Okay whatever you're doing or thinking stop. GO find the nearest game controller and pick it up. Now look at the direction pad. Why is it on the leftt side? Why are the buttons on the right? Don't say "That's the way it's always been." I want to know what the gamers think is the reason they have the controller configured this way? And why they don't make left hand controllers if this configuration is because they think most gamers are right handed...

*stops chatting in #ffshrine*

*runs off to pick up a PS2 controller*

...the D-pad is on the left, and the buttons are on the right...and two analogue sticks in the middle.

....O_o

...am I the only one who's PS2 controller is shaped this way? AM I A FREAK?!?!!

Why are French Fries good sometimes? Why does salt taste salty? How come the computer can't eat? All I can say is... thats just the way it is. =P

Besides, most people are right handed, my brother had a controler for the NES that had the pad on the right side and that was the first controler I ever touched. It felt so uNFed up that I yelled at my Bro to buy an official controler. =P

Uhh o_O I'm left handed and having no troubles with the way controllers are o_o I wouldn't probaly be able to play on a left handed controller XD
o_o
as for the why... It just happens ;p
ExS, yes you are :D ;)

ExS, I HAVE THE EXACT SAME CONTROLLER OMGOMGOMGOMG

Anyway.. i dunno. The majority of people are righthanded. I dunno if there is a specific reason for it, but that's the way it's been for a while. I am t3h righthanded btw.

Originally posted by ExS
*stops chatting in #ffshrine*

*runs off to pick up a PS2 controller*

...the D-pad is on the left, and the buttons are on the right...and two analogue sticks in the middle.

....O_o

...am I the only one who's PS2 controller is shaped this way? AM I A FREAK?!?!!

OH NO! I HAVE THE SAME ONE! AM I A FREAK TOO!?!?!?!?!?!

Think about this........all controllers are left handed, not right handed!

The left hand is responsible for the more complex behavior, whereas the right hand is left with the simple tasks.

Make sense? XD

Besides, even if they did make 'right-' and 'left-' handed controllers, they would lose profit in making it because i dont think that it matters to the consumers and the machines to build these different controllers would cost too much. If the controllers ARE right-handed, i can't tell. I think it all boils down to expenses n making 2 versions of every controller--not worth it.

Hey, I'm actually left-handed and never thought about that...

In fact, I don't think controllers are made for right of left-handed, since you use BOTH HANDS to handle them :p


Say, now let's ask for SCREWDRIVERS designed for left-handed people :p lol

Why are most golf clubs you find in stores righthanded? Why are most mouses on the right hand side of the keyboard?

Well, back in the early 1900's in Europe and places like that, it used to be against the rules to write with your left hand in school. The reason for this is because people often thought that it was impolite and unsophisticated to write with your left hand, so people were often beaten and scolded for not using your right hand to do things.

Needless to say, the first man to invent video game controllers probably was one of the people that was frequently beaten for being righthanded, so he created righthanded controllers.

My grandmother used to scold me and make me write with my right hand, so I grew up ambidextrous.

On the note of what Kitten said, I think it is actually harder to use your right hand and hit buttons at the exact time they need to be hit, so I believe your right hand takes on more stress than your left hand.

And Evad, what if a person had no right hand/ had a right hand that was inoperable? Or what if someone had very poor reaction time in their right hand? Then how would they play a video game?

*Stops looking at Hentai*

Uhhhh, i wasn't thinking anyway so i only had to stop one thing. The controllers are fine the way they are. Some people must be very boring to stare at controllers all day and wonder why they are the way they are. Use the controller for other things:

1.) PLAYING THE GAME!!!!!!! Weeee ain't it great what you can do if you plug it in?

2.) Throw it at something when you die in a game or hit the player that killed you with it.

If you don't have a game to play or a console to plug it into then you may continue talking about why the buttons are on the right and the pad is on the left...

Cloud (sarcastic shriner)

Originally posted by Tetra Master

And Evad, what if a person had no right hand/ had a right hand that was inoperable? Or what if someone had very poor reaction time in their right hand? Then how would they play a video game?


Simple : they wouldn't :p Or they'd play Dance Dance Revolution because it requires your FEET instead :p And it would give the EXACT same result if it were your left hand, because, as I said, controllers are for neither right or left-handed because you BOTH hands for them :p


And, little correction here : people here in Canada didn't think left-handed people were unsophisticated, they thought it was against God's teachings to use your left hand , the "Devil's hand" ...and you can bet that's what they believed as well in Europe...They simply said "unsophisticated" for good apparent reason, but the real truth isn't exactly like that...

Even my Sidewinder has the D-Pad on the left??? I guess were all freaks.

I just thought of something, perhaps its to do with your brain. Like your right side is better at direction (as the right side of your brain controls the left side of your body and the other way round)

I'm probably wrong, but its just a thought. :D :)

Controlers were made for people who are left handed and right handed.

What more proof do ya need :D

Whoa, I never thought of that before. Okay, I'll say it..."That's the way it's always been..."

Nah, I think that it was just designed for both right- and left-handed people. I mean, think of it...try using a controller with the arrows on the right and the main buttons on the left...confusing...okay, so I don't have any real reasons. ^_^

something i was thinking

on most games, you start out on the left , and well, for me, its easier because usually the right directiona button is right under my thumb, more than the others...easier to move in that direction...

Originally posted by Tetra Master
Well, back in the early 1900's in Europe and places like that, it used to be against the rules to write with your left hand in school. The reason for this is because people often thought that it was impolite and unsophisticated to write with your left hand, so people were often beaten and scolded for not using your right hand to do things.

Just on the note of that:

In Africa they use their left hands as toilet paper, and that's all that they use them for basically. It is a great insult to use the left hand or touch someone w/ it :eye:. So they are scolded as well.


Originally posted by Evad D'Argon
And, little correction here : people here in Canada didn't think left-handed people were unsophisticated, they thought it was against God's teachings to use your left hand , the "Devil's hand" ...and you can bet that's what they believed as well in Europe...They simply said "unsophisticated" for good apparent reason, but the real truth isn't exactly like that...

In the Bible it does say that natural criminals are born left-handed or sumtin like that--i dont read the bible so...(geniuses r left-handed a lot too...strange) My brother, while in jail (he's left-handed), said that most everyone in there was in fact left-handed. So u can c y parents wouldnt want their children 2 use that hand.

Oh , that's right, I forgot about that african habit...Gosh, I'd be considered gross if I'd go there :p lol

Yeah Leeloo! I think I heard something about the left hand being related to satan or something. My friend told me about how his church wanted to sew up his and his brother's left hands or something. Also I went to this 'exposing satanism' website and there was this symbol called the left hand path or something and it leads to satan. I'm left handed! I dun wanna go to satan! :eek:

Oh, but about the topic. I think the reason the controller was designed this way is because of something to do with the way that the human brain functions. Am I wrong?

Next to a subject I read on a ddr forum, I can safely say this is the most pointless post I have ever read.

Originally posted by RapidFireAl
Next to a subject I read on a ddr forum, I can safely say this is the most pointless post I have ever read.

You haven't, err... been here for very long, have you?

Like some other people said, it's because a majority of people are right-handed, therefore, the game controllers are like that. :B

And yeah, I'm left-handed, but it's actually comfortable. XD