Recommend on, pc games that can use a joypad and run on a ATI HD4350

GrimReaper

So, I've been playing around with my HTPC which up to this point I've only played a few games on.

I've used my HTPC quite obviously pretty much exclusively for watching films etc via XBMC.

However, I've gotten the gaming itch to play pc games on my couch rather than at my desk with my main pc.

A breakdown of the specs of the HTPC:

2.6GHz AMD 5050e X2
2GB RAM
ATI 512MB 4350 (it's a nice and quiet passively cooled low profile card, I am not averse to replacing it with the slightly more powerful 4550.. however, I will not buy anything that is not passively cooled and low profile.. it's a HTPC it has to be quiet I don't want loud buzzing fans)
The MS 360 wireless joypad adapter with a 360 controller
I've got a wireless keyboard/touchpad combo thing but it is just awful for gaming

Portal, Half-Life 2 Episode 2 etc run relatively fine at 1280x720. Granted it would be nice if they ran acceptable at 1920x1080 but I am a realist and 720p is fine.

So, recommend me some games either newish or older ones that work fine with a joypad. My preference is for non-first person games, whilst I can play Portal etc fine I've never really liked playing first person shooters etc using joypads.

I am currently mulling digging out Freespace 2, that'd actually be pretty awesome to play on my 40" 1080p tv...

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SHMUPS, GGPO, Supercade, and uh . . . Carmageddon 1 and 2.

subedii

Capcom have been doing exceptional ports recently.

Devil May Cry 4, I will happily say, is the definitive version of the game. Well implemented, runs smooth, and has all the stuff the console versions did. On top of that, they also took advantage of the PC's extra processing power to create two new gameplay modes.

The thing about DMC4 was that they were constantly pushing the hardware whilst trying to maintain a solid 60 FPS at all times. This put a limit on how many enemies they could ever have on screen at the same time without bringing the framerate down. On the PC that's no longer really a limitation, so they made a new difficulty level called "Legendary Dark Knight", which literally floods the screen with enemies. Still ran silky smooth for me too (although if you're worried about performance in general, they released a timedemo app that you can use to test).

Street Fighter 4 is also a really solid port by Capcom, and from what I've been playing, still a very active community too. Although you might not want to use a 360 pad for that one, the D-pad isn't really all that great. Plus you can download alternate skins for your characters and make Seth look like Krang from TMNT, which is pretty awesome.

Batman Arkham Asylum runs really well. I haven't tried it with my gamepad but it's compatible IIRC.

Glal

If you don't mind shelling out 5 bucks for Xpadder you can map pretty much any mouse/keyboard input to the gamepad. Very simple too (I've used it to cheese stuff like making potions in Dragon Age where each stack requires a click by mapping rapid clicking to one of my 360 controller's buttons, mousing over the correct button and holding down the appropriate gamepad button), the biggest "problem" is downloading one of the gamepad images off the guy's forum to use as a configuration background.
A friend of mine uses it to play Serious Sam and SWAT 4 on his HTPC.

baudattitude

Any of the recent Tomb Raider games work well with a joypad.

Psychonauts.

I know you said you're not really into FPS with gamepad, but I played through Bioshock and Escape from Butcher Bay with the pad and both went well, they're not games that need high precision aiming / twitch movement.

X-Blades, it's cheesy as all heck but I liked it and it's well suited to the pad.

Most bullet-hell style shooters, there's a thread on the forum for Doujin games so you can check that out.

Ghostbusters

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Mini Ninjas

Lost Planet

There are tons more, but looking at my backlog progress for the last two years, those are all ones that I've played with a gamepad and can vouch for.

Glal

Keep his PC specs in mind; if he can't even play Source games at full resolution I doubt he can run many of those games, unless they have really impressive ports.

subedii

Glal wrote: »

If you don't mind shelling out 5 bucks for Xpadder you can map pretty much any mouse/keyboard input to the gamepad. Very simple too (I've used it to cheese stuff like making potions in Dragon Age where each stack requires a click by mapping rapid clicking to one of my 360 controller's buttons, mousing over the correct button and holding down the appropriate gamepad button), the biggest "problem" is downloading one of the gamepad images off the guy's forum to use as a configuration background.
A friend of mine uses it to play Serious Sam and SWAT 4 on his HTPC.

