Sore thumb on trackpad in shooters

[halifax]

I've noticed several people mention this, and I'm experiencing it too on day one.

In trackball mode, play around with "Edge Spin" and max the "smoothing".

I think this will probably be the only way I'll be able to learn to love the trackpad for shooters. Constantly swiping and lifting my thumb off the trackpad like I'd use a normal mouse just isn't going to work. That starts to make my hand sore in about 5 to 10 minutes doing that.

But continuously keeping my thumb on the trackpad and sliding it around the edges to spin the view is a lot more comfortable. Takes some getting used to, though, but this IS day one ;-)

[Johann Springle]

You need to work out your thumb

that's literally an issue with any controller you start using, including xbox

[Poojoo]

I don't agree with the work out your thumbs comment. I've tried this controller and my main complaint is that it is not comfortable. There's no comfortable resting position. Especially if you're resting on the trackpads. I attribute this to the design forcing your thumbs to rest in an arched state. After a couple hours of play your thumbs are strained and I'm noticing tension in my wrists. You either have to eagle claw this thing if you want to use the trackpads with the tips of your thumbs or you are forced into a palsy grip if you want to flat thumb it. Try flat thumb pressing the lower left corner of the left trackpad...just miserable tension you don't find with other controllers. It. Is. Bad.

[God Ginrai]

Originally posted by rookie canadian apologizer:

that's literally an issue with any controller you start using, including xbox

I'm not so sure. On a normal controller, you just hold the stick in a direction, and it keeps moving your look in that direction. If you are needing to flick the pad multiple times to move in a particular direction, you are expending much more effort than just tilting the stick.

[Trenze]

Are there no 'modes' you can switch to so instead of the controller acting like its got a trackball you can change it to something else?

I only mention this because I remember reading about it somewhere.


Man, the comunity is really testing me on my pre order now. I feel like I should just cancel it.

[halifax]

Originally posted by Miroslav:

Are there no 'modes' you can switch to so instead of the controller acting like its got a trackball you can change it to something else?

I only mention this because I remember reading about it somewhere.


Man, the comunity is really testing me on my pre order now. I feel like I should just cancel it.

I don't know, you might want to wait a week before you cancel. I'll tell you right now, it feels *really* weird at first. But after one solid day of use, it's started to gel a little better and grow on me a little bit. I think what you're reading now are a bunch of comments made during the first few initial wtf sessions you *will* experience with this controller.

[Flargunnstow]

Originally posted by Poojoo:

I don't agree with the work out your thumbs comment. I've tried this controller and my main complaint is that it is not comfortable. There's no comfortable resting position. Especially if you're resting on the trackpads. I attribute this to the design forcing your thumbs to rest in an arched state. After a couple hours of play your thumbs are strained and I'm noticing tension in my wrists. You either have to eagle claw this thing if you want to use the trackpads with the tips of your thumbs or you are forced into a palsy grip if you want to flat thumb it. Try flat thumb pressing the lower left corner of the left trackpad...just miserable tension you don't find with other controllers. It. Is. Bad.

--Have you USED a 360 controller? The problem you describe is 10x worse on those controllers-- you have to curve your three fingers so far around the controller to keep it in place, and the pressure on your thumb is TREMENDOUS compared with gliding across a trackpad (that you don't have to press down on usually at that!). I'm having tons of issues with the configuration side of the controller, but its ergonomics are insanely comfortable for a controller-- right up there with n64 and gamecube for comfort/ergonomics.

[God Ginrai]

Originally posted by Miroslav:

Are there no 'modes' you can switch to so instead of the controller acting like its got a trackball you can change it to something else?

There are.

[GreyZ]

Originally posted by Perko:

Originally posted by Poojoo:

I don't agree with the work out your thumbs comment. I've tried this controller and my main complaint is that it is not comfortable. There's no comfortable resting position. Especially if you're resting on the trackpads. I attribute this to the design forcing your thumbs to rest in an arched state. After a couple hours of play your thumbs are strained and I'm noticing tension in my wrists. You either have to eagle claw this thing if you want to use the trackpads with the tips of your thumbs or you are forced into a palsy grip if you want to flat thumb it. Try flat thumb pressing the lower left corner of the left trackpad...just miserable tension you don't find with other controllers. It. Is. Bad.

--Have you USED a 360 controller? The problem you describe is 10x worse on those controllers-- you have to curve your three fingers so far around the controller to keep it in place, and the pressure on your thumb is TREMENDOUS compared with gliding across a trackpad (that you don't have to press down on usually at that!). I'm having tons of issues with the configuration side of the controller, but its ergonomics are insanely comfortable for a controller-- right up there with n64 and gamecube for comfort/ergonomics.

That's not true. With a regular joypad you can rest the flat side of your thumb comfortably on the joystick. Witht he trackpad you crook your thumb in order to be precise with your thumb tip. The controller;s grips are actually bulged in a way to enforce that. And having your thumb in that crooked position becomes painful over time.

[halifax]

Originally posted by GreyZ:

That's not true. With a regular joypad you can rest the flat side of your thumb comfortably on the joystick. Witht he trackpad you crook your thumb in order to be precise with your thumb tip. The controller;s grips are actually bulged in a way to enforce that. And having your thumb in that crooked position becomes painful over time.

You definitely have to relax your hand and develop a lighter touch. Only Valve would come up with something this damn crazy, but I *think* I'm starting to sense a little of the Mad Hatter underneath. It's all about developing a lighter touch and more control with just the tip of your thumb - which can only come with practice.