We’re Stuck with the Touchpad; How Should it Improve?

Sony’s newest controller must carry last gen’s mostly unused feature for compatibility’s sake. How can it improve?

[mandf]

I like the touchpad and a lot of my friends do too. This narrative of saying people dont use or touch it is not going to be true because you keep saying it. Websites keep acting like they speak for eveyone

[xer0]

I like the touchpad as well.
I don't hear any complaints about the touchpad... except from traffic hungry sites like zerolimitgames.com 😂

[DarXyde]

Maybe it's just me, but I really don't care for that or the Light bar. For me, the best implementation of the touch pad was Gravity Rush 2, and that was nothing remarkable, just neat (to switch Gravity styles). Light bar is even worse—best use there is a three way tie for me between being the health indicator in The Last of Us Remastered; the police indicator in GTAV; and having to align it to avoid being caught in Until Dawn.

I worry a little about PS5's DualSense features. Things Sony does tend to implement go very underutilized after a year or so. These things drive up the controller cost, so naturally I hope for better integration in games.

Good news is Sony seems to really be pushing immersion, so ideally, developers will really try to make some immersive experiences.

[deleted]

DarXyde- The lightbar is for camera/VR tracking, they just implemented it in non-camera/VR ways (such as the flashing cop lights in GTAV) before the PSVR was announced. Serves an amazing purpose if you do PSVR at all. I do wish you could turn it completely off outside of that, to conserve battery.

[GamerRN]

No, just saying it's the least used doesn't make it true. However, looking at the statistics does make it true.

I haven't touched that thing, used the speaker or cared about the light bar since the beginning... It was cool for a day, then just annoying

[Name Last Name]

The only game where I found it really helpful was Final Fantasy XIV to use it as a mouse for the UI.

[ManMarmalade]

Apparently there is a limit according to zerolimitgames lmao

[TFJWM]

It is a good idea but under used. I can't think of the last time I used it for anything that a button wouldn't have worked for.

[rainslacker]

I think a touch screen would be better implemented. I really liked the Dreamcasts VMU's back in the day. I imagine that may drive up the costs, however, touch screens are pretty damn cheap nowadays. I think it may be a bad thing for battery life though.

[outsider1624]

In open world games the touch pad used to display maps is really helpful and easy. Hzd did this, The witcher 3 as well where you just swipe for map display.

[Sono421]

So i've never had a problem with the touchpad until this wonderful 101 remaster.. god they implemented it so terribly, it does not read my finger movements accurately at all and takes like 5 swipes every single time I need to do the swipe with it, kinda puts me off from playing it honestly.

[TKCMuzzer]

But it makes for a great button, wether it be to bring up a map or scoreboard, its size just makes it so easy to press. I love it as an extra button and often map scoreboards to it. Sometime its the simplicity of something that makes it so effective.

[KilluaX3]

Really? What do you use it for?

[RazzerRedux]

I don't use the touchpad but it makes for an awesome big button to push easily.

[Nitrowolf2]

not so much the touch function, but plenty of games use the left and right presses for additional shortcuts

[zeuanimals]

I don't look at what came before, I look at what's possible. What's the best way to translate the 100s of keys on a keyboard to a controller? You gonna put a hundred buttons on a controller? Turn it into the ugliest and first full keyboard/controller hybrid? Or put in a single TouchPad that has the possibility of remembering 100s of different gestures.

A patent came out saying Sony's working on having the DS5 remember gestures, which tells me the DS4 couldn't. The PS5 is also gonna display a TouchPad interface on your screen allowing you to draw gestures easily without having to look down. This all means Sony's not giving up on the TouchPad and I hope their first party devs show 3rd party devs what's possible.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

I use it to scan through videos when making ShareFactory clips.

[sampsonon]

I touch it first thing in the morning and again before i sleep :)

[morganfell]

Websites have long forgotten they are supposed to serve the demographic. Its now ego driven articles telling you what to think and like. I'm pro touchpad and so glad that it is in the PS5 and no doubt for more than B/C reasons.

[morganfell]

Duplicate

[SharnOfTheDEAD]

I'd love to see the option of a finger print scanner to make logging in faster and speed up purchases

[rainslacker]

I don't know if I'd say I like it....like meaning a fondness for it. I have nothing against it though. It is what it is, and I don't consider it something that I feel I just have to accept because I'm stuck with it. It serves it's purpose when implemented, it's useful when implemented well, and can be used as extra buttons, so nothing wrong with that really. It's not really in the way of anything, and if I had any complaint, it would be that the options button, which basically replaced the start button was moved to a somewhat awkward position that can sometimes be pressed by accident because of the touchpad. Something that is still so rare, it's not something to bother criticizing.

[MeteorPanda]

yeah i play ff14 with a ps4 controller on pc because of the trackpad. it gives me a hybrid of mouse/controller and with the keyboard extension...i can play an mmo with no need for a m/kb. its great.

