This is how the dualshock 4 should be designed

[Joon]

the dualshock 4 has 3 big problems

1. the sticks are in too low of a position. the thumbs naturally sit about an inch higher. currently causes the entire hand to readjust to match up with the sticks, which subsequently means the handles lose the support of the palms and puts the pressure on the fingers. causes strain.
2. the middle body is too large. not enough room for the three fingers to grip onto the handles. causes cramp, particularly in the middle finger.
3. shoulder buttons are too protruded. the trigger finger way overlaps the actual button. needs to be placed more inward.

Official DS4 design:

My official mock-up™:

(forgive the terrible paint job, obviously. it's the design logic that's important here).

 

[DriedMangoes]

It feels pretty good to me maybe I'm just not too sensitive about these types of things.

 

[Joon]

It feels pretty good to me maybe I'm just not too sensitive about these types of things.

hold your controller in a way that gives the most comfort for your hand position (forget about buttons for now). if youre like me you'll find that your thumbs naturally sit about 1 inch higher, just at the lower corners of the touchpad. now, in that comfortable position, move your thumbs down to where the sticks actually are, and see if it causes you to readjust your entire hand and then subsequently lose that palm support, putting all the strain and pressure on your fingers.

 

[Momewrath]

Its definitely the best DS to this point. The only thing id change about it is the analog stick position. Id offset them like the Xbox controllers. Its just not as comfortable to play for me with the sticks opposed like that. The design itself though is really good, from the grips, to the triggers, to the new sticks themselves being much improved over the mushroom tops of past DS.

 

[DriedMangoes]

hold your controller in a way that gives the most comfort for your hand position (forget about buttons for now). if youre like me you'll find that your thumbs naturally sit about 1 inch higher, just at the lower corners of the touchpad. now, in that comfortable position, move your thumbs down to where the sticks actually are, and see if it causes you to readjust your entire hand and then subsequently lose that palm support, putting all the strain and pressure on your fingers.

Hm, still not having a problem with the way the DS4 is sitting in my hand right now. Feels comfortable to me, lol. I don't have very large hands though.

 

[Joon]

Hm, still not having a problem with the way the DS4 is sitting in my hand right now. Feels comfortable to me, lol. I don't have very large hands though.

my hands arent particuarly large either. but i like a firm grip on my controller, so that "comfortable position" i mentioned means my palms are firmly wrapped around the handles, and when my hands are placed like that those 3 problems in the op arise (thumbs too high; handles too small, shoulders buttons too outwards).

if you hold your controller loosely i can see how this may not be a problem. but loose hold = less control/accuracy imo, which is why i prefer to apply a hard grip

 

[DriedMangoes]

my hands arent particuarly large either. but i like a firm grip on my controller, so that "comfortable position" i mentioned means my palms are firmly wrapped around the handles, and when my hands are placed like that those 3 problems in the op arise (thumbs too high; handles too small, shoulders buttons too outwards).

if you hold your controller loosely i can see how this may not be a problem. but loose hold = less control/accuracy imo, which is why i prefer to apply a hard grip

Yeah, I hold the controller in a relaxed position when I'm sitting, it's kind of just lying in my hands which are lying on my legs so I don't wrap my whole hands around it.

 

[JinCA]

I think it's pretty much perfect as is, it's the first controller that never really stuck out to me like I was holding something while I use it. It just feels very comfortable to me to use and honestly I couldn't think of a thing I'd change.

 

[Adam]

I like it the way it is.

/Man Hands

 

[Dno69]

I'm not crazy about the option and share button placement. But that's about it.

 

[Joon]

Yeah, I hold the controller in a relaxed position when I'm sitting, it's kind of just lying in my hands which are lying on my legs so I don't wrap my whole hands around it.

that makes sense then. but like i said, loose = less control = less accuracy. these problems become much more evident when you try to hold the controller firmly (competitive online games in particular)

I like it the way it is.

/Man Hands

larger hands would only exacerbate these noted problems as it means less handle space for the fingers and more of a downward angle for the thumbs.

 

[DriedMangoes]

that makes sense then. but like i said, loose = less control = less accuracy. these problems become much more evident when you try to hold the controller firmly (competitive online games in particular)



larger hands would only exacerbate these noted problems as it means less handle space for the fingers and more of a downward angle for the thumbs.

Yeah, that's why I only play competitive online games on the PC,

 

[Adam]

that makes sense then. but like i said, loose = less control = less accuracy. these problems become much more evident when you try to hold the controller firmly (competitive online games in particular)



larger hands would only exacerbate these noted problems as it means less handle space for the fingers and more of a downward angle for the thumbs.

I dont know how you came to that conclusion, but it is most certainly incorrect. Putting things closer together would make things exponentially more difficult for people with large hands.

 

[Viktor]

lol

 

[Joon]

I dont know how you came to that conclusion, but it is most certainly incorrect. Putting things closer together would make things exponentially more difficult for people with large hands.

because " it means less handle space for the fingers and more of a downward angle for the thumbs."

the dualshock 4 would provide even less palm support for larger hands

 

[Hazard71]

Feels quite comfortable to me and I see no reason to change it besides possibly the option, share buttons.