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.
Feedback
The type of feedback provided in the design of the manipulator (if any).
Feedback is the reaction of the manipulator to certain events occurring in the game. This reaction enhances the "immersion effect", giving the player the impression that he is holding on to a real airplane handle, car steering wheel, etc. It can be like this:
—
Vibration. Feedback in the form of vibration allows you to simulate, for example, shaking from off-road driving, aircraft trembling when firing from airborne weapons or entering a turbulence zone, etc.
— Power.
Force feedback controllers are able to create some resistance to the efforts of the player — for example, to simulate the difficulty in turning the steering wheel when the wheels are stuck in the mud.
— Vibration / power. Controllers that support both types of feedback described above. This option is the most advanced and at the same time the most expensive.
Draft regulator
The presence of
a thrust regulator in the manipulator. Such a controller can be made directly on the manipulator itself (for example, next to the main handle of the joystick) or as a separate device. It is typically a crank similar to an aircraft engine control stick and is used in flight simulators to control engine thrust; adjustment is carried out by moving the handle back and forth. In the most advanced regulators, there may be several such handles, which allows you to control not only the thrust, but also, for example, the pitch of the screw; such detail is especially appreciated by fans of high-class simulators and professional pilots who use a computer as a simulator. However, most thrust controllers are quite simple and are designed not so much for realism as for convenience in fast-paced games.