[overlordror]

The touchpad is nice when developers use it properly. But just being the 'map' button is kinda of lazy.

[mandf]

The map button separate from the menus is awesome leaving other other buttons for other things.

[KyRo]

The PS5 is backwards compatible then it would need the touch pad for almost every single Sony exclusive. Not sure how it's being labeled as stuck with it. It's good when used right.

[QuePasa87]

I think it's more about how devs use it vs us being 'stuck with it'

[Nacho_Z]

It'd be useful if it worked like a phone screen and you could easily rotate, zoom and scan across items, or a map. It'd have to be a bit bigger to do that comfortably though unless you had fingers like matches.

[zeuanimals]

There's so much more that's possible. Imagine if drawing different letters of the alphabet do different things. That's 26 extra buttons on one touchpad. Imagine if swiping left once does something, swiping left twice does something else, swiping left thrice does something else again, etc. The possibilities are endless and the best part is the touchpad is a blank slate. It's not a hundred different keys or buttons, it's one touchpad.

Sure, the touchpad wouldn't be used for controls you have to input constantly. Like, you wouldn't draw W's to attack, but entering various different menus? Maybe assigning our own macros? Etc. I hope devs make use of this.

[sampsonon]

Stuck? lol

[zeuanimals]

Best thing they can do for it, give it as many programmable gestures that a dev could want. There's so many games on PC that wouldn't be able to be translated to console very well without removing a ton of controls. The great thing about the touchpad is, it's a blank slate. People complain that it takes so much real estate, but it can possibly have the functionality of 100s of different key presses on PC and what's crazy is its not the size of 100 keys, it's the size of one touchpad. Its a blank slate for devs to give whatever and however many controls they think people can remember, though it's not like people remember what keys do what half the time anyway. But still, devs just have to program these gestures in.

Imagine a SOCOM game where you can give commands with different swipes. There could be different modifications of swipes, like swipe up once to tell your squad to head where you're aiming, swipe up twice to tell them to sprint or go prone and stealthily, etc. Draw a circle to regroup, a short tap to tell them to stop moving, draw an X to tell them to fire at will. And pressing the touchpad brings up the huge command list with pictures showing the necessary gestures needed to give those commands.

Apparently there's a patent for the DS5 where it can now remember gestures, making me think the DS4 really couldn't aside from simple swipes. The PS5 might also display a faint touchpad interface on your screen showing where your finger is on the TouchPad without you having to look down. This should all mean devs could be more encouraged to make use of these features making the DS5 the first controller to rival keyboard in total number of inputs possible. Give every game gyro aiming with flicksfick and it's over. The DS5 could be the controller that kills M&K.

[rainslacker]

yeah, I never understood why this never happened, and instead, it basically just had devs using gestures(swipes) for almost any implementation. I know some of those touchy feely Japanese games did a bit more with it, but it was still motion stuff. The touch pad was fairly robust in it's resolution, and it would have been a good thing to make it so you had areas you could just tap. Heck, even have stick on templates that one could use on top of it, just like the old days of PC games where you put this thing over your keyboard to keep track of it all.

[Fraggle1987]

it is used in every game as a seperate button for the map. That ALONE is handy and fully justifies its existence.

[SegaGamer]

Why do we need a touchpad for that? Just add another button to the controller instead.

[Fraggle1987]

Well just look at it as that button you want then? Just a big button. Easy. It has other functions as well hense why its a touchpad and not a single wee button but if its mainly used as the map button then thats fine, great.

Dont forget, the space it occupies is literally never used in any modern gamepad. Its just adding a nice extra big button to the pad whilst not adding any weight or size change to the controller. Genius.

[meganick]

I love the touchpad and how it has no compelling gameplay use whatsoever. But my favorite thing about it is how it needlessly drains the battery even when it’s not being used. I’m glad it’ll be in the PS5 controller because good battery life is overrated.

[Teflon02]

I want to note. I recently did some tests while gaming on my PC on Bluetooth using my DS4. The control last about 8 hrs on full brightness. When it was turned down a bit it lasted about 10-12 range. When I turned off the light bar (can do in steam settings or with applications) my control was at 65% after playing games from 2pm one day until 6am in the morning. That's no exaggeration either. I don't know if on PC it uses less power or something. But the Touchpad is always active and doesn't seem to be a issue. It basically just worked as a mouse cursor and I thought it was convenient in game

[meganick]

I don’t believe anything you just said. I’ve never gotten more than about 6 hours with a DS4 with the light bar set to lowest level. The battery life is pitiful. The X1 controller battery life is close to 30 hours, and the Switch pro controller is an astounding 40 hours. The only culprit I can think of that is causing the DS4 controller to lose its charge so fast is the touchpad since the sensor on the pad is always on and draining the battery even when it’s not actively being used.

[Silly gameAr]

@meganick

And you think people believe you? I think his comment has about as much believability as yours.

