3 ms·

It usually means pressure-sensitive buttons. For example, a car driving game might use them to give the player more control over throttle and braking.

simias 13y ago
IIRC the PS2's dual shock 2 had pressure sensitive buttons. It wasn't a feature used by a lot of games. Nowadays only the shoulder triggers are analog I think.
- kingcitrus 13y ago
  It's a shame, really. For example, Metal Gear Solid 2 used this to great effect. If I recall correctly pressing square on the control would raise your weapon but not automatically fire it until you actuated the button all the way? It was finicky, but very cool.
  - ditoax 13y ago
    I hated how they worked. The buttons did not have enough travel in them to be comfortable to use in this way plus the way the thumb sits on the buttons it is not a very comfortable way to control pressure like with your fingers on the shoulder triggers. I am glad the Dual Shock 4 got rid of them and just has two decent shoulder triggers.
  - eropple 13y ago
    For automatic weapons, yes, but it was even neater for handguns. Square raised the weapon, releasing quickly fired, easing off slowly eased the hammer back. It was a really neat trick.
  - 83457 13y ago
    I always thought more games should have used the gamecube shoulder buttons' feature. Analog and then a click before the bottom which allows it to be used for subtle followed by accurate/sudden actions. I can only think of two games that used it... Mario Sunshine (button was probably included just for it) and Eternal Darkness. Does anyone recall if a shooter did this for aiming on gamecube? I didn't play many shooters on there.
- te_chris 13y ago
  ps3 does too. on GT5 amount of pressure controls amount of throttle.
Pxtl 13y ago
I'm imagining a big reason for "pressure sensitive" is that it has no thumbstick. Obviously the intent is that the left touchpad is to substitute for a thumbstick, but some stubborn gamers will insist on using the d-pad-ish buttons. So say you're playing a game designed for a thumbstick on the left button-pad, and the game requires a light-touch to "walk" like assissin's creed or Mario 64? The pressure-sensitive buttons provide that.

simias 13y ago

IIRC the PS2's dual shock 2 had pressure sensitive buttons. It wasn't a feature used by a lot of games. Nowadays only the shoulder triggers are analog I think.

kingcitrus 13y ago
It's a shame, really. For example, Metal Gear Solid 2 used this to great effect. If I recall correctly pressing square on the control would raise your weapon but not automatically fire it until you actuated the button all the way? It was finicky, but very cool.
- ditoax 13y ago
  I hated how they worked. The buttons did not have enough travel in them to be comfortable to use in this way plus the way the thumb sits on the buttons it is not a very comfortable way to control pressure like with your fingers on the shoulder triggers. I am glad the Dual Shock 4 got rid of them and just has two decent shoulder triggers.
- eropple 13y ago
  For automatic weapons, yes, but it was even neater for handguns. Square raised the weapon, releasing quickly fired, easing off slowly eased the hammer back. It was a really neat trick.
- 83457 13y ago
  I always thought more games should have used the gamecube shoulder buttons' feature. Analog and then a click before the bottom which allows it to be used for subtle followed by accurate/sudden actions. I can only think of two games that used it... Mario Sunshine (button was probably included just for it) and Eternal Darkness. Does anyone recall if a shooter did this for aiming on gamecube? I didn't play many shooters on there.
te_chris 13y ago
ps3 does too. on GT5 amount of pressure controls amount of throttle.

Pxtl 13y ago

I'm imagining a big reason for "pressure sensitive" is that it has no thumbstick. Obviously the intent is that the left touchpad is to substitute for a thumbstick, but some stubborn gamers will insist on using the d-pad-ish buttons. So say you're playing a game designed for a thumbstick on the left button-pad, and the game requires a light-touch to "walk" like assissin's creed or Mario 64? The pressure-sensitive buttons provide that.