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The perfect gamepad
Frem
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm in the market for a PC gamepad. I'll be using it for the odd Steam game (mostly Burnout Paradise and Audiosurf), and a lot of freeware and retro games (Spelunky, Hydorah, Action Fist, SEGA Smash Pack, etc).
Wired vs. wireless isn't an issue at all; unlike with a console I'll only be a few feet away from my computer at most.
My current choices:
Xbox 360 Controller
It's exactly like the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows, but five dollars cheaper and you have to download the driver from the internet. I can live with that. I really like the design of the thing; it's one of the most comfortable controllers I've held. Unfortunately, I've only really ever played Halo with it. I've heard that the the dpad is sorely lacking. As most 2D freeware games tend to use the dpad, that seems like it might be a problem.
Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2
Looks pretty nice, but I think it uses DirectInput. As a lot of games these days are starting to use Xinput exclusively, that seems like it might be a problem. I'm also not a huge fan of the PlayStation's controllers, and it looks pretty similar.
Xbox 360 Pad EX 2 with Turbo
Now we've got this thing. It's an officially licensed Xbox 360 gamepad, apparently designed for fighting games. Has a similar design to the official pad, which is good. The Dpad is reportedly amazing, but a multiple reviews say that the thumbsticks are low quality and generally flaky, and a number of the people who reviewed it quite well seem to be using it with fighting games almost exclusively.
Wired vs. wireless isn't an issue at all; unlike with a console I'll only be a few feet away from my computer at most.
My current choices:
Xbox 360 Controller
It's exactly like the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows, but five dollars cheaper and you have to download the driver from the internet. I can live with that. I really like the design of the thing; it's one of the most comfortable controllers I've held. Unfortunately, I've only really ever played Halo with it. I've heard that the the dpad is sorely lacking. As most 2D freeware games tend to use the dpad, that seems like it might be a problem.
Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2
Looks pretty nice, but I think it uses DirectInput. As a lot of games these days are starting to use Xinput exclusively, that seems like it might be a problem. I'm also not a huge fan of the PlayStation's controllers, and it looks pretty similar.
Xbox 360 Pad EX 2 with Turbo
Now we've got this thing. It's an officially licensed Xbox 360 gamepad, apparently designed for fighting games. Has a similar design to the official pad, which is good. The Dpad is reportedly amazing, but a multiple reviews say that the thumbsticks are low quality and generally flaky, and a number of the people who reviewed it quite well seem to be using it with fighting games almost exclusively.
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Steam: CavilatRest
although personally i would love if there was a way to make my gamecube controllers work with my computer
edit: picture:
http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/gc_n64_usb_adapters/index.php?category=Adapters
If you don't need sticks, look into the Hori Fighting Commander 3.
Can you lime an image?
The Gamecube controller always felt cheap and plasticky to me. Why do so many people like it?
Steam: CavilatRest
That said, playing games like AC or racing games, which require holding down the trigger for long periods of time while also using the face buttons, with the 360 controller for windows causes me shooting pains after a few hours.
But in a pinch my 360 pad is really nice and compatible with my PC so I have to go with that.
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-6m-49-en-70-qc4.html
Works very well, no drivers necessary (in XP at least), and no input lag! Great way to get 4 controllers hooked up to your PC easily. Also good for older arcade sticks.
You know what, if you could cut that bad boy in half and have each on powered and remove a big chuck of the middle gunk, it would be perfect. I actually preferred the duke to the recent 360 controllers and frankly have had fewer reasons to get a 360 because of the new beast.
One thing, if you do order one, make sure it has the Sega logo on it. There are some really cheap knock-offs that break after 10 minutes of use.
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
Oh, wow. This thing? Kotaku makes it sound really slick. It's also about half of what I'd expect Razer to market it at. Alas, it doesn't appear to actually exist yet. Is there a release date anywhere?
Take that advice.
First off, it's an incredibly well designed controller egronomically, unless you have tiny hands or decades of abusing your hands via a Dual Shock have molded your fingers into deformed claws.
