Number of buttons
The total number of buttons provided in the design of the manipulator.
The more buttons — the more additional features you can "tie" to the manipulator, the lower the likelihood that during the game you will have to turn to other controls (for example, a PC keyboard). However, many game consoles (see "Platform Compatibility") provide a certain minimum number of buttons for a compatible gamepad — a smaller number simply would not allow full use of all the functions of the console. For example, the original PlayStation 4 controller has 11 buttons.
Note that the D-Pad (see below) is not included in this calculation: it is considered a specific control, although it is based on buttons.
D-pad
The presence of the
D-Pad manipulator in the controller design; the type of such a manipulator can also be specified here.
D-Pad is used to move the character, cursor, etc. in strictly defined, standard directions. In some cases, this can be more convenient than using analogue levers that tilt to either side (see below). As for the varieties, nowadays there are such options:
— 4-position. The classic D-Pad, which appeared at the dawn of game consoles and does not lose popularity nowadays. Available as a set of 4 buttons in a distinctive cross-shaped layout, or as a single solid "multi-sided" button. Anyway, such a device provides 4 fixed directions: up, down, right, left. But to move diagonally, you need to select 2 corresponding directions at once; this is not always convenient, so in this regard, 4-way D-Pads are considered somewhat less practical than the 8-way ones described below. On the other hand, they are also quite functional, while being simpler in design, reliable and inexpensive; and strictly diagonal movements are not required as often as horizontal and vertical ones. So this type of D-Pads can be found even in accessories for the latest generations of game consoles.
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8-position. A variation of the D-Pad, in which 4 standard directions (2 horizontal, 2 vertical) are supplemented by 4 intermediate — diagonal. In this case, we are usually talking about full-fledge
...d fixed positions of the manipulator; in other words, to move diagonally, you need to click not on two standard directions, but on one intermediate one. The classic design of this type of D-Pad is a multi-sided button, which is the most suitable option in this case. However, this variety also includes some solutions for 4 separate buttons — provided that these buttons are placed very close, and pressing two at once with one finger is not difficult. Anyway, 8-position manipulators are somewhat more expensive, but more convenient than 4-position ones.Table mount
A method of attaching a game pad to a table or other surface. Note that not all types of devices (see above) use mounts — gamepads, for example, do not need them by definition, and the pedals are made on a massive stable base and installed on the floor, so they also do not need latches. In other cases, the following options may be provided:
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Suckers. Classic suction cups that "stick" to the surface of the table. Such fixtures require a fairly flat surface, but in most cases this is not a problem, given the materials used for modern tables. Another advantage of suction cups is that they can be mounted anywhere on the table — not necessarily on the edge, as is the case with many clamps. Among the disadvantages of this option, one can name the fact that as the material of the suction cups wears out, it loses its elasticity, and the reliability of fastening decreases — especially with frequent attachment / detachment. On the other hand, in most cases, the period of effective operation of suction cups is quite comparable with the life of the manipulator itself, so this disadvantage is usually not critical.
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Clamps. Clamps usually take the form of characteristic clamps that allow you to mount the device on the edge of the table top or in another similar place. The main advantage of this option can be called reliability: firstly, a well-clamped clamp holds the manipulator in place much more tig
...htly than suction cups, and secondly, the quality of fastening practically does not deteriorate even with frequent attachments and detachments. On the other hand, the clip can only be used on the edge of a tabletop or on a special stand, which limits the choice of where to install the game pad.
— Bolts. A specific variant used mainly among high-end flight simulator instruments (see "Device type"); almost never found in other types of controllers. With the help of bolts, the instrument clusters are installed in a special rack that imitates the cockpit of an aircraft.
There are models that allow several mounting options: for example, the steering wheel with suction cups can also be equipped with a clamp, which allows you to choose the option at the discretion of the player.
