Have Sports Gaming Controls Become Too Complicated for Their Own Good?

[jyoung]

I prefer simple controls.

NFL Blitz, NBA Jam, Tecmo Bowl, NHL 94, et al.

Anyone can pick up those games and have fun.

[DJ]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

It doesn't help that with Madden, the CPU snaps the ball so quickly that I have no time to do anything on defense because I'm fumbling with the controls.

I don't get all that I can out of NBA 2K because I can never master all of the post moves and Isomotion controls.

MLB The Show has Classic pitching, which is pretty easy to use, and also Timing hitting and Assisted fielding, so I feel like I can still hold my own with that game.

I think there should be different control options for all games.

[juicey79]

"usually there'ARE' ways"...the dyslexia is kickin in today!!!ha ha...luckily i can still remember the difference between escape dribble pull-up and dribble pull up

Good, brother I had no idea there was a difference. I know you have to hold L for escape, how do you do the pull up?

[gigadkc]

I prefer the controls the way they are today. It's hard to learn them but once you've mastered them it's very satisfying. Less difficult controls also means more random animations etc. and having more control yourself is worth to have difficult controls imo. And let's be honest: you don't have to study 3 years at Harvard to learn them. Practice them for an hour and you know how to do it.

[mmathaifighter]

Thanks for the tips SIMatic, I'll have to check those out.

[truintellectplaya]

Looks like we have ran out of topics. Getting more and more redundant by the week. The answer is yes and no. Or there is no right and wrong answer. Depends on your preference.

My personal opinion on this is that we need more functions rather than changing the way they are performed. For instance rather you mash a button or move a analog stick it is still hitting a baseball, shooting a basketball, etc. How about adding actual functions? Nothing complicated about any of the games IMO, still the same functions you have always done.

[JerseySuave4]

i don't mind the complex controls, it allows you to do more. If the controls were as simple as they used to be then you'd either not be in control of doing exactly what you want or the ability to do more would be gone.

If you want to perform a certain move there is a control for it. But if you simplified everything then that move might be combined with another move so you wouldn't be able to control which move you wanted to do. For example, if you want to throw an ally oop then it's L2 and X. But if the controls were more simple then maybe throwing an ally oop would be combined with a regular pass but where the player is on the court and other things would determine when you throw the ally oop.

[TalenT]

Re: Have Sports Gaming Controls Become Too Complicated for Their Own Good?

I think it all depends on whether you grew up playing games or not. People like me who have been playing since we were 5 years old have evolved ALONG WITH the control schemes of sports games, therefore picking them up is far easier than someone who just recently rode the wave in.

[jyoung]

Alley oops were automatic in NBA Live 95. I thought they worked pretty well in that game.

The biggest problem with passing in Live 95 was the isometric camera, which is more of a presentation issue than a control issue.

[wheelman990]

And people wonder why we get poor quality games like Madden every year.

Despite the fact there is NBA Jam for casual players, despite the fact there are game sliders and difficulty settings....despite the fact there is a ps move if you really want to get basic, people are always going to assk for simpler controlls. My advice to game devs is to make one sim like game and one arcade title. mixing the two is a horrible idea and will not give you best sales. EA should come out with a new sim football game and let madden be a casual title(just like it is now).

I am getting close to 40 myself and my fingers seam to work just fine. If the day comes where sport games are too complicated for me I will just play the arcade versions or move on. I simply wont expect real gamers to sufer because my fingers dont work like the average gamer. The gaming industry shouldnt evolve around me, and unlike most, I dont expect it to.

Try NFL Blitz its exactly what you are asking for. Try nba 2k on casual mode with shot stick turned off and real % turned on. Turn the mode to "casual". I dont think a game can be any more "casual" friendly then the 2k series if you take the time to look at the option menue. The game can get ultra easy on controlls, and be adjusted to any difficulty you feel comfortable with. How much more casual can it really get? To suggest a 2 button controll system is absolutely crazy. You realize the current controller layout is no more difficult then the 80's sega genesis? There only controllers that were more simple were the nintendo 2 button, atari, colleco vision, and some pc joysticks.....tell me that isnt what your suggestion is.

[wheelman990]

mlb the show also has a cusual mode. one button pitching, one button batting and automatic fielding if you want. how much easier and basic can it get?

[tril]

I like the complex controls, cause it takes practice to master them.
which is what sports is all about in the first place.
To pull off a killer crossover in basketball should be cahllenging and require practice. I personally dont think age has anything to do with stick skills. 30 and 40 year olds shouldnt be an excuse.

Ill use 2k basketball as an example
I have yet to master any complex moves in 2k, but Im really ok by this. cause it really differentiates play styles against competitors
folks would grow tired and bored if everyone could pull off the same moves in a game.

Im all for the complex controls but make the option for a simple control scheme.

[macdaddy71]

I could not agree more......Heck Madden QB's don't give you, your own play clock to pick defense of plays, they really need to go simple....And am sorry if am stepping on any of you sport Guru's..That claim you can move 4 players & run through defense on the d-pad til you find your play, B4 Rogers hick's the ball. Maybe it's just Old Azz me....lol

[eye guy]

Great write up. I hate that gamers want the controls to be too complicated. They think this makes the game more challenging. I find it ridiculous because the gameplay should dictate the realism or way a player play. You should be able to do or not do something with in game tools.

A player shouldn't have to use the controller like a combination lock to do a move.

I'm torn between the two to be honest... Well maybe 70-30 towards simplifying or more simple controls. Some games need the controls to be somewhat complicated in order to pull off "moves" though.

UFC titles need the complication for the user to be able to use all of the moves in a characters arsenal...

[wheelman990]

Re: Have Sports Gaming Controls Become Too Complicated for Their Own Good?

What I dont understand is these games dont require you to learn every move. Its your choice. These games can be played with simple controlls, and is still fun. You can even win against people who know all the moves with the basic controlls.......so I dont understand the complaining.


I hope the devs just replicate what they see in that sport and not what people are asking for. Thats the issue thats causing games to not have direction. just make the sport like the sport actually plays...make a arcade game for those that want that. The two cant be combined it wont work.