Controller vibration is one of the most important tech in gaming, and I've been taking it for granted

[texhnolyze]

It's a tech that's been around for more than 2 decades (!!). It immensely improves video games so much for me, and I never realized it until today.

I've been trying to get vibration working on my controller for Warframe PC version, but to no avail. Without vibration, I don't feel any impact at all on the shootings. It feels so bland and dull. KB+mouse users keep championing the accuracy of a mouse for shooter games, but I can't relate to that notion at all. Without vibration, even shooting enemies at their face doesn't feel satisfying at all. I need real life feedback from the guns, and controller vibration is the only way to deliver it. I've tried everything and it still won't work on Warframe, and it's killing the game for me.

How about you, Era? Would you be able to enjoy games without vibration? Or do you actually turn them off given the option?

 

[Atolm]

I turn it off at a system level except for racing games, where it's actually useful since it gives you lot of feedback about the handling. I find it annoying for every other game.

 

[Deleted member 41520]

Yeah definitely taken for granted. Not always necessary but really adds a ton. I often switch it off on my Switch to save battery (or if a game has horrific HD rumble implementation) and it's super noticeable.

 

[Deleted member 14663]

I turn it OFF on Switch because of the noise it almost always produces. I could live without it in general, it doesn't add much for me at all.

I liked it in Golf Story and it was cool when I first bought the Rumble Pack on the N64 with Starfox, but the novelty quickly faded.

 

[Windu]

 

[Hollywood Duo]

HD rumble in Mario Kart was a revelation

 

[GuEiMiRrIRoW]

Rumble is amazing.

 

[sirap]

Of course. Can't live without it, and I love the haptic feedback on my Steam Controller.

 

[Deleted member 1413]

I forget it most of the time.
Sometimes I notice it and think it feels cool, P5 had some nice feedback with attacks and I think smash gave feedback while running. But after awhile I don't notice it.

 

[En-ou]

Ocarina of Time used it the best. I can't think of another game where I remember it.

 

[Knight in Shining Armani]

Thank god we can turn off at system level now.

 

[BlkSquirtle]

Switching from Overwatch on Ps4 to pc really made me feel it. Using symmetras gun on PS4 as it ramps up is fucking amazing, when it's max power your controller is going insane and you then when you start shooting somebody you FEEL them getting microwaved.

On PC it just feels like every other gun. I actually really miss it and it makes me less excited to use the character.

 

[Tailzo]

I can't agree. I often try to gind options to turn it off. And it's even worse for most switch games I have.

 

[Griselbrand]

Breaking into a run and then flight with the heavy Javelin in Anthem felt so damn good. If I pick up the game I'd probably main that Javelin and the feedback is a big part of that.

 

[Einbroch]

It's really awesome in Beat Saber.

 

[Deleted member 21411]

I never think about it in the moment but whenever I don't have it im always feeling something is wrong

 

[Deleted member 51266]

Always turn it off when given the chance.

 

[Deleted member 7450]

Oh yeah baby, yes it is, yes it is...

 

[Abhor]

I turn it off in nearly every game I play.

 

[texhnolyze]

Thank god we can turn off at system level now.

Click to shrink...

Always turn it off when given the chance.

Click to shrink...

I turn it off in nearly every game I play.

Click to shrink...

Even for shooters? Or fighting games?

 

[ChrisD]

I never think about it in the moment but whenever I don't have it im always feeling something is wrong

Click to shrink...

.

though it often takes me far too long to realize what is missing lol

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

I love it, and I sorely missed it in the Sixaxis controller. So glad that we eventually got the Dual Shock 3 last gen.

I don't notice it until it's missing, though. I definitely take it for granted.

 

[TheXbox]

Always off. Annoys me when designers try to turn vibration into a mechanic.

 

[Strafer]

Makes me sad that I never got a dual shock for my Playstation 1 back in the day. Had the regular ass controller.

My first experience with Dual Shock was PS2.

 

[Jahranimo]

I used to not care for rumble until this generation came for PS4 and Switch. Rumble implementation in games is much more nuanced now, especially for the latter.

 

[Deleted member 51248]

dont know how best to describe this, but when it turns off due to low battery I notice my awareness and response times to what's happening in game (usually halo for me) get a bit worse.

 

[monmagman]

Yea I love it...and it is easy to take it for granted.

 

[Philly Cheesesteak]

Guess it's time to bust out the Rez controller. 😏

 

[nekkid]

The subtle trigger rumble telling me my clip is about to run out in Gears, or telling me I'm losing grip in Forza is feedback I don't need ever want to live without.

