August 31st 2010 4:01 pm PT

I’m not a fan of the color scheme or the fact that it’s only available with the Play-and-Charge Kit, but I’m glad Microsoft is finally doing something about that D-pad of theirs.

Oh what a coincidence… lets NOT release this with the new consoles, let’s release it a few months after they come out to get more money out of people… is this controller really a game a changer…?

Meh I think I’ll wait for the Razer Onza.

I welcome a change to the D-Pad, but is it going to be more “clicky” (and less clunky) than before? My major gripe with the existing one is that it’s hard to tell when you’re making contact with any particular direction, so you end up mashing unnecessarily hard just to register a hit.

I’m not sure if the new d-pad is an improvement. It looks like it might be just a gimmick that doesn’t solve the problem. My problem with the current d-pad is that it is inaccurate because it’s all one button. Even if you raise up-down-left-right, the problem may still exists, because the plus is still all one piece. (If you push left but you don’t push it straight on, you may still end up going down or up.) And games that use the d-pad for 8-directional input don’t get any benefit from this at all. (I’m not even sure whether this d-pad will still allow 8-directional input.)

Now maybe when it’s a plus it only physically allows 4-directional input and when it’s a disk it allows 8-directional input. If the plus configuration physical prevents more than one direction from being pressed at a time, that would help with the accuracy problem, but only for games that use just 4-directional input.

My xbox controllers already have concave sticks. (The ps3 controller sticks are convex. Sometimes I think this improves control. Not sure.)

But are these sticks actually improved in any way? I prefer the PS3 sticks. They seem to provide more even resistance throughout their range of motion. Then again, that might be because my xbox controller is worn out and loose from extended use. Whatever the reason, my xbox controller sticks provide jumpy control and they often get stuck going one way or another during gameplay and I have to re-center them manually. Hopefully these sticks hold up better.

I don’t mind having a controller option without the 4 color buttons. It does allow for a better looking controller. (I do see how it could make things a little harder for new gamers.)

I agree with the complaint about selling this only with the play and charge kit. That’s just not right. Tell me that it works with batteries and also with the current play-and-charge cable. They should definitely make this controller available by itself at a more reasonable price.

I’m not sure if the new d-pad is an improvement. It looks like it might be just a gimmick that doesn’t solve the problem. My problem with the current d-pad is that it is inaccurate because it’s all one button. Even if you raise up-down-left-right, the problem may still exists, because the plus is still all one piece. (If you push left but you don’t push it straight on, you may still end up going down or up.) And games that use the d-pad for 8-directional input don’t get any benefit from this at all. (I’m not even sure whether this d-pad will still allow 8-directional input.)

Now maybe when it’s a plus it only physically allows 4-directional input and when it’s a disk it allows 8-directional input. If the plus configuration physical prevents more than one direction from being pressed at a time, that would help with the accuracy problem, but only for games that use just 4-directional input.

My xbox controllers already have concave sticks. (The ps3 controller sticks are convex. Sometimes I think this improves control. Not sure.)

But are these sticks actually improved in any way? I prefer the PS3 sticks. They seem to provide more even resistance throughout their range of motion. Then again, that might be because my xbox controller is worn out and loose from extended use. Whatever the reason, my xbox controller sticks provide jumpy control and they often get stuck going one way or another during gameplay and I have to re-center them manually. Hopefully these sticks hold up better.

I don’t mind having a controller option without the 4 color buttons. It does allow for a better looking controller. (I do see how it could make things a little harder for new gamers.)

I agree with the complaint about selling this only with the play and charge kit. That’s just not right. Tell me that it works with batteries and also with the current play-and-charge cable. They should definitely make this controller available by itself at a more reasonable price.

(Sorry for the double post but I’m trying to adjust for the removal of the lines between paragraphs. Trying 2 lines between paragraphs this time.)

Guessing from the notepad this might be where you record your show. I always wanted to see the process of how you guys film your podcast. Pictures, videos, etc…

I guess blank lines get removed.
*
So you have to do something…
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like this.

I’m not sure if the new d-pad is an improvement. It looks like it might be just a gimmick that doesn’t solve the problem. My problem with the current d-pad is that it is inaccurate because it’s all one button. Even if you raise up-down-left-right, the problem may still exists, because the plus is still all one piece. (If you push left but you don’t push it straight on, you may still end up going down or up.) And games that use the d-pad for 8-directional input don’t get any benefit from this at all. (I’m not even sure whether this d-pad will still allow 8-directional input.)
-
Now maybe when it’s a plus it only physically allows 4-directional input and when it’s a disk it allows 8-directional input. If the plus configuration physical prevents more than one direction from being pressed at a time, that would help with the accuracy problem, but only for games that use just 4-directional input.
-
My xbox controllers already have concave sticks. (The ps3 controller sticks are convex. Sometimes I think this improves control. Not sure.)
-
But are these sticks actually improved in any way? I prefer the PS3 sticks. They seem to provide more even resistance throughout their range of motion. Then again, that might be because my xbox controller is worn out and loose from extended use. Whatever the reason, my xbox controller sticks provide jumpy control and they often get stuck going one way or another during gameplay and I have to re-center them manually. Hopefully these sticks hold up better.
-
I don’t mind having a controller option without the 4 color buttons. It does allow for a better looking controller. (I do see how it could make things a little harder for new gamers.)
-
I agree with the complaint about selling this only with the play and charge kit. That’s just not right. Tell me that it works with batteries and also with the current play-and-charge cable. They should definitely make this controller available by itself at a more reasonable price.
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(Sorry for the triple post. It would be nice if blank lines in comments were displayed and we could delete our own comments.)

