter-FightPad/dp/B001M241L4/ref=sr_1_2/276-7973071-5022738?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1251730064&sr=8-2

Personally I don't particularly like the d-pad on this, although it has been noted that there seems to be two versions. One of which the d-pad is slightly raised. Very nice buttons though. Hopefully Kirby will chip in with his opinions on it soon enough.

For 360 Sticks, either go with one of MadCatz offerings or get one of the following.

HORI Fighting Stick EX2 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hori-Officially-Licensed-Fighting-Stick/dp/B000V02P6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1251730324&sr=8-1

Despite what some people might say, this is not a bad stick at all. HORI have been the best brand of sticks for years for a reason. It has a decent stick and buttons. Would be grand for a beginner.

Then there's the HORI Real Arcade Pro EX - http://www.amazon.co.uk/HORI-Real-Arcade-Pro-Xbox/dp/B001GDONZS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1251730324&sr=8-3

I personally have not used this although I do own a HORI Real Arcade Pro for PSX. I assume this is their 360 equivalent of the HORI Real Arcade Pro 3 for PS3 which is a damn fine stick.

Hopefully this post was informative for you.

K.O.Kiki

USB Saturn pads -- new bootlegs available on eBay. I have one, works fine.

HRAP EX is a damn fine (but heavy) stick, TheWitch used one until he broke it -- fixing it for him now.

Dreddybajs

chopperbyrne wrote: »

HORI Fighting Stick EX2 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hori-Officially-Licensed-Fighting-Stick/dp/B000V02P6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1251730324&sr=8-1

Despite what some people might say, this is not a bad stick at all. HORI have been the best brand of sticks for years for a reason. It has a decent stick and buttons. Would be grand for a beginner.

Maybe not a "bad" stick, I used one myself for a good while, but I would class this stick as "the worst stick you can buy that is still useable". :pac: It's a bitch to mod as well, and with the price difference between that and the SE not being that big these days, I would recommend anybody go for the SE over the EX2 any day.

MUCH easier to mod, comes with a button lock, better-placed start and back buttons, turbo function (not that you'll be using it!), larger and with a bit more weight to it, and seemingly around the same in terms of reliability as the EX2 (since they fixed the washer fault with the first production runs of the SE) - that is, I wouldn't be surprised if one of your buttons broke after a couple of months of heavy use on either stick, but with the EX2 you'll be tearing your hair out and with the SE you can replace them in five minutes (to the extent that KO Kiki, having modded my SE multiple times, never taking more than a few minutes, politely refused the offer to mod my EX2 for a bit of cash, presumably on the basis that it isn't worth the frustration).

If you can find an EX2 going for 20 euro or something then go for it, but if you're paying RRP I'd highly advise you to go for the SE instead.

lazlo

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

USB Saturn pads -- new bootlegs available on eBay. I have one, works fine.

HRAP EX is a damn fine (but heavy) stick, TheWitch used one until he broke it -- fixing it for him now.

How can you tell the difference between a bootleg and a genuine Sega product?? Do the bootlegs have Sega logos printed on them?

L31mr0d

lazlo wrote: »

How can you tell the difference between a bootleg and a genuine Sega product?? Do the bootlegs have Sega logos printed on them?

Read this thread I posted when I used the Saturn pad before I moved over to using a stick:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055565434

I'd recommend getting a stick though over the Saturn pad, plus unless you look around for an absolute original Saturn Pad you won't be able to know if it's a cheap knockoff. Rule of thumb, if it's from China it's probably a replica.

After my last ones broke, I received 2 more from a different seller in China. Yesterday one of them broke after very little use (my OH used it for playing Mario on her netbook using an emulator)

Don't risk the replicas. Either get a second hand original Saturn Pad from England or somewhere in Europe, or get a stick (I'd recommend the latter and start getting used to a stick now)

chopperbyrne

Dreddybajs wrote: »

Maybe not a "bad" stick, I used one myself for a good while, but I would class this stick as "the worst stick you can buy that is still useable". :pac: It's a bitch to mod as well, and with the price difference between that and the SE not being that big these days, I would recommend anybody go for the SE over the EX2 any day.

MUCH easier to mod, comes with a button lock, better-placed start and back buttons, turbo function (not that you'll be using it!), larger and with a bit more weight to it, and seemingly around the same in terms of reliability as the EX2 (since they fixed the washer fault with the first production runs of the SE) - that is, I wouldn't be surprised if one of your buttons broke after a couple of months of heavy use on either stick, but with the EX2 you'll be tearing your hair out and with the SE you can replace them in five minutes (to the extent that KO Kiki, having modded my SE multiple times, never taking more than a few minutes, politely refused the offer to mod my EX2 for a bit of cash, presumably on the basis that it isn't worth the frustration).

If you can find an EX2 going for 20 euro or something then go for it, but if you're paying RRP I'd highly advise you to go for the SE instead.

Not everyone is going to mod their stick and some people prefer the six button layout. I imagine EX2s are quite easy to find cheap on ebay too, but I just used the first link I could find.

lazlo

I think I'm gonna plump for a saturn pad as a short term option. I've been browsing ebay but cant decide on a good option, are the grey USB pads of any use? If I go for an older pad what kind of adapter is needed to make it USB?

Dreddybajs

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Not everyone is going to mod their stick and some people prefer the six button layout. I imagine EX2s are quite easy to find cheap on ebay too, but I just used the first link I could find.

If you get an EX2 you are most likely gonna have to mod it or buy a new stick at some point though which is my point! I learned on a six button layout so I just disable the last two buttons, so I don't see that as much of a problem. Again I don't have any major problems with them, mine served me well for the months I was using it - I just don't see any reason why someone willing to invest in a stick wouldn't pay the extra for the SE unless they could find a great deal on one (which I did when I bought my EX2, got it for around 20 euro).

bush

Ive got a china saturn pad around a year that still works fine. Even after the numerous times its being thrown across the room.

FoamyMushroom

L31mr0d wrote: »

so does FoamyMushroom (although I think it's one of those limited edition ones that has a much better D-Pad)
.

I use a Standard 360 Controller..... Default settings except for the LB which is FA