There are many dislikes I have about the PS3. But, above all, there is one thing that will ALWAYS keep me from buying another Sony game system until they change it:

The D-Pad.

D-Pads were useful when 8 directional movements were the limit. Today we have 3D worlds and characters that can move at multiple speeds (walking, running, etc). The joystick is what is needed for these things.

I do realize that Playstations have an analog stick below the D-Pad......ever so inconveniently hard to reach, making the entire controller uncomfortable to hold when it's being used.

Anyone else bothered by this?

yeah the same thing bothered me for quite some time. i guess i got used to it after many, many hours of playing the GT series though. Now the controller doesn't bother me all that much. I suppose it's because i used the analog sticks for turning as well as the accelerator/brake since that's also an issue with buttons, it's harder to control part throttle/brake situations with a button, but my hands seemed to develop a grip for being lower on the controller to use both analog sticks instead of the d-pad/buttons. It's the price tag and game selection combo that bugs me. one or the other i can deal with, but both i can't.

kyle

When I saw this thread I thought you were going to say supply.

It depends on the size of your hands.

For me, the controller is a perfect fit, and the analog sticks are in the perfect spot for me. However, I dislike the Playstation's analog sticks, because they're a hard plastic, and the top piece is round at the top. Which can be bad for intense games, like shooters, racers, and fighters... Cause once your hands get all sweaty, your fingers tend to slip off the analog stick's round top.

Sony really should have taken a number from the Xbox Team when they were making the PS3 controller... cause the 360 controller currently has best analog joysticks, in my opinion.

Just giving my opinion here, but I think the 360 controller is awful. I find it so uncomfortable, especially after playing for a while. There's a section on the back that sticks out and has the annoyance of pushing against my left middle finger, so I constantly have to relieve grip form the controller whenever I can. I find it rather bulky as well. The analog sticks are average, I like the grip on them, but I dislike the lack of 8-way indented grooves. I hate round d-pads as well.

The PS3 controller however, is ideal, in terms of size and layout. It's just the right size and has the optimal layout, I believe. I don't find the analogs positioning bad, but again, like the 360's, I do dislike like the lack of 8-way indented grooves. The grip on it can also be a bit annoying, seeing as it's round like you said, Gikoku.

I beg to differ...i find that the Playstation controller was the best controller ever made...very comfortable and easy to use...and my hands arent that big either that my thumb easily reaches the joy stick but that why u hold in lower in ur hand. I agree with Lewi T above me stating that the X - box controller is horrible...the thing is so big and bulky....but now i prefer the wiimote to all other console remotes.

I agree with the op, Its not that I have much problem with the PS3 controller, its just that its dated. M$ choose to improve the s-type controller of the first gen Xbox, which wasn't all togather necessary, but they did and made some valid improvments.

However Sony seems to feel theirs was done the right way the first time, with PS2. I remember my first transistion from my PS2 to my xbox(1) felt wierd. But then as I adjusted, my PS2 felt like the less desireable configuation.
But as it has already been said, a lot of preference comes from hand size.
To the OP, there will probably be some good after market controllers eventually, but until then yeah it sucks that they choose to stick to their original design.

Also just as an example of how an "original design could be maintained, while making improvements" is the classic controller for wii. In a way it is meant to resemble and remind people of the SNES controller, yet the a-b-x-y buttons have been moved upwards for better ergonomics and comfort.

Remember this is all just my opinion.

yeah i never liked PS controllers. The analog sticks fee like they are in an awkward position, and the buttons are all the same size and you can't "feel" for the right button to press.
i really like the powerful rumble though. . . or I did at least.

The build quality on Sony controllers are terrible. All my original controllers on my Playstation systems either broke or stopped functioning for strange reasons. Sad to say, even their systems don't seem to last too long until they revise it.

The screws holding ALL my PS controllers broke in half. Terrible. haha.

Yeah, I'm already on my 3rd PS2 controller... My first one has a damaged cord, with the wires hanging all out of it, rendering it pretty useless. My 2nd one has almost all of it's main buttons jammed as well..

For Playstation 2 there was this REALLY cool modular controller i bought cause my friend who used to come over and play ps2 online w/me was used to playing with an xbox controller so he would switch the D-pad with the analog stick. it was a really nice controller, ill try to find a link. ill look on gamestop or something.

FOUND A PIC:
http://www.superufo.com/item_photo/i...-GAMEPAD-L.jpg

and you can get an adapter for it to work with ps3 for like..10 bucks i think. problem solved. lol

that controller is ugly!

My PS2 controller isn't broken, the port is! Way to raise the bar Sony. Every product of theirs I ever bought was/is defective.

Sony Product + 5 years of usage = Broken

wow alll u guys and ur broken ps controllers..lol..i think im the only person here that actually likes the ps controller...mine has never broke on me or caused major problems...yea the buttons would jam every now and then but wat remote doesnt jam....

and as for that...wow..u would really want all the buttons to be different sizes?? now i think that would make a remote very uncomfortable..yea it would be easier to to know which button is wat, but thats where ur memory comes in...i still stand by my ps controller..

Yeah, i would have to agree. I mean, usually on average of about 2 to 3 hours of playing, you'll pretty much have the entire controller layout memorized. Especially if you've been playing video games for many years, thus eliminating the need to have to constantly look at the controller when you want to press a button.......

... only my dad does that.