PS3 controller explained

[~~whimsy~~]

The buttons on PlayStation controllers have always been a bit of a mystery. Why those weird colours? Why those wacky shapes? PlayStation designer Teiyu Goto explains.

Goto, who designed not only the PlayStation but the PS2 and PS3 as well, has told Japanese magazine Famitsu that it was all about keeping it simple.

"That was...pretty tough," he says. "Other game companies at the time assigned alphabet letters or colors to the buttons. We wanted something simple to remember, which is why we went with icons or symbols, and I came up with the triangle-circle-X-square combination immediately afterward. I gave each symbol a meaning and a color."

"The triangle refers to viewpoint; I had it represent one's head or direction and made it green. Square refers to a piece of paper; I had it represent menus or documents and made it pink. The circle and X represent 'yes' or 'no' decision-making and I made them red and blue respectively. People thought those colors were mixed up, and I had to reinforce to management that that's what I wanted."

Before you ask, in case you didn't know, the circle meaning "yes" is a Japanese thing (most functions in a Japanese game performed by it), whereas over here, we contradict this by predominantly using the X button, which despite intended to mean "no" is in a more logical position for Western gamers (who associate the bottom button as the "main" one).

http://kotaku.com/5622270/what-do-the-buttons-on-the-playstation-controller-mean

I found it interesting.

 

[L3ggy]

Very interesting.

 

[PrimeGuy]

That IS interesting!

 

[Bonezstorm]

For me, X is always the main button

 

[paveman]

Never thought button management could be so complex...

 

[Neutron66]

I'm still new to the PS3 so every time it tells me to hit the X, I always hit the square since that's where the X button is on the 360 controller.

 

[darthsnake]

the best controller imo

 

[DJCowboy]

I always wondered why circle was the decision making button for FF7.

 

[pluggs999]

I became a PlayStation fan because I liked their controller over X-Box's

 

[Big Poppa Pump]

Yeah, I remember in Final Fantasy VII that took some getting used to! I pressed the x button for ages before finally adjusting to o! Loved that game!:clap:

 

[Togath]

great article now when are they gonna dump the style and refigure it cause this damn controller is too frickin small for my hands..lol

 

[dp93]

intriguing shit

 

[darthsnake]

great article now when are they gonna dump the style and refigure it cause this damn controller is too frickin small for my hands..lol

i wish they don't and most of the fanbase wishes the same

they could release a standalone bigger one but the main one should remain the same

the controller was to change with PS3 but now that 3 generations have passed and DS has become as one of the main qualities of Playstation experience,i don't think they will change it next time either

 

[Born2Jizz]

The Playstation controller is by FAR my favorite controller ever. To me it's pretty much perfect in absolutely every single way imaginable. :2 cents:

Thanks for the article find, Whims! :hatsoff: :thumbsup:

 

[nickerdeemes]

I also love the PS controller. I even got one of those converters so I can use a PS2 controller on my PC.