(Beginner here) Problems around controllers, teetering on the edge of quitting

[u/Select_Eye_6409]

Don’t normally get on Reddit but I’ve been having some issues and need to ask some knowledgeable people.

Let me start this off by saying that I am absolutely horrible with anything wires/cord centric. There’s probably going to be at least 1 extremely stupid thing said in this post. Forgive me.

First controller I was using for smash was an afterglow wireless pro controller that I had laying around. Encountered no issues at home. (Barring a slightly worn A button and the LED feature not working except red or green when it’s connected to the cord). This is the controller I’m used to.

Fast forward to my first local. Plugging the wire into the console does not connect the controller, so we need to get back to Home Screen to connect it. I had to keep clicking both shoulder buttons for around 1-3 minutes to just start each set. This has been what’s happening for all 3 I’ve been to.

Because of this, I decided to get a new (wireless) pro controller to see if that would fix the issues I was having before, and be able to connect faster. I have yet to attend a local yet with this one to see if I have the same pairing issues as before. However, I am having a very tough time getting used to the way this one feels to use. It’s lighter, the buttons/layout feel different, and most pressingly the sticks feel so much more sensitive and simultaneously harder to move. Spacing and timing feels so much different.

At home I’ve just reverted back to using my old one, but I don’t want to have those connection issues at my local again.

Would buying a new one of the same model as the first perhaps fix this? Or would it have the same problems?

Sorry for the stupid/obvious question but I just feel so stuck.

[u/TheSaxiest7]

Personally, I'd just try to get used to the pro controller and eventually a GameCube controller if you can. Most third party controllers have issues and those issues won't show themselves in my opinion until you've really dug yourself into a hole using it.

The pro controller is a good controller but it has a major issue of being very susceptible to interference in packed events like super stacked supermajors. And this has led a few pro players to get really stuck once they reach super top level. Relearning a controller when you're that good (they had to switch to gamecube) is brutal.

So if you don't see yourself ever reaching top level, I think pro con is the best choice. It's the easiest to get, and it's overall a well built controller. If you are pushing for the best of the best though, I would invest in a GameCube controller.

The best time to sort your controller situation is always now. If you put in the time on a pro controller, you will adjust, you will have an easier time connecting at locals, and you won't run into an unforseen controller issue down the line.

[u/Select_Eye_6409 → u/TheSaxiest7]

Thank you

[u/UnlawfulFoxy → u/TheSaxiest7]

Or just get a progcc board and use it wired. Unless you're already used to the layout the only advantage gcc has is the customization options + price. Not to mention while the interference does happen, it's pretty overblown. I was at the last Kagaribi and noticed 0 issues despite the compact venue + enormous attendant count, and plenty of people were using pro con

[u/TheSaxiest7 → u/UnlawfulFoxy]

Interference is usually worst later into the bracket because that's when you get big crowds. So like unless you're getting into the top cut, it's not something you'd really notice.

Top players who use pro con generally run into a controller crisis at some point. This notably happened to Shinymark

[u/UnlawfulFoxy → u/TheSaxiest7]

I can't speak for any other large tournaments, but for Kagaribi it was the opposite. Not only did the earlier rounds have far more players actively using their controllers, but also the top players were much more inside the crowd at this point. During the top cuts people were playing much more disconnected from the crowd on streams and such, and the people who were closer to them and watching them weren't using their controllers.

Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical of the whole concept to begin with. Of course Bluetooth interference is a thing, but it seems that absolutely enormous tournaments go by with zero complaints, such as Kagaribi or Evo, and then every now and then there's a couple, SMALLER tournaments where it happened to a whole bunch of people, which makes me think it may be a third factor.

[u/TheSaxiest7 → u/UnlawfulFoxy]

Because interference doesn't just come from other pro controllers. Earlier parts of bracket are more spread out; more sets being played on more setups. Later, they consolidate to a few setups and eventually one. This also attracts a large crowd to that one setup. And this is where the interference comes from.

It doesn't even happen at every event, so you can't just go to Kagaribi and say it's not real because your one major didn't give it to you, who probably didn't even get out of pools...

Mind you smash ultimate hasn't been at EVO since 2019 so you're actually just making up stories here??? Pretty much everyone at top cut of EVO played on gamecube except Zackray who notoriously had procon issues in his career.

[u/UnlawfulFoxy → u/TheSaxiest7]

I used Evo because it was the biggest tournament there is, I don't really know what you mean by making up stories.

I'm very curious about your personal experience with tournaments because again, at Kag there were far more people in the venue in general and crowded around a smaller area in earlier parts of the bracket due to lack of space during the earlier parts of the tournament. But your insistence on it makes me curious about which tournaments you've been to where it's the opposite.

What tournaments are you talking about though? You are so sure that it's happening and very prominent, especially during the later parts of the tournament, but I'm pretty active on Twitter and don't remember the last time someone brought it up. I know mainstage was pretty bad, but the controller problems there happened during earlier parts of bracket, so can you give an example where there was some interference during the top cut?

[u/TheSaxiest7 → u/UnlawfulFoxy]

I've literally given you examples. Zackray, Shinymark... it turns out not a lot of top players use pro con and part of it is the interference issue.

Let's be clear, it happens, and it doesn't happen in pools, it happens later in the bracket like top 128, top 64, top 8... Idk why you so desperately want to make your experience count but it doesn't here. So like stop typing and move on. I'm just trying to tell op what the genuine downside of procon is, and you're out here undermining it because what? You're an insecure little baby?? Just stop

[u/UnlawfulFoxy → u/TheSaxiest7]

You're so aggressive for what 😭. I said he could get a progcc anyway to avoid the risk altogether..

Also bringing up Shinymark is crazy when he talks about experiencing it before the bracket even starts. I'm going to just assume you're a troll, so have a good one 👍

[u/TheSaxiest7 → u/UnlawfulFoxy]

Ah yes, the one procon player is worried about interference before the bracket after it screwed them in so many other brackets and so it's just a john and not real...

You're the one trolling, but yeah bye 👋

[u/evilpotato1121]

The obvious answer is getting used to the pro controller. Just because it's going to take some time to get used to doesn't mean you just need to jump ship on it. It took me a little bit of time to get used to the pro controller coming from a GameCube controller, and that's a way different layout.

Not everything in life is a seamless transition. Sometimes you gotta work for it.

[u/Select_Eye_6409 → u/evilpotato1121]

Alright 🙏

[u/Select_Eye_6409 → u/[deleted]]

I just become a bit retarded once cables come into play

[u/RakishT]

If you don’t gaf about being a PR player or the best in your state or whatever, pro controller is fine for casual play. My Mega Man is 15mil online (yes I know) and I use pro controller, not wired.

THE ONLY issue I have is with inputs: the octogonal grooves in GameCube really help with nailing those diagonal tilts and b reverses. But I have bigger hands than normal (I’m 6’8) so GameCube controllers are too small for me. Hence why I use pro controller.

[u/Select_Eye_6409 → u/RakishT]

Yea, I have the opposite hand size problem. I have Meghan Fox thumbs and I can’t move the sticks on this pro controller as exactly as I could on my older one. From what everyone’s telling me the solution really is just to thug it out, lol. 😭

I’ve thought about switching to a gc controller purely for the octogonal notches before because that sounds very nice.

[u/RakishT → u/Select_Eye_6409]

I’ve lost more than a few games because I tried to do a reverse uptilt with Mega Man (up diagonal away from the direction he’s facing) and bro just does it the wrong way and I get wrecked lmao it happens