Hobbies And Interests
Movement Controls
The Xbox controller contains a variety of means for game designers to empower players to direct their onscreen characters' movement. The most immediately noticeable of these is the two analog sticks. With analog control sticks, players are able to move a character slowly with a subtle push on the stick, or command them to run by pushing the stick harder. The inclusion of two sticks means that players can also perform operations such as moving with one stick and having the character look around with the other stick, or driving a car with one stick and aiming a gun with the other.
The other control mechanism on the Xbox controller is the d-pad. This eight-way digital control pad provides a less subtle means of control than the analog sticks. Many players prefer to use the control pad to navigate menu screens or issue commands in strategy games. It is also the preferred input for older-style fighting games such as Street Fighter 2 or SNK Versus Capcom, which are not designed with analog controls in mind.
Action Buttons
In addition to the movement controls, the classic Xbox controller has 12 input buttons. The four main buttons are the red, green, blue and yellow buttons on the top right side of the controller, similar to the placement of those on traditional consoles. These are mainly used for player actions such as jumping, attacking and menu selection.
Two smaller buttons, the "White" and "Black" buttons, are used mainly for issuing incidental commands. Because of their smaller size, these buttons are not often used in action games, but some fighting games have used them for this purpose.
The Xbox controller incorporates two "shoulder" triggers on the front edge; these are mounted on analog springs, meaning players can pull the trigger with varying degrees of strength to effect different onscreen outcomes.
Lastly, the Xbox controller also contains "Start" and "Back" buttons, for use in accessing and navigating game menu screens.
Hardware Connections
One of the innovations of the Xbox controller is its use of a breakaway connection to the console. Each Xbox controller incorporates two pieces of wire, joined by a secure relay junction, that can easily part if pulled or tripped. This puts an end to console stress from accidental falls caused by yanked controllers.
The Xbox controller also serves as the input for the console's memory units. While the Xbox incorporates a hard drive that obviates the need for excessive purchased storage, games or data can be saved to a memory unit inserted into the controller for security and portability.