Good fighting game controller for the PC?

Dracil

Ok, so I have an Xbox 360 controller which I've been using to play fighting games and whatnot on my PC. I'm sure there's a better option and I'm looking for suggestions/comments. Some thoughts on my options as follows:

Keyboard - actually not too bad as long as I don't ever have to use a laptop keyboard. Any sort of circle involving both the up arrow does suck a bit given its different placement.

Xbox 360 controller - I actually end up using the analog stick. But from navigating through menus, I'm convinced that's actually really very bad for precise controls. But the dpad also feels meh. Plug and play.

PS3 controller - supposedly better dpad. If I ever get a PS3 I'll be set (don't have either console, but I'm more likely to get a PS3 than a X360 if I ever do so because of no region-locks for games). Not plug and play but does have drivers.

An arcade stick - best for competitive play? But expensive, bulky, not likely to actually be lugged around, which would just put me back at a disadvantage if I play somewhere else as I'll have to use a different controller. Probably a Hori something if I go this route (plug and play compatibility is apparently reversed here as supposedly the PS3 one will work with the PC out of the box). I also grew up on dpads, not arcade sticks, so there's the learning curve.

Other 3rd-party console controllers - Fightpad looked interesting for button placement but otherwise had mediocre reviews. Don't really know about anything else.

PC specific controllers - I have no idea about this

Games I play on the PC:
Immaterial and Missing Power, Scarlet Weather Rhapsody, Guilty Gear series, Melty Blood. SFIV is also coming out next month which I'll likely get.

Games on the consoles I'd like to play: Blazblue (may end up on the PC eventually anyway), SC4

So basically, I'm looking for something that fulfills as many of:
1) Good for fighting games (note, I'm not actually anywhere near competitive, just better than most of my friends though)
2) Portable (the fewer hassles the better, including driver installations)
3) If designed for consoles, preferably designed for a PS3. Bonus if it works with the PC360 (as in all 3 systems)
4) Price. Cheaper of course is always good, but not a dealbreaker really

Aroduc

I do fine with a laptop keyboard for MBAC/IaMP/SWR *shrug*. I actually prefer having my dominant hand on the motion controls (I use IJKL), especially for the Tasofro ones, doubly so with the constant use of the dash trigger. Putting it on a shoulder button or one of the face buttons just feels awkward. Doesn't work out so well for Guilty Gear where character movement is a lot less important.

I used to have one of the little logitech pads. Certainly not great, but functional. They're also dirt cheap and are only slightly more complex than a spork. Sadly, they don't do well in flooded basements. I haven't really played much GG for the last couple years, so I've yet to replace it.

Bartholamue

The Mad Catz Fight Pad for the 360 also works for the PC, so if you can find one of those, go at it. Hmm, in fact, any Xbox 360 peripheral works, even my 360 fight stick, and amazingly enough, my Konami dance pad.

subedii

I'm guessing this is for Street Fighter 4. IIRC The US release is also getting a special edition bundle with a Mad Catz stick, so that might be the one to pick up.

Asamof the Horrible

Not so sure about Mad Catz. Don't they usually make crap?

Bioptic

Asamof the Horrible wrote: »

Not so sure about Mad Catz. Don't they usually make crap?

They were aware of that association with their products, and they've decided that selling at a slightly higher pricepoint for much better quality controllers yielded better branding and more repeat custom. You'd still do well to check out reviews of their stuff before buying, but by all accounts the SFIV Fightpads and Fightsticks have excellent functionality and build quality.

Scoota

http://wiialerts.com/get_categories.php?cid=26&cname=Street%20Fighter%20Games%20and%20Fightsticks

This link shows where you can buy any of the Street fighter sticks or gamepads.

Dracil

I've been looking at the fightpads, but it seems from reviews on amazon by users that it's still actually pretty shoddy quality.

Ah_Pook

if you dont want a stick get one of these usb sega saturn pads off ebay

http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=saturn+usb&_armrs=1&_from=

Dangerous

Instead of a fightpad, since you're only using it for PC I'd get one of the saturn USB pads. Based on my own experience, the fightpads aren't that shoddy, but they still aren't quite as good as a saturn pad.

The floating D-pad is decent, but there are times I wish it was more responsive. The buttons are too flat for my liking. It's more personal preference, but like something more convex or even a mix of concave and convex like a saturn controller. The perfectly flat buttons on the fightpad just feel awkward to me.

It's quite a bit larger than the saturn pad as well. It's not heavy but again it feels a bit awkward to me.

Dracil

Hmm, I'm intrigued by the SS pads. Looks like they also work with the PS3?

Also, are these actually still being produced or are these pads we see online the last remaining ones?

TelMarine

While I actually vastly prefer keyboard suprisingly enough, I do also have a game-pad solution for the PC. A few years ago off ebay I bought this thing called 3-in-1 PCJoy (something along those lines). It was 20 bucks and it has inputs for Saturn, Dreamcast, and PS2. I bought it to use the Saturn and Dreamcast inputs and it works great. Haven't experienced any input lag either.

subedii

TelMarine wrote: »

While I actually vastly prefer keyboard suprisingly enough, I do also have a game-pad solution for the PC. A few years ago off ebay I bought this thing called 3-in-1 PCJoy (something along those lines). It was 20 bucks and it has inputs for Saturn, Dreamcast, and PS2. I bought it to use the Saturn and Dreamcast inputs and it works great. Haven't experienced any input lag either.

It's not surprising. People who haven't tried it tend to automatically dismiss it, but the thing is it's a digital input system for a game that accepts digital inputs.

The only moves that I find difficult with keyboard are generally 360 turns of the stick. Other than that I tend to find that most specials and supers I can usually knock out a lot more reliably on a keyboard.

JustinSane07

I'm pretty sure the Hori EX2 works on the PC. Haven't tried mine yet.

cj iwakura

Another vote for the Sega Saturn USB controller. It's a thing of beauty. You can get them for ~$15 on ebay, just check the seller's history. I got scammed on my first try.

Sixfortyfive

cj iwakura wrote: »

Another vote for the Sega Saturn USB controller. It's a thing of beauty. You can get them for ~$15 on ebay, just check the seller's history. I got scammed on my first try.

Most people on GAF who have gotten one have had good experiences with a seller called "bestbuy-enjoy."

link

It's a great controller for 2D games and fighters. I have the SFIV fightpad as well, and while it's satisfactory overall (and a huge leap over the stock 360 pad), the floaty d-pad leaves a little to be desired.