Fighting Game Community - Your Thoughts On Standard Button Layouts (360 Edition)

Tech Talk
1

Hello everyone. I wanted to ask a general opinion/preference of arcade stick button layout standards for console arcade sticks.

Namely the Xbox 360. In North America, there have been several releases of Hori’s Fighting Stick EX2. Released as:

Hori Dead Or Alive 4 Arcade Stick
Hori Fighting Stick EX2 (Virtua Fighter 5)
Hori Soulcalibur IV Arcade Stick


 CURRENT HORI FIGHTING STICK EX2
 B  X  Y
A LT RT

The odd thing is that all three arcade sticks use the exact same button layout (which is essentially only compatible with Dead or Alive 4 by default)… but neither of the sticks designed for VF5 or SCIV are mapped to the proper default controls intended by the game makers.

To use the arcade stick on other Xbox backwards compatible titles, Xbox Live Arcade downloadable titles, and other Xbox 360 fighters. Unless the name of the game “is Dead or Alive,” you MUST configure the arcade stick because of it’s wild button layout.

In Japan, Hori Released the Real Arcade PRO EX. Which had a different button layout that resembled the classic Xbox 360 controller much more (button wise).


 CURRENT HORI REAL ARCADE PRO EX
  LT X Y LB
RT A B RB

The current HRAP EX is fine IMO, except for the glaring fact that I believe the far left buttons should be the 4 colored face buttons on the 360 controller. That would make it much more ergonomic and match the button layout of Japanese arcades.

Now. I wanted to start a poll. Based on what is out there now. What is your preference? Are you satisfied with it? Or do you think there should be a new standard?

Personally. My preference would be…


 DESIRED LAYOUT
  X Y XX XX
A B XX XX

With XX properly representing either shoulder bumpers or triggers, whatever is used for fierce attacks. Based on Super Street Fighter II TURBO HD Remix. It’d be heavy buttons for LB (HP) and RB (HK). So that would be my choice.

What is yours? Make sure you vote!

2

i just got my first stick, its an orginal fighting stick ex, (not the ex 2) but i gotta say the three button setup is key. i only wired up six of my buttons for just that reason

i like 6, then the other two at the top like the VSHG, its convinient, and arcade perfect

but in terms of actual layout, i’d want the four color buttons, followed by the shoulders

3

I think I may have confused you. You voted for the Fighting Stick EX layout, I meant to list that option as Fighting Stick EX2.

Do you really prefer the button mapping on that?


CURRENT HORI FIGHTING STICK EX2
 B  X  Y
A LT RT

I wasn’t talking about the original Fighting Stick EX on the OG Xbox. But the 360 stick. This thread is all about 360 sticks.

MODS: Can you please edit poll option one to note the option as…

“Hori Fighting Stick EX2 Layout (Dead or Alive 4)”

4

So, I’m seeing two votes for the Fighting Stick EX2 layout so far.

So let’s say.

You are COMPLETELY satisfied with how the buttons are mapped on there?

Like you don’t mind that you plug in and try to play Street Fighter and HAVE to change the buttons in order to play properly?

You wouldn’t rather have a default? Is that what you guys are getting at?

5

TO BE CLEAR, btw.

This isn’t an issue about number of buttons.

It’s about the actual mapping of the buttons.

I’m talking about

XY
AB

You guys like it square or in DOA format?!

6

HRAP.EX with the six rightmost buttons shifted one step left, in other words the layout you suggest would automatically match SSF2THD. Under Xbox1 emulation it’d also translate properly to the layout on the old-school Duke controller and match default mappings for 3S, AE, etc…

7

I don’t understand why would people vote for the EX2 layout, we need a new layout that allows to play SF games without remapping buttons.



X Y LB
A B RB
8

I’m glad some other people decided to READ instead of just vote.

@ Mayhem

Yea, I believe with HD REMIX it is LB (HP) and RB (HK). So that is what I’m leaning towards as well. I don’t think there is a PPP or KKK default setting for HD Remix, is there? I forget.

If I were Hori I’d make a stick with…



 X Y LB LT
A B RB RT

Which would translate to…



  LP MP HP XX
LK MK HK XX

And STILL conform with the standard Xbox 360 controller layout for face buttons. So games like Soulcalibur IV and Battle Fantasia will still be playable with the default face 4.

EDIT:

@ Thrazz

THANK you. I’m glad someone else saw a point in this. SF does a good job of keeping a standard and making it so that it conforms to the controller’s natural layout.

Remember the era where most of us didn’t have arcade sticks? The SNES and GEN days? (Well Gen if you had the 6 button controller)… those were mapped perfectly IMO.

9

Doesn’t matter, honestly they are both good. The only thing I dont like is both use the trigger buttons where I think the bumpers should be. However I don’t care either way and button mapping isn’t that hard to do, UMK3 is the only game I know of that doesnt let you. I did dislike where the main 4 buttons were on the HRAPEX2 but then realized you could just open it and move them.

10

DOA.

**It DOES matter. **Saying it doesn’t matter defeats the purpose. We’re looking for a standard where you can just plug and play. Not something that you have to change (within the game) or physically change in your controller’s hardware. That is what the purpose of this thread is.

To find what the best standard is.

Even though you said it “doesn’t matter”… Your opinion clearly states that it would be best to use the bumpers. Which would conform with “We need a new layout!” in the poll… doesn’t it?

11

Also, how many DOA players actually play with the DOA4 stick over the control pad? I have probably seen 1 or 2 stick players in DOA tournaments and the rest use the 360 controller.

I even think a standard (more like 360) controller would have been a better choice for the DOA4 stick! LOL.

12

Abelfanatic, I see you voted for HRAP EX layout. Any particular reason why?

Don’t the buttons feel odd going by an angle that no other fighting stick (except PS3 FS3) has?

13

ditto. Seriously, how could it be different ?

14

coolix, I saw you voted for HRAP EX layout. But why? If you wanted it shifted to the left, it would fall under “New Layout Needed”! Because by moving them left it completely changes everything.

Is the discussion/voting page that confusing in this thread? Do I need to put up pictures of the buttons or something?

15

I voted for a new button layout. Mainly what a few people suggested.



X Y LB
A B RB
16

I’m using the HRAP EX and it’s true that the default layout puts my wrist into an uncomfortable position. I find myself remapping the buttons to the following:

X Y LT LB
A B RT RB

EDIT: I also don’t see how people can use the default DOA button layout for Street Fighter unless they’ve mistaken the pole to be about button placement/number of buttons on the stick.

17

I voted for the new layout because of comfortability. Markman since you are working with madcatz on the SFIV stick have you gotten any information on the button layout from capcom on SFIVs button layout. If so just map the buttons to that layout.

18

I voted for the new layout.

I like to play some Xbox live arcade games with my stick and the DOA layout really sucks if you can’t remap the buttons in the game. When I modded my DOA stick I mapped the buttons to:

x y LT
a b RT

Most all fighting games worth their salt allow you to map the buttons as you please, so I fail to see the logic in mapping the buttons oddly on the stick.^

I like this layout best:

DESIRED LAYOUT
X Y XX XX
A B XX XX

19

X Y LB LT
A B RB RT

Seems to make the most sense.

but if the buttons are in the hrap1 layout id like it to be

LT X Y LB
RT A B RB

basically i would like it at 4" between buttons and stick instead of 3"

20

Silly me. Yeah, I should’ve voted for the new layout indeed. Can you change it ?