Secondly, as has been pointed out already, pretty much every recent PC game with controller support not only automatically recognizes the 360 controller but changes every in-game prompt to the appropriate button/trigger on the controller. Once you play a game that doesn't do this, you'll realize how nice it is.
Thirdly, unless you're an obsessive fighting game fan, the d-pad is perfectly serviceable. If you're playing more than fighting games, you'll be using the analog sticks and analog triggers much more than the d-pad, which gives you a reason to buy a controller that actually has analog sticks and analog triggers.
No, I won't. I mean, I will use the analog sticks for a few games (such as Burnout, which has gotten too hard to play using the keyboard), but I'll also be using it for a lot of freeware and indie games, which tend to be in 2D and use the D-pad.
It depends on the indie game, but plenty of them that have controller support also use the analog sticks and not just the d-pad. Audiosurf, for example, supports the 360 controller analog sticks but not the d-pad. Shatter supports the analog sticks. I'm curious as to what games only support a d-pad and not sticks, since controller support for modern PC games, indie or otherwise, seems to be all or nothing at this point.
Edit: Also just downloaded Hydorah, which supports the 360 controller analog sticks and not the d-pad.
Again, the d-pad on the 360 controller is perfectly fine.
Just wanted to chime in that a lot of the "Buy a Saturn pad, the 360 d-pad sucks" advice originates from the fighting game community. Grain of salt, etc.
I think most things where joy2key is used, the dpad will function better than the analog sticks. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Aside from this, SEGA's PC Genesis games, Spelunky, Hydorah, La Mulana, and Gun Girl 2 come to mind off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more; I've got a lot of freeware.
So, yeah. Based on what people here are saying, I'll likely get an Xbox 360 controller. I'd get a Saturn one also if it cheaper. I've read that the xbox dpad becomes better if you throw a washer into it. I may try that if the dpad turns out to be a huge issue. Or wait for the Razer controller. I am cautiously optimistic that it will be released soon.
The Saturn ones go for about $20 on eBay, with a little more for shipping
Otherwise, the wired 360 controller really is the way to go. I've never had any problems with the dpad.
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Wii Classic Controller to PC USB Adapter
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-6m-49-en-70-3nu3.html
Allows you to connect two Classic Controller (original and Pro) to this adapter which goes into a single USB port.
What's not advertised is that this adapter also happens to work with MadCatz's Tatsunoko vs. Capcom fight stick. And not just on the PC, but on the PS3 as well.
NeoGAF does have some info from owners of this adapter. The TvC/PS3 stuff is at the end.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=384764
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Nothing beats the game auto detecting it and mapping the controls so I don't have to do it manually.
The 360 pad it pretty great but I wish it supported wired play on the PC. The Dpad is horrible too.
The Gamecube pad is really excellent though. Only complaints were that for some games the c-stick wasn't much use, but for most it was fine. The Z button was a little hard to press too.
Wavebird was even better at the time.
Widely supported and I like to hold it.
If you have a wireless pad, you can't just plug in a standard USB cable and play.
The play and charge kits just supply power, or at least, you need a dongle to play with they.
That means constantly swapping between the pad being paired with the PC and the 360, so it's a hassle each time you want to switch, I ended up just getting a second, wired, pad.
Edit: for example, the PS3 pad. It's not as nice a pad, and it doesn't have anywhere near as good support, but it just uses a microUSB.
The shape is on par with other controllers with regards to comfort, and the buttons are fine.
However, the analog sticks are way too loose, and the way they are concave doesn't work as well as convex style sticks (which basically every other gamepad in the world uses, there is a logical reason for this as well).
I won't get into the atrocious D-pad, as even the people who love the 360 controller usually hate it too.
My favorite for this gen is probably the Dualshock 3 with the Real Triggers attached...however, I feel that Sony's D-pad is almost on par with Microsoft's.
Nintendo's classic controller is the king of the D-pad this gen.
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They already did that, it didn't sell too well, unfortunately