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[GaimeGuy]

Circle-Triangle-X-Square, or A B X Y?

For me, it's a no brainer: A B X Y. Symbols suck for me. I suck at spacial stuff, so it's MUCH easier to remember button combos when the buttons use letters.

Plus, it just sounds stupid describing controller movements out loud. "Up-Circle, Down-Square." What the hell is that? It sounds horrible compared to, say, "Up-A, Down-B."

 

[Parallax Scroll]

If I made a console I would label the buttons Jump, Shoot, Punch, and Kick.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

A B X Y

The symbols are stuipd. Anytime anybody plays my PS2 and they aren't used to the symbols, I get excuses why they keep losing or screwing up. There are NO problems remembering where the lettered buttons are.

Anybody who thinks the symbols are better is either a fanboy or an idiot...actually, most likely both.

 

[jarrod]

ABXY... it's easier to type.

I've always been partial to ABCXYZ myself tho. Fuck Nintendo/Sony for killing the 6 face button revolution.

 

[bjork]

the win button

 

[Amir0x]

There is no distinguishable difference between the ability for me to memorize letters or symbols. Therefore, letters = symbols. We can also discern from this that people who have trouble with symbols or letters suck at life and should stop gaming, so that we don't have to hear about how much they suck ever again.

 

[Xrenity]

Symbols are ABXY rip-off anyway.
Guess it had something to do with a patent? :+

 

[GaimeGuy]

ABXY... it's easier to type.

I've always been partial to ABCXYZ myself tho. Fuck Nintendo/Sony for killing the 6 face button revolution.

technically the N64 had 6 face buttons.

 

[Idioteque]

Circle-Triangle-X-Square

 

[pxleyes]

Letters, by far. It is so much easier to write and describe to people. The one thing I never go was why the choice of "X, Y" to add to A,B. A,B makes sense as the first letters of the alphabet, but "X,Y" is kind of random. X works as it is a common letter and kind of like an x-marks-the spot-thing, but Y???

 

[daemonic]

I hate Circle-Triangle-X-Square. I don't play PS2 that often.. and it took me forever to learn the controls for ZOE2.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Symbols are ABXY rip-off anyway.
Guess it had something to do with a patent? :+

I think sony just wanted to differentiate themselves or something stupid like that.

That, or Kutaragi hates romaji letters.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

There is no distinguishable difference between the ability for me to memorize letters or symbols. Therefore, letters = symbols. We can also discern from this that people who have trouble with symbols or letters suck at life and should stop gaming, so that we don't have to hear about how much they suck ever again.

Bull. Everytime an Xbox or GameCube only owner comes to play games at my house they struggle with the PS2 pad because of the symbols. It takes time getting used to it and they have to look down most of the time. As for the letters, it's logical and they only need to look once and they're good to go (well, the GCN button placement screws up the logic a bit).

 

[SolidSnakex]

There's not much of a difference imo. I've never had a problem with either.

 

[Amir0x]

Bull. Everytime an Xbox or GameCube only owner comes to play games at my house they struggle with the PS2 pad because of the symbols. It takes time getting used to it and they have to look down most of the time. As for the letters, it's logical and they only need to look once and they're good to go (well, the GCN button placement screws up the logic a bit).

I'm sorry, can't say I give a shit about your anecdotal evidence.

I will just comment that you should hang out with people who aren't retarded! Anyone who has any more trouble recognizing common shapes/symbols [or letters] is simply a shitty gamer. Period.

 

[jayhawker]

ABXY by far.

I hate how X on a sony pad usually, but not always, is the button used to confirm. X should mean "exit" or "back", similar to the "B" button. Having X confirm makes no sense. The fact that in some games it is "exit" just makes it more confusing.

 

[Piepz]

ABXY of course!

I'm sorry, can't say I give a shit about your anecdotal evidence.

I will just comment that you should hang out with people who aren't retarded! Anyone who has any more trouble recognizing common shapes/symbols [or letters] is simply a shitty gamer. Period.

I have very few gamer friends, so what should I do ? Say to my friends: "Buzz off! You even don't know Cross-Circle-Triangle-Square layout ? I don't want to be friends with you anymore!"

 

[stewy]

ABXY... it's easier to type.

I've always been partial to ABCXYZ myself tho. Fuck Nintendo/Sony for killing the 6 face button revolution.

I'll second that. Genesis 6-button controller FTW

 

[BobJustBob]

A B X Y. It makes A a natural choice for the primary button, and B a natural choice for the secondary button. Symbols are why there's no consistent accept/cancel button scheme across Playstation games.

 

[h1nch]

i dont think i ever had trouble with the symbols on a ps pad, except for maybe when I first tried a psx, and even then I don't remember taking very long to adjust. I guess its just like riding a bike, once you learn it, it sticks with you. I did have some trouble when i first started playing xbox because the X button isn't in the same spot on the xbox controller as it is on the ps2 one

i had a lot more trouble with the gc controller and its ridiculously shaped buttons than i ever did learning letter/symbol labels

 

[jedimike]

The symbols are my reason for never buying a Playstation and is also why I think the DS absolutely sucks.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Circle-Triangle-X-Square

Mind telling us why?

