Normal or Inverted?

[rinichanraar]

Simple enough. When playing a first- or third-person shooter, do you aim normal or inverted?

(I think there was a similar thread on Evil Avatar a long time ago, but I can't remember what the results looked like. I'm just curious what the majority of you around here do.)

[diablopath]

I have always used inverted.
None of my friends do, and for some reason I get mocked all the time, but it's whatever.

I think it's because of all the flight sims I played as a kid.

[Troggles]

Inverted. Always.

[Gorvi]

Always inverted. I can't play any other way.

[Wasson_]

Up until about the first Halo...Inverted. Otherwise...something just "clicked" and I went normal and I never went back.

I suppose it was flight sims as a kid...yeah just like diablo. But as I started to get more into FPS, I felt that aiming a cursor in an FPS is intuitively more like moving a mouse cursor.

Yes I remember the old thread too, I was really surprised by the number of inverted users.

[BLeeP]

I use inverted for FPSs, and I believe I end up going inverted for TPSs as a side effect of that. My reasoning for inverted with a controller was always the fact that it is first person, and pushing forward on the stick would be my character bending over, and pulling back would be my character bending backwards. I can totally understand someone sticking with non-inverted controls, though. Also, I hate inverted horizontal. I definitely do not understand that 8-P.

[Superman's Dead]

Normalnormalnormalnormalnormalnormalnormal.

Inverted for flight-sims on joysticks, but that's it.

My best friend plays Inverted and we swap controllers in every single-player game we play, and the whole 'start-options-controls-invert' thing is so annoying.

But I understand how you...lesser...people do things. =)

[TheKeck]

Normal. So normal. So very very normal.

I will try to refrain from arguing its merits this time around, though. :)

[Variable Gear]

Normal, because I think I'm normal.

[Zabyx]

I think I do inverted because I used to play so much Starfox 64.

[Goronmon]

I played inverted for the longest time...then I just stopped and now I only play normal.

[Nameless]

I chose Whichever I feel like at the time, but that's not really it. I'm lazy and hate changing settings, so whatever the game tells me is 'up' and 'down', I agree with. Sure, I have a slight re-learning curve every time it switches up, but the day that a game is released where it switches between both modes at random, I will be your King.

[pheriannath]

Normal, if I'm using a mouse.

Inverted, if I'm using a controller.

[OrangePulp]

I'm getting to the point where I can do either. I don't play shooters on consoles often, so I'm not very good either way. I used to always do inverted, but when you're controller swapping a lot, it's hard to keep an inverted setup.

[Doctor Setebos]

I just point. But then, I've really only played FPS games on the Wii. :rolleyes:

[rein]

Don't ask me to name titles because I would have to go back and look but it really depends on the game. Some games I have found normal to be my preference and others I have had to go in and switch to inverted.

I think the bigger question is innie or outie?

[TheEvilNarwhale]

Inverted controls just don't seem to work well for me. I can do it if I get the controller from a friend who uses inverted, but I do much better on normal.

[Food Nipple]

Always invert the y-axis, and if it's third person invert the x-axis too.

[Shadowstorm]

Crap, I hit Inverted by accident.

I use normal.

[fitbabits]

Inverted. It's the right and proper way.

[Deadend]

I use normal... but in a few games I make it inverted, it just depends on the way the game feels... I can't explain it precisely at this time.

[Gerbs]

Inverted. Always. That's just the way it is supposed to be.

[Deadend]

Inverted. Always. That's just the way it is supposed to be.

Wrong. If inverted was the right way, it would be called normal, not inverted.

[Gerbs]

Wrong. If inverted was the right way, it would be called normal, not inverted.

This poll is setup as normal vs inverted but I prefer to think of it as non-inverted vs inverted. In that case inverted is the clear winner.

[astranoir]

Most certainly always inverted!

[crazyD]

The results so far astound me. Inverted is winning? Crazy.

Inverted only makes sense in flight sims.

[Evewalker]

Damn. I didn't know there were so many inverted people out there.