 

[Akai]

Always off. Annoyed me so much that we had to wait 4 years to disable it on a system level on Xbox One.

Even for shooters? Or fighting games?

Click to shrink...

Every slightly competetive player will tell you to turn it off. It's an additional (and useless) information that your brain has to process. You are better off relying on your eyes or even your ears.

 

[AcAnchoa]

First thing I do every time I buy a new controller is disassemble it, remove the rumble motors and assemble everything else again. It makes the controller lighter and I don't have to worry about the rumble annoyance, not even for turning it off in the game options.

 

[thediamondage]

I turn that shit off always, hate it. That along with motion controls are things I want nothing to do with.

Disassembling controllers to remove it to make them lighter is interesting but I've never felt they get too heavy.

 

[Deleted member 9584]

I really enjoy rumble when done right. Nintendo first party games' rumble on Switch feel so good and tie in very well to what's going on on screen. I can't say much for the third party games when all they do is turn the rumble on full blast.

Certain parts of KH3 makes my Xbox controller feel like it's gonna explode. Some devs need to do better at how they implement their rumble.

 

[Cactuar]

Ocarina of Time used it the best. I can't think of another game where I remember it.

Click to shrink...

Metal Gear Solid used it best.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

Playing an FPS without rumble is fucking awful. Luckily it also means my controller is almost dead so its a good charging reminder.

 

[Glio]

It is what I miss most playing PC shooters. Objectively I know that M + K is more efficient, but the feeling when firing is less satisfactory in the hands. I love rumble.

 

[Deleted member 49132]

Wtf @ all these people who turn it off every chance they get. I'm guessing PC players.

I couldn't imagine playing games without it

Shit just wouldn't feel right

 

[Rodney McKay]

I started turning it off about 6-7 years ago and have rarely ever turned it back on since.

I remember what caused it too, I was doing a play through of the God of War series and the rumble was so overdone in those games that it actually made my hands physically ache for several days even after stopping, and that was only after the first game (maybe after two of the PSP prequels on PS3, I forget if I started with them, but they're pretty short too).
And I know it was the rumble because the second I turned it off when my hands got better I was able to play as long as I wanted without it being an issue.

The only game in that time I turned it on for and enjoyed was Golf Story on the Switch. It was the first and only Switch game I've played that used the HD Rumble effectively. Hitting your ball on different materials actually felt and sounded noticeably different and satisfying.

Sadly the rumble in the Switch is just too damn loud in most of the games I try it out on for too little benefit so after trying it out I almost always turn it back off.

 

[ApeEscaper]

I turn it off always, it's rare for a game to use vibration well, only recent one I can think of that used vibration well was Yakuza Kiwami. I keep mine turned off, helps save controller battery life too

 

[Castor Archer]

Monster Hunter World uses vibration really well, it gives great feedback for when your weapons are charged up, it's really useful when things get frantic.

 

[Aniki]

I never cared much for it. There are some cases where i can see it being useful but more often than not it's useless to me.

 

[lucebuce]

Wtf @ all these people who turn it off every chance they get. I'm guessing PC players.

Click to shrink...

I've been playing games on PC since I was 3.

I've never turned the vibration off for a game.

 

[Roy]

The Rocket League devs owe me a controller for their awful vibration implementation

 

[Master Alucard]

i've been playing with the vibration off for like 6 or 7 years, to me it doesn't really add anything and it just suck battery power

 

[impact]

I turn it off, it throws my aim off. I don't get why "HD rumble" or Steam controller haptics as we like to call them are supposed to be a "game changer". Rumble adds less to a game than fucking anti-aliasing does.

 

[Leynos]

I generally turn it off. Very rarely does vibration add anything useful to a game, eats up battery life, it increases the weight of the controller, it's a point of mechanical failure, and increases the cost of the device. I don't see any benefits whatsoever, and is a pointless gimmick.

 

[.exe]

It's a game changer in Anthem. Without it, the shooting and movement feels very weightless and falls flat, but with it on it gives it all a satisfying kick.

On Switch I tend to turn it off because it rattles up a storm. Feels and sounds annoying more than anything. Very few designers approach it with subtlety.

 

[Adam802]

xb1 impulse triggers are amazing and should be standard.

 

[Ploid 6.0]

For me it's haptic feedback + touch pad, and gyro with a comprehensive customization interface at the base level like Steam Input so you can use it if you want, however you want on any game, even it a developer is oblivious to it.

 

[Kyrios]

I haven't used controller vibration since Gamecube. Automatically turn it off.