 

[sammy]

I'm a visual person.... so symbols clicked with me instantly --- to this day, the symbol buttons on any PS controller feel as if I'm connected to the game and that there aren't buttons that form some bridge through to my console .. there's never been a single moment I've had to pause and look at a PS controller. They're graphic, and go beyond labels.

I've always had a hard time with ABXY and such --- doesn't help that alphabetically they're reversed, and never consistant between consoles.

But that's just me.... The GCN controller was very helpfull with it's ergonomic button layout, I didn't worry at all about the naming of a button the graphic sillouhette of the layout was projected in me brain (the angle of the X and Y buttons was easy to remember too - the A and B buttons were both unique too)

 

[SolidSnakex]

Mind telling us why?

Because its not hard to get use to? I'd probably quit gaming if learning symbols gave me a problem.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

There's not much of a difference imo. I've never had a problem with either.

Same...

 

[Duck of Death]

Colors > (Letters = Symbols)

 

[elostyle]

There is no distinguishable difference between the ability for me to memorize letters or symbols. Therefore, letters = symbols. We can also discern from this that people who have trouble with symbols or letters suck at life and should stop gaming, so that we don't have to hear about how much they suck ever again.

BS. When you see a word that you have never seen before in a language that uses the western character set (A-Z), I can guarantee you that you will have a much easier time memorizing it than a word in a language that uses other characters.

 

[Tiktaalik]

no way a bunch of dots and squigly lines and uh... what else is on the gizmondo... for the win!

 

[jarrod]

Colors > (Letters = Symbols)

I agree with that actually. It's a shame what they did with the SFC to SNES pads. We got the uglier case too.

 

[SKOPE]

Didn't we go over this a few weeks ago?

Letters are about as high priority as they come for the brain. And they have a natural order.

Shapes have no order and aren't a priority for the human brain.

This doesn't mean you can't get used to shapes, but it's just that: you have to get used to them. You're already used to letters.

 

[Amir0x]

BS. When you see a word that you have never seen before in a language that uses the western character set (A-Z), I can guarantee you that you will have a much easier time memorizing it than a word in a language that uses other characters.

I'm sorry. See, I actually don't suck at games. Sorry you have this problem

Oh...oh god... it's a SQUARE?! What the fuck will I ever do, all abstract and shit!

If you have trouble memorizing symbols, you are a shitty gamer. Sorry to break it to you. These sorts of things should come natural, provided of course that the controller is laid out in a decent fashion. With DualShock, Gamecube and Xbox contollers they all are. So if you have an issue with one or the other, you're a sucky gamer.

 

[h1nch]

BS. When you see a word that you have never seen before in a language that uses the western character set (A-Z), I can guarantee you that you will have a much easier time memorizing it than a word in a language that uses other characters.

i dont neccessarily agree with that. i don't care what letters/symbols they map to a button, as long as i remember the mapping, i know that this symbol is to the top button, this one is for the left etc. then if the game tells me to push a certain button, given enough practice, ill know what button that is, regardless. now granted if it was something like chinese characters, obviously i'd agree with you since the characters are fairly complex, but circle, square, x, and triangle are about as simple as you could possibly get. any difference in learning curve between learning psx symbols and ABXY is pretty negligible

 

[Calidor]

best pad ever? seems so

 

[elostyle]

I'm sorry. See, I actually don't suck at games. Sorry you have this problem

Oh...oh god... it's a SQUARE?! What the fuck will I ever do, all abstract and shit!

If you have trouble memorizing symbols, you are a shitty gamer. Sorry to break it to you. These sorts of things should come natural, provided of course that the controller is laid out in a decent fashion. With DualShock, Gamecube and Xbox contollers they all are. So if you have an issue with one or the other, you're a sucky gamer.

I fail to make the connection what this has to do with my gaming abilities. It's not hard to learn, but WHY learn the layout. Lettered layouts I don't have to think one bit about, it's just there. The first time a game requests I certain button, I can hit it immediately. When a playstation game requested it for me the first time it took me a while to respond in a timely fashion. One you have to learn, it's easy, sure but why bother.

Letters also have a single, short sound associated with them. First time somebody told me to push "cross" it took me a while.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

I think the Playstation symbols are easier. I have no idea why. I've been playing with ABXY longer, and yet I'll still occasionally hit them in the reverse order. Must be a mental condition.

 

[sammy]

This is some cool feedback in here --- I never really realized how comfortable people are with letters.
Though, 20 minutes into most games the issue isn't there --- I'd say most people get the feel for the button layout, rather than letters/symbols....

But how do most of you approach rhythm based games, where letters/symbols are thrown at you at a really quick pace (and a true layout is never really defined) ?