Unless it's a flight sim or Steel Battalion, I'm normal all the way. There is nothing more frustrating than picking up a controller and realizing that the last guy who used it was one of those people. :)

[Jeffool]

I use normal on first-person, and inverted on 3rd person. My logic is thus:

First person is the use of the eyes, and when I'm looking toward the top of the screen, I use my eyes to look 'up'.

Third person is from behind the head, and when looking toward the top of the screen, I'm pulling the back of the head 'down'.

So, I'll choose the third option.

[VerseD]

In a FPS, I always use inverted. I think it's because I learned to use a joystick with games like Flight Simulator, so whenever I'm moving a stick to look, inverted is the only way that feels natural.

[Wedge]

Inverted on just about any game, exept where you control cursors on 2D planes (like Viva Pinata & point'n clickers). I also use goofy stance when snowboarding, but I am right legged.

[rinichanraar]

I never even really planed flight simulators (hahahaha, I accidentally typo'd "planed" instead of "played," and it's so awesome that I'm going to leave it), but I've always, always used inverted look and aim. I can't explain it, but it's always been most natural to me.

I guess one of the reasons I brought this up is that I read in the Silent Hill: Homecoming thread that there's no inverted option for that game, which is really surprising to me.

[KidCactus]

FPS = Normal
TPS = Inverted

[NoName]

Throw me in the inverted pool. Though sometimes I'll do a FPS in normal.

[Mastergeo7]

Normal... You freaks

[Bingley Joe]

Normal, if I'm using a mouse.

Inverted, if I'm using a controller.


Exactly the same here (so I chose 'whichever I feel like')

[Young Al Capone]

I am assuming we are talking about a gamepad since this is console haven, so I choose inverted.

I don't invert a mouse because I am not a freak, and I don't want to hear any of that bullshit about roots.

[LarsenNET]

Inverted "normal" is backwards.

[Johan]

Left.

Wait, what were we talking about? Oh...I'm embarrassed.

[CptTripps]

Wow, this suprised me. I have to be inverted on flight sims but cannot function in an FPS like that. Normal it is....

[Crittias]

I used to play inverted, but I got sick of constantly changing the default settings. Yeah, I know, those extra 3 seconds of work were just too much for me.

It wasn't too hard to relearn and play normal.

[Crowe]

Inverted on Consoles, Normal on PC.

[biosc1]

Definitely used to be an inverted only guy on console and pc. Then ran into the issue of older co-op/adversarial games only having one mode of input for all. So, my buddy wouldn't play on inverted, so I would just play normal (was more of a challenge anyways ;))...then it kind of just grew on me.

So, now I'm "normal" everywhere except where piloting planes is involved.

[GigaFuzz]

Normal for everything except flight sims.

You inverted guys & girls are weird.

[Kielaran]

Normal...it's normal for a reason.

[rinichanraar]

Man, Normal is catching up. It seems like a lot of people were surprised by there being so many Inverted people, but I'm kind of surprised that there are almost as many Normals.

Also, sorry. I should have made the poll a bit more specific for PC users, but I put it in the Console forum because I was more curious about those using a controller.

[LordDon]

Inverted on a controller because I'm used to inverted on the mouse. Years and years of wing commander and x-wing vs. tie trained me well.

[Wilkz07]

Normal!! Up is Up, Down is down for shooters and 3rd person games

Inverted for Flight games only.

If the Left/Right Camera doesn't feel right I'll invert the x-axis.

[SPBTooL]

I marked normal but if it is a mech or flight game my brain changes from aiming a gun to pointing my nose. Games that are a mix of shooter and mech/flight sim can really through me off.

[JayVe]

My reasoning for inverted with a controller was always the fact that it is first person, and pushing forward on the stick would be my character bending over, and pulling back would be my character bending backwards.
This is how I see it. In my mind, by applying downward force to the thumb stick, I am instructing my character to 'pull up'. This works if they are a person, who would pull their gun back to their shoulder, if they were an aircraft to pull the nose higher, or even a tank raising the barrel to shoot farther.

Now, if your mind sees the on screen cursor as something you push around with the joystick instead of your character, then I can see how you wouldn't want it inverted.