I use ControlMK, which is freeware. Used it when I was playing King's Bounty and just wanted to lie back on my bed and play.

GrimReaper

I should add I also own a 360 and PS3. So for example, I already own Batman:AA for the PS3.

Mr_Grinch

I threw a 5750 in to my HTPC, the power requirements on it are ridiculously low. However my case isn't a low profile case. The fan on the 5750 is lovely and quiet whilst watching films, it kicks in a little playing games but no louder than my (now dead) 360.

As for games...erm... well, I've been playing Left 4 Dead 2 and AvP a bit recently, those would work with a pad.

GrimReaper

Mr_Grinch wrote: »

I threw a 5750 in to my HTPC, the power requirements on it are ridiculously low. However my case isn't a low profile case. The fan on the 5750 is lovely and quiet whilst watching films, it kicks in a little playing games but no louder than my (now dead) 360.

As for games...erm... well, I've been playing Left 4 Dead 2 and AvP a bit recently, those would work with a pad.

It's in a Antec Veris Fusion case, it's low profile only.

This is it:



So no 5750 for me.

Glal

subedii wrote: »

Glal wrote: »

If you don't mind shelling out 5 bucks for Xpadder you can map pretty much any mouse/keyboard input to the gamepad. Very simple too (I've used it to cheese stuff like making potions in Dragon Age where each stack requires a click by mapping rapid clicking to one of my 360 controller's buttons, mousing over the correct button and holding down the appropriate gamepad button), the biggest "problem" is downloading one of the gamepad images off the guy's forum to use as a configuration background.
A friend of mine uses it to play Serious Sam and SWAT 4 on his HTPC.

I use ControlMK, which is freeware. Used it when I was playing King's Bounty and just wanted to lie back on my bed and play.

ControlMK is okay, but offers far fewer options and is just very clumsy to set up. I used it for a while, then decided 5 bucks once is worth more than spending extra 15 minutes per game setting stuff up. Plus, I like the Xpadder guy, since he doesn't put any sort of DRM in his software and makes all future updates free.

subedii

Glal wrote: »

subedii wrote: »

Glal wrote: »

If you don't mind shelling out 5 bucks for Xpadder you can map pretty much any mouse/keyboard input to the gamepad. Very simple too (I've used it to cheese stuff like making potions in Dragon Age where each stack requires a click by mapping rapid clicking to one of my 360 controller's buttons, mousing over the correct button and holding down the appropriate gamepad button), the biggest "problem" is downloading one of the gamepad images off the guy's forum to use as a configuration background.
A friend of mine uses it to play Serious Sam and SWAT 4 on his HTPC.

I use ControlMK, which is freeware. Used it when I was playing King's Bounty and just wanted to lie back on my bed and play.

ControlMK is okay, but offers far fewer options and is just very clumsy to set up. I used it for a while, then decided 5 bucks once is worth more than spending extra 15 minutes per game setting stuff up. Plus, I like the Xpadder guy, since he doesn't put any sort of DRM in his software and makes all future updates free.

Eh, I prefer ControlMK since you can set things like repeat intervals on the analogue triggers. Useful for scrolling. I didn't see that on Xpadder, but maybe I was using an old version.

Glal

You mean depending on how much you pull the trigger? Yeah, I don't see any options for that either, just a flat "set repeat rate".

subedii

Glal wrote: »

You mean depending on how much you pull the trigger? Yeah, I don't see any options for that either, just a flat "set repeat rate".

No, I mean a flat repeat rate. I guess the older version just didn't have that functionality. Or maybe it did but just not as rapid as I wanted, I can't remember now.

GrimReaper

Well, I'm installing Freespace 2. So I can relive great moments...

DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!

I hadn't heard of controlmk, so I'll give that a go. Xpadder was recommended in an old thread that I remembered, i'll give both a go see which I like the most. According to wikipedia there is a free version of xpadder?

Spoit

If you're going to reinstall Freespace 2, see if you can't get the SCP to work too.

GrimReaper

Spoit wrote: »

If you're going to reinstall Freespace 2, see if you can't get the SCP to work too.

One step ahead of you my good man. Although looks like I need xpadder as only a few buttons on the joypad do anything.

As an addendum, Freespace 2 at 1920x1080 on a 40" hdtv looks nice.