Quick rhythm games always give me trouble with anything other than a PS controller --- for me, reflexes based on symbols is smooth as butter .... but I always stumble at any ABXY layout when just the names of the buttons are thrown on screen.

 

[LiquidMamba]

ABXY, Much easier to memorize.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Explaining letters to someone else > explaining symbols.

That and there's at least some methodology to how they are aligned. If you know where A is chances are you can find B.

Honestly the entire system is antiquated bullshit. There's no reason not to use color coded sets of Up/Down/Right/Left or LU/LD/LR/LL RU/RD/RR/RL.

 

[levious]

I guess it's a good thing some of you idiots are too young to have spent significant time in arcades of old "holy crap, unlabled buttons!?"

 

[SKOPE]

Where is Tog when you need him?

I guess it wouldn't make a difference. People here think they know everything.

numbers > letters > shapes > colors

Assuming you've learned your letters and numbers and the order they come in. If you haven't, reverse everything.

 

[Amir0x]

I fail to make the connection what this has to do with my gaming abilities. It's not hard to learn, but WHY learn the layout. Lettered layouts I don't have to think one bit about, it's just there. The first time a game requests I certain button, I can hit it immediately. When a playstation game requested it for me the first time it took me a while to respond in a timely fashion. One you have to learn, it's easy, sure but why bother.

I haven't had to look down at ANY controller buttons for any system in the last 10 years. Like anything, when PSX first came out it took a few hours or so to get fully accustomed - and then that's it. All memorized in my mind. The first time I played a system with letters, the same exact adjustment period occurred. It's a simple matter of memorizing layout, and then it's done in a few hours or less.

The issues comes only because one may be more adjusted to a certain type of labeling, likely because you grew up on it. Since the original popular gaming systems used letters, this issue occurs. In reality, the difference between memorization is negligible as long as you have decent coordination, a baby's memory and a few hours to learn.

But no no, feel free to keep complaining or preference. It's basically just another way to determine who still has a long way to go before not sucking at games.

 

[elostyle]

What the first thing you did when you got your Playstation was to look at the symbols on the buttons? The first time I did that was when God of War asked me to. Before I was just playing.

 

[Tarazet]

I was OK with the PS2's layout until I tried to play Gitaroo-Man. It was most comfortable for me to turn the controller sideways, but then all of the buttons were rotated 90 degrees and my head couldn't handle it. A different scheme definitely would have helped me enjoy that game more.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I guess it's a good thing some of you idiots are too young to have spent significant time in arcades of old "holy crap, unlabled buttons!?"

To make matters worse, they use words!

 

[Stinkles]

Circle - one line
X - two lines
Triangle - Three lines
Square - four lines

Remember it like that! See? EASY!


Amirox, I don't know why you're getting so bent about it, obviously loads of people on here prefer a, b etc., and are in fact perfectly good gamers. I don't care about the symbols except in the following scenario:

"Hey, Stinkles, which button is block?"

Looks down.

"Square!"

 

[Idioteque]

Mind telling us why?

I'm more comfortable with symbols because I play PS2 way more than any other system.

 

[ghibli99]

I like the ABXY layout, although to tell you the truth, I have never gotten used to the way Nintendo does theirs in right-to-left reverse order, and I've been playing their stuff since the NES days. Whenever a game calls for a button sequence, I have to think about where something like the Y button is on the face of the controller. When I think "A, B", my mind sees that from left to right.

The PS symbols are like second nature to me, but I credit that to many, many hours with PaRappa the Rapper. That game was like a cleverly disguised course in learning the PS1 face button layout (and before you get the wrong idea, I love this game). What I don't like is that Confirm and Cancel are reverse for the US and Japanese markets, so I always go through a bit of an adjustment period when I go between import and US titles, where I'll be hitting X in a Japanese game, canceling me out of everything, whereas O is cancel here. X, in my mind, means "cancel" or "delete", so the Japanese layout has always made more sense to me.

I think the Xbox ABXY layout makes the most sense to me and is the easiest to pick up, although I don't like the wacky new "bumper" label for the X360. I'm sure I'll get used to it, though. I'm just glad that they moved the awkwardly positioned white and black buttons to the trigger positions. So far, this has gotta be one of the most comfortable controllers I've ever used.

 

[elostyle]

"Hey, Stinkles, which button is block?"

Looks down.

"Square!"

I usually reply with SNES mappings in that case and most gamer friends will know immediately.

 

[dog$]

 

[Baron Aloha]

Isn't the official nomenclature square, cross, circle, and triangle? I guess that never really caught on. Everyone just calls it X. Maybe because its easier.

Anyway...letters in the correct order (Sega) > letters in reverse order (Nintendo) > symbols (Sony)

They are easier to type, easier to say outloud (1 syllable vs up to 3), and I'd imagine...a little easier to recognize for people who aren't familiar with the controller's layout.