Here's something to note. In Wii titles, you can point right at the screen to aim. Now, to move the cursor to the top of the screen, you need to tip your hand BACK... which is the same action one gets by tipping an analog stick BACK... or by aiming a weapon.

[pomeroy]

Normal. Although when I play on inverted by accident, it's usually hilarious.

[Morangie]

Normal for everything except games involving flight. Anything else feels horribly, horribly wrong.

[shunoshi]

I chose the 3rd option, but that's because I play inverted on controllers and normal on the mouse. This is just the way things were meant to be.

[DangerousDaze]

Normal. When a game defaults to inverted it makes me murderously angry. Unfortunately, since I can no longer aim it also makes me impotently angry. :/

[Vandabo]

Normal on everything except flight sims.

[Camel]

Adam Blue once made the point that inverted makes sense to him (and to me as well!) because you pull your head back to look up.

I ALWAYS use inverted with a controller, and always use normal if it's with a mouse. In some games where the sticks control the camera, I like to make the horizontal axis inverted as well.

[Dukefrukem]

Whatever the default is on Resistance Fall of Man. I have playing FPS on Consoles anyway...

[JayVe]

Adam Blue once made the point that inverted makes sense to him (and to me as well!) because you pull your head back to look up.

Unless you are Batman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRqa47-jv0M&feature=related). Then you have to bend at the waist.

[Gerbs]

Normal...it's normal for a reason.

I refuse to believe you shoot me from across the map with a shotgun without inverted controls! :D

[SilentScreams]

Up until about the first Halo...Inverted. Otherwise...something just "clicked" and I went normal and I never went back.

I suppose it was flight sims as a kid...yeah just like diablo. But as I started to get more into FPS, I felt that aiming a cursor in an FPS is intuitively more like moving a mouse cursor.

Yes I remember the old thread too, I was really surprised by the number of inverted users.

This sums me up too.
I always used to play inverted and then when me and my friends had a weekend-long binge on Halo over system link I just switched to normal. I have no idea what brought it on.

[KingGorilla]

Inverted IS normal.

[Variable Gear]

Inverted IS normal.
That's only if you're abnormal. I like my up motions to translate into up motions, except in flight sims.

[KingGorilla]

Does your head work differently from mine, cause when I tilt it back, my eyes go up, and when I tip it forward, my eyes go down. That is how it translated to me when I would do it on a shooter.

When I moved on to an optical mouse I had to retrain myself as I related the motion to how I normally move a cursor. But with sticks, it is inverted or bust.

[Variable Gear]

Does your head work differently from mine, cause when I tilt it back, my eyes go up, and when I tip it forward, my eyes go down. That is how it translated to me when I would do it on a shooter.
This may surprise you, but I don't think about the movement of my head when I play an FPS. I think about the movement of the cursor. That's why I can't stand inverted control schemes, realistic though they may be.

[Schnoogs]

When I was a kid and Wolf3D and Doom first came out I always played like they were flight sims. This went on til college all through the Half Life and Unreal days.

Then one day when I installed a new FPS the normal controls just clicked. I've never gone back to inverted. Kind of weird...maybe all those shrooms I did messed with my brain.

[JayVe]

Does your head work differently from mine, cause when I tilt it back, my eyes go up, and when I tip it forward, my eyes go down. That is how it translated to me when I would do it on a shooter.
I really think this is the crux of the issue. I always feel like I am moving a character in the world, and therefore feel like if I 'lean back' I'll end up 'looking up'. This makes sense in everything from riding a bike (pull back on the handlebars) to raising a rifle to my shoulder. "Back to go Up" seems perfectly natural.

The 'normal' approach of 'push up to look up' makes me feel like I am pushing the frame of the screen around, and not my character.

[shunoshi]

I really think this is the crux of the issue. I always feel like I am moving a character in the world, and therefore feel like if I 'lean back' I'll end up 'looking up'. This makes sense in everything from riding a bike (pull back on the handlebars) to raising a rifle to my shoulder. "Back to go Up" seems perfectly natural.

Yep, this sums it up perfectly.

[Banacek]

Inverted. It's the right and proper way.

