PC games that require an Xbox 360 controller = annoying

[Via]

First Batman:AA (among others), and now this.

Last night I laboriously learned to play The Last Remnant with KB/Mouse by repeatedly going back and forth from the game to the options menu, because the game itself can't be bothered enough to give the KB key that corresponds to the 360 button or trigger during the "tutorial". Needless to say - not fun at all.

But if that's all it was I could live with it; after all, isn't that what we PC gamers have come to expect anymore?

But that's not it, in my case. A key feature of the game doesn't seen to work at all with my KB. During battle you can supposedly make critical strikes or critical defense moves by using the arrow keys (another thing I had to stop the game to figure out; if I see those colored buttons one more time I'm going to throw up).

The only problem is - it doesn't seem to work. I practiced it for at least half an hour, and I got to the point I was hitting the correct arrow key pretty much simultaneously with the display. But alas, I didn't get a single one right, only the annoying "too slow" messages. After giving up I started to think - is this feature slanted towards the 360 controller?

I realize it could be my kb, but it works fine with all other games. Has anybody else had this issue with this particular game? Am I missing a button push somewhere?

I saw that some 360 controller emulators exist - has anyone tried those?

 

[Maximilian]

*puts on flamesuit*

I like using he controller for a lot of games, fallout 3 etc, its great :thumbsup: Always KB/M for competitive online games though.

 

[Dankk]

First Batman:AA (among others), and now this.

Errr... what?

I played Batman: Arkham Asylum with a KB+M in it's entirety, and I had no issues.

Your thread title is "PC games that require an Xbox 360 controller". Batman doesn't require a gamepad last time I checked. Am I missing something here?

 

[Via]

I have a rumblepad, and it wouldn't work.

I guess the title should have read "games that can't use any controller but the 360".

I found Batman:AA tedious with kb/mouse, and I would have like to use my rumblepad.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

How come no one told me that Batman AA couldn't be played with a mouse and keyboard until after I finished it?

I better go back and start over.

 

[Via]

Why require me to buy a 360 controller to play a game that way when I already own a perfectly good gamepad?

I think it sucks.

 

[HumblePie]

There is ways around the xbox 360 controller "only" games and still use a regular game pad.

One is to use a program called xpadder. You pay $10, but it allows you to use your generic game controller device and program keyboard commands into the buttons of the controller. The game thinks you are using a keyboard only setup but are using a game controller.

The other way is to use what I've used.

Google "How to play any games with a PC controller" and look at the instructional youtube video. The video sends you to a web url that doesn't inspire confidence. I know I was skeptical at first and made sure I virus scanned the heck out of what I downloaded from it. Also I had flash and adblocker running just incase. But it was clean. Tried it on a new install test system to make sure nothing fishy was happening and it worked perfectly. Had to go into the .ini file the adjust the buttons but no biggie.

 

[Childs]

It seems surprising that only the 360 controller is supported. After all, these controllers are really nothing but input devices. I would think Direct X would make all the controllers behave the same.

EDIT:
After a quick google, it looks like Xinput Controller is probably being used because its also used on the 360. Microsoft used to use a common API (DirectInput) for all input (mice, keyboard, gamepads, joysticks, etc), then split it into two for KBM and one for 360.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectInput

While DirectInput forms a part of the DirectX library, it has not been significantly revised since DirectX 8 (2001–2002). Microsoft recommends that new applications make use of the Windows message loop for keyboard and mouse input instead of DirectInput (as indicated in the Meltdown 2005 slideshow[1]), and to use XInput instead of DirectInput for Xbox 360 controllers.

So its probably a combination of MS trying to steer people to using 360 controllers, and laziness on the part of the developers.

 

[Dankk]

So its probably a combination of MS trying to steer people to using 360 controllers, and laziness on the part of the developers.

Yup, in this situation, I'd say the Microsoft and Batman devs were in cahoots to make the 360 controller the only supported gamepad in the game.

It actually doesn't surprise me either. The Batman devs were also clearly in bed with Nvidia (after the whole Batman ATI/Nvidia controversy), might as well be in bed with Microsoft too.

 

[Via]

Resident Evil 5 is another game like this. I learned those stupid kb/mouse controls and made it probably halfway though the game before chucking it out of frustration, while my rumblepad sat on the desk next to me.

 

[Canbacon]

It seems surprising that only the 360 controller is supported. After all, these controllers are really nothing but input devices. I would think Direct X would make all the controllers behave the same.

Unfortunately, the XInput library is what is used for the 360 controller. It is an additional licensed library that is different from the common Direct Input libraries. Most other controller companies use Direct Input as it is basically the standard for PC since DirectX 8. Recently XInput is gaining traction because of GFWL. I know that the 360 controller is a favourite in the dev space where I work as it is super easy to get a hold of and it is easy to keep it consistent from console to PC. Though for my workplace, we also have a huge bin for other controllers as they each need to have a separate profile and each need to be debugged to see if they are being picked up correctly. It is a painful process, especially if the OS shows one set of button mapping but the controller has a different set marked on the controller itself. Also, don't get me started on OS locals and language specific keyboards.

So to reiterate, 360 controller probably is the top priority for compatibility. Then the Logitech line of controllers. Anything else is hit and miss for compatibility.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Batman AA actually controls better with a keyboard and mouse IMO, although a gamepad works very well too. And it always shows you the correct keys to press if you are using a keyboard, and only shows the buttons if you are using a gamepad.