[rainslacker]

I love how the directional pad does the same thing, regardless of if it's being used or not. Game doesn't use the right analog stick, well that is also draining the battery.

Seriously....using battery life as a means to criticize a feature of a controller is just trying to hard. You may get another 20 minutes out of the controller without the light or touchpad.

If battery life is your concern, then remove the vibration function. Vibration is mostly lame nowadays, but those motors that make it happen are the biggest drain on the battery life. Might also remove the radio controller that hooks it up to the system too, cuz those are battery life hogs. We can go back to wired controllers then. Then battery life will be exceptional.

[meganick]

You didn’t comprehend what I said. The touchpad has a sensor that is always on even when you’re not using it. That’s how it’s able to work instantly without lag when your finger touches it. That means the battery is constantly being drained due to the touchpad’s sensor even when it’s not actually being used. Why else do you think a DS4 only lasts 6 hours when other controllers have 30-40 hours of battery life?

[rainslacker]

Every button and input on the control pad has a sensor that is always on, even if it's not being used. That's how they work, and AFAIK, there is no way for them to be turned off individually by the game software.

The battery will be drained even if you aren't pressing buttons. This is true of every device that is powered on and runs on a battery. Some devices even drain battery when it's officially turned off.

[meganick]

I thought this touchpad thing was common knowledge but apparently it’s not. You can google it. There are many discussions and threads online that talk about the issue of the touchpad draining the battery due to it’s “always-on” sensor. I’m not making it up. The d-pad and right analog stick and vibration motors don’t drain the battery unless they’re actually in use. That was a dumb thing of you to say. But that useless touchpad is draining the battery even when you’re not actually using it. Think this over. Competing controllers have basically every component that a DS4 has, EXCEPT THE TOUCHPAD, and they have a battery life of 30 to 40 hours. The DS4 is six hours if you’re lucky. Why do you think that is? It ain’t because of the light bar, which is negligible when it comes to battery consumption. The DS4 is known for having a small battery, but even so, it should be able to last 10-15 hours with a smaller battery if it didn’t have the touchpad.

I have an idea. Why don’t you tell me why the DS4 lasts six hours, but the X1 controller can last 30 hours on 2 double-a batteries and the Switch Pro controller lasts 40 hours. What is your genius explanation for that huge gap in battery life?

[CosmicTurtle]

It worked pretty neatly in Astrobot as a catapult and the ability to flick the robot. So virtual realty interactions may be a strength.

[CosmicTurtle]

Flick the robot is not a euphemism.

[C-H-E-F]

Stuck with? I like the touch pad, the crazy thing about people is, you can give them EXACTLY what they asked for and they still will complain about it. It makes for real distasteful "journalists" as well.

[ChickenOfTheCaveMan]

I can't actually remember how we would open a map in the PS3 era, and don't know what X1 is using. I played a recent game that was using it for like like crafting swip left, map swipe right and so on, or something like that which was cool. Much like the speaker, it's mostly underused, but I wouldn't say we're stuck with it with the PS5, it's just freedom and possibility available for devs to use.

[rainslacker]

Start button, or often through a menu. There was also a select button, which was removed from the DS4, but you got at least two buttons back in the touch pad, and the options button replaced the start button.

[l33t_haxx0r]

the only thing it should be used for is to open inventory screens and maps :)

[whitbyfox]

The touchpad feature is probably used less than the PS2’s analogue face buttons which every newly converted Sony fanboy here knows nothing about.

[ifrit_caress]

Look at how Tearaway used the touch pad. The touch pad can be as useful and necessary as the developers make it.

[Tross]

I do wish the touchpad was used more often, other than as a stand-in for the select button, but I've never once thought of it as something we're "stuck" with. I like when controllers have neat features like that. Also, I actually do like the button that brings up an inventory or map screen being in large and in a prominent spot.

[TheHan]

I think it’s useless. Never liked the touchpad. But I do like the audio that comes from the controller sometimes.

[jznrpg]

I like it for map button at the least . Some games use it well and some not at all but I’m glad it’s around because there are greater possibilities for it and it’s a cool map button .

[CommonCent]

It's funny if the touchpad wasn't there it would still have empty space up there. If your not using it and it doesn't interfere with basic controls anyway why complain? Oh little dicked neglected fuck Bois will complain.

[rainslacker]

Maybe they could use the space to add a cupholder?

[Elda]

I don't mind the touchpad & in most games that I play you can use it.

[ILostMyMind]

I have no problem with it. And it is useful sometimes.

[MidnightMay0r]

Anybody else think the touchpad shown on the dual sense is just a cover for a screen? What if it just clips off and on.

[S2Killinit]

I like it a lot for map. Days Gone had a good use of it as well. Really intuitive.

[Cmoney007]

Xbox One controller = Really good
PS4 controller = Amazing

The PS4 controller is one of the best that I have ever used.

[Horseygamer]

the touch pad is under used, as a the ps4 is capable of playing RTS games