Exactly. And anyone who thinks normal is the right way is going to get banned :)

[Sirindu]

Well, I meant to vote normal but I hit the wrong one. So there you have it. I also usually get mocked for this. Most of the people I play with play inverted and swear by it and all this. Yes, I think it makes the most sense, logically. But I don't really care. :p

[KingGorilla]

There is also a strategic element to this. In Shooters, in particular, you need to be faster to look up at a headshot or at a sniper, and your thumb curls faster than it takes to protract. Sort of like how it is much easier for an alligator to smap shut than to open up. Our hands are made to grasp quickly and powerfully.

[VerseD]

I'm really surprised by how many people play with inverted controls on gamepads. Almost everyone I game with sets theirs to normal.

[Adam Blue]

Inverted here. Like has been said, I pull my head back to look up...blah, blah, blah.

[JayVe]

There is also a strategic element to this. In Shooters, in particular, you need to be faster to look up at a headshot or at a sniper, and your thumb curls faster than it takes to protract. Sort of like how it is much easier for an alligator to smap shut than to open up. Our hands are made to grasp quickly and powerfully.

Oooh! Good one. Also, from what I understand about alligator anatomy, all of their jaw muscles are used for closing their jaw. To open it, they need gravity and / or momentum. Since an alligator can't force its mouth open, you can basically hold it shut with one hand... provided you got the rest of the alligator in control somehow. ;)

[Gerbs]

Oooh! Good one. Also, from what I understand about alligator anatomy, all of their jaw muscles are used for closing their jaw. To open it, they need gravity and / or momentum. Since an alligator can't force its mouth open, you can basically hold it shut with one hand... provided you got the rest of the alligator in control somehow. ;)

Crocodile Hunter makes so much more sense now.

[crazyD]

Does your head work differently from mine, cause when I tilt it back, my eyes go up, and when I tip it forward, my eyes go down. That is how it translated to me when I would do it on a shooter.

When I moved on to an optical mouse I had to retrain myself as I related the motion to how I normally move a cursor. But with sticks, it is inverted or bust.

Weird, when I tilt my head down, it goes down. When I tilt it up, it goes up. Just depends on how you think of things.

[KingGorilla]

I think we have established that I think the right way, and anyone disagreeing is taking crazy pills.

[Squidbot]

Inverted. It's the right and proper way.

Why is it called inverted then? Graaaaaarrrgggghh! *Bangs head on joystick*

[Goronmon]

Does your head work differently from mine, cause when I tilt it back, my eyes go up, and when I tip it forward, my eyes go down. That is how it translated to me when I would do it on a shooter.You are just using certain semantics to justify the correlation between head movement and gamepad movement. Instead of "tip forward" you could say "tilt down" and instead of back I could say up.

[rinichanraar]

There is also a strategic element to this. In Shooters, in particular, you need to be faster to look up at a headshot or at a sniper, and your thumb curls faster than it takes to protract. Sort of like how it is much easier for an alligator to smap shut than to open up. Our hands are made to grasp quickly and powerfully.

Wow, that's a great insight. I never thought of it that way before. I think that's probably the real reason why I find inverted to be so much more comfortable. I've never been able to articulate it before, but I think that's it.

[SilentScreams]

Am I the only one who when reading all the "head tilting" stuff, was actually tilting my head backwards and forwards?
Anyone walking into my room would have just assumed I was agreeing with a particularly insightful post by slowly nodding my head in a sage-like manner. :D

[Schnoogs]

Inverted here. Like has been said, I pull my head back to look up...blah, blah, blah.

Or you move your hand up to shoot up.

I certainly don't move mine down! ;)

[TheSilentDeath]

Normal, if I'm using a mouse.

Inverted, if I'm using a controller.

This, but since I rarely play PC FPS anymore I went with inverted.

[Variable Gear]

Or you move your hand up to shoot up.

I certainly don't move mine down! ;)
Yeah, that's what I've always thought.

[SilentScreams]

I can't believe how even this poll is.

[maharahaj]

Normal for the past several years, but I use to mix it up depending on the game for several years back in college when I was really into PC gaming.