Sega Saturn D-Pad Question

[bahamutfan]

Does anyone else feel their model 2 controller d-pads are a bit too loose in that the diagonals are triggered too easily? In any of the Capcom fighting games for example, pressing left or right feels very imprecise as even slight movement of the thumb against either direction results in up being pressed as well (unintended diagonal jumps).

Although there aren't any obvious cuts or breaks in the silicon membrane where the conductive pads are, I imagine 20 years of button mashing can have their toll on the membrane. I've tried using a membrane from one of those cheap eBay USB controllers, but the quality of those is poor as unintended diagonals are triggered with even greater frequency.

I've had some luck with cutting thin pieces of electric tape around the perimeter of the conductive pad of the up button to shield it from unintended triggers by left and right presses, though I'll have to optimize some more.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks!

[Kidpanda]

One option. Buy/make arcade stick.

[Ziggy]

Does anyone else feel their model 2 controller d-pads are a bit too loose in that the diagonals are triggered too easily?

I feel like that with EVERY Sega D-pad. They "roll" really great, which is why they work good for Street Fighter but not so much for Mortal Kombat.

When I play a Mortal Kombat game with the Genesis or Saturn controller, I'll mess up the directional inputs more than half the time. When I play using a SNES or Playstation controller, I don't have that problem.

When I play Tony Hawk on the Dreamcast, I have a hard time pulling off certain moves. When I play Tony Hawk on the N64, I don't have this problem. I ended up buying a Playstation-to-Dreamcast controller adapter specifically for Tony Hawk.

[bahamutfan]

If that has been your experience as well, then where does the myth of the Saturn controller being the best fighting pad ever come from? Rolling motions as you mentioned are easy enough to pull off, but wouldn't that be completely overshadowed by the basic inability to press left or right, without triggering diagonals, with utmost confidence?

I've just been surprised by how little tolerance there is to the d-pad, as with any Nintendo controller for example you always know you're only triggering cardinal directions. It's almost like using an Xbox 360 controller at times.

[Ziggy]

If that has been your experience as well, then where does the myth of the Saturn controller being the best fighting pad ever come from?

Because it works very well for Street Fighter, and most fighting games are Street Fighter clones.

Rolling motions as you mentioned are easy enough to pull off, but wouldn't that be completely overshadowed by the basic inability to press left or right, without triggering diagonals, with utmost confidence?

I can't explain why, but holding left and right on those style D-pads seems to work just fine. Just think about any platformer on the Genesis where you are primarily controlling left and right, even with the 6-button controller which has a much more "floaty" D-pad than the 3-button.




If you're talking specifically about fighting games, then a lot of people are going to suggest to either make or buy a stick. I'm HORRIBLE with joysticks. Your other options are to find a 3rd party controller or some adapter.

Here's an adapter that'll let you use PS controllers on a Saturn: http://www.tototek.com/store/index.php? ... ucts_id=52

I'm fine with the PS D-pad, it's very comparable to Nintendo D-pads in my opinion. The trade off is that you loos the 3x3 button layout that the Saturn controller has. This layout is perfect for Street Fighter, and as mention, a lot of fighting games are Street Fighter clones.

[bahamutfan]

Yeah, it's a great controller for platformers and other genres as the d-pad is indeed very comfortable to press. Since most games have a separate jump button, the diagonal issue never really manifests.

Or I suppose my particular pads are a little more worn out, so they may not be great for SF-like fighters, where exact movement is required.

[marurun]

The Saturn pads really do lose some of their crispness over the years. But it would be rather presumptive to assume those controllers aren't going to degrade at all as time passes. It does make me wonder if it's possible to produce new membranes. Then again, they also likely use a plastic pivot, and those will wear down some with time as well.

[chuckster]

I actually love the SS pad overall, and I don't play fighters with it at all. I think it comes down to comfort in the end, and more specifically the ease of diagonals and the overall size and shape. I grew up with Genesis over SNES though, so maybe I'm just used to the 'floatiness'.

Diagonals are the most noticeable improvement I get when playing on a Genesis/Saturn controller. You can really feel your thumb 'lock in' to the diagonal and make it with complete confidence. This came in very handy when I played X-Men 2 and ZAMN (two of my favorites). On PS and Nintendo d-pads, whether it was due to the hard, mushy feedback (PS1/2) or the cross shape which made it pretty clear diagonals were not encouraged (Nintendo), diagonals were always uncomfortable and not as reliable for me.

The size makes a big difference too. The large, molded shape of the Sega d-pads give you more leverage and make for less overall effort, especially when rolling or changing directions quickly, or tapping. This makes it good for SFII sure, but overall, it just makes for more comfortable play. I emulated Golden Axe on an SNES pad, and man, it really made for a tough, even painful play through. On the Saturn Pad, it was like butter. On the other hand, Mega Man on a SS or Genesis D-pad really makes for a more precise feel, in my experience.