 

[Via]

Unfortunately, the XInput library is what is used for the 360 controller. It is an additional licensed library that is different from the common Direct Input libraries. Most other controller companies use Direct Input as it is basically the standard for PC since DirectX 8. Recently XInput is gaining traction because of GFWL. I know that the 360 controller is a favourite in the dev space where I work as it is super easy to get a hold of and it is easy to keep it consistent from console to PC. Though for my workplace, we also have a huge bin for other controllers as they each need to have a separate profile and each need to be debugged to see if they are being picked up correctly. It is a painful process, especially if the OS shows one set of button mapping but the controller has a different set marked on the controller itself. Also, don't get me started on OS locals and language specific keyboards.

So to reiterate, 360 controller probably is the top priority for compatibility. Then the Logitech line of controllers. Anything else is hit and miss for compatibility.

I'm sure issues exist. What triggered my initial rant was the possiblity that a game feature might have been neutered for kb/mouse play, essentially forcing me to buy a 360 controller to play the game at all.

I wish I could borrow a 360 controller to experiment, but I don't know anyone who has one for PC.

 

[Canbacon]

I'm sure issues exist. What triggered my initial rant was the possiblity that a game feature might have been neutered for kb/mouse play, essentially forcing me to buy a 360 controller to play the game at all.

I wish I could borrow a 360 controller to experiment, but I don't know anyone who has one for PC.

True, KB/M should be one input setup that should be priority for dev teams that release on PC. But when it comes to controllers, the 360 is now king as they can pull controller profiles from the 360 branch of code.

It is definitely a sure sign of a console port when a PC title has some weird KB/M setup. Luckily the games I have worked on were console only or had a strong PC dev/QA team that made sure the KB/M felt natural.

 

[Dankk]

Resident Evil 5 is another game like this. I learned those stupid kb/mouse controls and made it probably halfway though the game before chucking it out of frustration, while my rumblepad sat on the desk next to me.

I actually preferred RE5 with a mouse and keyboard.

Another console game I enjoyed better with KB+M controls was Just Cause 2.

You would think most console ports play better with a console controller, but really it comes down to the individual game as well as personal preference.

 

[TheSlamma]

Resident Evil 5 is another game like this. I learned those stupid kb/mouse controls and made it probably halfway though the game before chucking it out of frustration, while my rumblepad sat on the desk next to me.

Don't worry, a controller can't help that game to be good.

 

[gorcorps]

I'm sure issues exist. What triggered my initial rant was the possiblity that a game feature might have been neutered for kb/mouse play, essentially forcing me to buy a 360 controller to play the game at all.

I wish I could borrow a 360 controller to experiment, but I don't know anyone who has one for PC.

What do you mean "has one for PC"? Any wired 360 controller can be plugged into a windows machine and be detected immediately. All of the wireless ones will work too, but you need a $20 adapter. There are no 360 or PC versions of the controllers... except for the wireless "PC" controllers that just include that adapter with the controller.

 

[Via]

What do you mean "has one for PC"? Any wired 360 controller can be plugged into a windows machine and be detected immediately. All of the wireless ones will work too, but you need a $20 adapter. There are no 360 or PC versions of the controllers... except for the wireless "PC" controllers that just include that adapter with the controller.

Oh - I didn't know that. I have two wireless ones from my borked 360. I'll have to look into that.

 

[Via]

Well - Best Buy doesn't agree with you. I just called them - they say the adapters can only be purchased together with a 360 controller for PC.

I checked on ebay, and they have some seperately, but the Best Buy guy was pretty specific that it has to be a controller designed for PC, not just any 360 controller.

Was he full of shit?

 

[Nizbot]

Well - Best Buy doesn't agree with you. I just called them - they say the adapters can only be purchased together with a 360 controller for PC.

I checked on ebay, and they have some seperately, but the Best Buy guy was pretty specific that it has to be a controller designed for PC, not just any 360 controller.

Was he full of shit?

Yes

 

[Aikouka]

I understand where the OP is coming from, and I find it annoying too. If I'm not using a controller, stop showing me the damn controller buttons. Some games are good about switching it. Bastion actually switches based on what you're using, but Bastion fails at switching the button in dialogs if you change the controller configuration. I believe I switched weapon 1 and weapon 2 around, and the UI element on the bottom right shows the proper button, but dialogs don't.

Was he full of shit?

Yes. Before I purchased my wired 360 controller, I paired a wireless controller from my downstairs 360 to my PC (I have the adapter, which was sold separately when it first came out), and it worked fine.

I don't like doing it much though, because I don't think you can easily tell the controller to shutdown. Well, except by pulling the battery pack out!

 

[Canbacon]

Well - Best Buy doesn't agree with you. I just called them - they say the adapters can only be purchased together with a 360 controller for PC.

I checked on ebay, and they have some seperately, but the Best Buy guy was pretty specific that it has to be a controller designed for PC, not just any 360 controller.

Was he full of shit?

Yes, you can get the adapter separately from Deal Extreme for 11 USD or 9 EUR. Search for "47380" and you should see them.

 

[Via]

I guess I'll order one of those adapters then. $10 ain't too bad.

Can't wait to try it. It'll be interesting to see if the critical hits in The Last Remnant work like they're supposed to with the 360 controller.

 

[HumblePie]

I guess I'll order one of those adapters then. $10 ain't too bad.

Can't wait to try it. It'll be interesting to see if the critical hits in The Last Remnant work like they're supposed to with the 360 controller.

You could try doing what I suggested and not pay a dime.

 

[Via]

Sorry, I sort of skimmed your post, saw the $10 amount, and completely missed the free aspect of it. Must learn to read better. I'll try it out.

But $10 isn't too much for me to be able to use my two wireless 360 controllers that are basically paperweights now, so I'm going to go that route as well.