So, how would you explain the importance of...

[Laswagga]

An Arcade stick for games such as BlazBlue, Street Fighter 4, Arcana heart, or King Of Fighters XII to someone who knows absolutely nothing about gaming or how their difficulties vary?
I've been having this problem, you see I want an arcade stick because once these games come out (Safe of SF4) SCIV is going to get seriously side lined for a while, but I know that unlike Soul Calibur IV I won't be able to play competitively on these games with the d-pad.

Also, do you even feel like sticks are important at all?

 

[Plume]

I think it depends on the game.
I don't see how using a normal controller can hurt your game in SCIV.
But in Virtua Fighter 5, I believe that sticks are really important because you use the directional inputs more actively.
And more quickly...

Also, I get a strong impression that 1,3,7 and 9 require more precision in VF5. For some reason I have more difficulties with those in VF5. If the game wasn't already kind of dead, I'd probably buy a stick.

So in the uninformed opinion of someone who never used a stick, it all depends on the game that you play and whether you feel or not that your controller really might deserve the blame in some scenarios.

 

[KowtowRobinson]

For a game like SF4 at least, a lot of the inputs overlap, and there's a pretty loose buffer window for some elements. When you play on a dpad, a lot of these directions just tend to mush together, so a lot of pad players will get EX SRK instead of Ultra often enough for it to be a serious problem.

2d games in general require a lot more long inputs, so the Dpad mushing them all together is usually a bad thing.

 

[iKotomi]

Depending on the type of inputs a game uses, a pad is sometimes easier than a stick. For example, double taps (used for dashing), is actually easier on a pad. Charge motions on the other hand, are much easier on a stick.

Also, I think although a stick gives you more precision, there is a certain point where there are so many directional inputs where it becomes easier to use a pad due to the smaller distance you need to travel. For example, a double fireball motion i believe is easier to do on a pad then on a stick, but that is easily adaptable to with enough practice. If you load the game with constant inputs like double fireballs, I would imagine it would be easier on a pad.

To me, at least, it seems like the main advantage of a stick is the buttons. On a pad, you pretty much have to use your thumb because 2d fighters and claw don't really go together (you usually have to use on of the triggers). It's much easier to time links and combos when you have all of your fingers able to use a natural range of motion. Double tapping for links is also more feasible on a stick. Also, for some reason, if you want to just button mash, it's much more satisfying on a stick, though the only real practical application of that is to mash out of combos, or in games like SC, to mash A and B while guarding so you're more likely to get break a throw.

What it really comes down to though, is what you feel more comfortable with. I've been playing on a stick for so long now, that while I can still play sc on a pad, I find that inputs don't feel as natural anymore and do stupid things because of it. Granted, the only time I played SC in the past 4 months or so was at acen beating random people I didn't know before getting kicked off because the tournament was starting (I didn't enter the actual tournament).

 

[franman]

I think an arcade stick is important to me for the following reasons:

-There are tournies that allow button binding while some don't; in the future I would like to be involved in both worlds so an arcade stick would be nice.

-The ability to mod an arcade stick to be PS3 and Xbox 360 compatible is awesome! Again nice to be involved in both worlds.

-I believe I can do more moves that I can't with Cervy. I've seen vids of Cervy players who do FC A+B BBB GC consistently well with an arcade stick. Perhaps if I get one with Sanwa buttons (since I heard that these buttons are sensitive) I may be able to perform that move with ease.

-In addition, it is said that an arcade stick is more quick and accurate than using a d-pad so perhaps when I do infact get the hang of the stick I can do more iGDR's with 28B's consistently.

-Less button errors. Sometimes when I'm pushing buttons my fingers accidentally push the shoulder buttons. When I do slide inputs sometimes my fingers hit the wrong button.

I never own an arcade stick, but I've tried one and I've done some research on my own. Right now I could dream of getting one. Traveling and participating in tournaments is also a dream.