Only on the Play & Charge kit. Lame.

Microsoft is on a lame roll lately with their price increases and crappy product improvements.

Need this in black to keep up the color scheme.

The only thing that would make this controller more awesome would be to have replaced the green leds with white ones.

I like it. I will definitely be picking one up, but not right away. Is this a limited run, or will I be able to buy one in six months when I need a new controller?

Looks cool but I already invested in the Hori Controllers for fighting games.

Is Microsoft becoming out of touch with its fan base? Man, you guys are getting more and more like the current US Gov.

A new D-Pad that you knew was junk from the start and it took how long to come up with a new plan? Then you make a fancy one with grey button and decide to sell it ONLY as a bundle with the charge kit. WTH?? Again, who is the genius in your marketing??

You must be over stock on charge kits as they aren’t selling. So to pawn them off, you make a new controller and supply the charge kit with it to try and cover profits and dwindle charge kit supplies that are in your warehouses. Sell it at $5 cheaper than if you were to buy a controller separate with the kit. Granted you can buy a wireless controller for $35 than the suggested $50.

Why wouldn’t you sell this alone?

You know what you need on your LIVE service? A feedback tab and have weekly surveys. Better yet, get your top execs to do an Undercover Boss and show them how out of touch they are with society.

So how do you keep it from rotating when something like the Street Fighter fireball motion is used?

down+dn-rt+right = rotation.

If the super-smart engineers didn’t think of this one, they all deserve to be fired…

Wow..it only took five years to fix the horrible D-pad. And you grey out the buttons so gameplay is now more confusing to casual users, oh and it’s only available with a play and charge kit.

The analog stick have always been concave too.

Seems like a lot of sleeping dogs woke up with the post about the higher xbox live subscription costs, heh…

People, it’s only a controller, you are in no way obligated to buy it and you can still opt to buy the classic one. No need to complain: Don’t like it? Don’t buy it. Problem solved.

Its the MS way.. Force crap on you that you dont need or want with stuff you want to buy then up the price and say its because of the stuff you dont want… I am sure most of us own a play and charge kit already yet MS forces you to pay for a nother if you want the new controller.. FU MS…

It’s the Micro$uck way… Instead of including something useful as a rechargeable battery for you know a WIRE-LESS controller, they offer the charge cable that is useless without that rechargeable battery. Micro$uck wants you to then go out and buy another battery… Hell, those rechargeable Micro$uck batteries have a crappy lifespan & don’t keep a charge so you keep needing to buy more. Micro$uck, can you ever do anything right?

Oh, and this will be bundled with all new systems going forward after its launch…right? RIGHT?

Poor Major, taking all the flak

Sony controllers are good if you have small girl hands like dlord

Hey everyone and especially Major Nelson, here are my thoughts on this. They will have some things already said.
Wow… it’s hard to say if this if worth it.
I never needed the buttons to be color coded, but some people rely on it. That was a bad move that very easy to fix. For some reason, I don’t think Microsoft will. Every so often a game has been released that shows the button to push only by color. This removes these instructions and tutorials completely.
In addition, as others have said, there are new gamers and even young gamers that go by the color, not the letter designation of the buttons.
The overall case design of using multiple colors seems off to me. I just don’t see a point to it, but it’s only cosmetic.
The updated D-Pad unfortunately is long over due. Really, this has been the one thing bringing the controller down. And if it’s twisting the pad that either raises or lowers it, what to prevent accidental changes? As stated, there are fighting games where you need to get in constant range of motion inputs that might change the level.
Also how much more, if at all, accurate is the D-Pad? If when the circle is lowered it keeps the pad from being easily moved and pressing side buttons, then this could be a big win.
Unfortunately, I think most people will either want, or need to try it out before making an opinion. I for one won’t even consider getting one without testing the D-Pad out because of these possible issues.
Finally, why is it only available as a bundle? That just seems like a real rip-off to people who already have the solutions to using batteries. Weather they are using AA Rechargeables, a play-n-charge kit, the quick charge kit, or a 3rd party charger most people are already set.
This with no longer selling the battery’s alone simply tells consumers that you are going to raise the price of all wireless controllers, and sell them as a bundle ONLY. This is a real bad way to change marketing things for the XBox because a big part of the XBox was choice and options. It was never an overwhelming amount, but it was a decent amount that was there.
In terms of people who just gt new XBox’s, no company will simply put something like this into the new systems or announce it right away. I know the 360S was just released, but it’s a profit game, and there is profit loss by either releasing the controller at the same time or even announcing it at the same time.

That button colors is another stupid idea by Micro$uck… You completely break the corresponding colors with the dash colored button images that most 360 games share as well. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB = You are dumb Micro$uck!!!

@ Venom Madness

Better than being ugly, and a fan boy. And having this controller made for your gorilla hands.

http://paranerds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/original_controller.jpg