Console controllers for PC Games

[Roman Totale]

Question: is the PC version compatible with console controller things? I've never used one, but I do prefer playing these sorts of games on a console (and it's cheaper to buy a PC controller than a console). Also, is there a PS3 controller for the PC, or is just the 360 jobber?


Mod edit: Split from Saint's Row the Third topic

[deject]

Question: is the PC version compatible with console controller things? I've never used one, but I do prefer playing these sorts of games on a console (and it's cheaper to buy a PC controller than a console). Also, is there a PS3 controller for the PC, or is just the 360 jobber?

I am about 85%-90% certain that you can use an Xbox 360 controller with the PC version. I can verify this when I get home later.

[Thompy]

Also, is there a PS3 controller for the PC, or is just the 360 jobber?

You can use a PS3 controller but it won't work natively, you'll have to do things like this.

By far the best option is an 360 one, even though the d-pad sucks. Apparently because Sony have a patent on the PS3 design all other controllers have to spaz about uncontrollably. See thread.

[TezzRexx]

There's several incarnations of the PS3 controller design out there for the PC if that's what your after, however as Thompy's shown, if you want a PS3 controller to work on your PC it's not simple whatsoever and nor does it work half the time from experience.

If you already have a wired 360 controller, that is undoubtedly the easiest option thanks to its plug and play compatibility with Windaz. If you don't, you can find them for around £15.

[spoodie]

If you have a wireless 360 controller you can use one of these: http://www.google.co.uk/search?aq=f&sou ... s+receiver

[Joose]

That's what I've got. I went out to buy a wired 360 controller and discovered that, for reasons I couldn't figure out, the shop I was in had a wireless controller + one of those on sale for the same price they were selling the wired.

If you are buying a controller, I would definitely get a 360 pad, if only for the "it just works" factor. The D-pad isn't the best in the world, but most games get around that by hardly ever using it, or at least only using it for things that don't require any kind of accuracy.

[Roman Totale]

To be fair I actually find the 360 pad to be more comfortable (though have they got smaller since the first Xbox came out?), I was just used to Saints Row on the PS.

Game is good, and co-op is insane. Me and Grimmie played some last night - there was much screaming, driving, shooting and more screaming.

[TezzRexx]

though have they got smaller since the first Xbox came out?

Very much so. Baring the D-pad and the dodgy shoulder buttons, it's easily the best console pad out there.

[buzzmong]

though have they got smaller since the first Xbox came out?

Very much so. Baring the D-pad and the dodgy shoulder buttons, it's easily the best console pad out there.

Although I still prefer the original huge Xbox ones, partly due to size, but also because the official ones were actually quality bits of kit.

[FatherJack]

though have they got smaller since the first Xbox came out?

Very much so. Baring the D-pad and the dodgy shoulder buttons, it's easily the best console pad out there.

Although I still prefer the original huge Xbox ones, partly due to size, but also because the official ones were actually quality bits of kit.

On the XBox Hueg I could never reach the black and white buttons with my pudgy little digits, so much preferred where they put them on the smallenized XBox. Now the stick clickdowns have replaced the black and white, which is probably better as I could never memorise which was which without looking. They were, from left to right, white, then black - how unintuitive is that?

I still don't like the start and especially the back buttons location (though Sony's start and select aren't any better, if not worse), and while I can use the sticks, I never quite understood why they made them asymmetrical (probably because Sony owned a patent on symmetrical ones). It's only really Katamari and Battlezone where you have to use them in tandem.

The D-pad is poor, as most games really only use it for the four cartesian directions, Sony's '+'-shaped one makes more sense for that application (but again, patents), the XBox D-pad has a habit of doing diagonals when you don't want it to. Oblivion and Fallout use the diagonal directions for favourites selection, so these are a bit easier on the 360.

Before sticks in the 16-bit days, I prefered Sega's circular-style D-pad over Nintendo's '+' for games like Streetfighter and isometric games where you moved in diagonals, with the Megadrive's 6-button pad being probably my all-time favourite, although I do love my Wavebird.

As for the modern ones, it rather depends on the game as to whether the 360 or PS3 pad is better. You can't beat the 360s trigger for driving games, but the PS3 stick is king of the golf-swings. The 360's guide button is easily locatable in the dark, but the PS3 one has far superior battery life. The controller-number indicator on the 360 is easier to see at a glance, but the PS3's one serves the double purpose of being a battery indicator when it's first switched on. The 360 has a wired version ideal for PCs, but the PS3 has tilt-sensing.