sh3-rg Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 im not sure to what extent the keypad was actually designed for games. i get the feeling it was meant for the voice modem mostly (I could be wrong), but also implemented for games when convenient so you don't have to go to the pause menu to change veiws or toggle through weapons which imo takes longer than glancing down. The Atari STe voice modem? It was designed an Atari computer peripheral before the Jaguar got it. The keypad was likely a lazy way to get some remote keyboard-like functionality when sat back from the keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willard Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 (edited) The Atari STe voice modem? It was designed an Atari computer peripheral before the Jaguar got it. The keypad was likely a lazy way to get some remote keyboard-like functionality when sat back from the keyboard. im aware that the controller was also used for atari computers, but it would not have been hard to redesign. it could've been just atari being lazy or feeling like it would be a good idea to bring console controllers closer to computer keyboards as the complexity of games increased - but for some reason it seems atari at least considered that the JVM or some form of online networking would be part of the future of games when shipping the jaguar with a controller that features a keypad. As said, I was just speculating that the keypad might've been there for reason other than specifically playing games because it is often underutilized and functionality could've easily been replaced with a few shoulder buttons or something. whether or not the keypad was there to facilitate the use of an expansion device doesnt change my opinion that the keypad is not really an inconvenience to me and no worse than pausing and going to a menu, or spending the time to cycle though the same options with a single button. Edited April 1, 2014 by Willard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoGeoNinja Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Just to chime in about the whole Jag controller thing... I found that there tends to be a different pad for different people. I was staggered to find that there IS actual design differences INSIDE the controller depending on which revision you pick up. I'm not sure which way round they go (newer or older) but the rear of the dpad and tactile input spacing is different between the controllers that contain "black" rubber components and "grey" rubber components (i.e. keypad, start/option keys etc). Personally, I find the "grey" variants more to my liking and I find the black ones stiffer and harder to implement diagonals with. But, when discussing it with other people, many others prefer the "black" variants too. It's worth trying them both out, just to see which one you prefer the feel and input of etc. Oh... this isn't April Fools bait btw. I'm deadly serious. Deadly. - Also, regarding the discussion of MK & SF via the use of Jag controllers... That 6-button Pro-Controller feels pretty good. I think it would have been MORE than adequate for the likes of a 2D MK title and surely adequate for an iteration of Street Fighter II of some description. However, the 3-button/standard controllers would only have been alright for MK. Like the 3-button MD/GEN pad, the 3-button layout would have been horrible for playing SF with - crazy numeric keypad availability or not. The 3DO... ONLY just gets away with using 'P' due to having 5 buttons already to hand. Just map the button you least use there (usually LP or LK, in my experience)... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinSEGA Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Just to chime in about the whole Jag controller thing... I found that there tends to be a different pad for different people. I was staggered to find that there IS actual design differences INSIDE the controller depending on which revision you pick up. Just to chime in about the whole Jag controller thing... I found that there tends to be a different pad for different people. I was staggered to find that there IS actual design differences INSIDE the controller depending on which revision you pick up. I'm not sure which way round they go (newer or older) but the rear of the dpad and tactile input spacing is different between the controllers that contain "black" rubber components and "grey" rubber components (i.e. keypad, start/option keys etc). Personally, I find the "grey" variants more to my liking and I find the black ones stiffer and harder to implement diagonals with. But, when discussing it with other people, many others prefer the "black" variants too. It's worth trying them both out, just to see which one you prefer the feel and input of etc. Oh... this isn't April Fools bait btw. I'm deadly serious. Deadly. Deadly serious about you preferring the grey-keyed controller or deadly serious about the minute differences between the two types of controllers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoGeoNinja Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Deadly serious about you preferring the grey-keyed controller or deadly serious about the minute differences between the two types of controllers? OMG FDFSMF about both. But, honestly... I just didn't expect there to be a difference internally and was rather surprised when there actually was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinSEGA Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I do prefer the black-keyed controller to the grey-keyed one because of the "oomph" the three red buttons and the D-pad give me. The grey-keyed controller's D-pad does have some use, though. Probably if you want to speed run Bubsy I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Not a fan of the black rubber variant. The d-pad is extremely stiff and it is more difficult to do diagonals and rotations. I didn't notice much of a difference between the buttons themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian R. Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 OMG FDFSMF about both. But, honestly... I just didn't expect there to be a difference internally and was rather surprised when there actually was! I don't think it's all that surprising that there are differences. I'd tend to think it's fairly common that any manufacturer makes changes/revisions during a production run, for a variety of reasons. Heck, I bought a 2010 Kia Forte and found ones made not longer after mine had different interior door panels, different dash materials, different radios. And didn't prior Atari systems have stamps on things such as "Rev A," "Rev B," "Rev C," etc. reflecting changes? Look at the XL computers - the different keyboards they were equipped with. That's more substantial than internal modifications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian R. Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 No. They work fine. I also have no issues or problems with the Jaguar controllers. These aren't 5200 or even 7800 controllers in terms of being "bad." Too many commentators get hung up on the "omfg this pos has a telephone pad!" Comments like that tell me they're ignorant - like people who criticize the 5200 first and/or foremost because of its size. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoGeoNinja Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I don't think it's all that surprising that there are differences. I'd tend to think it's fairly common that any manufacturer makes changes/revisions during a production run, for a variety of reasons. Generally speaking, no; it shouldn't be surprising. But when we think of the Jaguar, it's usually seen as a machine released on a strict budget and, tbh... I wouldn't have imagined making slight changes here and there to their stock controllers would have been a priority. But, it obviously was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovalbugmann Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Blackout is far, far, far better on the PS1. lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaguarBrett Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I would have liked to see more powerful 2d side scrolling games released unlike the majority of 3d games released. (It's obvious their choice for 3d was the right idea) but looking back I feel the machine would have produced some pretty amazing 2d games in the right hands. Burnout was sprite driven but played and looked better than most of the 3d polygon games. In regards to the controller I had know idea it turns out I have two different versions as well, I thought they felt different! Thx for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I would have liked to see more powerful 2d side scrolling games released unlike the majority of 3d games released. (It's obvious their choice for 3d was the right idea) but looking back I feel the machine would have produced some pretty amazing 2d games in the right hands. Burnout was sprite driven but played and looked better than most of the 3d polygon games. In regards to the controller I had know idea it turns out I have two different versions as well, I thought they felt different! Thx for the info While looking for old Scrummy posts earlier I stumbled across this interesting thread from a few years ago: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/43179-could-the-atari-jaguar-ever-handle-the-quake-engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaguarBrett Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 While looking for old Scrummy posts earlier I stumbled across this interesting thread from a few years ago: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/43179-could-the-atari-jaguar-ever-handle-the-quake-engine interesting read indeed thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 All Japanese style joypads suck. Atari should've given us a decent 3 button Joystick and Jaguar would have rocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoGeoNinja Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 All Japanese style joypads suck. Atari should've given us a decent 3 button Joystick and Jaguar would have rocked. Japanese style joypads... like the Genesis 6-button, SNES, Saturn Mk2, Playstation, 3DO etc? No. What would have sucked, would have been a 3-button joystick for an upcoming 3D 64-bit gaming console... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 All Japanese style joypads suck. Jaded and bitter.. I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Long live the joystick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Long live the joystick This kind? Sure. But this kind? $*%& that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 This kind? 9 out of 10 true Jagtards prefer this kind. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 9 out of 10 true Jagtards prefer this kind. And what would a Jagtard be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CyranoJ Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 It's Inception time!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 And what would a Jagtard be? Webster defines: 'jagtard \ˈjag-tärd\ definition [partial]: One who is waiting for the system to be "pushed" until Tomb Raider pops out the other end, and thinks this will actually occur' 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Webster defines: 'jagtard \ˈjag-tärd\ definition [partial]: One who is waiting for the system to be "pushed" until Tomb Raider pops out the other end, and thinks this will actually occur' No no no. Thats not a Jagtard. This is a Jagtard: Webster defines: 'jagtard \ˈjag-tärd\ definition [partial]: A Jaguar fan who allows PSX tards to stop them from speculating or having fun about what really may or may not be possible on their system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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