I recall somewhere in the back of my head that the PS2's controller (maybe others, I don't recall for sure) was supposed to be pressure put on the various buttons and left it up to the devs to decide what to do with this feature. Aside from Silent Hill 2 supposedly having the pressure sensitivity linked to how much damage melee weapons would do were there any other games that used this feature? Or am I just crazy and dreaming up functionality.... EDIT: Turns out I'm not crazy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DualShock#DualShock_2 Either that or it is a mass hallucination.
I'm playing The Bouncer at the minute and that uses pressure sensitive controls. If you press a button lightly you do a light fast attack, press hard and you pull off a strong but slow to recover from attack.
Ace Combat 4 used this to zoom the map, which was really annoying. Burnout 3 also used it (you actually couldn't play it with a PS1 controller because of this).
The Colin McRae games did too, I think. Probably most driving games. Fucking irritating, just caused me cramp.
GTA San Andreas uses it, the cars' acceleration depends on how hard the X button is pressed. I can't think of any other game right now. Maybe the other GTA games? I didn't play them on PS2.
Driving games are pretty much the only usage for the feature that actually makes some sense. It just didn't work very well...you had to press the buttons pretty hard for it to register. Admittedly, once your controller was more "worn in" it became a little better, but on a brand new PS2 controller it was horrible.
I played a crapload of Burnout 3 and never noticed that. I think MGS 3? uses it as well. I seem to remember something about being able to take down guys from behind with a neck hold, but if you hit the button too hard Snake slits their throat instead.
It was hit and miss for it's usage (I think some people didn't really like to use it). I know for action games MGS2 uses it (I think even 3 does but I never really played it, its on my to play list). Other then that, it was very common in racers or games with a driving component. Kind of sad PS3/PSP don't have it (even if not fully utilized, I would still like to see it included).
Yes, MGS3 does, like MGS2; for example, in order to allow you to lower your gun without firing any shots (e.g., to hold up a guard) or aim with an assault rifle. MGS3 is unique in that during CQC the pressure exerted on the circle button determines whether you keep an oponent in a chokehold, strangle them, or slit their necks. Silent Hill 2 and 3 certainly do too, to perform different types of swings with melee weapons; overhead or swung about if stationary, and thrusted or swung about if character is moving. The only exception to this is James' Great Knife (no thrusting, only a broad swing to the side and a powerful overhead strike, due to its size and weight). Both game series are produced by Konami, so they are one who have utilised it quite extensively.
Analog face buttons is a fowl idea. My thumb used to cane playing GT3- holding the tiny face button flush to the controller is horrid. I mapped accelerate to R1 which was somewhat better. I don't get it- analog is useless on a key that is only about 3 mm high? How can you precisly adjust pressure on such a small button? The PS3's 'triggers' at least improve this.. And I never knew that the Start/Select and D-Pad were all pressure sensitive..
I still have the tendency on GT games to use the "tap" method of throttle control. Played way too much GT2 and didn't have a DS2 for a while on my first PS2. It's certainly not a super accurate means of control, but it's useful when implemented. I do, however, find myself straining my thumb just to make sure I've got the button down 100% sometimes.
I don't know, I really liked this feature in MGS2, and Ace Combat 4 and 5. The map in AC04 and AC5 really worked well for me, and it was really a requisite to hold up a guard in MGS2. I really liked that feature and the lack of it was one of my main gripes with Ace Combat 6 on the 360.
Mad Maestro used it, a classical music rhythm game. Very difficult but fun. The lower notes were light button taps, big notes were hard button taps.
also note that the original XBOX had pressure-sensitive buttons, as demonstrated in games such as Driv3r. They realized how stupid this was by the time they released the 360, but the ps3 still retains analogue face buttons i think. PS:what? no analogue face buttons on the ps3? No wonder the D-pad feels funky in some games..The D-pad should have retained the analog pressure sensitivity imo, considering its in the main thumb position and what most people use for driving games on a PS platform.
But...there's no precision, especially not on a crappy D-pad like the PS controller's. Can't ever imagine playing Forza or GT with a D-pad.
